Having some time off between speaking gigs, I have been reflecting a lot on how to level up what I do. I have been talking about analytics, data science and lately artificial intelligence all across the United States and the Philippines.
I’ve trained over 8,000 analysts, given over 200 talks and worked on over 50 big data projects the past several years. In that time I have learned a lot about how I deliver content and empower my audience.
I have heard at least 500 talk from other speakers and watched 100’s of video talks. So when I reflect on my speaking, I take all this in. I came up with these tips:
· Design each talk so that it mirrors what one would get from the 1st hour of coaching.
· As a speaker, you have about seven seconds to solidity first impressions, what do you do in your first 7 seconds?
· You need to be selective with your content. You can’t help everyone, so don’t try. Focus on giving content to those who are ready to make sense of it.
· I get paid for access to my brain. Think of coaching and training with an expert that way. How valuable is to have insight into the mind of an expert.
· What is your post interaction accountability? How are attendees held accountable to stick to their initial acknowledgement that this is an area where they need help?
· Meet with 2 people a day, follow up with each one personally. This is so much harder than it seems. Automate it, outsource it, do what it takes to keep it going.
· Develop a physical product you can giveaway that take people back to your story and ties them to an emotional experience. Something to do with being a self-taught data guy.
· Prior to the event, develop a purpose driven message. Create 2–3 talking points and a call to action (attend). Use both storytelling and story selling.
When I talk, it is always a process of evolution. Taking these steps to enhance my talks will allow me to deliver even more value, not just as a speaker, but a consultant, trainer and coach as well.
Daniel Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics firm with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and offers big data coaching and analytics training seminars on both sides of the Pacific. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like Saint Leo University’s Women in STEAM 2020 Conference.
“Data is hard to come by… so your goal should be to come across as the kind of data science-obsessed lunatic who will build your own goddamn dataset if that’s what it takes to get the job done.”
It is probably the best advice I have ever come across by an aspiring data scientist.
As I tour around SE Asia and the United States talking about big data, A.I. and other geek stuff, I get asked quite often, “What skills do I need to be a data scientist.” People expect me to rattle off a series of apps, languages and programs that will help them get a good data science job. And I do often recommend they learn Python, Tableau, SQL etc.
However, my first bit of advice is to study the employer you want to work for. Find out what they need. Get curious so when you connect with the decision-makers and prepare for your interview make sure you know what you can do to help them.
Jeremie’s advice goes one better. Don’t just come ready to solve a problem, bring data with you.
The market has a lot of people trying to get started in data science so on the surface it can seem like a seller’s market. So many candidattes have a sense that they can just present themselves, their education and their skills on a piece of paper or with some kind of theoretical construct and people will be dying to hire them.
As W. Edwards Deming famously said, “In God We Trust, All Others Must Bring Data”.
Literally, apply that to your job search and I’d definitely be impressed.
Daniel Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics firm with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and offers big data coaching and analytics training seminars on both sides of the Pacific. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like Saint Leo University’s Women in STEAM 2020 Conference.
An excerpt from my new book, How I Got Started with A.I.
Before I left the U.S in early 2012., I spent a good six months doing research on the state of analytics in the Philippines. At that point, the concept of analytics was still quite elementary across just about every segment of business, of government and of higher education.
Taken as a whole, besides traditional MS excel heavy, management reporting there was a general lack of awareness what analytics was and how it could be used. There is a term that many Filipino businessmen use to explain how they make most of their business decision… gut feel.
Needless to say, to build a business around analytics training, I would have to expend a lot of time and energy on general awareness and making business cases before I would see a lot of profit coming my way.
So, I set out to do as talking about analytics as I could. Speaking at just about any kind of business event, giving guest lectures as school, I even had gave a talk to a group of high school educators in a hot gym with no AC and no PowerPoint.
Not only was I doing training, I started get invited to speak at different conferences. I became a featured speaker, and then eventually one of the most in-demand Technology speakers in Southeast Asia over the course of the next several years. I was doing this in thing, amazing thing was that the conference I was working with was incredibly broad.
The one thing that I found during this period of my career was it pretty much every industry is a potential client base. Any company that has data, that has people working with the data has a commitment to using the data to make decisions but the decision-makers don’t feel like they’re getting value.
