Data & AI Solutions Architect, author and advisor. I help organizations solve problems with data (often using data).https://ergestx.com/https://ergestx.com/the-few-levers-that-drive-business/https://ergestx.com/the-few-levers-that-drive-business/There are only a handful of growth levers in a businessSat, 17 Oct 2026 18:11:15 GMThttps://ergestx.com/leverage-points-and-where-to-find/https://ergestx.com/leverage-points-and-where-to-find/Four case studies of finding leverage points that dramatically improve businesses with minimum effortSat, 20 Dec 2025 21:41:01 GMThttps://ergestx.com/tinkering-without-permission/https://ergestx.com/tinkering-without-permission/How to cultivate more luck in your careerSat, 06 Dec 2025 19:35:19 GMThttps://ergestx.com/the-most-powerful-timeless-skill/https://ergestx.com/the-most-powerful-timeless-skill/How to build expertise and have a long and successful career in dataSat, 29 Nov 2025 13:33:58 GMThttps://ergestx.com/the-only-goal-that-matters/https://ergestx.com/the-only-goal-that-matters/Why understanding the organization’s goal is the key to aligning all data work.Sat, 15 Nov 2025 13:02:56 GMThttps://ergestx.com/is-analytics-a-growth-function/https://ergestx.com/is-analytics-a-growth-function/Aren't we all just "growth hackers?"Sat, 27 Sep 2025 17:56:13 GMThttps://ergestx.com/what-ive-learned-designing-data-systems/https://ergestx.com/what-ive-learned-designing-data-systems/Notes on data system design, IFTT data architectures and functional data engineeringSun, 31 Aug 2025 16:37:46 GMThttps://ergestx.com/will-ai-replace-data-and-analytics/https://ergestx.com/will-ai-replace-data-and-analytics/What's happening to data and analytics engineering work?Sat, 16 Aug 2025 19:25:22 GMThttps://ergestx.com/designing-interactive-metric-trees/https://ergestx.com/designing-interactive-metric-trees/A case study with Sergey Kornev of Brightly SoftwareSat, 02 Aug 2025 12:07:10 GMThttps://ergestx.com/lift-and-shift-rarely-works/https://ergestx.com/lift-and-shift-rarely-works/Rethink your data strategy instead Sat, 19 Jul 2025 19:10:09 GMThttps://ergestx.com/the-art-of-business-analysis-part-909/https://ergestx.com/the-art-of-business-analysis-part-909/How to 10x the Performance of a BusinessSat, 05 Jul 2025 22:08:17 GMThttps://ergestx.com/the-art-of-business-analysis-part/https://ergestx.com/the-art-of-business-analysis-part/Building your first metrics treeSat, 21 Jun 2025 18:56:14 GMThttps://ergestx.com/understanding-business-context/https://ergestx.com/understanding-business-context/A simple framework that gets you up to speed quicklySat, 03 May 2025 22:07:11 GMThttps://ergestx.com/why-do-companies-hire-data-professionals/https://ergestx.com/why-do-companies-hire-data-professionals/Musings on the value of dataSun, 20 Apr 2025 14:20:54 GMThttps://ergestx.com/rare-and-valuable-data-skills/https://ergestx.com/rare-and-valuable-data-skills/Avoiding the data service desk trapSat, 05 Apr 2025 17:51:21 GMThttps://ergestx.com/bring-instant-clarity-to-business/https://ergestx.com/bring-instant-clarity-to-business/How to use metric trees as a communication toolMon, 24 Mar 2025 13:19:30 GMThttps://ergestx.com/developing-expertise-as-a-data-analyst/https://ergestx.com/developing-expertise-as-a-data-analyst/Introducing the Data Expertise TriadSat, 08 Mar 2025 20:49:58 GMThttps://ergestx.com/lessons-learned-implementing-metric/https://ergestx.com/lessons-learned-implementing-metric/How this data leader empowered her team and got operational clarity with metric treesSat, 30 Nov 2024 15:57:39 GMThttps://ergestx.com/the-data-leadership-triad/https://ergestx.com/the-data-leadership-triad/How data teams can gain more agency, provide more value and elevate the power of analyticsSat, 16 Nov 2024 15:38:28 GMThttps://ergestx.com/good-questions-bad-questions/https://ergestx.com/good-questions-bad-questions/How to collaborate effectively with data teamsSun, 