The only impossible journey: five things vets and their families should know about Merivis (and Salesforce!)

“The only impossible journey is the one you never begin.” Tony Robbins

I just finished the in-class week of Salesforce Administrator training with Merivis.

Buoyed by this experience, I started imagining how I would present this opportunity to my brothers in law at the upcoming Army/Navy game; all three USMA grads, and all three probably know several veterans still looking to get their civilian footing, or soldiers who are ready to start their civilian careers.

As I played these conversations out in my head, it sounded a little sketchy. Maybe too good to be true. A strange and secret society; Free training, Trailheads, Vetforce, Networking, Branding, The Cloud, Ohana. Oooohaaaaannnaaaa…

But Merivis is the real deal. For vets who have been out for a while and are looking to start over, military members getting ready to transition to civilian life, or their spouses, here are five things to know about Merivis, and the Salesforce platform training it offers:

Salesforce is a legit company. Founded in 1999, it has around 30,000 employees. $10.5 billion dollars in sales. Market cap of $97 billion dollars. 150,000 customers, and over 3 million users.
Merivis Foundation was founded by vets. There are veterans on the board. Merivis trains veterans and their spouses (we had at least two in our cohort), providing the tools they need to begin (or continue) their Salesforce journey. Merivis is supported by the official Salesforce veteran community, Vetforce. In fact, Merivis was selected by Vetforce as the “Non-profit of 2018.” And even within the Vetforce community, Merivis was recognized as a “family within a family.” They have walked in your shoes, chukkas or boots.
The Salesforce vision of family is Ohana. “Part of Hawaiian culture, ʻohana means family (in an extended sense of the term, including blood-related, adoptive or intentional). The concept emphasizes that families are bound together and members must cooperate and remember one another.” I know, I know. Unicorns and rainbows. But what is this if not camaraderie and unit cohesion? Unlike other certification programs I’ve gone through, the Merivis Foundation ensures we know they are there to support us in our journey. And, perhaps more importantly, they highly encourage cohort members stay in contact with each other, support each other, and participate in local Salesforce meet-ups. This encouragement is also an unforced but subtle form of accountability; we’re accountable to each other, to the foundation, and to ourselves.
The program is not just learning Salesforce. Merivis matches vets with coaches who help with the online training, offer career perspective, and assist with the project assignment that can be completed after the in class training. During the in class training, Merivis brings in experts to talk about using social media to build your online presence, building your personal brand, networking and engaging the Salesforce community. For those looking to transition into the Salesforce ecosystem, there are opportunities for mock interviews and resume reviews. Those already in the ecosystem are encouraged to show up and participate in Salesforce Saturdays.
The diversity you experienced in the military will be reflected in your cohort. I appreciated our cohort members’ varied backgrounds, reflecting Salesforce’s commitment to equality: “Equality starts with us. At Salesforce, we value and respect people of all backgrounds. We believe a diverse and inclusive workplace fosters innovation and creativity, and are committed to building a culture where everyone feels included. While we’ve made progress on some fronts, we know that there is still real work ahead — but together, we can drive meaningful change and create a more equal workplace and world for all.”