216: From Raw Data to Business Results: Building High-Impact Data Teams with Ethan Aaron and John Steinmetz

This episode explores the challenges and rewards of building and leading data teams, particularly within the context of differing company sizes and industry landscapes. The discussion begins with introductions of Ethan Aaron, founder and CEO of Portable, and John Steinmetz, Head of Data at Gallo Mechanical, highlighting their diverse backgrounds in finance, software engineering, and data across various companies. Against this backdrop of varied experience, the conversation pivots to the crucial role of demonstrating daily business value in data work, emphasizing the importance of aligning data initiatives with overall company goals rather than focusing solely on technical achievements. More significantly, the guests discuss the nuances of this approach, acknowledging the complexities of working with technical debt and diverse company cultures. For instance, John Steinmetz shares his experience at Expedia, emphasizing the pressure and learning involved in presenting data-driven insights to a large audience. In contrast, Ethan Aaron’s experience at Portable illustrates how prioritizing the CEO's immediate needs can lead to rapid iteration and adaptation. The episode concludes by examining the differences between data product and software product development, using insightful analogies such as plumbing systems to illustrate the unique challenges and opportunities within the data domain, and highlighting the importance of understanding the needs of the end-users of data products. This underscores emerging industry patterns reflecting a shift towards data-driven decision-making across diverse sectors.