What Your Manager Actually Needs From You (A Director Tells All)

I grew up in a cornfield. Here's how I got into tech.

I didn't grow up with a roadmap to the tech industry. I grew up in rural Indiana, in a graduating class of 60 people, where nobody in my circle was going into data or business. This is the story of how I got here anyway. Through an RV, a nonprofit, an MBA, and one class that changed my trajectory. If you've ever felt like you don't quite fit the mold of a "typical" data person, I hope this one resonates with you. Chapters: 00:00 – Welcome & what this episode is about 01:20 – Growing up in rural Indiana 02:16 – Living in an RV & moving to Boston 02:30 – Starting a nonprofit & pursuing an MBA 03:24 – I raised my hand (and became famous for it) 05:16 – The data analytics class that changed everything 06:56 – Landing my first analyst role (and feeling lost) 07:52 – The manager who changed how I think about showing up 08:30 – Why communication IS a hard skill 09:40 – The compliments that confirmed I was on the right path 10:50 – Why I started the Quietly Ambitious Analyst 11:40 – Final message: your path is valid I created this free self-assessment for early-career analysts who want to start doing some of this work. You can grab it here: https://subscribepage.io/sVOVvZ The Quietly Ambitious Analyst–where business context meets data communication.  Listen anywhere | Follow @quietlyambitiousanalyst | Join the newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.io/subscribe-enewsletter

Why Your Stakeholders Aren't Acting on Your Analysis

You spent days on your analysis. The meeting went well. Everyone was engaged. And then nothing happened: No decisions. No follow-up. No movement. If this has ever happened to you, you're not alone. And it's probably not because your stakeholders don't care about data. In this solo episode, I break down the two real reasons your analysis isn't moving forward and what you can do about both, starting with your very next meeting. Chapters: 00:00 — Introduction 02:30 — The Two Goals Every Presentation Needs 03:30 — Why Your Stakeholders Aren't Paying Attention 04:15 — The One Thing Missing from Most Analyst Presentations 06:00 — When the Problem Has Nothing to Do with Your Analysis 06:45 — Why They Agreed in the Meeting and Then Did Nothing 07:30 — The Role Politics Plays in Your Work Going Nowhere 08:30 — The Years I Spent Trying Harder and Still Failing 09:30 — What to Do Differently Starting Today Ready for deeper support? The Analyst Edge waitlist is now open: https://www.quietlyambitiousanalyst.c... [https://www.quietlyambitiousanalyst.com/the-analyst-edge] The Quietly Ambitious Analyst–where business context meets data communication.  Listen anywhere | Follow @quietlyambitiousanalyst | Join the newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.io/subscribe-enewsletter

What It Actually Takes to Be Seen as Strategic at Work | Janet Kim

Level up your communication as an early career analyst with free weekly insights:  https://www.subscribepage.io/subscribe-enewsletter  Janet Kim is a senior technology leader, career coach, and TED Talk speaker who spent 16 years at Stanford University. She has spent her career at the intersection of strategy, digital transformation, and people - and she has been on the other side of the table making the decisions that most analysts never get to hear about. If you've ever wondered what your stakeholders are actually thinking — this episode is for you. Chapters: 00:00 — Introduction 00:16 — The Moment She Realized Hard Work Wasn't Enough 00:58 — The Vicious Cycle of Overworking 04:20 — Stop Thinking About Yourself — Start Thinking About Others 05:00 — The Email Story That Changed Everything 07:32 — The Airline Ticket Analogy for Strategy 10:22 — Three Questions to Ask Every Stakeholder 12:11 — Build Your Strategic Visibility Map 14:12 — Being the Other Is Actually Your Strength 19:48 — Nunchi, Chung, and Han 24:11 — Do Analysts Deserve a Seat at the Table? 28:52 — What Leaders Look for Before Promoting Someone 30:10 — Your Personal Brand Gap 33:26 — Final Thoughts Follow Janet Kim on LinkedIn:  janetkimjk   Quietly Ambitious Analyst Weekly emails for early career analysts: https://bit.ly/4pjUoz9 Learn how to confidently communicate your findings: https://bit.ly/4qJ3o2d Free Resource - Top 10 Analyst Questions Before Touching Data: https://bit.ly/4sxbixl The Quietly Ambitious Analyst–where business context meets data communication.  Listen anywhere | Follow @quietlyambitiousanalyst | Join the newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.io/subscribe-enewsletter

