Kali Alexander - ServiceNow Podcasting & Impact
As the business world continues to venture into the world of ServiceNow, people are finding new ways to work within this system. This leads to a group of select few who can provide innovative ideas and pave the future of the platform. For Kali Alexander, she can often be found innovating the conversation around ServiceNow and finding solutions to business challenges to optimize customer success. In fact, Kali leads a LinkedIn-exclusive podcast titled 100DaysofServiceNow where individuals in the space discuss the ever changing field. Aside from having conversations about the industry, Kali is also an Account Executive and Customer Advocate at GlideFast Consulting, putting her on the ecosystem’s frontline each day.
Who are you and what is your business / personal brand about?
“My brand is about amplifying ServiceNow and the community it is composed of. You’ll find me leading engaging conversations including casual ServiceNow kickbacks, recaps of our annual Knowledge event, deep dives into aspects of the platform, and chatting with the movers, shakers, and neophytes in our ecosystem,” said Kali about the 100DaysofServiceNow podcast. “As an end-to-end enterprise platform, ServiceNow sits both at the center of the universe and at the frontier of innovation. I specialize in helping clients achieve the greatest outcomes from ServiceNow with a best-in-class delivery team that combines superior technical acuity and best practices to execute a digital solution that aligns C-suite priorities, business initiatives, and user experiences.”
In the industry, several factors can become hurdles for companies. Whether it's telecommunication, retail or financial services, the challenges are unique. But that's just the kind of thing Kali is looking to engage with at GlideFast.
“I view my role as a partner in tackling those challenges with solutions that are personalized to the needs and goals of each customer,” said Kali.
How long have you been building your personal brand?
Beginning in the Fall of 2022, Kali started the aforementioned 100DaysofSercviceNow podcast for a few reasons. The main one being to land a job, though it was not as simple as getting in front of a microphone and talking. Kali says she spent ample time developing her strategy and figuring out where to take the podcast.
“My ‘why’ had both a short-term and long-term perspective: shorterm, to land a job at a great company in a role where I can grow, and long-term, to build an impactful respected brand where I could have conversations with people in our ecosystem. My instinct was to do something unlike what was currently out there. With my why being clear, I needed to figure out the how. So I sat in the cut and observed while I was continuing to skill up to land a job. I finally decided on livestreaming on LinkedIn, as the appetite was ripe and my ambition was unparalleled. By 2023 my brand had grown into an established reputation in the ServiceNow space focusing strictly on the platform and the people who make it happen,” said Kali.
As previously mentioned, the ServiceNow industry is changing daily. With this comes the opportunity for Kali to innovate spot-on solutions for customers. With that work being done, Kali is developing a brand that shows a capacity to listen for pain points and committed to resolving issues.
What’s it like to run your own personal brand?
“The pursuit of my personal brand is fueled by my own curiosity. With each ServiceNow release [two per year] I’m constantly learning about new features, greater opportunities for solutioning, industry trends, and resources — which makes it easy to stay motivated. I also feast at the table of what’s taking place in the business world and the various industry verticals, so I enjoy mapping ServiceNow solutions to the challenges that industries are facing,” said Kali. “Right now there’s a lot of innovation taking place in FinTech and TMT, for example, so I enjoy thinking through how I’m able to collaborate with organizations within these industries to help them actualize their initiatives. I also make sure to stay connected with the ServiceNow developer community. Keeping my finger on the pulse of what people are talking about within the platform is essential for staying ahead of the curve.”
The podcast industry is also one that creates its own hurdles. Anyone can simply get behind a microphone and upload a discussion. In order to stand out and really make an impact in that space, Kali knew she needed to do something no one else was doing. She knew she did not need to tell her audience what ServiceNow is, but rather enlighten them to what ServiceNow can be.
Were there any key factors in starting your brand?
”[I had to] fill in the gap of what was missing in the ecosystem by creating something different with professionalism and integrity and not give fear any air. I’m really big on making sure that what I deliver is polished and thought out so that there’s minimal friction for people to enjoy it. The look and feel, the sound, the content, the questions, the conversations, and the lessons have to all hit the mark so that I’m delivering value from every angle every time. Livestream was my medium of choice because it forced me to come correct in one take or be nimble enough to pick myself up if I [mess up]. Learning out loud forces your hand to show and prove. It’s the closest you can get to a melodic rap freestyle or a jazz improvisation," said Kali.
One of the hardest parts of some business ventures, and life ventures for that matter, is knowing where to get started. The modern era of ServiceNow is still in a relative infancy period, which means a lot of people are just learning the potential of the platform. For Kali, even making mistakes in this new field was something she found she could learn from.
If you had one thing you know now that you wish you knew when you started, what would that be?
“At the onset of my career pivot, I promised myself to not get in my own way. What that means is to not overthink my decisions, take strategic risks, and not ask for permission. It’s incredibly liberating. Even when I bump my head, I learn. What’s important for me now is that I keep on moving the ball down the field as I strive to attain my goals – both my personal and professional goals as well as my contribution to the community,” said Kali. “ My motivators are my children and my ancestors. When I think about what my ancestors endured and what I want to model for my children, it becomes clear how I must order my footsteps. That’s when I’m operating at my highest.”
What advice/tips do you have for upcoming entrepreneurs?
“Become comfortable taking strategic risks. Start by creating a safe risk-taking environment where you can gradually push the boundaries of risks and fears. This way you’ll learn to trust yourself and your judgment. Here, you’ll be able to experiment and fail without feeling like it’s the end of the world. And if you fail, fail fast! Assess what went sideways and learn from it. Get feedback from trusted mentors and advisors who will be honest with you and help refine your ideas. Then iterate and repeat,” said Kali.
What does it mean for you to be here and contributing to the community? What do you like most about being in the ServiceNow community?
“Hands down, it's being able to have conversations with people. Whether it’s helping platform owners actualize their vision of a streamlined digital transformation and solution for siloed sluggish processes with poor visibility, or talking to the legends in the game about how they do what they do, or newcomers trying to find their footing, I always find it fascinating that we all landed here at this place in time at the center of infinite innovative potential,” said Kali.
What type of impact do you want to make in ServiceNow?
“Whether it's with ServiceNow customers or community members, I aim for my contribution to be recognized for having meaningful engagements and conversations in order to foster collective growth, shared success, and collaborative solutions,” said Kali.
A message from Kali on upcoming content releases: "One of the most compelling areas of the ServiceNow platform is the TMT sector – Telecommunications, Media, and Technology. In my upcoming season of 100DaysOfServiceNow I’ll be deep-diving into the world of TMT, hosting a few kickbacks, and building community. Exclusively on LinkedIn follow me and the hashtag #100DaysOfServiceNow to stay in the know.
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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-kali-alexander/
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