I dubbed Joram Mutenge as a “trifecta” when it comes to the data profession. He is a data engineer, data analyst, and data scientist! As with many people, the route wasn’t a straight one, but suits him well once he learned to love the parts few enjoy and how to be safely creative within data.

To become as valuable as possible, Joram has spent time learning SQL, Python, and JavaScript. We discussed multiple tools and libraries along with how to approach a web-based visualization as opposed to a print visualization. He’s now also learning Rust!

One of his biggest recommendations for anyone trying to learn something new? It’s not random tutorials! Instead, consider a “curated” path of learning. When you invest some level of money into a course or something similar, you’re more likely to finish it because you’re also financially invested and you won’t waste as much time jumping around and trying to put the pieces together on your own.

In this episode, we’ll talk about Joram’s journey into data engineering, the differences between data engineering/analytics/science, various languages and tools he works with, data cleanliness, how to learn and using a curated learning path, and where we can focus energy to spend our time wisely.

Your call to action? → Useless things take just as much effort as useful things. Ask yourself: Is what I’m doing right now useful to what I’m trying to accomplish?

Chapters

00:00 Journey into Data Engineering

05:27 The Importance of Data Cleaning

10:14 The Trifecta of Data Roles

11:55 Thinking in Tables

15:53 Learning Paths and Curated Education

25:52 Embracing Rust in Data Engineering

32:27 Final Thoughts on Effort and Utility

All the Good Stuff - Links & More

LinkedIn

Joram’s blog

So Good They Can’t Ignore You by Cal Newport

Data-focused libraries & tools discussed:

D3

Apache ECharts

Matplotlib

Plotly

hvPlot

Pandas

Polars

Thanks & Gratitude 🙏

🎵 The background music in this episode was created by the amazing Sarah Garlock. You can also find Sarah @sarg_makes_beats on Instagram and TikTok!

Let’s Connect!

🎧 You can find this podcast episode and more at wip-podcast.com or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

👩‍💻 I also write a Substack newsletter about things I’m learning at codeOutLoud. You can find me on LinkedIn, YouTube, or take a peek at what I’m up to at mindi.omg.lol.

Want to be - or recommend - a guest for the show?

Fill out or send this short Notion form to a friend to be considered for an upcoming episode! I’m looking for interesting people working ALL across the tech world! 😁

Grace Dees came into my life through networking with women in tech in Colorado as she worked to break into the cybersecurity field! Most recently she has worked with a startup as a Cybersecurity Business Analyst.

Between personal life changes and growing into this profession, she has learned a lot about setting boundaries in both small and big ways. Also, moving into a new-to-you field calls for time, grace, and self-reflection on what you need and want. For Grace, calendar and project management have been essential!

In this episode, we’ll talk about transitioning from the equine to tech industry, boundary-setting, preventing burnout, giving space to grow and learn, and moving forward and asking for help even when you’re scared.

Your call to action? → Do it scared. Do it nervous. It can be hard to keep going when you’re not confident, but it’s so worth it to reach out for help at your comfort level. There are plenty of resources out there and people who truly want you to succeed!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Grace Dees

01:43 Transitioning into Cybersecurity

03:38 Current Projects and Responsibilities

06:16 Navigating Burnout and Setting Boundaries

08:56 Learning and Adapting in a High-Demand Field

12:03 Building Confidence and Personal Agency

14:54 Overcoming Fear and Taking Action

17:51 Community Support and Resources

All the Good Stuff - Links & More

LinkedIn

Thanks & Gratitude 🙏

🎵 The background music in this episode was created by the amazing Sarah Garlock. You can also find Sarah @sarg_makes_beats on Instagram and TikTok!

Let’s Connect!

🎧 You can find this podcast episode and more at wip-podcast.com or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

👩‍💻 I also write a Substack newsletter about things I’m learning at codeOutLoud. You can find me on LinkedIn, YouTube, or take a peek at what I’m up to at mindi.omg.lol.

Want to be - or recommend - a guest for the show?

Fill out or send this short Notion form to a friend to be considered for an upcoming episode! I’m looking for interesting people working ALL across the tech world! 😁

Mara Kaela is a health coaching consultant who discovered her own health and wellness journey after a health crisis post-study abroad trip. Over years she’s asked questions, experimented, and iterated, learning along the way.

A UX course not only aided in her practice, but also got Mara thinking about new ways to approach goal-setting from a user flow perspective or building connection and relationships amongst a community!

Now, Mara is on a mission to improve community connections and relationships that will help the “conscious architects” support each other on their own journey to self-actualization. And she is on the lookout for others who might be interested to help: people with startup experience or venture capital funding, engineers, marketing and financial folks, and those who have experience with AI/machine learning.

In this episode, we’ll talk about finding a diet and lifestyle that work well for you, how UX can be applied in a bit of a unique way, her practice with Align Vegan and utilizing astrological charts and spirituality to create a “green print” for improving others’ lives, and her new project called the Starflower app, an AI-powered relational operating system designed to transform the search for a partner into a guided journey of self-actualization!

Your call to action? → We become the people that we spend the most time with. The more intentional we can be and the more tools we can have to nurture our relationships with those people that we do want to be around, he more satisfying our lives will be. It's okay to have an amazing, satisfying life!

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Mara Kaela's Journey

02:09 Health Transformation and Dietary Choices

04:10 Parallels Between UX and Health Coaching

09:50 Align Vegan: A Unique Approach to Nutrition

12:10 The Starflower Project: Building a Community

18:12 Seeking Collaboration and Team Building

21:13 Research and Development for the App

25:05 Global Aspirations and Closing Thoughts

All the Good Stuff - Links & More

LinkedIn

TikTok

Email Align Vegan

Mucusless Diet Healing System

Thanks & Gratitude 🙏

🎵 The background music in this episode was created by the amazing Sarah Garlock. You can also find Sarah @sarg_makes_beats on Instagram and TikTok!

Let’s Connect!

🎧 You can find this podcast episode and more at wip-podcast.com or wherever you enjoy your favorite podcasts.

👩‍💻 I also write a Substack newsletter about things I’m learning at codeOutLoud. You can find me on LinkedIn, YouTube, or take a peek at what I’m up to at mindi.omg.lol.

Want to be - or recommend - a guest for the show?

Fill out or send this short Notion form to a friend to be considered for an upcoming episode! I’m looking for interesting people working ALL across the tech world! 😁