Why the Best Analysts Aren't Always the Most Technical Ones | Marianna Simonian

Level up your communication as an early-career analyst with free weekly insights⁠ Marianna Simonian is a tech futurist, former HR analyst, entrepreneur, and author who has built multiple startups and communities supporting women in tech — all while navigating the same self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and career uncertainty that most analysts feel but rarely talk about. In this conversation, she shares why your ability to figure things out matters more than your technical skills, how AI is making soft skills the new competitive advantage, what it means to be an agent of change, no matter your job title, and why the best thing you can do for your career right now is stop overthinking and start moving. If you've ever wondered whether being good at your job is actually enough, this episode is for you. Chapter List 00:00 — Introduction 02:56 — Why Perfectionism Kills Progress 04:29 — The Gap in the Market She Couldn't Ignore 07:28 — The Feeling of Never Doing Enough09:24 — Your Career and Your Life Are Not Separate 13:40 — How to Be Honest with Yourself 16:15 — Why Growth Requires a New Version of You 17:18 — She Wasn't the Most Technical. She Got Hired Anyway. 19:24 — How Every Analyst Can Be a Change Agent 21:14 — Why Hard Skills Are No Longer Enough 23:42 — The Moment She Refused to Accept the Doubt 27:50 — Final Thoughts Follow Marianna on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/smarianna24/⁠ The Female Career Tao: ⁠https://femalecareertao.online/⁠ Quietly Ambitious Analyst — Weekly emails for early career analysts: ⁠https://bit.ly/4pjUoz9⁠ Learn how to confidently communicate your findings: ⁠https://bit.ly/4qJ3o2d⁠ Free Resource — Top 10 Analyst Questions Before Touching Data: ⁠https://bit.ly/4sxbixl The Quietly Ambitious Analyst–where business context meets data communication.  Listen anywhere | Follow @quietlyambitiousanalyst | Join the newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.io/subscribe-enewsletter

What Your Manager Actually Needs From You (A Director Tells All)

Aaron Wilkerson has spent nearly two decades in data and analytics — working his way up from individual contributor to Director of Data Strategy and Product at Carhartt. In this conversation, he pulls back the curtain on what leadership actually looks like from the other side: how directors prioritize requests, what it really means to bring an idea to your manager, why staying comfortable in your role is a quiet career risk, and why even senior leaders are figuring out AI as they go. If you've ever wondered what your manager is thinking — this episode is for you. In this episode: Why there's no single "right answer" in data work How to bring ideas to leadership in a way that actually gets traction What directors look for when prioritizing analyst requests The difference between AI and automation (and why it matters for your career)  Why building empathy for your manager can change everything Follow Aaron on LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-wilkerson-81bb21a/⁠ Quietly Ambitious Analyst — Weekly emails for early career analysts: ⁠https://bit.ly/4pjUoz9⁠ [https://bit.ly/4pjUoz9] Learn how to confidently communicate your findings: ⁠https://bit.ly/4qJ3o2d⁠ [https://bit.ly/4qJ3o2d] Free Resource — Top 10 Analyst Questions Before Touching Data: ⁠https://bit.ly/4sxbixl [https://bit.ly/4sxbixl] The Quietly Ambitious Analyst–where business context meets data communication.  Listen anywhere | Follow @quietlyambitiousanalyst | Join the newsletter at https://www.subscribepage.io/subscribe-enewsletter