And over the next 3 years things really started to accelerate, which is meant
At this point you might be starting to ask yourself what does this has to do with artificial intelligence. Well, here is my point I had to go to extremes to get senior leaders and influencers on board. When I started, the idea of how to use analytics daily in a business was not commonplace. Which parallels to where we are now, here in the U.S. when it comes to A.I.
In many cases I’ve come across with small businesses here, it actually takes more effort to prepare companies to get ready to use A.I. than it does to actually implement A.I. itself.
If you have a grand vision to get to the top of the mountain in your industry, you have to start the climb somewhere and it helps a lot to know how low down the mountain your base camp is.
Daniel Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics advocacy with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and offers big data coaching and analytics training seminarson both sides of the Pacific. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like Saint Leo University’s Women in STEAM 2020 Conference.
I have the honor to be speaking at the San Diego Small Business Expo on September 27, 2019. My workshop will focus on how small businesses are using A.I. to create massive success.
One of the biggest myths of getting started with A.I. is that it is only for large companies. Many entrepreneurs and small business owners worry that A.I. is too complex, to expensive and will take too long to set up. But that is not the case.
During my workshop, we will discuss several applications of how you can prepare your business to get A.I. ready.
It all starts with have good data governance in place, to ensure your data is clean, easy to access and it’s use is not hindered across your business. We will also discuss how to identify business processes that you can automate in order to free you up to spend more time on growing the business. Finally we will cover cutting edge use of customer behavior influencers to maximize profits.
The bottom line, is that if your business is not already moving towards using A.I., you are at an increasingly perilous disadvantage. If you are not investing in this new technology, you can sure bet your competitors are.
It will be an amazing day, with over a dozen other small business experts and influencers offering their insights on how to hyper accelerate your success.
Oh and its Free to attend!!!
Daniel Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics advocacy with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and offers big data coaching and analytics training seminarson both sides of the Pacific. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like Saint Leo University’s Women in STEAM 2020 Conference.
“Land was wealth 300 years ago. So, the person who owned the land owned the wealth. Later wealth was in factories and production, and America rose to dominance. The industrialist owned the wealth. Today, wealth is in information. And the person who has the most timely information owns the wealth. The problem is that information flies around the world at the speed of light. The new wealth cannot be contained by boundaries and borders as land and factories were. The changes will be faster and more dramatic. There will be a dramatic increase in number of new multimillionaires. There also will be those left behind.”
Two things strike me in this quote by Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad.
The first is that it incapsulates the world we live in now. A world where information is power. We see this in practice today as the biggest companies now are the ones who use data the same way companies 100 years ago used oil. Nothing new here.
The second thing is that those who control the information will be successful and more importantly those who do, not, will be left behind. This my biggest fear right now. Watching so many businesses being left behind because they don’t have control of information.
Experts have talked about Industry 4.0, the Information Age, the power of Big Data, etc. ad nauseum. But people are not talking much about those being left behind. At least not in the context of being data-driven.
The past two years we have talked a lot about the Trump voter, feeling left behind financially. But we aren’t talking much about the data starved companies that employed a lot of them.
We all know that automation, innovation and globalization combined to spell the end of a lot of companies. But we don’t really talk about how the same companies ultimately ended up failing because they didn’t understand how to use their data better.
Big Data represents a massive wave of disruption that will continue to smash companies like a tsunami. Only those who can ride the wave successfully will be prepared. Analytics is our surfboard to make sure our organization doesn’t get left behind and that we are able to surf the Big Data wave.
Those that master analytics are the new multimillionaire that Kiyosaki mentions. They use data science, build predictive models and have figured out machine learning and artificial intelligence.
The ones that are left behind are the ones still using MS Excel to do rudimentary reporting. Even ones who have started using some basic business intelligence tools and are gaining valuable insight from their data will struggle against the bigger, more data-driven competitors that make multimillionaires of the best data surfers.
One way to know if your organization is in trouble is ask this one simple question. Does the way data is used inside your business look like the way data is used in your personal life? Can we do at work what we can do with Facebook, Netflix, Amazon, Google, etc. at home?