20 Oct 2024 15:06:52 GMThttps://ergestx.com/you-need-more-data-architecture/https://ergestx.com/you-need-more-data-architecture/Why medallion architecture is not enoughSat, 05 Oct 2024 15:22:57 GMThttps://ergestx.com/designing-an-evolutionary-data-architecture/https://ergestx.com/designing-an-evolutionary-data-architecture/A journey with dbt and PostgreSQLSat, 07 Sep 2024 14:15:51 GMThttps://ergestx.com/invisible-asymptotes-in-growth-curves/https://ergestx.com/invisible-asymptotes-in-growth-curves/How Amazon found an early growth ceiling and solved it with PrimeSat, 24 Aug 2024 15:07:06 GMThttps://ergestx.com/learn-things-that-dont-change/https://ergestx.com/learn-things-that-dont-change/Professional development through Lindy technology and timeless principlesSat, 10 Aug 2024 14:53:52 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-to-build-a-long-lasting-data/https://ergestx.com/how-to-build-a-long-lasting-data/On professional growth and career resilienceSat, 27 Jul 2024 16:17:36 GMThttps://ergestx.com/data-analysis-uncertainty-principle/https://ergestx.com/data-analysis-uncertainty-principle/How to separate signal from noiseSun, 14 Jul 2024 13:05:01 GMThttps://ergestx.com/no-such-thing-as-dirty-data/https://ergestx.com/no-such-thing-as-dirty-data/You don't clean data because it's not dirtySat, 29 Jun 2024 14:08:09 GMThttps://ergestx.com/reducing-data-questions-deluge/https://ergestx.com/reducing-data-questions-deluge/How properly done self-service analytics can reduce requests on data teamsSat, 15 Jun 2024 18:05:00 GMThttps://ergestx.com/analytics-was-never-about-tools/https://ergestx.com/analytics-was-never-about-tools/Why the tool centric mindset is completely misguided.Sat, 01 Jun 2024 14:51:34 GMThttps://ergestx.com/curating-signals-to-drive-focus/https://ergestx.com/curating-signals-to-drive-focus/On the importance of focusing scattered management attention on the things that matterSat, 18 May 2024 18:17:16 GMThttps://ergestx.com/transforming-a-data-culture/https://ergestx.com/transforming-a-data-culture/From answering questions to being a strategic partnerSat, 04 May 2024 14:29:02 GMThttps://ergestx.com/debugging-your-business-with-data/https://ergestx.com/debugging-your-business-with-data/How to diagnose the root cause of a 90% drop in pipeline in 5 minutes. An interview with Abhi Sivasailam and Ankur Chawla of Levers LabsSun, 21 Apr 2024 13:23:38 GMThttps://ergestx.com/synchronizing-organizational-decisions/https://ergestx.com/synchronizing-organizational-decisions/How metrics trees foster harmonized decisions and drive sustained impactSat, 06 Apr 2024 17:32:58 GMThttps://ergestx.com/data-tech-necessary-but-not-sufficient/https://ergestx.com/data-tech-necessary-but-not-sufficient/Introducing the SaaS analytics playbookSun, 24 Mar 2024 13:39:03 GMThttps://ergestx.com/the-root-cause-of-all-problems-in/https://ergestx.com/the-root-cause-of-all-problems-in/Understanding the core conflict in analyticsSat, 09 Mar 2024 14:58:11 GMThttps://ergestx.com/designing-metrics-trees/https://ergestx.com/designing-metrics-trees/The heart and soul of a company's growth modelSat, 24 Feb 2024 16:38:18 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-dashboard-trees-work-and-why/https://ergestx.com/how-dashboard-trees-work-and-why/...and how to build themSat, 10 Feb 2024 17:26:53 GMThttps://ergestx.com/getting-rid-of-dashboard-sprawl/https://ergestx.com/getting-rid-of-dashboard-sprawl/How to delete 97% of your dashboardsSat, 27 Jan 2024 16:50:46 GMThttps://ergestx.com/using-data-to-find-growth-levers/https://ergestx.com/using-data-to-find-growth-levers/The holy grail of analytics impactSat, 13 Jan 2024 17:42:05 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-analytics-can-make-a-massive/https://ergestx.com/how-analytics-can-make-a-massive/A case study on building an operating model using metric treesSat, 30 Dec 2023 18:07:11 