Value Driven Data Science

The data science world has always been obsessed with tools and techniques - a fixation that's only intensified in the era of generative AI. Yet even as ChatGPT and similar technologies transform the landscape, the fundamental challenge remains the same - turning technical capabilities into business results requires a process most data scientists never learned.

In this episode, Dr. Brian Godsey joins Dr. Genevieve Hayes to discuss why the scientific process behind data science remains more critical than ever, sharing how his original "Think Like a Data Scientist" framework has evolved to harness today's powerful AI capabilities while maintaining the principles that drive real business values.

This conversation reveals:

1. Why the seemingly basic question "Where do I start?" continues to derail data scientists' effectiveness and how mastering the right process can transform your impact [01:15]
2. The three stages of the data science process that remain essential for career success even as AI dramatically changes how quickly you can execute them [11:07]
3. How the accessibility revolution of generative AI creates new career opportunities for data scientists in organizations that previously couldn't leverage advanced analytics [18:34]
4. The underrated troubleshooting skill that will make you invaluable as organizations increasingly rely on "black box" AI models for business-critical decisions [20:21]

Guest Bio

Dr Brian Godsey is a Data Science Lead at AI platform as a service company DataStax. He is also the author of Think Like a Data Scientist and holds a PhD in Mathematical Statistics and Probability.

Links

• Brian's website
• Connect with Brian on LinkedIn
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

Even the most brilliant data analysis can fall flat when presented with poor visualisations. Many data scientists simply use default charts from their analysis software, missing the opportunity to create compelling visuals that drive understanding and decision-making.

In this Value Boost episode, Bill Shander joins Dr. Genevieve Hayes to share the design principles that can transform technical charts into powerful communication tools - even for those without formal design training.

This quick-hit episode reveals:

1. Why default visualisation settings in most software undermine effective communication [02:03]
2. The research-backed "preattentive response" principle that determines whether your visualisation succeeds or fails [05:17]
3. How the counterintuitive "do less" approach creates more impactful data stories [06:18]
4. A simple glance test to immediately evaluate and improve any visualisation you create [11:21]

Guest Bio

Bill Shander is the founder of Beehive Media, a data visualisation and information design consultancy. He is also a keynote speaker; teaches workshops on data storytelling, information design, data visualisation and data analytics; and is the author of Stakeholder Whispering.

Links

• Bill's Website
• Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

Data scientists can often find themselves in a frustrating cycle - meticulously executing stakeholder requests only to discover what they delivered isn't what was actually needed. The disconnect between what stakeholders ask for and what truly solves their problems can derail projects and limit advancement of your career.

In this episode, Bill Shander joins Dr. Genevieve Hayes to reveal the "Stakeholder Whispering" approach from his new book - a methodology that transforms technical experts from order-takers into strategic partners who uncover and address true business needs.

This conversation reveals:

1. Why stakeholders struggle to articulate what they truly need (and often don't even know themselves) [06:32]
2. How the "Socratic method" creates breakthrough moments that help stakeholders discover their own requirements [11:00]
3. The six-question framework that strategically alternates between divergent and convergent thinking to reveal hidden needs [14:54]
4. Why approaching stakeholder conversations like a curious investigator rather than a cross-examiner builds trust and uncovers deeper insights [13:28]

Guest Bio

Bill Shander is the founder of Beehive Media, a data visualisation and information design consultancy. He is also a keynote speaker; teaches workshops on data storytelling, information design, data visualisation and data analytics; and is the author of Stakeholder Whispering.

Links

• Bill's Website
• Connect with Bill on LinkedIn
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

Looking for powerful AI tools that can dramatically boost your impact, regardless of the size of the businesses you serve? 

You don't need an enterprise-size budget to transform your work and create massive value for your stakeholders.

In this Value Boost episode, Heidi Araya joins Dr Genevieve Hayes to reveal three high-impact, low-cost AI tools that deliver exceptional ROI for both your data science career and for even the most budget-conscious clients.

In this episode, you'll uncover:

1. Why Claude consistently outperforms ChatGPT for business applications and how to leverage it as your AI partner for everything from sales coaching to content creation [01:32]
2. How Perplexity delivers real-time research capabilities that save hours of manual work while providing verified sources you can trust [04:02]
3. How Fireflies AI notetaker creates a searchable knowledge base from client conversations that enhances follow-up and project management [07:56]
4. A practical first step to start implementing this maximum-value toolkit in your data science practice tomorrow [09:39]

Guest Bio

Heidi Araya is the CEO and chief AI consultant of BrightLogic, an AI automation agency that specializes in delivering people-first solutions that unlock the potential of small to medium sized businesses. She is also a patented inventor, an international keynote speaker and the author of two upcoming books, one on process improvement for small businesses and the other on career and personal reinvention.

Links

• Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn
• BrightLogic website
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

While most data scientists chase after scraps at the big business table, a hidden gold mine sits completely ignored. Small businesses are desperate for AI solutions but can't get help because everyone thinks they're "too small."

The truth? These overlooked clients - representing a staggering 99.8% of all businesses - are willing to pay real money for simple AI implementations that deliver jaw-dropping ROI. We're talking five to seven-figure returns from solutions you could build in your sleep.

In this episode, Heidi Araya joins Dr Genevieve Hayes to reveal exactly how data scientists can escape the soul-crushing enterprise world and build a thriving practice serving clients who actually appreciate your genius.

