In this Data Point, Frank shares his first impressions of Amazon's brick and mortar store in Bethesda, MD and why the future of retail is data driven. Also, here is the first book for the Data Driven Book Club: Data Loom by Stephen Few. Use the following affiliate link to help support the show! https://amzn.to/2TL0SMx 
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*DataPoint* Thoughts on Amazon's Brick and Mortar Bookstore

Data Driven: the podcast where we explore the emerging field of Data Science.  We bring the best minds in Data, Software Engineering, Machine Learning, and Artificial Intelligence right to you every Tuesday.

The field of data science mashes up the worlds of statistics, database architecture and software engineering. Data Scientist has been labelled by the Harvard Business Review, as "the sexiest job of the 21st century." A quick search of job search sites reveal that this field is in high demand.

In a world where Data is the new Oil, Data Science the new Refineries, consider this Car Talk for the Data Age. Every week we bring the best minds in this emerging field straight to you. Our goal is to educate and inspire our listeners so that they can be prepared to thrive in a Data Driven world.

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In this landmark 360th episode of Data Driven, we take a full-circle journey back through the past seven seasons, exploring the highs, lows, and everything in-between. Frank and Andy, in their signature style, veer off the beaten path, offering listeners not just a trip down memory lane, but an off-road adventure filled with insights, laughter, and a few unexpected detours.  Join us as we reflect on where we’ve been and, more importantly, where we’re headed next in the ever-evolving landscape of data and technology. It’s an episode you won’t want to miss, complete with the wisdom and whimsy that only Frank and Andy can provide.Moments00:00 Simpsons celebrates 360 episodes, announces new shows. 06:48 Struggling with impostor syndrome, sibling dynamics, and survival. 14:37 Experiments with AI feedback, brief show intros. 20:19 Challenging start, surprised by success in audio. 25:17 Uneven distribution; learned from former Microsoft colleague. 29:47 Struggle with communication, engineer writes terse responses. 35:47 Detective describes transit system in detail. 38:25 Relieved when Amazon took over sci-fi series. 43:28 Discussing latest blog post on OpenAI's capabilities. 52:15 Obfuscation and difficulty in accessing information persist. 56:41 Equal time for Democrats and Republicans in media. 01:02:36 December is a mad time due to birthdays. 01:05:06 Originally planned as a video podcast, logistics issues. 01:09:44 360-degree journey concludes with data-driven discussions.

A Data Driven Retrospective: A Look Back Through Seven Seasons and 360 Episodes

In this episode Frank and Andy welcome Jennifer Swanson explains how businesses can reinvent themselves for the data driven age of AI.  From recognizing the importance of defining clear strategies and outcomes to the struggles of change management, Jennifer reveals that the heart of digital transformation lies in aligning individuals to the company's objectives, and significantly, that it's less about the technology itself and more about the people and processes.  Whether you're a leader in your organization, part of a cross-functional team, or simply intrigued by the intersections of technology and business, this episode is a rich exploration of what it really means to be digitally transformed.Show Notes05:31 Technology now integral to every business operation. 07:07 Offline businesses integrating technology for improved experience. 10:04 First wave of digital transformation: applying technology. 14:09 Data governance key to organization's predictable success. 16:54 Organizational governance ensures strategy, priorities, and outcomes. 21:47 Training, support, and focus key for empowerment. 25:57 Selecting narrow slices drives model implementation success. 28:49 "Positive experiences with scrum and DevOps" 32:22 Leadership defines market, customer, and problems. 36:12 In cross functional teams, sticking to lanes. 38:53 Embrace collaboration and diplomacy for success. 40:26 Smart professionals promoted to leadership roles, questioning suitability. 44:15 Found work through family influence and adaptability. 47:23 Experimenting with tech is now very accessible. 50:28 Family loves Audible, enjoys romance novel series. 55:23 Jennifer, thanks for the great digital transformation explanation. 


Jennifer Swanson on Reinventing Business for the Era of Data and AI

In this episode, Danny Maloney is going to lead you on a journey to explore how artificial intelligence is not just a fleeting novelty but a tool of immense utility that's changing the playing field for individuals and small businesses alike. Danny brings his passion for algorithmic innovation from his experiences as a data-loving youth to his leadership role at Tailwind, where they leverage AI to level the marketing playing field for small businesses.Show Notes06:16 Early days of prevalent AI models, feedback loop. 08:37 Small businesses struggle with limited resources for marketing. 12:31 AI guides marketing decisions for faster success. 16:34 AI leader initiating internal discussions on AI's impact. 19:18 Experts experimenting, varying responses to AI capabilities. 23:43 Early phase of tech development and impact. 26:35 Tool Dingo ported from C# to Python. 29:47 Making prompt engineering unnecessary for average users. 31:39 Requested a specific image prompt and tested. 35:03 OpenAI developing GPT-5, creating internet frenzy. 38:58 Helping users personalize and develop voice technology. 43:24 Retro tech culture and its work ethic. 45:47 Chat GPT upsets media writers, AI creativity. 48:57 Digital journey ends with gratitude and encouragement.