In most cases there is probably a pretty big gap. We process data at work in batches, sometimes only at month end. The analysis takes days and the reports we use to make decisions are only looking at the past. We know who our customers have been, but we are guess who they will be in the future. We hire people not on who is likely to bring the most value to our business, but the one with the best resume and the best interview skills. Does any of this sound familiar?
If it does than that sound you hear in the background, getting louder and starting to impact what you do is the wave of disruption.
If you don’t want to be left behind, crushed by big data, and you want your organization to keep making millionaires than you had better start learning to surf and to do that, you will need a high-quality board.
Dan Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics advocacy with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and has recently begun offering public training seminars in the United States. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like Saint Leo University’s Women in Data + Science Program and the Data + Women of Tampa Meet Up Group.
I’m often asked how investing in analytics will make a small business more profitable?
In my answer, I often quote a few data points from a study of 400 companies that the consulting firm Bain conducted. They found the companies with the most developed analytics capabilities commanded a larger market share. In addition, they were twice as likely to be in their sector’s top 25% for profitability, and five times more likely to make swifter decisions than competitors. Considering these statistics, businesses that are not exploiting the potential of big data analytics are certain to fall behind.
Sometimes I mention a study by the University of Texas that analyzed data sets from Fortune 1000 corporations and measured the impact data analytics had on profits. Some notable findings included:
Companies could increase profit by more than $2 billion a year by making just 10% of available data usable.
Return on equity increased by 16% by making data more accessible.
When advanced reporting was deployed, return on investment increased by 0.7% — which is equal to $2.87 million in additional revenue.
Most importantly, a comparably low investment in data analytics was required to produce these significant gains.
But just quoting a bunch of statistics is far from compelling.
That’s one of the challenges of “selling” big data solutions to small businesses. All the stats are not very relatable.
It takes time to get to know a business in a way that a tailored solution can be designed. Every business uses data differently, so no two solutions are the same.
That is why I walk entrepreneurs, small business owners and leaders through an assessment. With this we link hinderances in their analytics process to solutions that mitigate the hinderances. We can also look for technologies to optimize the storage, analysis and presentation of data. Only then can we set targets to achieve the benefits mentioned in the Bain and UT studies.
And for me that is both satisfying as business coach and fun as a data nerd.
Dan Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics advocacy with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and has recently begun offering public training seminars in the United States. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like Saint Leo University’s Women in Data + Science Program and the Data + Women of Tampa Meet Up Group.
For those of you who follow me and have not yet attended one of my trainings, I want to share with you what we do. Here are some excerpts from a recent talk I gave in Chicago with Powerteam International.
Let’s talk about how to master your data to increase your income. Over the next couple of blog posts I’m going to walk you through some tips on how to increase the insight you glean from your data and use that to increase yyour income. We’re going to cover five things.
First of all, we’re going to talk about how big data is a wave of disruption. It’s causing massive disruptions in every industry and every type of business. We’re going to talk about how data analytics is a process. You have to be able to understand the entire process, to be able to master the data in your business.
Next, we’re going talk about how to find the right data at the right time. Like anything worth finding, this will require a map. You have to be able to look at your data throughout your business like you’re mapping something and going from start to finish.
We will next cover talking making impactful data visualizations. It is actually something that is quite hard to do, so I am going to talk about some tips on how to make some better visualizations.
Then finally we will cover storytelling with data, which is how you influence decision makers.
To recap…
1. Big Data is Disruption
2. Analytics as a Process
3. Finding the Right Data
4. Data Visualization
5. Storytelling with Data
I generally cover this subject matter over a two-day course, but for written consumption I have condensed it.
I have made it very layman.
So, we’re not going sit here and go through a lot of complicated technical stuff. This is more of a high-level perspective of my experience. Of what I know about analytics and why I want to share with you.
A little about me, so I have about 20 plus years of experience working with analytics or data analysis work. Most of my professional experience came with Wells Fargo Bank.
I worked for 15 years with Wells Fargo’s as a senior analyst. For the last seven or eight years though after I left Wells Fargo, I set up my own business. I’ve been teaching people how to be analysts. Talking to companies about how to use more data in their decision-making. Talking to people about how to really level up with their business.