Prepare to discover:

1. Why AI implementations for small businesses can deliver dramatically higher ROI than enterprise solutions [12:16]
2. The three pre-built AI solutions that consistently generate the greatest value for resource-constrained clients [12:16]
3. A practical framework for identifying high-impact opportunities even when clients have minimal data [16:59]
4. The "AI receptionist" solution that generated $30 million in new business from dead leads for one small client [21:19]

Guest Bio

Heidi Araya is the CEO and chief AI consultant of BrightLogic, an AI automation agency that specializes in delivering people-first solutions that unlock the potential of small to medium sized businesses. She is also a patented inventor, an international keynote speaker and the author of two upcoming books, one on process improvement for small businesses and the other on career and personal reinvention.

Links

• Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn
• BrightLogic website
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

Would you believe that sharing a conversation in the lunch room could be more valuable to your data science career than spending countless hours behind a computer, perfecting algorithms and models? It's a radical idea, but it's exactly the kind of thinking that transforms good data scientists into exceptional ones.

In this Value Boost episode, AI strategist Gregory Lewandowski joins Dr Genevieve Hayes to explain his controversial 90-10 rule: that success in AI and data science is 90% about people and only 10% about technology - and shares a surprisingly simple way to put this principle into practice.

You'll learn:

1. Why focusing purely on technology creates a dangerous blind spot [01:53]
2. The critical success factor that most data science teams overlook [03:54]
3. The "toasted sandwich strategy" for building crucial relationships [05:54]

Guest Bio

Gregory Lewandowski is the Chief AI Strategist and Founder of GLEW, a consultancy focussing on the business side of AI ROI.

Links

• Connect with Gregory on LinkedIn
• GLEW Services website
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

If you want to succeed in data science, you need to create business value. But what does business value actually mean to the executives with the power to make or break your data science initiative?

In this episode, AI strategist Gregory Lewandowski joins Dr Genevieve Hayes to share the five executive priorities he discovered while leading analytics for major enterprises - and explain why the future belongs to data scientists who understand them.

This episode reveals:

1. The two priorities that can unlock budget even mid-cycle (and why cost savings isn't one of them) [07:50]
2. How executive priorities evolve across technology adoption cycles [10:16]
3. Why misaligned compensation metrics doom data science projects [13:03]
4. The "follow the money" framework for understanding what drives business decisions [12:22]

Guest Bio

Gregory Lewandowski is the Chief AI Strategist and Founder of GLEW, a consultancy focussing on the business side of AI ROI.

Links

• Connect with Gregory on LinkedIn
• GLEW Services website
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

Everyone’s talking about AI, but the real opportunities for data scientists come from being in the room where key AI decisions are made.

In this Value Boost episode, technology leader Andrei Oprisan joins Dr Genevieve Hayes to share a specific, proven strategy for leveraging the current AI boom and becoming your organisation’s go-to AI expert.

This episode explains:

1. How to build a systematic framework for evaluating AI models [02:05]
2. The key metrics that help you compare different models objectively [02:28]
3. Why understanding speed-cost-accuracy tradeoffs gives you an edge [05:47]
4. How this approach gets you “in the room where it happens” for key AI decisions [07:20]

Guest Bio

Andrei Oprisan is a technology leader with over 15 years of experience in software engineering, specializing in product development, machine learning, and scaling high-performance teams. He is the founding Engineering Lead at Agent.ai and is also currently completing an Executive MBA through MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

Links

• Connect with Andre on LinkedIn
• Andrei’s website
• Agent.ai website
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but for data scientists, it can open doors to leadership opportunities.

In this episode, technology leader Andrei Oprisan joins Dr Genevieve Hayes to share how his habit of asking deeper questions about the business transformed him from software engineer #30 at Wayfair to a seasoned technology executive and MIT Sloan MBA candidate.

You’ll discover:

1. The critical business questions most technical experts never think to ask [02:21]
2. Why understanding business context makes you better at technical work (not worse) [14:10]
3. How to turn natural curiosity into career opportunities without losing your technical edge [09:19]
4. The simple mindset shift that helps you spot business impact others miss [21:05]

Guest Bio

Andrei Oprisan is a technology leader with over 15 years of experience in software engineering, specializing in product development, machine learning, and scaling high-performance teams. He is the founding Engineering Lead at Agent.ai and is also currently completing an Executive MBA through MIT’s Sloan School of Management.

Links

• Connect with Andre on LinkedIn
• Andrei’s website
• Agent.ai website
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE

Every data scientist knows the sinking feeling: you’ve done brilliant technical work, but your presentation falls flat with stakeholders.

In this Value Boost episode, communications expert Lauren Lang and data analyst Dr Matt Hoffman join Dr Genevieve Hayes to share their go-to pre-presentation checklist to ensure that sinking feeling never happens again.

You’ll walk away knowing:

1. The critical business context most data scientists overlook when presenting their work [02:10]
2. How to ensure your technical content works as hard as you do – whether presented live or shared asynchronously [04:42]
3. The “so what” framework that instantly makes your analysis more compelling to leaders [06:57]

Guest Bio

Lauren Lang is the Director of Content for Uplevel and is also a Content Strategy Coach for B2B marketers.

Dr Matt Hoffman is a Senior Data Analyst: Strategic Insights at Uplevel and holds a PhD in Physics from the University of Washington.

Links

• Connect with Lauren on LinkedIn
• Connect with Matt on LinkedIn
• Connect with Genevieve on LinkedIn
• Be among the first to hear about the release of each new podcast episode by signing up HERE