GMThttps://ergestx.com/delivering-value-as-a-data-team/https://ergestx.com/delivering-value-as-a-data-team/The three tiers of value all data professionals should knowSat, 16 Dec 2023 16:43:30 GMThttps://ergestx.com/why-focusing-on-answering-questions/https://ergestx.com/why-focusing-on-answering-questions/The real purpose of analyticsSat, 02 Dec 2023 15:13:56 GMThttps://ergestx.com/soma-data-modeling-patterns/https://ergestx.com/soma-data-modeling-patterns/The most flexible modeling technique in the worldSat, 18 Nov 2023 17:30:51 GMThttps://ergestx.com/designing-modular-data-workflows/https://ergestx.com/designing-modular-data-workflows/How to apply the Single Responsibility Principle to data engineeringSat, 04 Nov 2023 15:17:25 GMThttps://ergestx.com/modular-dimensional-data-modeling/https://ergestx.com/modular-dimensional-data-modeling/How to apply system design principles to Kimball dimensional modeling Sat, 21 Oct 2023 17:00:26 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-to-make-sql-queries-faster/https://ergestx.com/how-to-make-sql-queries-faster/Query performance patterns that save you money + I'm back!Sat, 07 Oct 2023 20:49:55 GMThttps://ergestx.com/modeling-data-for-soma-metrics/https://ergestx.com/modeling-data-for-soma-metrics/How to model data for SOMA for a B2B SaaS companySat, 26 Aug 2023 15:09:38 GMThttps://ergestx.com/implementing-a-metrics-stack/https://ergestx.com/implementing-a-metrics-stack/How to implement SOMA for a B2B SaaS companySat, 12 Aug 2023 13:53:38 GMThttps://ergestx.com/analytics-operational-excellence/https://ergestx.com/analytics-operational-excellence/The true purpose of analyticsSat, 29 Jul 2023 15:01:55 GMThttps://ergestx.com/on-being-data-driven-interview-1/https://ergestx.com/on-being-data-driven-interview-1/An interview with Chitrang DavèSat, 15 Jul 2023 19:24:21 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-analytics-wins/https://ergestx.com/how-analytics-wins/The secret weapon everyone knows about but very few can wieldSat, 01 Jul 2023 13:16:49 GMThttps://ergestx.com/why-analytics-should-be-standardized/https://ergestx.com/why-analytics-should-be-standardized/...and how to do itSat, 17 Jun 2023 14:43:12 GMThttps://ergestx.com/root-cause-of-all-problems-in-analytics/https://ergestx.com/root-cause-of-all-problems-in-analytics/An introduction to the Logical Thinking ProcessSat, 03 Jun 2023 19:48:12 GMThttps://ergestx.com/the-evolution-of-data-practice/https://ergestx.com/the-evolution-of-data-practice/Strategic gameplay in the data landscapeSat, 20 May 2023 18:28:44 GMThttps://ergestx.com/the-data-strategy-playbook-part-1/https://ergestx.com/the-data-strategy-playbook-part-1/Making sense of the data landscape from the outside inSat, 06 May 2023 21:06:10 GMThttps://ergestx.com/fundamental-data-engineering-skills-2/https://ergestx.com/fundamental-data-engineering-skills-2/Solving technical problems from first principlesSat, 22 Apr 2023 14:16:51 GMThttps://ergestx.com/fundamental-data-engineering-skills/https://ergestx.com/fundamental-data-engineering-skills/Solving technical problems from first principlesSat, 08 Apr 2023 13:34:51 GMThttps://ergestx.com/model-a-business-with-activities/https://ergestx.com/model-a-business-with-activities/The key to building a business blueprintSat, 25 Mar 2023 14:53:56 GMThttps://ergestx.com/the-hidden-role-of-analytics/https://ergestx.com/the-hidden-role-of-analytics/How this hidden role causes disillusionment for data analysts and scientistsSat, 11 Mar 2023 16:47:15 GMThttps://ergestx.com/why-i-love-data-engineering/https://ergestx.com/why-i-love-data-engineering/Not all software engineers enjoy building applicationsSat, 25 Feb 2023 15:03:29 GMThttps://ergestx.com/disillusionment-data-careers/https://ergestx.com/disillusionment-data-careers/Why analytics can be a frustrating career and what we can do about it.Sat, 11 Feb 2023 14:57:38 