This year, because of budgets, schedules, and about 47 competing priorities, I’m doing Dreamforce a little differently. I’m only attending for one single day — Day One.
I’m flying up to San Francisco super early and flying home super late. Is it a little crazy? Probably. Is it going to be an amazing ride? Absolutely.
Being at Dreamforce for only one day means I reaaaalllly need to prioritize my time. And one thing I won’t be doing? The main keynote.
Every year at Dreamforce, there’s this magnetic pull toward the big keynote. The lights, the energy, the music… and let’s be honest, seeing a keynote swag item show up in your events app.
But here’s my hot take (and I say this with all the love in my Salesforce heart): skip the keynotes.
Yep, I said it.
The keynotes are recorded. They’re long. And while 30,000 people are crammed into the keynote rooms, you could be gliding through the Trailhead, Community, and Partner areas — no lines, no chaos, just real conversations.
Or, you could be doing something even better: attending a session (or two… or three) and showing up for the incredible community members who are devoting their time to share knowledge, insights, and inspiration — but who happened to draw the short straw and got scheduled right during the keynote.
They deserve an audience, too. 💙
That’s when you find the gold — a chat with a product manager, a demo that sparks an idea, or a Trailblazer who changes how you think about your work.
Dreamforce isn’t just about what’s on stage — it’s about who you meet while everyone else is in the audience.
Catch the keynote replay later on Salesforce+. Use that time for connection. That’s where the real magic happens.
One day. One jam-packed adventure. One chance to soak in the Dreamforce magic — minus the lines.
If you spot me in the Trailhead Zone, come say hi! I’ll be the one power-walking between booths with a backpack full of stickers and zero keynote FOMO.
Force For Fun 
0 comments on “#DF25 Unpopular Opinion: Skip the Keynotes”