I’ve been doing a lot of that in Asia and I just recently moved to Florida. I am expanding my business towards the East Coast and up here in Chicago. I also have a master’s in education. I was a teacher before I was an analyst. My favorite thing to do is talk about analytics in a way that could help empower people. This is me fulfilling my destiny.
I have a company called Sonic Elevate. Since 2011, we have trained over 8,000 people. Conducted over 186 trainings. We’ve worked on over 50 projects across Southeast Asia.
We at Sonic, work with a wide range of companies, a broad spectrum of types of businesses. The one thing they all have in common is they all have a lot of data and they’re all struggling to use that data effectively. It doesn’t matter how big or how powerful or how amazing a company is. They have to really look at data in a way that allows them to constantly optimize this.
I want to share with you a few of those things that some of these companies do within the framework of the outline I listed above.
Big Data, Analytics, Data Governance, Data Visualization and Storytelling with Data.
If you want to attend a training or set up some time for a 1 on 1 coaching session, let’s connect.
Dan Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics advocacy with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and has recently begun offering public training seminars in the United States. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like Saint Leo University’s Women in Data + Science Program and the Data + Women of Tampa Meet Up Group.
One of the biggest reasons analytics projects fail is that they are not fully supported by senior management.
According to Gartner, more than half of all analytics projects failbecause they aren’t completed within budget or on schedule, or because they failto deliver the features and benefits that are optimistically agreed on at their outset.
I’ve seen a lot of studies like this, asking why big data projects fail, why companies come up short with their digital transformation efforts or why going out and hiring a rock star, data scientist fails to fix everything. Quite often it’s because the bosses never really believed that great analytics was going to be make much of a difference as compared to just basic analysis and reporting.
I’m fact, lack of management support, was among the top 3 reasons analytics projects fail in a survey I conducted of over 700 analytics professionals via LinkedIn a few years ago.
When someone in an organization identifies a need for better analytics, one of the first things they need to do is get buy in from the top.
In a lot of cases, people will just jump to the conclusion that this is a technical problem. One that can be fixed with a technical approach.
However, it’s often the case that the real problem is in the culture of the business. And when that’s the case, technical solutions usually fail.
I recently wrapped up an 18 month training project with Accenture’s operations in the Philippines. We trained over 400 Accenture team members in Applied Analytics at the request of their top brass. Their support was essential in getting the ball rolling, fine tuning the training curriculum and filling up each class with 25 analytics minded employees.
Wether it be sending people to a training, buying a new piece of technology or adding staff, you’ll need their support to make sure you are successful.
Applied Analytics with Accenture
Dan Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics advocacy with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and has recently begun offering public training seminars in the United States. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like Saint Leo University’s Women in Data + Science Program and the Data + Women of Tampa Meet Up Group.
Per wikipedia, a mastermind groupis a peer-to-peer mentoring concept used to help members solve their problems with input and advice from the other group members. The concept was coined in 1925 by author Napoleon Hillin his book The Law of Success, and described in more detail in his 1937 book, Think and Grow Rich. In his books, Hill discussed the idea of the Master Mind, which referred to two or more people coming together in harmony to solve problems.
I had never really heard of the this concept until I met Bill Walsh, America’s Small Business Expert at a Small Business Expo a few months ago. Meeting Bill was a game changer.
After listening to Bill talk to a group of entrepreneurs and small business owners for 45 minutes, I was shocked to see I had made 4 pages of notes. I immediately signed up to lead a mastermind in Orlando, Florida as I was in the early stages of expanding my business to the Sunshine State.
This is a big deal for me because as a data guy, I tend to execute my business decisions after pretty thorough analysis. But I saw an opportunity and I went for it. I had my first mastermind meeting after 45 days of planning and was successful in bringing together an initial groups of liked mind professionals committed to raising their game through collaboration and mind share.
And then it occurred to me, that if Masterminds are being successfully implemented across the U.S.. why not the Philippines?
Having devoted a huge % of the last decade to leading a charge to upskill the analytics talent in the Philippines, I should be doing the same with a mastermind.
The upward trajectory of small business and entrepreneurship in the Philippines continues to quicken. And in all my years training people to use analytics, I have worked with thousands of Filipinos working for small businesses or themselves looking to be more competitive. Analytics is a big part of leveling up your business. They’re are a lot more pieces to the puzzle of business success, but it occurred to me there was one key one missing.
