Some trace it to Indigenous wisdom, others to 19th-century poetry. It's about empathy—but also about injustice. Because some paths are tougher not by choice, but by design. And that mud on the boots? It often has a name: gender, age, expectations.
Just today, my friend Clare Sheriff shared a story about someone close to her. A skilled, experienced professional—rejected at the final stage of every interview. Her "original sin"? Being a woman over 50 in tech. Sadly, this is far from uncommon. According to Flair HR, women in tech are 65% more likely to be laid off than men. And Personnel Today reports that age bias keeps millions of capable women out of the workforce.
And yet, today, I saw hope.
Thanks to my friend Andrea, I had the chance to attend "Automate & Motivate" (https://trailblazercommunitygroups.com), a Salesforce Women in Tech event in Barcelona—where three brilliant women reminded me what the future could look like.
Laura Gheorghe from ISDIN introduced us to a thoughtful use of Salesforce Marketing Cloud in the pharmaceutical field—specifically in pregnancy support. What struck me most wasn’t just the smart use of cloud architecture, but the deep respect for privacy, choice, and empathy. Patients can walk the path that feels right for them—or opt out entirely—while remaining in full control of their data. Laura showed us how automation doesn’t have to mean alienation.
Veronica Recanati then walked us through Spiff, a newly integrated Salesforce tool for commission management. Although her focus was sales, every example, every insight, spoke the language of Customer Success. The tool is flexible, precise, and alive with potential—ready to shape-shift depending on the quality of data and intention behind its use. Her clarity and enthusiasm made me want to explore it immediately.
And then there was Sara Bermejo —who had the “hard part”: live demos. She handled every glitch with elegance, every task with surgical skill. What seemed simple on screen was anything but—but Sara made it look effortless. That kind of confidence and competence only comes from true mastery.
After the talks, conversations naturally turned toward future projects. The idea of building a Customer Success Planusing tools like Spiff or Marketing Cloud sparked immediate interest. And in that moment, surrounded by professionals like Clare Sheriff , Natalie Ellis , Andrea Onhaus ... I felt something positive: optimism.
You don’t need my admiration—you’ve earned your place. But let me offer it anyway, with sincere respect and gratitude.
—Eduardo
Sara / Laura / Veronica
People in this piece: Clare Sheriff, Laura Gheorghe, Veronica Recanati, Sara Bermejo, Andrea Onhaus