About Mike Wheeler
I have worn many hats in my professional career before finally discovering my calling - to help.
I struggled with my own path to creating things, because the technology to do so was incredibly challenging.
Over time, technology evolved towards easy, and I learned to learn.
I spent well over a decade writing user manuals and online help systems that I knew many would never read. But I recognized the importance of boiling down technical information to its essential parts, all while assuming no prior knowledge of those looking for help.
I learned something important in those non-glamorous years tasked with explaining often inexplicable software. Usually, the problem wasn’t with the user – the problem was with the software.
I developed a firm belief that if a person couldn’t understand a piece of software, it wasn’t typically the person’s fault, but the software.
I was coming off the heels of the economic downturn of 2008-2009. I had seen my income dramatically cut in the Technical Writing space. I took on multiple jobs, which were growing ever-increasingly harder to come by, just to try and continue earning what I had previously.
But with less jobs and less leverage meant the days of remote work were evaporating. I was motivated to find a better career path for myself. I sought out and investigated many different options, but inevitably found that I would hit a wall. At some point, whatever software or platform I investigated was too complex.
I frequently visited the Technology aisle of my local bookstore, desperately searching for some tool I could hitch my career to. Discovering Salesforce rocked my world. I finally found software that was approachable...and attainable. It was software that didn’t require being a coding genius to make data move, to make records update, to prevent things from falling through the cracks, etc.
I also quickly learned that attaining these cloud-based skills meant better pay and more leverage in the marketplace. I was able to get certified and hired as a Salesforce professional in roughly six months. I also doubled my salary and returned to working one job.
There was also a curious byproduct that I enjoyed, beyond the greater pay and interest from recruiters. I found satisfaction in creating things. It didn’t feel like work. I actually enjoyed what I was doing. And the work I was doing mattered. The work I was doing saved people time and companies money.
I had the good fortune of working as a cloud professional for many years, in many different capacities, in many different industries. This gave me invaluable, real-world experience.
That combination of 15 years of Technical Writing and Training, followed by 7+ years working daily on the Salesforce platform were the perfect combination to enable me to do what I do today.
I have had the honor of teaching hundreds of thousands of students on the Salesforce platform, launch my own learning platform, and now start branching into other cloud platforms and technologies, such as WordPress, ChatGPT and more!
My mission is to Train, Inspire and Equip you for a Cloud Career.