Mums On Cloud Nine cover art

Mums On Cloud Nine

Mums On Cloud Nine

By: Heather Black
Listen for free

The show is hosted by Heather Black, a champion for women in tech and founder of Supermums, a global brand supporting mums to develop a career in the salesforce eco-system. The podcast aims to inspire and support mums new or already working in the sector to develop their career in the tech sector whilst achieving flexibility and the salary they deserve – sharing top tips, insight and inspirational stories from women who carved out a successful career and employers who champion diversity and gender equality. Through our podcast series we will cover four key areas of insight: Explore your Potential Understand what roles are possible and how to feel assured it's right for you. Create a Vision for Change Coaching tools and tips to change or develop your career. Have a Life you Love Foster a flexible career working with your employer, team and family. Create your Success Develop your skills, network, profile and reputation as the go to expert. Career Success Economics
Episodes
  • Changing lives from a community centre to African Ohana

    Changing lives from a community centre to African Ohana
    Jul 8 2026
    How does a tech internship at a community centre in Kenya lead to one of the highest honours in the Salesforce ecosystem? In this episode of our Golden Hoodie Winners series, I sit down with Alimali Stephens, Salesforce Senior Developer, community leader, and Salesforce Golden Hoodie recipient. Alimali shares an inspiring story that began with a desire to give back to his local community and led to an unforgettable moment on the Dreamforce stage. His journey reminds us that opportunities often arrive when we're focused on helping others rather than chasing recognition. Where It All Began Alimali takes us back to his early days at the Karibu Centre in Kenya, where he joined as an intern supporting programmes for mothers, children, and the wider community. It was there that he was first introduced to Salesforce through a volunteer programme. Rather than simply learning a new platform, he became part of a project that transformed how the organisation measured its impact, automated manual processes, and better supported the families it served. That first experience with Salesforce would shape the rest of his career. An Unforgettable Dreamforce Moment One day, his director called him into the office with an unexpected question. How comfortable was he speaking in front of a large audience? Soon afterwards, Alimali discovered he had been invited to present on the Dreamforce Admin Keynote. It would be his first visit outside Africa, his first trip to the United States, and, as it turned out, the day he received a surprise Salesforce Golden Hoodie. To make the moment even more memorable, it all happened on his birthday. Building A Career While Building A Community Since receiving his Golden Hoodie, Alimali has continued to grow professionally, progressing from Salesforce Administrator to consultant and now Senior Salesforce Developer. Alongside his day job, he has remained committed to community leadership. As a Salesforce Community Leader in Nairobi and a technology lead with Africa Ohana, he spends his time mentoring aspiring professionals, organising events, and helping others discover opportunities within the Salesforce ecosystem. His belief is simple. The more people we help today, the stronger the community becomes tomorrow. Why Community Changes Careers Throughout our conversation, Alimali explains how discovering the Salesforce community transformed his own learning journey. Early in his career, he often found himself solving problems alone because he didn't know there were other Salesforce professionals nearby who could help. Today, he works to ensure new Trailblazers never have that same experience. It's a powerful reminder that asking questions, sharing knowledge, and supporting one another often accelerates everyone's growth. AI Through The Eyes Of A Salesforce Developer We also discuss how AI is changing the role of Salesforce developers. Rather than seeing AI as a threat, Alimali views it as a practical tool that helps developers solve problems faster, reduce repetitive work, and deliver better solutions for customers. He shares examples of building AI-powered Salesforce solutions and explains why learning to work alongside AI will become an increasingly valuable skill. What part of Alimali's journey inspired you the most, and how could giving back to your own community shape your career in ways you never expected? About Supermums Founded by Heather Black, a Salesforce Golden Hoodie winner, Supermums helps relaunchers and seasoned Salesforce professionals accelerate their careers in tech through expert training, career coaching and recruitment support. Whether someone is returning to work, pivoting into a new role, or ready to step up in the Salesforce ecosystem, Supermums provides practical training, mentoring and access to job opportunities to help them build confidence, sharpen their skills and progress faster. Alongside its career development programmes, Supermums partners with employers to connect them with talented Salesforce professionals who are ready to make an impact. Find out more here https://supermums.org/podcast-intro About our Sponsor, Hubbl Technologies Hubbl gives Salesforce teams the clarity they need to move faster. By connecting technical metadata with real business processes, Hubbl reveals what is happening inside your Salesforce org — from security and access risks to process gaps, tech debt, and AI readiness. The result: less guesswork, faster audits, better documentation, and smarter decisions for teams who want to build, scale, and innovate with confidence Find out more about https://qrco.de/bgY7zw
    Show More Show Less
    22 mins
  • What Does it Take to Become a Salesforce Golden Hoodie Winner?

