Cleared for Takeoff

“This is your Navigator Speaking…”

If you found your way here, you might have some idea of what this is all about, but let’s make it clear for anyone who may have stumbled upon our little corner of the web.

Welcome! Navigators is a Salesforce consulting firm just opening its virtual doors.

We specialize in serving nonprofits, foundations, associations, educational institutions, government entities, and social-good companies. Our mission is to lift your mission to success by leveraging time-tested agile software development principles alongside Salesforce technical expertise, and mentorship in Good Governance to help organizations get the most out of their Salesforce investment. 

Why Did We Do This

For both of us, Navigators is a labor of love born from years working as Salesforce professionals, both consulting and in house, and in just about every work arrangement possible. Over the years, we saw many organizations succeed on the platform, and yes, we saw many fail. We learned that what mattered most to ensuring an organization enjoyed long term success with Salesforce was Empowerment: not only in the technical domain but within each project to feel comfortable with the scope and commitment, able to make informed decisions, and OWN the Salesforce implementation. 

We think the best Salesforce partners are those who seek to empower their clients in everything they do. That belief is at the heart of Navigators.

Who Are We

Dustin Cole

I first discovered Salesforce while working as a Finance Manager for a mid-sized social-services nonprofit in Los Angeles. Getting tired of being the gatekeeper of fundraising data, I looked around for a system to facilitate collaboration and found myself an accidental Salesforce Admin. With Salesforce and its community I discovered how powerful an influence a well-implemented CRM system can have on an organization. That first gig led me down a journey of continuous discovery to figure out what a perfect Salesforce implementation looks like.

Since that first Salesforce admin role I’ve had the pleasure of working with 50+ companies, nonprofits, and education institutions both as a consultant and as an in-house expert. I hold 9 Salesforce certifications, an MBA, a PMP, and most importantly – a certified pilots license. I have the pleasure of co-leading the Los Angeles Nonprofit Salesforce Community Group and live with my wife, daughter, and two golden retrievers in sunny Southern California. 

Hayley Tuller

Salesforce is my second career; I spent the first two decades of my working life in the US Navy, where I was an Arabic linguist, cryptographer, and Naval Aircrewman. I’m a veteran of both Iraq and Afghanistan several times over, and retired as a Senior Chief Petty Officer. When I left the service, I got my long postponed degree in Sociology, hoping to work in nonprofits. My first nonprofit was at my local symphony, where I met the database administrators and fell in love with their work. I had found my calling!

I started my Salesforce journey as a solo “accidental admin” at another local nonprofit. My charter when I was hired at the Women’s Center of Jacksonville was to figure out what our future donor and client management systems should be. After researching for several weeks, I found Salesforce.org and the Power of Us program, and I never looked back.

In the intervening years I’ve served both as a consultant and as an organizational admin, mostly for nonprofits and educational institutions, but with a healthy mix of for profit work across various industries, from health care to emergency services to IT startups. I’ve personally led well over a hundred Salesforce projects, and touched countless more. In my spare time, I lead the Salesforce Nonprofit User Group in Jacksonville and volunteer with the Merivis foundation to help veterans find jobs in the Salesforce ecosystem. I’ve spoken at various community events and at Dreamforce, and have been recognized as the Merivis 2020 Volunteer of the Year. I hold 13 Salesforce certifications, and a few non-salesforce ones for variety. 

What’s with the Aviation Thing

When we set out to build Navigators, we wanted a metaphor to get across the idea that our Clients are our heroes, and the reason we founded this firm. The organizations we serve are on a journey, and we’re here to help them chart the best path to get to where they are going. 

What is a Navigator?  They aren’t the pilot – they don’t set the destination or steer the craft. It’s not the role of the Navigator to decide where the craft will go, but rather they are the trusted guide who leverages their expertise to plot the course and guide the crew. It’s their job to make sure the craft and all the souls aboard arrive at the destination, safely, on time, every time. 

This is how we see the work we do. Our clients are our Pilots, with the vision of a bright destination. We’re their trusted agent to help them find the best route to get there. 

Also, we love aviation! Hayley spent 20 years and over 8,000 hours flying missions with the Navy across the globe. And Dustin is a certified private pilot who enjoys flying general aviation planes around Southern California. 

Time for Liftoff

Now, if you’re ready, let’s make our final preparations for liftoff. Check your seatbelt is fastened and your seat is upright, and give us a shout to talk about how we can help your organization achieve its digital destination!