ThinkData Podcast

This is episode 12 of the ThinkData podcast in partnership with Dataworks. In this episode, we welcomed Ari Kaplan from Databricks. Ari is the Head Evangelist responsible for increasing awareness of the Databricks product and has a fascinating background in Sports analytics, where he spent several years with the Baltimore Orioles and Chicago Cubs. His career has seen him then work for the likes of Nielson and Datarobot where he has been at the forefront of Data and AI for over 15 years.We covered a lot, including - What does a week in the life of an evangelist look like and what IS an evangelist?What took him to a career in sports analytics and then on to work for some of the most recognized Data vendors in the world? Who are Databricks and what makes them such a force to be reckoned with?In a market with a new tool and vendor being released each day, what key considerations should organizations make before deciding what tools and tech stack to go with? What is behind the seemingly rapid rise and adoption of AI Tools and techniques to the mainstreamWhat are Ari's predictions for the next 12/18 months in the world of Data & AIHis advice for anyone looking to break into the more commercial side of AIThank you Ari for a cracking discussion, and for anyone interested in finding out more about him and Dataworks, make sure you give him a follow on here.

This is Episode 11 of the ThinkData Podcast in partnership with Dataworks. In this episode, I spoke with Mitch Vidler who is the Global Director of Marketing Analytics and Investments at Entain Group (owners of Ladbrokes, Bwin, Gala). Mitch heads up a global team of specialists who are tasked with ensuring Entain's £1billion+ marketing budget across new and existing customers around the globe is delivering maximum short and long-term sustainable growth.We discussed - What took Mitch from his early career in advertising and marketing through to Leading Marketing Analytics for one of the world’s largest B2C media brandsWhat is “Marketing analytics” and why is it such an important function for any customer-led organization?How does Marketing analytics differ from more traditional BI?What steps should companies take BEFORE they look to make their first “Marketing analytics” hire?Best ways to unite and grow a remote workforce?What makes a great “Marketing analyst” and for those candidates currently working in a more classic BI/Data role, what can they do to break into “Marketing analytics”. What does the future hold for marketing analytics?This was a great discussion, where Mitch provided a cracking insight into the world of marketing and analytics! For anyone interested in understanding how organizations know how to target and market to you, this is the episode for you!

This is Episode 10 of the ThinkData podcast in partnership with Dataworks and I had the pleasure of speaking with Kedeisha Bryan who is a Senior Data Consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton. Kedeisha's career started in the US Navy where she was an Aviation Electronics Technician, and in 2021 she decided to pursue a career in Data!Kedeisha has amassed a fantastic following on Linkedin and is a regular contributor to the Data and Tech community. She is the founder of Data in Motion which is a fantastic ed-tech platform for the Data community, which has a whole host of resources for any aspiring data professional!We covered a LOT, including - What steps Kedeisha took to become a consultant in Data from an early career in the US NavyWhat made Kedeisha set up and launch Data In Motion Her top tips and advice to anyone that is looking to break into the world of analytics? What steps companies should take to retain and create a more committed and engaged Data workforce? What are the most important factors job seekers should consider when moving roles?What the future holds for Analytics engineering? This is a MUST listen for anyone that wants to know what it takes to break into this fascinating space from someone that did just that!

This is Episode 9 of the ThinkData podcast in Partnership with Dataworks and ACV and I am super excited to welcome John Coles to the podcast in this episode. John is the Senior Director of Data Science and Analytics at ACV and they are one of America’s largest digital marketplaces and data services partners for the automotive sector.In the first episode of a 3 part series, we will be talking about how ACV trained, hired, and developed their very own Data Team in the Buffalo area!We discussed - The background to the project at ACV and why Data & Analytics are seen as such an important driver behind their growth. The importance of having senior stakeholder buy-in and support from the very beginning.How John and ACV overcame the challenges of building and hiring a specialist data team in Buffalo, New York. What was behind their vision for launching a boot camp and how that worked in practiceAs John looked to scale out his team, what steps did he take in order to create a management layer?How John created and established a clear set of values and guiding principles that the team was brought into?This is a great episode for anyone that is interested in hearing what it takes to create a brand new team, from scratch and overcome one of the MAJOR blockers to many firms that look to hire, LOCATION!

This is Episode 8 of the ThinkData Podcast and in this episode, we spoke with Alon Bochman who heads up Privacy, Transparency & Compliance at YouTube Ads. He has an excellent background in Artificial intelligence and Machine Learning which has seen him build and launch some of the most innovative and cutting-edge AI products for Microsoft, YouTube, and Genpact. We discussed - His background and journey to Google(from a non-classic career in finance to launching and selling his first software firm)When should companies look to establish a dedicated Data Product function, and what considerations should they make before making those first hires? What is behind the demand and interest in Data Product Management? What should people consider before deciding on a career in Data Product management?What considerations should candidates consider before deciding whether to join a FAANG or Large Tech firm?What does the future hold for AI and ML heading(from a Product perspective) Here are the resources Alon mentioned for anyone looking to switch to a Product career!1. Cracking the PM Interview2. Cracking the PM Career3. Inspired4. Product School5. Exponent

This is Episode 7 of the ThinkData Podcast and we had a great chat with Michelle Ballen who heads up Data & Analytics at Future who are a fast-growing Personal training platform in the US.We discussed - What steps companies should take when establishing a culture and environment of self-service analytics and who is ultimately responsible for the internal adoption of those tools?Why Data governance should be embraced and not feared.What are the benefits of organizations adopting and fostering an experimentation-based culture regarding product development and analytics? What should leaders do in order to create a united workforce and an environment of continual learning?What steps did Michelle take to navigate her career which saw her becoming a "Head of Data" within the modern data stack for some of the most exciting tech firms in the US today? This was a cracking episode for anyone interested in how to create a culture of self-service analytics and fantastic work culture, whilst also appreciating that the success of so many projects within Data start and end with a robust and strict Data governance process!

