Catalog & Cocktails: The Honest, No-BS Data Podcast

Why are data transformations such a big deal? Live from the dbt Coalesce Happy Hour.

Data transformations, dbt, data catalogs, data teams, data culture, data mesh. It’s a lot. But pour yourself a drink and enjoy this special edition of Catalog & Cocktails.
Hosts Juan Sequeda and Tim Gasper broadcast live from the 2021 dbt Coalesce conference and were joined by special guests, Meetesh Karia and Claire Look from The Zebra to take a glimpse into the future of analytics engineering.
This episode will feature:
Why is dbt such a big deal?
Data teams and the role of an Analytics Engineer
What have you transformed (you, someone else, a product, …) in your own life?

The easiest data is always the hardest to model w/ Karen Lopez

Have you ever had a tax form sent to the wrong address, a credit card with no suspicious activity get deactivated, or been billed for a service you’ve never used? If so, you may be the victim of poor data modeling.
Join Tim, Juan and Karen Lopez, aka @datachick from InfoAdvisors, to discuss what assumptions people and applications make about the simplest data. We’ll also try and answer the question, “why are phone numbers, and addresses so damn hard to model?!?”
This episode will feature:
Why modeling simple things is harder than it seems, and what we can do about it
The best and worst data modeling fails
If Sports Illustrated had an issue dedicated to data models, what would be on the cover?

S3E7 Takeaways with Karen Lopez

Join Tim, Juan and Karen Lopez, aka @datachick from InfoAdvisors, to discuss what assumptions people and applications make about the simplest data. We’ll also try and answer the question, “why are phone numbers, and addresses so damn hard to model?!?”
This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

The three most important letters in data & analytics are W-H-Y w/ Luke Slotwinski from Prologis

Analytics are great for answering the “what.” Did we hit our sales targets or not? Did our supply chain hold up under the strain of a prolonged pandemic? But smart data leaders recognize that real transformational insights come from people, processes, and tools that answer the bigger question of “why.”
Join Tim, Juan and special guest Luke Slotwinski, VP of Data & Analytics at Prologis, to discuss how data leaders can empower their teams by asking for more from their data.
This episode will feature:
Questions everyone should be asking about their data
Critical tools and skills for diving deeper into data and analysis
Why did the chicken cross the road? Data-driven answers only, please.

S3E6 Takeaways with Luke Slotwinski

Join Tim, Juan and special guest Luke Slotwinski, VP of Data & Analytics at Prologis, to discuss how data leaders can empower their teams by asking for more from their data.
This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Can Agile Practices Disrupt Data Governance? w/ Laura Madsen from Moxy Analytics

For all the incredible innovation in the field of data and analytics, one practice unfortunately remains stuck in neutral. Data governance, when applied with an agile approach that aligns with business objectives and focuses people first, can be a boon for data-driven organizations. However, most companies today still think about governance in terms of tools, workflows, or privacy and compliance.
If data governance had a help line, it would likely be staffed by this week’s guest. Join Tim, Juan and Laura Madsen, author of “Disrupting Data Governance,” for a discussion on how we can all be better ambassadors for data.
This episode will feature:
How to talk to your execs about agile data governance
How to measure the effectiveness of your governance program
What’s your favorite story of data governance malpractice?

S3E5 Takeways with Laura Madsen

Juan and Tim sit down for Catalog & Cocktailsv with Laura Madsen, CEO of Moxy Analytics and author of “Disrupting Data Governance,” for a discussion on how we can all be better ambassadors for data.
This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

Can the Data Mesh be Governed? w/ Dora Boussias

Data mesh continues to be a hot topic in 2022, and it feels like we’re finally past the definition stage. The big question to resolve this year is: how do you do federated data governance in a decentralized environment? Can you even do it?
Join Tim, Juan and special guest Dora Boussias, Director of Enterprise Architecture and Data Strategy, for a live brainstorming session on how to implement data governance for the data mesh.
This episode will feature:
The difference between data mesh and virtualization
Best practices for federated data governance
How long before we start seeing companies offering a “data mesh” as a product?

S3E4 Takeaways with Dora Boussias

Juan and Tim sit down for Catalog & Cocktails with Dora Boussias, Director of Enterprise Architecture and Data Strategy.
This Takeaway episode will feature the summary of the upcoming episode.

What good is a Metrics Layer? w/ Benn Stancil from Mode

We all like to measure things: height, weight, company revenue, active users on our SaaS platform. Measurement, and a common understanding of that measure is critical whether you’re a doctor, an athlete, or a business decision maker. Self-service analytics is much easier today, but without shared definitions for the metrics we’re reporting on, trust in analytics is still relatively low. Is it time for a Metrics Layer?
Join Tim, Juan and special guest Benn Stancil, chief analytics officer and founder of Mode to discuss all things Metrics Layer including what it is and why we should care.
This episode will feature:
Where does a metrics layer fit within the modern data stack
What tools and skills are needed to make this a reliable part of your data strategy
In honor of the Friday Fight post, what is the most controversial post/blog you’ve ever written, and what kind of feedback did you receive?