GMThttps://ergestx.com/inside-the-metrics-playbook-tech/https://ergestx.com/inside-the-metrics-playbook-tech/How I built a cube with dbt, DuckDB and the Activity SchemaSat, 28 Jan 2023 17:13:13 GMThttps://ergestx.com/introducing-the-metrics-playbook/https://ergestx.com/introducing-the-metrics-playbook/Making analytics fun again.Sat, 14 Jan 2023 16:57:39 GMThttps://ergestx.com/make-data-modeling-fun-again/https://ergestx.com/make-data-modeling-fun-again/How to make data modeling agileSat, 31 Dec 2022 17:18:46 GMThttps://ergestx.com/refactoring-sql-level-2/https://ergestx.com/refactoring-sql-level-2/How to model data by refactoring SQL queries across multiple dbt models to make them easier to read, maintain and debug.Sat, 31 Dec 2022 15:37:13 GMThttps://ergestx.com/why-you-should-study-sql-first-even/https://ergestx.com/why-you-should-study-sql-first-even/The hidden language behind SQLSat, 17 Dec 2022 16:33:08 GMThttps://ergestx.com/refactoring-sql-level-1/https://ergestx.com/refactoring-sql-level-1/How to decompose SQL queries to make them easier to read, easier to maintain and debug.Sun, 11 Dec 2022 21:06:21 GMThttps://ergestx.com/apply-modularity-to-sql/https://ergestx.com/apply-modularity-to-sql/In this post we're going to learn one of the most important patterns in SQL: Modularity. Sun, 11 Dec 2022 16:39:26 GMThttps://ergestx.com/learning-advanced-sql/https://ergestx.com/learning-advanced-sql/Learning advanced skills doesn't have to be hardSat, 03 Dec 2022 21:05:17 GMThttps://ergestx.com/what-should-you-do-next-to-advance/https://ergestx.com/what-should-you-do-next-to-advance/The hardest career question to answer Sat, 19 Nov 2022 17:40:37 GMThttps://ergestx.com/lucrative-career/https://ergestx.com/lucrative-career/The secret to learning skills quicklySat, 05 Nov 2022 12:15:22 GMThttps://ergestx.com/trusted-advisor/https://ergestx.com/trusted-advisor/The key to building up your business acumenSat, 22 Oct 2022 16:09:02 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-to-build-a-career-moat-in-the/https://ergestx.com/how-to-build-a-career-moat-in-the/Here’s a timeless lesson from the Middle Ages. When the most powerful people built their fortresses and castles they had to make sure they were well protected from enemy attacks. So how did they do…Sat, 08 Oct 2022 13:37:10 GMThttps://ergestx.com/why-data-modeling-is-a-super-skill/https://ergestx.com/why-data-modeling-is-a-super-skill/It’s all about meaning. People say meaning is the key to life. It’s also a skill that will make you successful in data modeling. How? It will put you in a rare group of people that have a unique…Sat, 24 Sep 2022 13:48:20 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-to-communicate-data-effectively/https://ergestx.com/how-to-communicate-data-effectively/Why clear communication is the key to a thriving data careerSun, 11 Sep 2022 12:12:22 GMThttps://ergestx.com/activity-schema/https://ergestx.com/activity-schema/Exploring data modeling via a single table called Activity Stream.Tue, 12 Jul 2022 01:26:43 GMThttps://ergestx.com/analytics-engineering/https://ergestx.com/analytics-engineering/While the title Analytics Engineer is relatively new, the role has always existed in one way shape or form. This is why I believe it’s here to stay.Wed, 27 Apr 2022 01:23:09 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-to-calculate-monthly-active-users-mau-with-sql/https://ergestx.com/how-to-calculate-monthly-active-users-mau-with-sql/Calculate MAU using simple SQLTue, 14 Dec 2021 02:28:24 GMThttps://ergestx.com/celebrate-your-data-analysts/https://ergestx.com/celebrate-your-data-analysts/Data analysts are quitting their jobs in masse because they feel they have no impact. What can you do to change things before it's too late?Fri, 27 Aug 2021 00:04:20 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-i-learned-data-science-in-90-days/https://ergestx.com/how-i-learned-data-science-in-90-days/I first encountered