This is Episode 6 of the ThinkData Podcast and we had a great chat with Tre Williams who heads up Data modeling at Bitly, the world leading Link management platform.We discussed - What is behind the rise in importance and demand for Data modelers with experience in the modern data stackHow DBT has become the modeling tool of choice How Tre navigated his way through to his current role, despite not having the classic STEM education and Data analyst backgroundWhy is it so important for data engineers and architects to be as strong on the stakeholder/business side as they are technical?Best advice to analysts trying to break into the Data architecture and engineering field.What steps could hiring managers take when trying to attract and retain engineers?What makes a good Data architect?This episode will provide aspiring Data professionals with the confidence and tools to pursue a career in data, irrespective of their background!

This is Episode 5 of the ThinkData Podcast and we had the honor of speaking with Rob Strechay who is the Founder of Smuget Consulting that are a specialist consultancy focused on the Data product space. Rob has a wealth of experience within Tech and Data and has built and scaled Product teams for the likes of HP, Amazon, NetApp, Zerto, and Snowplow. We discussed - What is behind the rise in demand for Data Product Managers What are the main blockers for companies when it comes to setting up a product team within DataWhat makes a good Data product managerWhat does the future hold for Data productWhat steps should companies consider before looking to make their first Data product hire For those candidates who don’t have a classic product and/or Data background, what steps should they take to break into this space? www.pragmaticinstitute.comThis episode is a MUST listen to anyone that is interested in knowing more about Data product management and what is behind its rapid rise in popularity!

It's Episode 4 of the ThinkData Podcast and Alex had the pleasure of speaking with Zachary Wilner who is the Head of Data & Analytics at Pair. They are one of the most exciting direct-to-consumer startups in the market today, and very early on decided to invest in and commit to building out a best-in-class modern data stack! In this episode, we will discuss - The importance of having a clear roadmap and infrastructure in place before trying to perform any analysis and deliver reporting capability to stakeholdersHow Zach defined his team's values on day one BEFORE a single hire had been madeWhat steps he took when deciding on what the modern data stack should consist ofHow to strike that right balance of player and coach in a growing businessTop tips and advice for those looking to break into managementThe benefit of networking and building up a trusted network of contacts in this spaceWhat is behind the rise in popularity of Analytics engineering, and how to break into it

Its Episode 3 of the ThinkData Podcast and Alex welcomes Madison Schott to the show. Madison is currently an Analytics Engineer, Technical writer, and Author of the "Learn Analytics Engineering" newsletterIn this episode, we will be discussingThe steps Madison took to become an Analytics engineerWhat is behind the rise in popularity and demand for Analytics engineersHow the role of the "Data engineer" could be changingWhat can people do to put themselves in the best possible position to secure that dream analytics roleWhat are the best ways to stand out in this crowded and very competitive market

Its Episode 2 of the ThinkData Podcast and Alex is happy to welcome Brandi Beals and Dustin Schimek to the show. In this episode, we will be discussingWhat led Dustin and Brandi to set up the www.datacareerssummit.comWhat steps can organizations and hiring managers take in order to secure the best possible talent With the market being so competitive and the average tenure of a Data scientist being 18 months, what can companies do to create a more committed and engaged workforceWhat are the most important factors job seekers should consider when looking to move positionsFor entry-level analysts, what are the best ways to stand out and get noticed?How can you learn and pick up new tools without the need to spend ANYTHING!

Its Episode 1 of the ThinkData Podcast and Alex is excited to welcome Khurram Tehseen who is the VP of Data Science at Preston Ventures to the show. In this episode, we will be discussingHow Khurram forged a career in Data science which saw him transition from actuarial science to data science, filling the skill gaps and making strategic movesHow he went about doubling his team of data scientists and engineers in 2022What steps you should take when building an elite analytics team How to build a retain a top data teamAdvice to new leaders in data science and tips on how to manage up and downWhen moving roles, what are the most important factors to considerHow to market yourself and the steps you should take when creating an online presence

Welcome to the ThinkData Podcast, brought to you in partnership with Dataworks 🎤If want to stay up-to-date with the latest breakthroughs and trends in the world of Data & Artificial Intelligence, and if you're curious about some of the strategies that companies and founders use to launch Data & AI products, then you're in the right place!Our aim is to bring together a diverse lineup of fantastic guests, from Founders to accomplished leaders and product owners at some of the most fascinating Data & AI companies worldwide who will each offer you a unique insight into what it takes to launch and scale a great Data business!Thank you for tuning in, and I hope you enjoy the episode!