    What Does it Take to Become a Salesforce Golden Hoodie Winner?
    Jul 1 2026
    What does it take to become a Salesforce Golden Hoodie winner, and how can community involvement shape an entire career? In this episode of our Golden Hoodie Winners series, I sit down with Christina Nava, Salesforce professional, Service Cloud expert, and Golden Hoodie recipient. Christina received her Golden Hoodie at Dreamforce after years of dedication to the Serviceblazer community, where she became known for helping others, sharing knowledge, and supporting fellow Salesforce professionals. What makes Christina's story particularly inspiring is that her recognition wasn't built around a single achievement. Instead, it came from years of consistently showing up, contributing to the community, and helping others succeed. Finding A Home in the Salesforce Ecosystem Christina takes us back to her introduction to Salesforce in 2011 while working in technical support and software consulting. What began as exposure to a CRM platform gradually developed into a career specializing in Service Cloud. Along the way, she discovered a passion for solving problems, supporting users, and building solutions that help organizations deliver better customer experiences. She also reflects on the challenges of being a solo Salesforce Admin and why finding a supportive professional community became such an important part of her growth. Why Community Matters More Than Ever One of the strongest themes throughout our conversation is the value of community. Christina shares how the Serviceblazer community became a place where she could ask questions, learn from others, and avoid feeling isolated in her role. Over time, she transitioned from someone seeking support to someone providing it. Her experience highlights an important lesson for anyone building a career in technology. Success rarely happens in isolation. The relationships you build, the people you help, and the knowledge you share often become just as valuable as technical expertise. Building Skills Through Curiosity And Practice Like many Salesforce professionals who started before today's abundance of free learning resources, Christina had to find her own path. She discusses the early days of learning Salesforce before Trailhead became widely available and explains how hands-on experience, curiosity, and persistence helped her develop her expertise. We also talk about consulting life, being thrown into unfamiliar situations, learning quickly, and why practical experience often teaches lessons that no certification alone can provide. Leadership, Mentorship, And Giving Back As her career progressed, Christina discovered another passion, helping others develop their own careers. She shares how mentors and supportive women within the Salesforce ecosystem helped shape her journey and why those relationships became so valuable throughout her career. Today, Christina serves as a co-leader of the Houston Women in Tech group, helping create opportunities for others while continuing the cycle of mentorship that helped her succeed. AI, Service Cloud, And The Future Of Customer Experience We also discuss the growing role of AI within Service Cloud and customer service operations. Having recently participated in Salesforce demonstrations around new AI capabilities, Christina shares her perspective on where organizations are seeing opportunities and why strong foundations remain important before adopting emerging technologies. It's an insightful discussion that balances innovation with practical implementation. Advice For Anyone Starting Their Salesforce Journey Throughout our conversation, Christina returns to a simple theme: keep learning, stay curious, and get involved. Whether you're just beginning your Salesforce journey, considering a career transition, or looking for ways to expand your network, her story demonstrates how consistency, community involvement, and a willingness to help others can create opportunities you never expected. Which part of Christina's journey resonated most with you, and how could getting more involved in your own community help shape your career?
    Show More Show Less
    23 mins
  • How One Family's Salesforce Journey Led to a Golden Hoodie

