The Data Stack Show

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com.

This week on The Data Stack Show, John welcomes back repeat-guest Ben Rogojan, Owner and Data Consultant of Seattle Data Guy. John and Ben discuss the evolving relationship between data teams and businesses, highlighting the challenges of proving value in a cost-conscious environment. Ben explores the impact of technological advancements, the rise of AI, and the critical skills data professionals...

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com.

This week on The Data Stack Show, Barry McCardel, CEO and Co-Founder of Hex, joins Eric Dodds and John Wessel to discuss the transformative impact of AI on data teams and the broader data industry. The conversation explores how AI is reshaping workflows, team structures, and the very definition of data roles, while also addressing the anxieties and opportunities...

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations from this year, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com.

This week on The Data Stack Show, John and Matt dive into the latest trends in AI, discussing the evolution of GPT models, the role of tools in reducing hallucinations, and the ongoing debate between data warehouses and agent-based approaches. They also explore the complexities of risk-taking in data teams, drawing lessons from Nate Silver’s book on...

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations from this year, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com. 

This week on The Data Stack Show, John and Matt welcome Pedram Navid, Chief Dashboard Officer at Dagster Labs. During the conversation, Pedram shares his career evolution from consulting to his current role, where he oversees data, developer relations (DevRel), and marketing. The discussion delves into the synergies between DevRel and marketing, emphasizing the importance of understanding d...

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations from this year, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com. This week on The Data Stack Show, John chats with Paul Blankley, Founder and CTO of Zenlytic, live from Denver! Paul and John discuss the rapid evolution of AI in business intelligence, highlighting how AI is transforming data analysis and decision-making. Paul also explores the potential of AI as an "employee" that can handle complex analytical tasks, from unstructured...

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations from this year, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations from this year, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com. This week on The Data Stack Show, Ryan Dolley joins Eric and John to discuss his unique journey from playwriting to leading product strategy in the data industry. The conversation explores the evolution of business intelligence (BI), the growing influence of AI on analytics, and the shifting skill sets required for data professionals. Key topics include the challenges of...

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations from this year, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com. 

This week on The Data Stack Show, the crew brings you another conversation live from Data Council in Oakland, California. In this episode, Viktor Kessler from Vakamo explores the evolution of data architecture from rigid warehouses to flexible Lakehouse systems. Powered by Apache Iceberg, this new approach enables seamless data sharing, governance, and potential monetization. Viktor discusses h...

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations from this year, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com.

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome Misha Laskin, Co-Founder and CEO of ReflectionAI. Misha shares his journey from theoretical physics to AI, detailing his experiences at DeepMind. The discussion covers the development of AI technologies, the concepts of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and superhuman intelligence, and their implications for knowledge work. Misha...

This episode is a re-air of one of our most popular conversations from this year, featuring insights worth revisiting. Thank you for being part of the Data Stack community. Stay up to date with the latest episodes at datastackshow.com.

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John explore the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on technology and business. They discuss AI's rapid advancements, drawing parallels to historical shifts like e-commerce. The conversation explores the future of roles within companies, particularly in data management and SaaS products, and considers the broader implications for business...

This week on The Data Stack Show, Barry McCardel, CEO and Co-Founder of Hex, joins Eric Dodds and John Wessel to discuss the transformative impact of AI on data teams and the broader data industry. The conversation explores how AI is reshaping workflows, team structures, and the very definition of data roles, while also addressing the anxieties and opportunities that come with rapid change. Barry shares Hex’s journey from having a dedicated AI team to fully integrating AI across the product, and offers insights on industry consolidation, the infinite demand for data insights, and the importance of embracing ch...

In this bonus episode, Eric and John preview their upcoming conversation with Barry McCardel of Hex.

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their cust...

This week on The Data Stack Show, Alexander Patrushev joins John to share his journey from working on mainframes at IBM to leading AI infrastructure innovation at Nebius, with stops at VMware and AWS along the way. The discussion explores the evolution of AI and cloud infrastructure, the five pillars of successful machine learning projects, and the unique challenges of building and operating modern AI data centers—including energy consumption, cooling, and networking. Alexander also delves into the practicalities of infrastructure as code, the importance of data quality, and offers actionable advice for those looking to break into the AI...

