Keep Shining: What is the Salesforce Golden Hoodie?
Discover inspiring stories behind our Golden Hoodie, showcasing the diverse and remarkable achievements within the Trailblazer Community.
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.
Wherever they are on their journey, they all share a love of community, commitment to continuous learning, and passion for helping others succeed. Let’s dive into the significance and journey of the shiniest of swag, exploring the stories behind its recipients and the values it represents.
It’s a gift of gratitude
These Trailblazers become beacons of inspiration, motivating others to excel while giving back. We honor their unwavering dedication and remarkable achievements with a tangible recognition: the Salesforce Golden Hoodie. The hoodie is an expression of gratitude from Salesforce to those who generously share their stories at Salesforce events.
It celebrates Trailblazers doing well by doing good
Everyone has a unique story to tell and can make a profound impact within the diverse and inclusive community that makes up the Salesforce ecosystem. By recognizing these accomplishments, we hope to inspire others to embark on their journeys and blaze new trails. At its core, the Golden Hoodie celebrates exemplary Trailblazers doing well in their careers by doing good in their communities.
Golden Hoodie recipient Marquita Sidibe’s journey is one shining example of how hard work and dedication can help you achieve ambitious goals. Marquita spent 15 years in the hospitality industry before she took her first steps toward a long-held dream of a technical career. With little tech experience, but an abundance of positivity, Marquita was accepted into the inaugural cohort of Salesforce Pathfinder and skilled up with Trailhead. It was the turning point that she needed. Soon Marquita had a brand new certification and a fulfilling job she loved.
It began with an inspiring #AwesomeAdmin
Although the Salesforce Golden Hoodie now honors those who work in many different roles with the Salesforce ecosystem, the adventure began as a recognition for one particular #AwesomeAdmin. At Dreamforce ’14, during the first-ever Admin keynote, the first #AwesomeAdmin award went to Cheryl Feldman. Cheryl shared her Trailblazer story with thousands of attendees, including how she became a Salesforce Admin after she was forced to forfeit her career as a hairdresser due to her health.
Of course, the award was a crowd favorite, and we went on to share 26 more #AwesomeAdmin awards at World Tours.
Then, in 2016, Admin Evangelist Mike Gerholdt met Zac Otero and invited him to share his amazing career story on the Salesforce Admin podcast. The team fell in love and invited Zac to talk about how he decided to leave the factory floor to study for and become a Certified Admin, live at the Dreamforce ’16 Admin keynote.
The community already loved the iconic black Trailblazer hoodie, so a few creative minds decided to add some shine and surprise Zac with the first-ever Golden Hoodie. #LifeWithGoldie was born the next day.
It’s not an exact formula
We constantly listen to and ask for input from our local teammates and Community Group Leaders. And we watch for people stacking up Trailhead badges, engaging in the Trailblazer Community, sharing exciting achievements, and stepping up to inspire the next generation.
We often hear of these amazing people from their friends, mentors, and champions. We’re always on the lookout for the next inspiring story.
It’s different from the Salesforce MVP program
Salesforce MVPs are 200+ Community Leaders nominated by the community for their exceptional contributions. They’re product experts who have dedicated a lot of time to learning Salesforce and building amazing careers in the ecosystem — and more time helping others do the same. Participation in the program is renewed annually based on recent contributions.
Golden Hoodie recipients represent a wide range of experience levels and time spent in the ecosystem. And we give Golden Hoodies as a forever gift of gratitude.
It’s really not about the hoodie
Mark Tossell said it best in his blog, Demystifying the Fabled Golden Hoodie,
The best thing you can do is focus on doing well and doing good. Commit to continual learning. Speak up and step up in the Trailblazer Community and beyond. Though there’s no guarantee this will lead to a hoodie, we can guarantee:
- We’re listening and loving how you all come together and succeed together.
- You’ll enjoy the incredible feeling of inspiring the next generation of Trailblazers.
Share your story and #BeATrailblazer
The Golden Hoodie represents a powerful reminder that every Trailblazer shines and has a story to be shared. It encourages individuals within the Salesforce ecosystem to step forward, contribute their unique experiences, and become catalysts for change. Whether within the Trailblazer Community, on social media platforms, or through other channels, sharing stories fosters connection, collaboration, and learning.
The world just got a little brighter, thanks to these amazing Trailblazers! Now, it’s your turn to share your story. Come say hello in the Trailblazer Community Cove in the Trailblazer Community.
![[Customer service career path]: A picture of Shonnah Hughes smiling in her maroon Serviceblazer hoodie](https://www.salesforce.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2024/06/Serviceblazer-Shonnah-Hughes.jpg?w=128&h=96&crop=1&quality=75)
