I sat down with Scott Golder, Senior Director of Data Science at Home Depot, to talk about what actually works when you're building data teams. Scott has spent 20+ years fixing what others couldn't, from Capital One to running algorithms behind one of the top five e-commerce platforms in the world. He breaks down why deeper academic backgrounds don't always make better data scientists, how to make AI trustworthy at scale, and what happens when you fall in love with your methodology instead of the problem you're supposed to solve.

This conversation gets into the messy reality of deploying machine learning in the real world. Scott shares how Home Depot uses recommendations differently than selling sweatpants, why human accountability can't be replaced by 10,000 AI coworkers, and which AI tools he actually uses when his kids go to bed. If you're building data products or trying to figure out where AI fits in your business, this one's for you.

Chapters:

• 00:00 - The Importance of Seasonality
• 01:43 - Connecting Data Science with Real-World Challenges
• 10:17 - Understanding Customer Empathy in Product Design
• 16:15 - Transitioning to AI and Machine Learning
• 21:41 - Navigating Accountability in AI Decision-Making
• 25:00 - AI in Everyday Life: Personal Experiences and Insights
• 33:10 - The Future of Software Engineering and AI
• 38:14 - The Importance of Data Governance in AI

Companies Mentioned

Home Depot

Capital One

IBM

Google

Duolingo

Guest Information

Scott Golder is Senior Director of Data Science at Home Depot, where his team powers the algorithms behind one of the world's top five e-commerce platforms. He previously helped scale data science at Capital One and has a background in sociology, linguistics, and computer science. Scott specializes in building data teams that blend academic depth with real-world implementation in hostile corporate environments.

Key Takeaways

Academic credentials don't predict data scientist performance. Fall in love with the problem, not your methodology. AI works best for summarization when you fence the data. Human accountability can't be replaced by software. Speed and cost of AI models dictate where they're feasible. Your data foundation must be solid before AI can help.

In this episode, I sit down with Ian Alden Russell to talk about something most leaders miss when they look at data. We dig into how cultural signals and qualitative insights can predict market shifts before they show up in your revenue reports. Ian shares his approach to helping companies, from luxury retail to AI startups, understand the human side of business decisions.

We explore the concept of leading indicators versus lagging indicators, why pricing can be a cultural statement, and how paying attention to narrative alignment can protect your company's value. If you've ever wondered how to spot trouble before it hits your bottom line, this conversation will give you practical ways to start looking at your business differently.

[00:00] Things need to be priced right

[00:54] Data versus meaning and context

[02:00] Ian's career turning cultural understanding value

[02:34] How we met through Bordy AI

[04:11] Cultural forces that propel conversations

[07:33] AI systems and conversational hacks

[09:13] Pricing as cultural expression

[13:00] Leading indicators drive market valuation

Companies Mentioned

Brown University

K 11

Crawford McMillan

Bordy (AI networking platform)

Amazon

Louis Vuitton

Cloudy Bay

Berkshire Hathaway

Coca-Cola

Wells Fargo

Capital One

Meta

Clarity (therapy app)

Reid.ai

Websites Mentioned

ianaldenrussell.com

Guest Information

Ian Alden Russell has spent two decades turning cultural understanding into business value. He's worked across art curation at Brown University, luxury retail growth at K 11 in Hong Kong, and now advises AI startups and private equity firms on how to read the human signals behind market data.

Key Takeaways

Cultural misalignment between leadership and employees shows up before revenue drops. Pay attention to how people talk about your company and where conversations go silent. Those are your early warnings.

Qualitative foresight works as valuation insurance. Companies that sense cultural shifts early can protect their value and make proactive decisions before hard data confirms the problem.

Pricing carries cultural meaning beyond pure cost. People judge value based on perception, and underpricing can signal lack of confidence or quality to your market.

This conversation with Dr. Marquise Rivera challenged everything I thought I knew about treating chronic pain. Most of us track steps and lab panels but ignore the clearest data source we have: the body's own signals. Dr. Marquise reads what she calls the bioenergetic language of the body through applied kinesiology, muscle testing, nutrition, and trauma release. Her bar is measurable change within the first 15 minutes, confirmed by improvements in range of motion, strength, breath, and a calmer nervous system.

What struck me most was her 90% success rate and the way she approaches the body as a live data system. The symptom matrix says back pain, but the real driver might be an unseen system failure like magnesium deficiency. She doesn't just crack and adjust. She stays present, measures real-time data, and turns patients into their own best healers. If your health metrics say normal but your lived experience says otherwise, this conversation is for you.

Chapters:

• 00:09 - Understanding Patient Symptoms
• 07:23 - Understanding Kinesiology and the Body's Signals
• 08:56 - The Role of Emotional Factors in Kinesiology
• 23:42 - Understanding Pain: Structural, Nutritional, and Emotional Factors
• 28:42 - Understanding Chronic Pain and Patient Mindset
• 41:58 - Movement as Medicine
• 46:23 - The Importance of Nutrition in Movement and Health

Companies Mentioned

IBM

Capital One

Crawford McMillan

The Chiro Group

Websites Mentioned

Instagram: @ChirowithMarquis

Guest Information

Dr. Marquise Rivera practices as Chiro with Marquis in Arlington, Virginia with The Chiro Group. She specializes in applied kinesiology, functional medicine, muscle testing, nutrition, and trauma release. Dr. Marquise promises patients will feel a measurable shift within the first 15 minutes of treatment, confirmed by improvements in range of motion, strength, and nervous system response.