The data modeling layer in startup analytics – DBT vs Matillion vs LookML and more

Hey data team – why does the revenue in my dashboard not match the revenue in this other view? -Every Executive Ever If you’ve been in data analytics for any amount of time, I’m sure you can relate to a question like this. Often, the answer is that the analyst who did the calculation for

Unicorn or Zebra: Redefining Success at Startups

As a founder, it’s important to know what success means for your company and how it impacts your financial goals, company culture, and hiring practices. Defining something as nebulous as success is intimidating, so let’s break it down. Do you want to be a unicorn or a zebra? To find out, check out this month’s

9 Best Startup Analytics Tools to Learn

What are the most desirable analytics tools to learn? Let’s find out. For folks looking to build a career at a startup, I love Wealthfront’s Career Launching Companies List. Wealthfront considers attributes of different organizations that means there is a higher likelihood of landing in a role with upward mobility, and the chance to prove yourself.

How people find out your product is awesome – User Acq 101

User acquisition can seem like a daunting task; heck, even the name is daunting. All “user acquisition” really means, though, is getting people to use your product. A huge part of this is helping potential users find your product. At Speek, we knew that it takes hard work to help people know that we are

Analytics Jobs at Startups and How to Find Them

Since I started mentoring with Springboard, I’ve been reflecting on how the students might go about finding analytics jobs, and what exactly someone means when they say that they want to find a job with a startup. “Startup” means many things to many people. How big is too big to be considered a startup? There’s

Lean Analytics: The one metric that matters

In a data-driven organization, setting metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) help drive your business forward. While knowing various metrics about your business can help you in different ways, I’m a big proponent of the Lean Analytics concept of One Metric That Matters (OMTM). A savvy entrepreneur (and hopefully, the entire team) will know at

Quick Hits: The Hard Thing About Hard Things – War and Peace in Business

The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers There are a bunch of business books that I want to read – and this one’s been on my list for a while, but they’re relatively expensive. But, I rediscovered the library! So I can read it for free. While

What’s It Like Working at a Startup? It’s a Roller Coaster.

What’s it like working at a startup? My answer – it’s a roller coaster. Sometimes it’s amazing. Sometimes, it sucks. If you think that a startup is where you want to work (or even moreso, if you think you want to found one) I hope you’re ready. Things in the business change day to day