Articles & Insights
Thoughts on data strategy, dashboard design, and bridging the gap between raw numbers and executive decisions.
DBeaver: The SQL Client I've Used Since Day One
DBeaver is the open source SQL client I've used since day one. Here's why it's earned that loyalty plus an honest look at Beekeeper Studio and DbGate, two ne...
Penpot vs. Figma for Data Visualization Framing
Figma is my go-to design tool but Penpot is making me question that. An honest comparison of both tools from an analyst's perspective, and why I haven't full...
On-Premise vs Cloud: What Nobody Tells You Before You Decide
The honest tradeoffs of on-premise vs cloud infrastructure: beyond the vendor pitch. What I actually learned working across both environments.
Data Governance Explained: Why Your Numbers Don't Match (And What to Do About It)
Data governance explained for analysts: what it is, why it matters, and what happens when organizations ignore it. Real examples from enterprise data teams.
How I Structure Complex SQL Queries (and Why It Matters)
Learn how a senior data analyst structures complex SQL queries for readability and maintainability from row count checks to CTEs, explicit JOINs, and meaning...
How to Build a Europe Tile Map in Tableau (With My Own Layout — Free to Use)
European tile map layouts are surprisingly rare compared to the US. I spent several days with colleagues iterating on a layout that actually reflects Europea...
The Complete Guide to Power BI & Power Platform Certifications (From Someone Still Learning)
I'm a Tableau certified analyst learning Power BI. Here's the honest breakdown of every Microsoft certification in the ecosystem. What they test, what they c...
Power BI vs Tableau: An Honest Side-by-Side From Someone Who Uses Both
I've spent 8+ years in Tableau and I'm learning Power BI. Here's my honest take on where each tool wins, where it loses, and which one you should actually le...
The Complete Guide to Tableau Certifications (And Which One You Actually Need)
Five Tableau certifications, one honest guide. Here's what each one tests, what it costs, how to prepare, and which one is worth your time — from someone who...
Makeover Monday: The Weekly Habit That Sharpens Every Analyst
Makeover Monday is the best weekly practice habit in data visualization. Here's how I use it to stay sharp, build my portfolio, and think like a better analy...
How to Build a USA Tile Map in Tableau (Where Every State Gets Equal Space)
Rhode Island is 425x smaller than Alaska but does that make it less important to your analysis? Here's how to build a tile map in Tableau where every state g...
The Geometry of Greatness: How The Last Dance Turned Me Into a Data Analyst for the NBA
In 2020, The Last Dance reignited my love for the NBA. It sent me down a rabbit hole of scraped datasets, bar chart races, and a YouTube channel called Clutc...
Coolors: Crafting Premium, Accessible Data Products
Color isn't decoration. It's communication. Here's how I use Coolors to build palettes that are visually authoritative, accessible, and strategically focused.
Figma: The Blueprint of High-End Dashboards
Most analysts start building in Tableau immediately. I start in Figma. Here's the dual-track workflow that transformed my dashboards from functional to genui...
The Analyst's Toolkit: Why Tableau Public is Your Ultimate Stage
Tableau Public is more than a free tool — it's the most powerful career-building platform in the data world. Here's how I use it and how it changed my career.
Hello World: Welcome to my new blog!
After 8+ years in data analytics, I'm starting a blog to document what I've learned about dashboards, SQL, KPI design, and the gap between data and real busi...