Coffee Meets Cloud

This week, we're asking the important questions: Why did adulthood look so much easier when our parents were doing it? How did we survive childhood with no location tracking, questionable car safety, and instructions to just come home when the streetlights came on? And which things from our childhood actually deserve a comeback?
We're talking about the surprisingly hard parts of being a grown-up, the parenting choices that would send today's internet into a spiral, and the things we desperately want to bring back. Some things were absolutely better left in the past. Others? We may have overcorrected.
Plus, we debate the ultimate question: would we actually want to live in a world without smartphones again?

This week, we’re questioning the things we’ve accepted as fact simply because someone told us they were true. From swallowed gum and tongue maps to the infamous five-monkeys experiment and the workplace classic, “we’ve always done it this way,” we’re talking about why bad information—and bad habits—stick around.
Plus, the usual side quests: duvet cover rage, dangerous kitchen tools, parenting trial and error, the art of negotiation, and a surprisingly passionate amount of pickle talk.
Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is ask: Wait… is that actually true?

This week, we’re talking about the increasingly blurry line between using AI and letting AI do everything for you—from earning Trailhead badges to writing painfully obvious workplace messages and helping candidates fake their way through interviews.
We also get into dual enrollment, why high school from home is absolutely not entering our WFH households, the importance of knowing when a hire just isn’t working out, and why sometimes everyone needs to close the laptop and touch grass.
Plus: recurring school nightmares and the debate that really matters—which OG boy band was actually the best?

This week, we're celebrating a huge milestone—3,000 podcast downloads! 🎉
From back-to-school shopping and our latest budget-saving hacks to how AI is changing everyday life, we share what's been making life a little easier (and a little more entertaining). Then we shift gears into a conversation every working professional can relate to: why so many meetings miss the mark, what makes an agenda actually useful, and simple ways teams can communicate more intentionally.
It's a mix of parenting, technology, workplace culture, and plenty of laughs along the way. Grab your coffee and join us!

What really happens inside today's classrooms? And what do teachers wish every parent understood?
This week, we're joined by veteran elementary school teacher Rhonda (Miss Varnell) for one of our most honest and entertaining conversations yet. From teaching kids to read and navigating Chromebooks, to ADHD, dyslexia, curriculum changes, and the realities of parent-teacher communication, Rhonda gives us a candid look at life on the other side of the classroom door.
Along the way, we laugh about ID10T errors, Sears catalogs, trophy culture, and second graders who somehow manage to hand out life advice better than most adults.
Whether you're a parent, educator, grandparent, or just someone who still remembers the teacher who changed your life, this episode is a reminder that great teachers do far more than teach reading and math—they help shape who we become.
It's heartfelt, hilarious, occasionally opinionated, and full of practical insight from someone who's spent decades helping children succeed.
🎧 New episodes drop every Tuesday.
Until then... keep your coffee strong.

What do caller ID nostalgia, road rage, ADHD parenting, leadership, and massive AI data centers have in common? Apparently... us.
This week we're reminiscing about party lines, cassette tapes, and answering machines before tackling some much heavier conversations. We talk about why you should never engage with someone acting irrationally on the road, whether permanent Daylight Saving Time is actually a good idea, the realities of finding the right ADHD medication, and why "working in IT" doesn't mean we know how to fix every piece of technology.
We wrap up with one of today's biggest technology conversations: data centers. From energy and water use to community concerns and sustainability, we explore both the opportunities and the trade-offs—plus brainstorm some very unconventional future solutions.
As always, plenty of laughs, a few rabbit trails, and honest conversations along the way.

