THE EXCHANGE SPRING 2022 INTERVIEW WITH: Stephanie Herrera CEO & Founder, Herrera Advisors, Salesforce Saturday Founder, PepUp Tech Co-Founder, Merivis Board of Directors, 7x Salesforce MVP, 6x Keynote Speaker How has AppExchange influenced/ What is the most important piece of Is there anyone who inspires you empowered you in your career? advice you have been given? in your career? As a tech nerd and someone who owned four different Be open to any opportunity that comes your way, even if you Yes, Salesforce instances, AppExchange was a market I actually Cristina (Mancini) Jones. She worked her way up in don’t “think” you can do it, because no one starts off as an the film industry to the EVP level and then transitioned to enjoyed “shopping” in! Anytime my stakeholders wanted to expert. Salesforce and is now the CMO for salesforce.org, and she purchase an integration that was going to connect with my did this as a woman of color. I’m sure she had many a battle Saleforce org, the first place I go to is AppExchange. I could along the way, yet she persevered. She is someone who has find all the information I needed along with reviews, often How can we encourage more women created space for me, championed me to her networks, and from people I actually knew, which made me feel more has given me tools to help me be more successful and happier confident about moving forward with the integration. to pursue entrepreneurship or senior in my career. She didn’t have to do this, and she is so gracious leadership roles in their career? with her time and knowledge. I feel so very fortunate to have her in my life on a professional and personal level. She is the Why do you think it is important to We have to create space for them first of all, and then give real deal when it comes to creating and championing a more celebrate International Women’s Day? them the tools to succeed, show them the doors that they diverse and inclusive world for all! need to be walking through, and then champion them to our Until we as women get better at celebrating ourselves, we networks to help them rise much faster and more seamlessly need to make time to do so for each other. I love that it’s “You aren’t alone than we did. also “International” as it reminds us, that at our core, we as If you could have dinner with an women throughout the world face a lot of the same struggles. in your journey Just knowing this helps make it a little easier to face them, inspirational woman, dead or alive, who especially when we come together to help each other What is the most important message overcome those battles. — even though it would she be and why? might often feel you want to send out to young women Oprah. I’ve always been a fan of her journey from poverty to thinking about their careers? that of not being “deemed” worthy of television, and how she Have you faced any barriers in your connects with humans. She genuinely seems to care about that way, you First and foremost, you aren’t alone in your journey — even everyone who crosses her path. She was the first person to use career due to being a woman? If so, how though it might often feel that way, you aren’t. Lean on your her platform for good, in my opinion. did you overcome them? aren’t. Lean on peers, your community, and your tribe. Share your struggles and your ambitions, and you will be very surprised to find that I’ve been in tech for 23 years now as a Hispanic woman, so many have gone through what you’re going through and can Yes, I absolutely did and I still do! I surround myself with a your peers, your help you overcome the problems you encounter, while also tribe of women and men who have my best interest at heart helping you achieve your goals a lot faster than you can do it and who give me the guidance and strength to continue to community, and on your own. push forward, even at times when I don’t feel I have any fight left in me. They remind me that I’m worth fighting for and your tribe.” are right there with me, helping me overcome biases and obstacles that come my way. -STEPHANIE HERRERA 21