The past year has been a whirlwind of exciting projects—eliminating technical debt, building complex automations, and streamlining sales processes. It was a year full of collaboration and innovation. But let’s be real—when you’re deep in the day-to-day grind, some goals naturally take a back seat. For me, that was earning more Salesforce certifications.

Then came the wake-up call. You know that moment when you see an email from Focus on Force reminding you that your subscription has expired? Yep, that was me. My Platform App Builder (PAB) study guide and exam access had lapsed, and it hit me like a ton of bricks.

Fast forward to the quiet, reflective days between Christmas and New Year. I decided to use that downtime to recharge and refresh my Salesforce knowledge. I was ready for a challenge and jumped back into the world of exam prep. Those Focus on Force practice exams prepare you for that special knack Salesforce questions and answers have, which make you question everything. For that Focus on Force is the ultimate prep tool for me.

And on January 6th, I officially added the Platform App Builder certification to my Salesforce journey! 🏆 It’s a great reminder that growth doesn’t have to follow a perfect timeline. Sometimes, it’s about making progress when the opportunity arises, even if it’s not part of some grand master plan.

A Quick Tip for the PAB Exam

Now, no spoilers about the exam (we all know the rules!), but I can share a couple of tips:

• After a year of working with Salesforce, you should have a solid foundation. If you’ve created or updated Mobile Apps, Lightning Record Pages, used Change Sets, and made reports and dashboards, you already have experience to tackle some PAB questions!
• Just passed your Salesforce Admin cert? Keep the momentum going! In my experience, about 60% of the PAB questions overlap with the Admin exam, so you’re already halfway there.

What’s Next for Me?

Next up: UX Designer! 🎨 I’ve started exploring Trailhead and found some similarities with Business Analyst topics like User Stories and Business Process Mapping. I’m curious to see if these connections will appear in the exam.

What about you? What are your goals for the year? Whether it’s earning your first cert or tackling a new one, let’s keep learning and leveling up together! 🚀