Dreamforce Recap
Written by Mark Eldred
A few weeks ago, Springbach had the opportunity to attend Dreamforce 2024, a three-day technology conference created and hosted by Salesforce in San Francisco, California. These days, it’s rare to meet someone who hasn’t at least heard of Salesforce, but before diving into the event, let’s start with a quick overview. Salesforce began as a cloud-based CRM (Customer Relationship Management) platform but has since evolved into much more. Today, it offers an array of cloud platforms, including Data Cloud, Service Cloud, Marketing Cloud, and Commerce Cloud, all designed to help companies manage a range of business needs. Salesforce has also expanded through strategic acquisitions, such as MuleSoft, a software integration company, and Slack, the popular communication tool many of us rely on daily. Dreamforce showcases these innovations, offering attendees a sneak peek at their future roadmap.
As a first-time attendee, my initial reaction to Dreamforce was one of awe—it’s massive! With 45,000 attendees, hundreds of sessions, and endless opportunities to network, it’s safe to say I was overwhelmed (in a good way). The conference also featured private concerts and other exciting extras. If you missed our September newsletter, I highlighted key takeaways such as AgentForce and Salesforce’s new pricing models. In this blog, I’ll focus more on the experience of the event itself.
In the weeks leading up to Dreamforce, Salesforce shared the conference agenda, allowing attendees to sign up for sessions in advance. These sessions came in different formats, from Keynotes and Workshops to Hands-on Training and Fireside Chats. There’s no way you can do it all, so careful planning was essential—selecting sessions that sounded the most engaging or would bring the most value was key.
Dreamforce took over a large portion of the city, with events spread across four conference centers and even the local AMC movie theater, which hosted some of the most popular sessions. While I couldn’t attend everything, the sessions I did attend were incredibly valuable. I picked up new, practical tips that I’ve already begun applying to the way Springbach uses Salesforce. One of my favorite parts of the event was the Salesforce booths, where I could ask specific questions and get hands-on with the technology. For instance, I had an insightful conversation with a Salesforce engineer about integrating data sources via Data Cloud and MuleSoft.
The outcomes of Dreamforce vary for everyone. Some attendees focus on earning certifications (many of which are free or discounted at the event), while others come for networking opportunities. By day three, many people were finishing “challenges” to collect the event’s signature stuffed animals. My personal goals were to deepen my understanding of the Salesforce product suite and connect with partners who could collaborate with Springbach (spoiler alert: we found some great ones).
Despite the potential exhaustion that comes with three days of non-stop learning and networking, Dreamforce was absolutely worth it. If you’ve never attended, I highly recommend going. Stay tuned for how Springbach will leverage the insights we gained and the partnerships we formed!
To wrap up, here are a few of my standout moments from Dreamforce 2024:
Hands-on workshop for AgentForce, where I built an AI Agent using Slack as the user interface
Conversations with Salesforce engineers in their specific areas of expertise
Meeting project clients in person for the first time
Private concerts featuring Pink and Imagine Dragons
Hilarious moments with comedian John Mulaney
Taking my first ride in a Waymo driverless taxi (pictured below)
