Finding stories in everyday adventures
The start of a new year is often a natural moment to pause and think deliberately about what comes next. For me, it is less about declaring resolutions and more about being deliberate in how I think about the year ahead. I do believe in setting goals, but only when they are grounded in a clear understanding of the technology decisions that actually shape outcomes over time. In modern organizations, those decisions span software architecture, …
A faster, more reliable way to design complex models using an AI coding assistant and warehouse-integrated validation. Data modeling can be a slow and tedious process. Teams interpret raw schemas, chase down logic across any existing dashboards and SQL files, write and refine transformations, test, debug, and repeat. It works, but most of the time is not spent on modeling. It is spent on mechanics. Lately I have experimented with a workflow that keeps modeling …
Read moreRethinking Data Warehouse Modeling With AI Assistance
Starting a new leadership role is one of the most high-stakes transitions in any career. I’ve gone through it multiple times across very different organizations—fast-moving startups, operationally intense mid-market firms, and post-acquisition integrations. Each time, I was reminded that there’s no universal “first 90 days” checklist that works everywhere. You’re not just taking over responsibilities. You’re entering a live system with its own history, culture, relationships, and battle scars. The way you move early on …
Read moreThe New Leader’s Playbook: Situational Do’s and Don’ts for a Successful Start
I recently wrote about how AI coding assistants are changing the build vs. buy equation, arguing that the traditional “buy first” approach is becoming outdated. But theory is one thing, practice is another. This week, I lived that theory. I completely rebuilt a production AI system with Claude Code in less than a week – and experienced what felt like the future of software development. This wasn’t just faster coding; it was a fundamentally different way …
Read moreThe Eureka Moment: When AI Pair Programming Actually Delivers
A senior exec once asked me whether my experience with streaming vs. batch processing and customer data platforms “really translates” across industries. On the surface, it’s a fair question. But it reveals a hiring mindset that quietly constrains many companies: the belief that industry experience is the primary predictor of leadership success. The Illusion of Uniqueness Every leadership team thinks their industry is uniquely complex. Sometimes that’s true. Regulatory nuance in healthcare, trading rules in …
Read moreWhy Overvaluing Industry Experience Limits Innovation in Data Leadership