Danny Maloney on AI’s Leap to Marketing Mastery

Welcome to show 357 of the Data Driven podcast! This week, we welcome Luke Diaz to the show. Luke has an impressive track record of scaling startups to staggering annual recurring revenues, and today, he's here to shed light on the pivotal role of customer success in growing a business. We'll dive deep into the intricacies of customer success management, its impact on subscription models, and the measurements that underpin it. Luke also shares personal insights into his daily habit tracking and the data-driven approach to setting quarterly goals. But that's not all – Luke opens up about his journey from being a hedge fund manager to making a name in the software industry, cultivating unyielding ambition, and the significance of customer feedback in lieu of venture capital insights.Show Moments05:27 Marketing function has evolved, delivering value. 09:15 Companies need high retention to be successful. 13:34 Emphasizing the challenge of defining success in startups. 17:07 Analyze customer success, product strength, usage frequency. 20:01 Companies hesitant to invest in customer success. 24:38 VC interviews, cautionary tales, and relationship importance. 26:12 Caution to look at numbers in term sheets. 32:32 Entrepreneur achieves $100 million sale in 7 years. 34:13 Machine learning hype outweighs business value currently. 36:40 CSMs can upload public filings to chat GPT 4 for efficient reading. 39:47 Screenshots are simple, stable, and pervasively used. 43:34 Star Trek technology influencing modern innovations. 48:10 Recent recommended books on leadership and strategy. 50:22 Thank you to guest Luke Diaz, feedback appreciated.

Luke Diaz on Leveraging Data for Customer Retention and Business Growth

Today, we're thrilled to welcome a special guest, Jeremy Utley, an academic marvel from Stanford, whose work on AI and idea flows is altering the landscape of business and innovation. In this episode, titled “Jeremy Utley on Getting the Most out of LLMs”, we dive into Jeremy's FIXIT approach for leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT. Jeremy will unpack the nuances of FIXIT, showing us the importance of providing context, iterative interaction, and team incubation while using AI. We'll reminisce about how technology has evolved from cell phone minutes to AI, which is becoming as ubiquitous as smartphones once were. Frank will voice concerns about the technical aspects, like token length, while agreeing with Jeremy's method. We'll examine why AI needs to be seen as a collaborative partner rather than a magical solution. Jeremy will shine a light on his book "IdeaFlow" and share his insights on the psychological barriers hindering the effective use of AI in practice. Expect to hear anecdotal wisdom about the transformative impact of ChatGPT, the importance of prompt engineering, and the potential of AI to refine negotiation skills. Jeremy will even offer examples of how generative AI can offer fresh perspectives on personal and emotional decisions. Don’t forget Frank’s experiments with creating custom GPTs, such as for our character Bailey. Our lively discussion promises to leave you with a wealth of knowledge on interacting with and extracting maximum value from AI. For all this and much more, stay tuned in as we journey through the possibilities and realities of AI as a tool for amplifying human capacity. And before we kick things off, a quick reminder to check out Audible for the best in audiobooks, and please take a moment to rate and review Data Driven to help us grow and bring you content you love. Now, without further ado, let's get data driven.Show Notes00:00 "Idea flows: the only business metric that matters." 05:35 Striving for the best is essential. 06:46 Expert hesitations on using AI for knowledge. 11:27 Asking for help, ended up with an image. 14:41 Convince family to take job offer role-play. 16:08 Learning new skills and fostering imagination through technology. 19:54 Seek understanding from personal experiences and examples. 25:48 Keanu Reeves movie sparks philosophical wonder. 28:42 AI prompts emotional epiphanies for life decisions. 32:11 Accidental query on creating GPU prompts explanations. 36:08 Instructions for using voice mode during coaching. 39:50 Ease of use and utility in busy life. 43:18 Key to AI success: Team collaboration is essential. 47:07 Kids don't care about data plans. 50:45 Released groundbreaking technology; implications for all industries. 53:18 Excited to buy internet access for chat. 54:54 Jeremy Utley wows with innovation and wisdom.

DataPoint Thoughts on Amazon's Brick and Mortar Bookstore

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