The world of sales spins fast. And the ones making the most of it are doubling down on learning, listening, collaborating, and sharing their experiences with fellow sales professionals.
These are the Community Group Leaders (CGLs) in the Salesblazer Community. Over the course of the coming year, they’ll bring people together in virtual and in-person events, share their insights in the Slack community and on Salesblazer.com, and push the envelope on what’s possible in the profession.
Without further ado, meet the Salesblazer Community Group Leaders for 2025…
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Karima Bahlani
CRM Project Manager, HADDAD BRANDS EUROPE
Why Karima chose to be a CGL: Karima brings a human-centered mindset and a deep commitment to community engagement to her work as a Community Group Leader. As an active member of several Salesblazer Community groups already, she’s seen firsthand the power of connection, listening, and collaboration, and is eager to create inclusive spaces where everyone feels heard and valued.
Keep an eye out for:
- Salesforce Saturdays and in-person events focused on hands-on learning and community connection, including live demos and best practices
- Co-hosted events bringing together diverse perspectives and expertise
Advice for Salesblazers: “Building genuine relationships within the Salesforce ecosystem can open doors to new opportunities, mentorship, and growth. At the same time, resilience is key — the sales journey is full of highs and lows, but staying adaptable, learning from setbacks and consistently showing up will set you apart and sustain long-term success.”
Lindsey Boggs
Chief Executive Officer, LFB Consulting
Why Lindsey chose to be a CGL: The Salesblazer Community has been there for Lindsey through career highs and lows – and now she’s ready to pay it forward by fostering connection, growth, and real talk on sales.
“I’m excited to create a space where sales professionals can come as they are, whether they’re crushing quota, in a rut, or navigating change,” Lindsey says.
Keep an eye out for:
- “Real Talk” Sales Roundtables: A virtual safe space to share wins, losses, and lessons
- LinkedIn Live Q&As with sales leaders and surprise guests
- Sales and self-care virtual workshops focused on burnout, mental health, and balance
Advice for Salesblazers: “Stay curious. Build your personal brand. And remember that your mental health is not a luxury, it’s a foundation. The best sales careers are sustainable, intentional, and rooted in purpose. Don’t be afraid to rewrite the rules and bring your whole self to the table.
Kristen Handler
Senior Account Manager, Red Argyle
Why Kristen chose to be a CGL: Kristen believes in the power of shared experience. Sales can be a challenging but incredibly rewarding path. Having a community that celebrates wins, shares lessons learned, and supports each community member makes all the difference. For Kristen, being a Community Group Leader gives her the chance to create that space and help others grow, just like the Salesblazer Community has helped her grow in her own career.
Keep an eye out for:
- Virtual events spotlighting real career journeys — like the winding, non-linear paths many people take to success in sales
- Tactical sessions on pipeline building and executive alignment
- A Dreamforce prep event to help attendees maximize their experience
Advice for Salesblazers: “Be curious, be coachable, and be bold. Stay humble. And above all, build relationships before you need them. Sales is about trust, and your reputation is your best asset.”
Justin Jay Johnson
Founder and CEO, TheSoftwareSalesCoach.com
Why Justin chose to be a CGL: A former top sales rep at Salesforce, Justin knows what it takes to implement systems that empower reps to perform at a high level and he wants to share that with fellow Salesblazers. Being a Community Group Leader brings together his love for helping people with the opportunity to give back to a company that had a big impact on his life.
Keep an eye out for: Virtual networking events and coaching sessions to help Salesblazers understand what they can do to advance their career, how to leverage Salesforce to get ahead, and make more money.
Advice for Salesblazers: “Go all in on investing in yourself. It’s the highest ROI you’ll ever get.”
Piyusha Pilania
Salesfore Consulting Manager, Horizontal Digital
Why Piyusha chose to be a CGL: Having worked both as a salesperson and as a Salesforce consultant, Piyusha says that being a CGL gives her the chance to give back to the community that has helped shape her career. In her own words: “Seeing someone land a job, solve a problem, or build confidence because of the group just makes it all worth it,” she says.
Keep an eye out for:
Virtual sessions on accelerating sales with Salesforce products, such as:
- How Salesforce uses AI to empower their own sales teams
- How small businesses can use Salesforce tools to build pipeline and grow faster
- Using Salesforce to build connected, loyal ecosystems
- A full walkthrough of the sales journey, from lead to customer, with Salesforce solutions
Advice for Salesblazers: “The real magic lies in building trust. Focus on relationships over transactions. Listen deeply to your customers’ needs and never sell something just to meet a target. When you genuinely care about your customer’s success, everything else follows.”
Fumino Takahashi
Partner Development Manager, Splunk
Why Fumino chose to be a CGL: As a partner account manager who organized and facilitated numerous Salesforce community events, Fumino has developed strong relationship-building skills — and she wants to help others build those same skills. She also wants to create an environment where Salesblazers can share knowledge, tap into their own potential and build confidence as they grow their careers.
Keep an eye out for:
- Sessions for beginners on how to use Trailhead
- Meet-ups to share sales success stories
- Panel discussions focused on industry-specific best practices
- Virtual workshops on Salesforce AI and career development
Advice for Salesblazers: “If you genuinely care about your customers’ success, trust and results will naturally follow.”
George Yoshida
President, Leave a Nest Knowledge Co.
Why George chose to be a CGL: George has personally designed many Sales Cloud configurations, learning through trial and error what works in real-world scenarios. It’s this combination of technical expertise and practical know-how that he wants to share with fellow Salesblazers, guiding them through common challenges to find durable solutions. More than this, however, he’s excited to give back to the sales community – there is nothing more rewarding to him than seeing community members achieve their goals and build meaningful connections.
Keep an eye out for:
- Sessions and workshops showcasing the creation of agents using Data Cloud integration
Advice for Salesblazers: “Stay curious and never stop learning. Build genuine relationships with clients and colleagues. Always be open to feedback and view challenges as growth
Grow your career with the help of our Community Group Leaders
Community is what keeps us grounded. The rise of AI, shifting markets, and the constantly evolving breadth of sales work can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Our Salesblazer Community Group Leaders are here to help. They’re real people with real-world experience, and they’re offering their time, insight, and support to help you grow.
So take the first step: Join the community, attend an event, or connect with a leader on Slack. In sales, community isn’t just your safety net – it’s a launchpad.
Not a Salesblazer Community member yet? Join on Slack and connect with sales professionals in your area.
