Today, we reunite two old friends with a penchant for writing books for people adjacent to tech as we welcome Miguel Escobar to the show. If you use Power Query or Power BI, you might have heard of Miguel. He is the co-author of several books on Power Query, Power BI, Power Pivot, and DAX. He is also part of the expert trifecta that created Skill Wave training and he is now an integral part of Microsoft working to make Power Query better for all users. He and Rob reminisce about book deals, DAX, training, and writing in a voice for the people, instead of for the tech giants. But, most importantly, you get the inside scoop on the data-cleaning drudgery that was Excel and analytics before the DAX and Power Query data revolution. 

Miguel and Rob trade entertaining stories of how Excel gives people a competitive edge in the job market but somehow remains a fundamentally underappreciated skill during the educational years. After all, it’s not just about the tool, what matters is what people do with it, how they use it, and how it has changed the trajectory of their careers. After hearing a few of these stories, you’re going to want to send a tweet to Tom to encourage him to finally admit that Power Query deserves a spot in the Software Hall of Fame.

This episode isn’t all about Power Query, though as we also learn a little about the eclectic taste in music our hosts share as well as some interesting tidbits regarding songwriting and the musical process. Miguel opens up about his passion for music and composition as he shares some personal insight into the process of collaborating and creating music in the digital world. If you listen closely, you can even hear some of his work spliced into this podcast in a musical first for us. Of course, you can hear Miguel’s song: Someday, Somehow (feat. Chris Cron) in its entirety across multiple musical platforms. Be sure to give it a listen and share it with a friend.

As always, if you enjoyed this episode, be sure to leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform to help others find us.  

Also in this episode:

Good Will Hunting – I don’t understand the piano

Jerry was a race car driver

Miguel Escobar: Geo Flow using Panama's Census Data

DAX formulas for power pivot: A Simple Guide to the Excel Revolution

Major Key / Minor Key culturally different

Box Office Mojo

Mr. Excel

M is for (Data) Monkey

Bell Biv DeVoe

Johnny Cash: Hurt

Blues Traveler: Hook

Rocksmith

Guitar Pro

Power Query online

Software Hall of Fame Podcast

Power Query Saves Christmas w/ Gus Miranda