data science (aka data mining, machine leaning, artificial intelligence, etc) back in 2014. I was a newly minted analyst trying to expand my expertise beyond the basics and my…Fri, 19 Mar 2021 13:59:30 GMThttps://ergestx.com/learning-strategy-from-first-principles-a-review-of-wardley-maps/https://ergestx.com/learning-strategy-from-first-principles-a-review-of-wardley-maps/What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think about the word strategy? If you’re like most people you’ll come up with a version of “a plan to achieve a desired end.” If you look into the…Thu, 18 Mar 2021 23:37:25 GMThttps://ergestx.com/data-executive-playbook/https://ergestx.com/data-executive-playbook/This blog post is an exploration of strategic play inside an organization viewed through the lens of a hypothetical data executive. Since I've never been an executive in the data field, my approach…Thu, 18 Mar 2021 23:33:03 GMThttps://ergestx.com/data-landscape-wardley-mapping/https://ergestx.com/data-landscape-wardley-mapping/A Wardley map is a form of mapping invented by Simon Wardley (@swardley [https://twitter.com/swardley]) that helps you understand business strategy. Simon calls it a form of "topographical…Thu, 18 Mar 2021 23:30:31 GMThttps://ergestx.com/goals-arent-the-only-way/https://ergestx.com/goals-arent-the-only-way/> We assume that any worthy social accomplishment is best achieved by first setting it as an objective and then pursuing it together with conviction. It makes you wonder, is there such a thing as…Thu, 18 Mar 2021 23:23:50 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-to-recognize-hidden-opportunities/https://ergestx.com/how-to-recognize-hidden-opportunities/In a previous essay I wrote about the three elements that comprise serendipity: 1. Curious Tinkering, (the pursuit of ideas you find intrinsically interesting) 2. Casual Collisions (sharing your…Thu, 18 Mar 2021 23:18:58 GMThttps://ergestx.com/machine-learning-text-tags-nlp/https://ergestx.com/machine-learning-text-tags-nlp/In the summer of 2019 I decided to enter the yearly company hackathon with a project that had been brewing in the back of my mind for months. As part of its vast offerings in the travel space,…Thu, 18 Mar 2021 23:05:15 GMThttps://ergestx.com/how-to-get-lucky-the-elements-of-serendipity/https://ergestx.com/how-to-get-lucky-the-elements-of-serendipity/Luck favors the prepared mind -Louis Pasteur In the summer of 2019 I entered the annual 2.5 day company hackathon with a project that had been brewing in the back of my mind for months. Hackathons…Sun, 26 Apr 2020 22:15:00 GMThttps://ergestx.com/self-educated-child-genius/https://ergestx.com/self-educated-child-genius/At the age of 14, Taylor Wilson built a nuclear reactor in his parent's basement and achieved nuclear fusion, becoming the 32nd person in history to do so, and the first person to do it at his age. Sat, 07 Mar 2020 21:00:00 GMThttps://ergestx.com/why-unstructured-learning-is-the-secret-to-a-lucrative-career/https://ergestx.com/why-unstructured-learning-is-the-secret-to-a-lucrative-career/"Data Science" was coined back in 2008 by DJ Patil and Leff Hammerbacher. In 2012, D.J. Patil and Thomas Davenport called “data scientist” the sexiest job of the 21st century in an article…Wed, 04 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMThttps://ergestx.com/obliquity/https://ergestx.com/obliquity/On March 30, 2017 a large portion of the Interstate 85 (I85) highway in Atlanta, GA collapsed after a massive fire that raged underneath it. Being a key piece of infrastructure that carries thousands…Sun, 30 Apr 2017 18:09:00 GMThttps://ergestx.com/why-plans-are-useless-but-planning-indispensable/https://ergestx.com/why-plans-are-useless-but-planning-indispensable/We all have the fantasy of the perfect plan that goes without a hitch. In the real world however this is rarely the case.Sun, 08 Jan 2017 17:25:00 GMT