4 min read
Joel Saukas of Greenleaf Trust is a seasoned Senior Salesforce Administrator who's been recognized by Conga leadership, volunteered to be a Conga Composer user group co-admin, spoke at Conga Connect, won an Inspire Award, and now—is our inaugural Community Champion recipient.
I was lucky enough to sit down with Joel to discuss the path throughout his exceptional Conga Customer Community engagement and how it paid off in ways he never expected.
How it started.
When Joel started this position at Greenleaf Trust in late 2022, learning Conga Composer wasn't even in his job description. However, by early 2023, he found himself tasked with developing a solution that would not only transform how Greenleaf Trust handled document generation for their new financial services program but also have a positive impact on his professional career.
"I started completely green with Conga Composer," Joel recalls. "I learned by just reviewing knowledge articles [in the Conga Customer Community] and taught myself the fundamentals. I also had some great teammates to learn from at Greenleaf Trust.”
He launched the team’s new system by late 2023, feeling pretty accomplished that he learned through self-service resources. Then, about a month or two later, he received an email to join the Conga Composer user group.
The perfect timing.
Joel laughed. "I so wish I had gotten the email six months ago because that would have made my time so much easier."
But the timing turned out to be perfect in an unexpected way. Having that foundational knowledge meant Joel would have meaningful participation within the user group discussions, rather than feeling completely lost.
"Having a baseline was super helpful because when I saw tips and tricks in the user groups, I already had a little bit of knowledge to build off of. I wasn't so brand new that I had no idea what people were talking about."
Why the Conga Customer Community is different.
What immediately struck Joel about the Conga Customer Community user groups was how different they felt from other vendor experiences.
"I've been invited to other applications' webinars, and those are much more like a one-way street. Someone presented information to you with almost no audience participation. But in the first Composer User Group and every one after that, there was always a back and forth between the audience."
This collaborative spirit became addictive. Joel found himself checking the forums daily, first just to see what questions people were asking, then gradually starting to answer questions himself as his knowledge grew.
"At first, I didn't really have too much to add, but over time, I started seeing questions come in that I could actually answer. I wanted to give back just like how other people had been answering my questions."
From attendee to leader.
The progression from community member to co-admin happened naturally. Joel's genuine enthusiasm for helping others and sharing knowledge made him a standout participant.
Joel said, "It's easy to take a greater role in something that you enjoy doing. I already enjoyed coming to the user groups and chatting with other people. I thought [they] were super cool because I could ask questions and hear back from people."
When participants were asked to present their use cases, Joel stepped up. His presentations on the templates he'd built showcased both his technical skills and his natural ability to explain complex concepts clearly.
"I had a couple of templates that I put a lot of work into and was proud of. So, I thought, yeah, I'll show them," Joel explained. "That was great practice for me to get in front of people and talk about something I enjoy."
Growing recognition and confidence.
Joel's user group involvement created a positive feedback loop that extended far beyond Conga. His presentations in user groups caught the attention of the Conga Marketing team, who later interviewed and offered him a speaking opportunity at Conga Connect.
Joel was thrilled for the opportunity. "It helps that I was active in the Composer user group. I would say the fact that I got to be considered and then eventually selected to be a speaker at Conga Connect was nice to hear."
The recognition didn't stop there. Joel's colleagues at Greenleaf Trust noticed his growing expertise and expanding Conga visibility. When he won an Inspire Award at Conga Connect for his community contributions, his workplace celebration was just as meaningful as the industry recognition.
"When I said I got invited to be a speaker at Conga Connect in addition to the Inspire Award, my coworkers were blown out of the water," Joel said. "The recognition has obviously been great, but it's also increased my confidence in what I can do."
Real business outcomes.
As a bonus, all this community engagement translated into tangible business results for Greenleaf Trust. Joel's improved Composer skills, learned through community resources and user group sessions, revolutionized their document generation processes.
Take their Investment Policy Statement, for example. Previously, this critical annual document required 2-3 hours of manual preparation for each client. Joel's Composer solutions now generate 98% of the document from Salesforce data in under 3 minutes.
"The time saved there is pretty impressive for a document that we have to generate every year for every one of our clients," Joel said. "I'm using queries, parameters, and background mode to minimize clicks and maximize efficiency so my coworkers can get back to the real work of supporting our clients."
The small steps that made a difference.
For anyone considering deeper community engagement, Joel's advice is simple: start small and be willing to put yourself out there.
"Everyone I've chatted with on the online forums or in the user groups has always been very friendly. There's no one trying to put anyone down for the work they do or the suggestions they have. It's a very welcoming community."
Joel’s three key recommendations for newcomers:
- Don't underestimate what you know: "Even if you're brand new to [Conga], you're going to know other things that we don't know. Maybe you have ideas that I've never thought of."
- The first step is the hardest: "You join the community because you want to learn more about the product. You've already done the hardest work. Now everything else is pretty easy."
- Engage actively: "You have to put yourself out there to be the one asking questions, be the one to show off a template you've made, or brainstorm how you would want to make something work."
The compounding effect.
Joel's journey from complete beginner to Community Champion and Conga Connect speaker happened through small, consistent steps. Each action built on the previous one—consuming knowledge articles led to joining user groups, which led to asking questions, which led to answering questions, which led to presenting solutions, which led to speaking opportunities, and an Inspire Award.
Joel explained, "It's a learning journey. I'm a lifelong learner, and there are always new things to incorporate and take in. You're going to benefit yourself, you're going to benefit your workplace, and you're going to benefit the entire community."
Introducing: Conga Community Champions.
Joel's story perfectly embodies what it means to be a Community Champion. These badges recognize Conga Customer Community members who go above and beyond to help their peers, share knowledge, and contribute to the collective success of all Conga users.
Community Champions like Joel demonstrate that engagement isn't just about getting help—it's about lifting others through their willingness to share experiences, present solutions, and answer questions, making the entire community stronger.
The question isn't whether you have something valuable to contribute; it's whether you're willing to take that first small step. You might just surprise yourself with how far those small steps can take you.
Ready to start your Community Champion journey? Join one of our user groups, submit product ideas, and discover what happens when small steps lead to big wins.