    How One Family's Salesforce Journey Led to a Golden Hoodie
    Jun 25 2026
    What happens when a passion for helping others creates opportunities that extend far beyond your own career? In this episode of our Golden Hoodie Winners series, we sit down with Kaelan Moss, Salesforce Marketing Cloud Instructor, Team Lead at Revolent Group, and recipient of the Salesforce Golden Hoodie award. Kaelan shares a deeply personal story that began with a desire to help others and ultimately led to one of the highest honors in the Salesforce ecosystem. From an athletic background and a degree in economics to becoming a respected Salesforce educator, Kaelan's path into technology was anything but traditional. His story is a powerful example of how curiosity, discipline, and a willingness to teach others can create opportunities that change lives. The Decision That Changed Everything During the uncertainty of the pandemic, Kaelan made a bold decision. After moving back home, he committed to supporting his family while teaching his mother and sister Salesforce Marketing Cloud skills. He paid the bills, created a learning environment, and helped them develop new careers in technology. What started as a family project became a story that resonated throughout the Trailblazer Community and eventually caught the attention of Salesforce. Kaelan reflects on the lessons learned from that experience, why leading by example matters, and how consistent daily actions often have a greater impact than grand gestures. Creating New Paths into Tech One of the most compelling parts of our conversation centres on career opportunities beyond traditional education pathways. Kaelan shares why he believes platforms like Salesforce have created accessible routes into well-paid, flexible careers for people from all backgrounds. He discusses the financial realities many families face, the burden of student debt, and why practical, hands-on learning can open doors that many people never knew existed. His mission today is simple: help people discover opportunities that can create greater freedom and choice in their lives. Why Marketing Cloud Captured His Attention As someone fascinated by psychology and human behaviour, Kaelan explains why Marketing Cloud became his specialization. We discuss the relationships among technology, communication, and how people make decisions. For Kaelan, marketing sits at the intersection of technology and human behaviour, making it one of the most interesting areas within the Salesforce ecosystem. His perspective offers valuable insights for anyone considering a career in marketing technology or customer engagement. Making Sense of AI Without the Hype Artificial intelligence is transforming every corner of the technology industry, but Kaelan brings a refreshing perspective to the conversation. He shares his thoughts on the growing AI noise online, why critical thinking matters when using AI tools, and how professionals can avoid being distracted by fear-based messaging. We also discuss how he uses ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Grok in his own work, comparing their strengths and explaining why understanding the quality of your inputs remains just as important as the technology itself. A Simple Learning Habit Anyone Can Use Having trained hundreds of aspiring Marketing Cloud professionals, Kaelan reveals the learning technique he credits with helping him succeed throughout college, certification exams, and his professional career. His advice is practical, easy to implement, and something listeners can start using immediately, whether they are studying Salesforce, learning a new skill, or working toward a career change. Check out our website at www.mumsoncloudnine.co.uk and subscribe for weekly tips to elevate your mindset. What part of Kaelan's story resonated most with you, and could his approach inspire someone in your own family to consider a career in tech? What Is the Salesforce Golden Hoodie? "The Salesforce Golden Hoodie is a special recognition and token of appreciation bestowed upon individuals who have shared their stories of doing well by doing good. These Trailblazers range from relatively new to the ecosystem to seasoned community change-makers – Source". Check out the definitive guide to Salesforce Golden Hoodie Winners here https://supermums.org/golden-hoodie-winners-the-definitive-guide-to-salesforces-most-inspiring-trailblazers/ About Supermums Founded by Heather Black, a Salesforce Golden Hoodie winner, Supermums helps relaunchers and seasoned Salesforce professionals accelerate their careers in tech through expert training, career coaching and recruitment support. Whether someone is returning to work, pivoting into a new role, or ready to step up in the Salesforce ecosystem, Supermums provides practical training, mentoring and access to job opportunities to help them build confidence, sharpen their skills and progress faster. Alongside its career development programmes, Supermums partners ...
    Show More Show Less
    37 mins
adbl_web_anon_alc_button_suppression_t1
No reviews yet