In this bonus episode, John previews the upcoming conversation with Alexander Patrushev of Nebius.

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data whil...

This week on The Data Stack Show, AI entrepreneur Alberto Rizzoli shares his journey from early computer vision breakthroughs to leading the automation of back-office workflows at V7. The discussion explores the shift from bespoke model training to configurable AI solutions, the impact of automation on business roles, and emerging best practices for integrating AI into enterprises. Listeners will gain insight into how AI infrastructure is moving from labs to everyday businesses, which roles are most vulnerable or secure amid automation, and why future-proofing your career means focusing on creativity, first principles, and continuous improvement. Don’t miss it! 

In this bonus episode, Eric and John preview their upcoming conversation with Alberto Rizzoli of V7.

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their cust...

This week on The Data Stack Show, Ryan Dolley joins Eric and John to discuss his unique journey from playwriting to leading product strategy in the data industry. The conversation explores the evolution of business intelligence (BI), the growing influence of AI on analytics, and the shifting skill sets required for data professionals. Key topics include the challenges of adapting to rapid technological change, the importance of embracing engineering practices in BI, and the need for continuous learning. Listeners will gain insights into how AI is transforming data roles, why storytelling remains central to analytics, practical advice for thriving...

In this bonus episode, Eric and John preview their upcoming conversation with Ryan Dolley of GoodData.

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their cust...

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric Dodds and John Wessel explore how AI is reshaping the data industry, focusing on the ongoing cycles of bundling and unbundling within data infrastructure. They discuss the potential for closed ecosystems like Notion to deliver personalized, integrated experiences and examine recent industry moves such as Fivetran’s acquisitions. The conversation also highlights the challenges faced by both startups and incumbents, the influence of enterprise customers on product development, and the enduring importance of trade-offs when choosing between bundled and unbundled solutions. Key takeaways include the complexity of implementing AI across platforms, th...

This week on The Data Stack Show, the crew welcomes Eric Dodds back to the show as they dive into the realities of integrating AI and large language models into data team workflows. Eric, Matt and John discuss the promise and pitfalls of AI-driven automation, the persistent challenges of working with APIs, and the evolution from big data tools to AI-powered solutions. The conversation also highlights the risks of over-reliance on single experts, the critical importance of documentation and context, and the gap between AI marketing hype and practical implementation. Key takeaways for listeners include the necessity of strong...

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome back Kostas Pardalis, long-time co-host of the Data Stack Show and now Co-Founder of typedef. The group discusses the rapid evolution of AI and data infrastructure. The conversation also explores how AI is accelerating industry change, the challenges of integrating large language models (LLMs) into data workflows, and the limitations of current semantic layers. Kostas shares insights on building next-generation query engines, the importance of using familiar engineering paradigms, and the need to make AI seamless and almost invisible in user experiences. Key takeaways include the necessity of...

In this bonus episode, Eric and John welcome back longtime co-host of the Data Stack Show Kostas Pardalis to talk through all things AI and his co-founding of typedef.

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with...

This week on The Data Stack Show, John and Matt dive into the latest trends in AI, discussing the evolution of GPT models, the role of tools in reducing hallucinations, and the ongoing debate between data warehouses and agent-based approaches. They also explore the complexities of risk-taking in data teams, drawing lessons from Nate Silver’s book on risk and sharing real-world analogies from cybersecurity, football, and political campaigns. Key takeaways include the importance of balancing innovation with practical risk management, the need for clear recommendations from data professionals, the value of reading fiction to understand human behavior in da...

In this bonus episode, John and Matt preview their upcoming conversation about trends in AI, the evolution of GPT modes and the ongoing debate between data warehouses and agent-based approaches.

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their busi...

