This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome Taylor Murphy, Founder and CEO of Arch, a data analytics platform. Taylor discusses Arch’s evolution of its vision and delves into the challenges and innovations in the ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) space. The group also discusses the impact of AI on data analytics, the importance of modern data practices. And how AI can enhance data teams’ capabilities, emphasizing the necessity of human expertise alongside AI. The episode also explores the commoditization of data storage and compute costs, the bundling of data services, and so much more. 

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome Jonathan Bragdon, Founding Partner and CEO of Capacity, a venture capital firm. Jonathan shares his journey from consumer packaged goods (CPG) and data technology to venture capital, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer interactions and the challenges of funding early-stage startups. The conversation explores the venture studio model, operational expertise, and the evolving landscape of data usage in business. Jonathan provides insights into the complexities of raising capital, the significance of founder passion, the need for innovative funding strategies in the startup ecosystem, and so much more. 

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome Angelica “Jelly” Spratley, a senior data science instructor and content creator at Flatiron School. Jelly shares her journey into data science, her experiences at the Disney Data and Analytics Conference, and her role at Flatiron School. Key topics include the importance of being industry-ready, project-based learning, and self-advocacy in professional development. Jelly also discusses the challenges of working under non-technical managers and the value of technical knowledge in leadership while also data work to business value and continuous learning. Don’t miss this great episode!

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John talk about the complexities of reporting and analytics in the data industry. They discuss the evolution of job titles, the critical need for standardization, and the challenges of effective reporting. The conversation also highlights the importance of observability, consistency and effective communication between data and business teams. Eric and John also touch on the impact of AI and automation on data quality and reporting processes and emphasize the need for a collaborative approach and robust monitoring systems. This episode provides valuable insights for enhancing data-driven decision-making in various business contexts and so much more.

This week on The Data Stack Show, it’s another edition of the Cynical Data Guy as Eric and John welcome back Matthew Kelliher-Gibson. The group shares personal anecdotes about their experiences with data projects in corporate settings. They discuss the challenges and successes of working with pricing data and web scraping, emphasizing the importance of understanding manual processes before implementing automation. Eric recounts a project where his team improved data accuracy using a neural network, while John highlights the benefits of manual data review. The episode balances cynical and optimistic perspectives, offering valuable insights into the technical, business, and human aspects of data work. Don’t miss this edition of the Cynical Data Guy.

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome Soheil Koushan, a member of the Technical Staff at Anthropic. During the conversation, Soheil discusses his journey from self-driving technology to his current work at Anthropic, focusing on AI safety and cloud capabilities. The conversation also explores the allure of machine learning, the challenges of ensuring AI safety, and the dynamic between research and product development. The group emphasizes the importance of responsible AI development and the complexities of defining safety across different cultures while also highlighting the transformative potential of AI and the need for ongoing dialogue about its implications, and so much more.

This week on The Data Stack Show, it’s another edition of the Cynical Data Guy as Eric and John welcome back Matthew Kelliher-Gibson. This round, the group chats about the multifaceted challenges in data work. The discussion features a series of lightning round topics where LinkedIn posts spark debates on data quality, job titles, version control, and hiring processes. Matt critiques the consolidation trend in the data industry, the superficiality of job titles, and the inefficiencies in hiring practices. The episode offers listeners a blend of technical, business, and human insights, emphasizing the importance of clear communication and defined processes in the data field, and so much more! 

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome Edward Chenard, a seasoned data leader with experience in both large enterprises and startups. During the conversation, the group discusses Edward’s career in data analytics, emphasizing the importance of P&L ownership for data leaders. The conversation explores the complexities of building effective data teams, the distinctions between data analytics and software engineering, and the transformative impact of AI. Edward also shares insights on personalization in business, drawing from his experiences at companies like Best Buy, and highlights the need for deep thinking and customer engagement in data initiatives. Don’t miss this great conversation!

This week on The Data Stack Show, John and guest host Matthew Kelliher-Gibson welcome Nicolay Gerold, CEO and Founder, of Aisbach, and host of How AI is Built podcast. The group delves into the evolution, strengths, and challenges of language models (LLMs) and AI. Nicolay shares insights on data-centric AI approaches, practical applications like data extraction and content generation, and the importance of aligning LLMs with user preferences. The conversation also explores the current AI startup landscape, the hype around generative AI, the necessity of thorough testing and monitoring in AI applications, and so much more. 

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome back Benn Stancil, Founder and CTO of Mode, a data analytics company acquired by ThoughtSpot. During the episode, the group delves into Benn’s decade-long journey in the startup world, discussing the challenges of strategy, vision, and decision-making. Benn highlights the pressures of adhering to conventional startup playbooks, the importance of confidence in decision-making, and the complexities of navigating uncertainties. The discussion also explores the role of data in understanding business dynamics, the unique challenges faced by data-centric companies, and so much more.