AI hype. Layoff headlines. Career ladders. Industry statistics.
It's easy to talk about tech like it's all trends and numbers—but every headline has a human story behind it.
This week, we're joined by Sasha Semjonova, Tech Journalist at Salesforce Ben, to talk about the people behind the technology and the realities of building a career in an industry that never stops changing. Sasha shares how she went from knowing almost nothing about Salesforce to helping grow Salesforce Ben's YouTube audience from 2,500 to more than 60,000 subscribers—and eventually finding her voice as a journalist covering some of tech's biggest stories.
We get into the human cost of layoffs, why no one is truly layoff-proof, the risk of building your entire career identity around AI, and what women are really navigating as they try to grow, lead, and build lives outside of work.
Sasha also opens up about being one of the youngest—and often one of the few women—in major tech press rooms, the imposter syndrome that comes with it, and learning that you don't have to wait until you feel confident to take up space.
Because sometimes the only way through imposter syndrome is a little exposure therapy.
You belong. Full stop.

This week, Rachel and Cassandra are holding down the fort while Caramie is away, and the conversation covers everything from work-life balance to fireworks, Salesforce community, and a little Nintendo nostalgia.
The episode starts with a discussion about the importance of real PTO - actually disconnecting, setting boundaries, and creating healthy team cultures where people can truly recharge. From there, they celebrate America’s 250th birthday, sharing stories about fireworks, family traditions, and what patriotism means to them.
The hosts also congratulate the newest Salesforce MVP class and talk about the heart of the Salesforce community: helping others, giving back, and building connections without worrying about titles or recognition.
Of course, no Coffee Meets Cloud episode would be complete without a few fun detours. Rachel and Cassandra debate whether birthdays should be replaced with “leveling up” like a video game, reminisce about Nintendo classics and Wii Bowling, and start planning future Coffee Meets Cloud road trips—including visits to Super Nintendo World and Dolly Parton’s new truck stop near Nashville.
Plus, they give a shout-out to listeners who have requested their Keep Your Coffee Strong stickers.
☕ Want one? Email us at coffeemeetscloud@gmail.com and we’ll get one in the mail!

One year ago, three friends hit record and hoped for the best.
In this special anniversary episode, we're celebrating one full year of Coffee Meets Cloud with a look back at the moments, lessons, laughs, and hard pivots that got us here. From the episode that never made it out of the vault to the inside jokes that somehow became part of our brand, we're reflecting on how the show has evolved—and why friendship has always been at the center of it.
Along the way, we hand out the first-ever Coffee Meets Cloud Awards, play a revealing round of Never Have I Ever: Podcast Edition, make predictions for where the podcast (and each of us) will be one year from now, and share some exciting plans for year two—including merch, sponsorship goals, and a fresh look for the show.
This episode is equal parts celebration, gratitude, and chaos—the perfect representation of who we are. Whether you've been with us since episode one or you're just finding the podcast, thank you for spending part of your journey with us.
And because anniversaries call for gifts, we're giving away a free Coffee Meets Cloud anniversary sticker! Just send us a message on social media or email CoffeeMeetsCloud@gmail.com with your mailing address. The sticker is on us—we just ask that you tell someone about the podcast.
Here's to one year of coffee, cloud, squirrels, Salesforce tangents, and the incredible community that's grown alongside us. We're just getting started.

This week, we’re joined by Lillie Beiting—Salesforce architect, author, speaker, and co-founder of 50x35, a storytelling initiative sparked by a startling reality: nearly half of women leave the tech industry by age 35.
We discuss the stories behind that statistic—the pressure to put on “armor” at work, the women who paved the way before us, and the responsibility today’s leaders have to reach back and make the path a little easier for those coming next.
Then, in true Coffee Meets Cloud fashion, the conversation takes a hard left into a passionate debate about kids, screens, handwriting, and whether technology is replacing the very struggle that helps us learn. From cursive and critical thinking to attention spans and the value of doing hard things, we ask: What are we losing in our rush to make everything easier?
Plus, we talk Dreamin’ events, the power of the Salesforce community, and why some of the best innovation happens when practitioners share what they’ve learned.
Want to learn more about 50x35 or share your own story? Visit: https://www.50x35.org/
Catch Lillie speaking on June 25th about Salesforce Experience Cloud Security Architecture by registering at: https://ezprotect.io/event/salesforce-experience-cloud-security-architecture/