public String CloudThoughts{ get; set;}

With the economy being what it is, I can think of no better resolution for a small business owner/entrepreneur than to focus on creating jobs.
Ideally these jobs will be created in the Portland, OR metro area, but we're accustomed to operating with distributed teams and are happy to continue doing so.

Web Application Design / Development
With our shift away from .NET and onto the Force.com platform, a person in this role will need to be competent with:

• Salesforce API and custom/native objects
• Apex Controllers and Classes / Object modeling
  
• Visualforce Pages / Eclipse
• Javascript / JQuery / AJAX
  

Possible job creation triggers:
We're actively involved in re-architecting the i-Dialogue platform to run on Force using the above technologies. This product will be launched on the AppExchange with a Freemium business model. As we start to see adoption, the long-term strategy of the product will be to develop and offer add-on premium application modules.
Demand for custom module development, such as custom shopping carts or product configurators, will also spark growth.

Professional Services Developer / Project Manager
The Pro Service Developer is competent with what's available "out of the box" from Salesforce and our core products, and offers last mile customization and development services in direct response to customer and project requirements.

Responsibilities include:

• Custom Visualforce template design and branding
• Custom layout
• Configuration and implementation services
• Weekly progress meetings. Customer facing support and requirements gathering.
  

Desired skills:

• JQuery UI / Themeroller / Custom Themes
• HTML / Javascript
• Visualforce (UI emphasis - no custom controller development)
  

Possible job creation triggers:

• Clients and customers requiring custom branding of Salesforce Sites and Portal templates.
• Custom website, landing page, and portal development on Force.com
  
• Multi-channel campaigns executed across email and landing page sites
• Integration projects involving Sites, Customer/Partner Portal, and Ideas
  

Account / Sales Manager
The AppExchange coupled with our concept of a Site Gallery will automate much of the Sales and Marketing process, however an Account/Sales Manager will be required to assist current and prospective clients assemble the right mix of software and services for their solution and provide quotes.

Possible job creation triggers:
Once the free version is released, we'll shift to offering premium add-on modules within 2 months.


Risks in 2010
The freemium model is somewhat new to us. We're giving away significant value and functionality in the free version, so it's very likely that only 5-20% of all customers will require our premium services, which in turn will enable new job growth. However, this model leverages the scalability and distribution of the cloud and requires no additional effort on our part to provision new computing resources.

The Web Application Design and Development position requires a Software Engineering approach to using Javascript. This is a common skill found in Silicon Valley, but not so much in Portland, OR. It may be difficult to find just the right person(s) for this role.

Most support functions are handled by Pro Service and Account Managers today, but there may be a need for a specific support role in the future.


Conclusion

The actual number of jobs in each position may vary, but these are the 3 primary job functions we'll seek to create in 2010. The products and features we have planned in 2010 are embracing the cloud in ways unimaginable a couple years ago and I'm very excited to wake up each day in pursuit of these solutions. For me, software development has always been about the journey, and surrounding myself with creative, innovative, and passionate individuals on this journey is important.

If past success is any indicator of the future, then I think our new direction will be successful. Of the 60,000+ customers on Salesforce, many are always seeking to gain more value from their CRM investment by deploying Sites and Portals. By running natively and offering services directly on the Force.com platform, rather than at arms length in a hybrid configuration, we're now able to offer much richer applications and solutions.

If you know of anyone in the Portland, OR area that has these particular skill sets, please have them contact me at mike@cubiccompass.com.