This week on The Data Stack Show, John and Matt bring you another edition of the Cynical Data Guy. John and Matt dive into the evolution of customer data infrastructure, the growing influence of low-code tools like Clay, and the blurred lines around the “engineer” title in modern data roles. They also discuss the trade-offs between SaaS adoption and building custom solutions, the pitfalls of enterprise software buying, and the realities of platform lock-in—using Palantir’s unique business model as a case study. Key takeaways include the importance of simplicity and scalability in data engineering, the need for clear re...

In this bonus episode, John and Matt preview the next installment of the Cynical Data Guy. 

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their custo...

This week on The Data Stack Show, Brooks and John chat with Andy MacMillan, CEO of Alteryx. Andy discusses the evolving landscape of data and AI, focusing on empowering business users to solve complex problems. He explores the concept of "citizen developers" and how tools like Alteryx can bridge the gap between IT and business teams by democratizing data access. The conversation also emphasizes the importance of creating controlled environments where business users can leverage cloud data platforms and AI technologies to reimagine workflows, without bypassing governance. Key takeaways include the need for organizations to enable innovation through accessible...

In this bonus episode, Brooks and John preview their upcoming conversation with Andy MacMillan of Alteryx.

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their cust...

This week on The Data Stack Show, John and Matt bring you another edition of the Cynical Data Guy. John and Matt dive into the quirky world of data analytics, exploring common challenges like unrealistic data requests, the limitations of self-service BI, and the evolving role of data analysts. They also discuss the importance of understanding business context, the need for effective data storytelling, and the emerging trend of "BI as code" which promises more flexible and version-controlled analytics tools. The conversation highlights the gap between technical data capabilities and business user needs, emphasizing that the real value of...

In this bonus episode, John and Matt preview the next edition of the Cynical Data Guy. 

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their custo...

This week on The Data Stack Show, John chats with Paul Blankley, Founder and CTO of Zenlytic, live from Denver! Paul and John discuss the rapid evolution of AI in business intelligence, highlighting how AI is transforming data analysis and decision-making. Paul also explores the potential of AI as an "employee" that can handle complex analytical tasks, from unstructured data processing to proactive monitoring. Key insights include the increasing capabilities of AI in symbolic tasks like coding, the importance of providing business context to AI models, and the future of BI tools that can flexibly interact with both structured...

In this bonus episode, John previews the upcoming conversation with Paul Blankley of Zenlytic. 

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while...

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and welcomes back Ruben Burdin, Founder and CEO of Stacksync as they together dismantle the myths surrounding zero-copy ETL and traditional data integration methods. Ruben reveals the complex challenges of two-way syncing between enterprise systems like Salesforce, HubSpot, and NetSuite, highlighting how existing tools often create more problems than solutions. He also introduces Stacksync's innovative approach, which uses real-time SQL-based synchronization to simplify data integration, reduce maintenance overhead, and enable more efficient operational workflows. The conversation exposes the limitations of current data transfer techniques and offers a glimpse into a more...

In this bonus episode, Eric and John preview their upcoming conversation with Ruben Burdin of Stacksync.

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their cust...

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome back Matt Kelliher-Gibson for another edition of the Cynical Data Guy. The group explores the current state of data engineering and team dynamics while critically examining the evolving landscape of analytics engineering, dissecting the hype around the modern data stack and its tools. The conversation also explores the challenges of data team management, including headcount reductions, rising technology costs, and the struggle to maintain efficiency. Key discussions revolve around the need for open standards, the impact of AI on data roles, the complex hiring practices in tech startups...

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Ho...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

The Da...

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Ho...

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data e...

This week on The Data Stack Show, John Wessel and Matt Kelliher-Gibson dive into the recent Duck Lake announcement, exploring the evolving landscape of data analytics technologies. They discuss DuckDB's role as a lightweight, local analytics database and its potential as a caching layer for open table formats like Iceberg. The conversation also highlights the current state of data storage standards, focusing on agreements around Parquet and Iceberg, while noting the ongoing complexity in catalog management. Key takeaways include the importance of local compute solutions, the early stage of open table formats, and the potential for simplified data infrastructure...