Blog
May 10, 2023
At Attain Partners, we have the privilege of leading education institutions—colleges, universities, and K-12—as well as nonprofit organizations through their digital transformation journeys. We fuse our comprehensive understanding of the student lifecycle and nonprofit needs with our expertise in the Salesforce ecosystem to empower institutions to manage engagement, improve communication, and scale their organizations with built-to-last tools.
Attain Partners is proudly recognized as a Salesforce Summit Partner and the Salesforce 2022 Partner of the Year – Education, both of which are a testament to our unparalleled expertise in the ecosystem. We employ the industry’s brightest thinkers and problem-solvers to create, deliver, and implement cost-effective, easy-to-manage, and highly impactful Salesforce solutions for our clients.
We strongly believe in celebrating our people who make our clients’ and our company’s success a reality. We promote individual strengths, which is why we started our Team for Speed series to highlight the extraordinary talent behind our impactful education and nonprofit Salesforce solutions.
We invite you to meet Jason Cook, Principal Consultant and Salesforce implementation expert at Attain Partners. In this interview, Jason shares his passion for database design and creative problem-solving which have proven to be essential ingredients to success for dozens of organizations since his start as a Salesforce implementation expert.
Attain Partners (AP): What brought you to Attain Partners?
Jason Cook (JC): I was working with a smaller implementation partner where I was stuck at a crossroads in my career. I enjoy working with nonprofit organizations, but there wasn’t much room for growth where I was. I was also apprehensive about joining a large consulting partner because I value the direct collaboration of smaller organizations which makes it easier to achieve success.
As I was figuring out my next career step, a colleague informed me that Attain Partners was searching for new talent. I had several conversations and interviews with Attain Partners and took the leap to join the team. I haven’t looked back since!
AP: What did you do before joining Attain Partners?
JC: Before joining Attain Partners, I worked with a smaller implementation partner. But, if I go back further, in my previous life, I was a cargo aircraft load specialist! My job was to ensure the safe loading of cargo planes by calculating their weight and balance. While it was an interesting job, I didn’t see myself doing it long-term.
About 10 years ago, my sister introduced me to Salesforce. I knew then my future was in Salesforce, and I began working as a Salesforce implementation consultant—and I’m glad that I made that decision.
AP: Which of the Attain Partners’ core values speak to you the most?
JC: I connect the most with our core value to Invent the Future. As someone who always tries to think ahead and plan for the future, this value speaks to me on a personal level.
It’s important to keep a forward-thinking perspective and recognize how much progress we’ve made as a society, even when it may seem like we’re taking steps backward. Ultimately, the future is what we make it, and I believe that we have the power to make it better, even if it takes hard work and determination.
AP: What do you like most about the work you do?
JC: I really enjoy the build process and creative problem-solving that goes along with a Salesforce implementation. There’s something immensely satisfying about taking a set of requirements from a client and turning it into a fully functional system they will interact with daily. The more seemingly unsolvable the requirement, the more satisfying the eventual solution will be.
AP: What are the biggest ways you’ve seen architecture efforts impact organizations?
JC: I had the opportunity to work with a university that was a pioneer in online learning, but its process for bringing new programs to fruition was not as efficient as it could have been. The university was still relying on spreadsheets and emails for many of its operations, which was taking up a lot of time and resources.
With my team’s help, we built a Salesforce solution that transformed the university’s processes, allowing staff to focus more on the work itself and less on how it gets done. We even integrated some of the online forms to streamline the submission of program ideas and registration for training courses. It was incredibly rewarding to see the positive impact our architecture efforts had on the institution, optimizing its operations for greater efficiency.
AP: Can you share an example of a project you’re especially proud of?
JC: I’m particularly proud of the work I did for an education organization focused on small business development. This project was challenging as it required integrating multiple systems with Salesforce across several branches throughout the state.
We had to combine Salesforce with a forms tool, an event management solution, an analytics solution, and an address validation system—which presented a complex set of problems to solve. After months of hard work, we were able to create a solution that ensured every record in Salesforce interacted with each of those systems. Despite the project’s continued growing complexity, we continued to rise to the challenge and overcome each obstacle. Seeing the final result and knowing the positive impact it has had on small businesses is definitely something I’m proud of.
AP: What is the most challenging aspect of your job?
JC: As a Salesforce consultant, the most challenging aspect of my job is managing the expectations and emotions of clients. Clients have a lot at stake when it comes to the success of their projects, so it can be difficult to keep them reassured when things don’t go exactly as planned. Often, clients have little experience with the technicalities of projects, so it’s up to us to help them understand what’s happening and what to expect moving forward. It’s a delicate balance of being honest about the challenges while providing the confidence and direction that is to be expected from an expert consulting team like Attain Partners.
AP: What do you read to keep current about Salesforce, education, and nonprofit organizations?
JC: I try to avoid getting all my information from one source as much as possible. I like to use information aggregating sites like Reddit so I can stay up-to-date even if it’s not something I would normally look for.
AP: What do you like to do for fun outside of work?
JC: I like to bike as much as possible—it’s a great way to get exercise while still getting around and seeing places that you wouldn’t necessarily see on foot or in a car. Three to five times a week, I just hop on my bike, head out the front door, and see where I end up. I’m also big into DIY projects, usually woodworking or tinkering with electronics. Other than that, I like to read sci-fi and fantasy, do some occasional gaming, and sneak in a hike or camping trip here and there to keep things interesting.
AP: What is your preferred energizing beverage?
JC: It’s funny, up until about eight years ago I didn’t really have an opinion on this but living with someone who rarely starts her day without a cup of coffee can really change your way of thinking. I enjoy tea every now and again, but coffee is definitely my go-to caffeinated beverage.
Attain Partners – Salesforce Experts
No matter if your organization is beginning its Salesforce journey or 10+ years into development, Attain Partners is here to help you achieve your goals. Contact our team today to learn how we can help you advance your mission by harnessing the power of Salesforce.
To learn more, check out our Salesforce Innovation services, read case studies about our transformative work, and explore blog posts from our Salesforce experts.
Learn More – Jason Cook
Jason Cook is a Principal Consultant at Attain Partners. Jason has worked as a Salesforce implementation expert since shortly after he first discovered Salesforce in 2013. Jason’s passion for database design and creative problem-solving has proven to be an essential ingredient to success for dozens of organizations since he first got his start as an implementation expert.
Interested in speaking directly with Jason? Fill out this form to be connected!
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