Masterminds.
I learned back in 2011, that when it comes to economic opportunity in the Philippines, the sky is the limit. My adopted home is a land of almost unlimited potetnial.
So in partnership with Bill Walsh and Powerteam International I will be launching a series of Quantum Mastermind’s in Metro Manila and across the Philippines.
Dan Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics advocacy with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and offers big data coaching and analytics training seminars in the United States. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like the Analytics Association of the Philippines, Saint Leo University’s Women in Data + Science Program and the Data + Women of Tampa Meet Up Group.
When you least expect it, that is when it happens.
When you stop looking for something, what you are looking for finds you.
At least that is what happened to me the past two days as I attend a couple of amazing events produced by Powerteam International.
48 hours ago I was in a bit of a funk.
Maybe more than a bit of funk. It was actually about fourteen months ago when I came to the conclusion that I needed a new mountain to climb.
I am one of those people who live for the journey, not the destination. When I check off all of the boxes I wanted to check off in a certain pursuit, I need to move on to something different.
So when I pretty much achieved all I had set out to do in the Philippines, I started looking for something new to do back in the U.S. My absolute favorite thing to do is talk about analytics in front of an audience hungry to level up with their ability to optimize data. It took 8 years, but I had pretty much become the biggest name in analytics training in the Philippines. So what is my follow up to that?
I spent the past year plus exploring how to get more involved in using analytics for civic responsibility and advocating for a more data-driven electorate. However, I just couldn’t find a place where I could pour my passion into.
Long story short, that brought me to the Small Business Expo in Orlando two days ago.
Having just spent a day exploring Disney’s Animal Kingdom, I was mentally well rested and ready to get out there and network as I was planning to basically rebuild my training advocacy that I had built in the Philippines, but now in North Central Florida.
One more point, before talking in depth about my Game Changing Day.
I took this private tour safari at the animal park. I was setting out on the deck overlooking the savannah section of the park watching giraffes, spring buck and really, really big horned cows as the sun started to set.
It was a beautiful moment. And honestly it was not cheap. It cost like $180. But man was it worth it.
I said to myself, I love this. I want to keep doing this kind of stuff. But I’m gonna need to make a lot more money if I want to really have the lifestyle I want.., to travel, to explore, to experience. In short, I need to be rich to get to the top of my next mountain.
Unsure how I would get there, but ready to start a new chapter I entered the Expo.
At first glance it was like any number of similar expos that I have been to over the years. A bunch of workshops, an exhibitor area, a main stage with a bunch of speakers I hadn’t heard of before. So I got into networking mode.
Attending a couple of workshops and walked half the exhibitor area, picking up a few ideas and 1–2 good leads. And then it all changed.
I attended a workshop by a guy named Bill Walsh. Yeah being a lifelong 49ers fan, that was the main reason I picked this workshop.
Before I knew it, I had filled up several pages of notes. Like how to use your book to build your business without even finishing the book. I mean Bill was giving me a lot of really good small business ideas that make a ton of sense. Another that stuck out was the idea of selling from stage. Honestly, the fact that I was getting all this for free was quite remarkable.
And then the sales pitch came. Like most speakers Bill had something to offer us. In this case a Public Speakers Camp. Five days of intense training to up your game as a speaker to really optimize your time on stage. Sounds awesome. The kicker, the price tag was kinda high… probably too high for 90% of the attendees.
So at the end, I hung around. Fired up by the pages of notes I had taken and seeing the potential that abounds in what Bill said. I really could focus more on my passion (public speaking) to offer what I am good at (analytics training) that will enable more of my prime motivator in life (travel).
I got a deeper understanding on the offer and started to sense it could be a game changer. It’s a significant investment, but if it pans out this could shave two years off of my business development plan. I could easily be making 7 figures in the near future.
The Platinum Speaker Program, five days with 20 like-minded individuals being taught by Bill. All kinds of help with refining your offer, polishing you message and picking up best practices. With a promise to be put in stage within 60 days. Sounds kinda too could to be true right?
That’s what most of us would think. And we would never stop thinking.
But I get it. I see exactly how this would benefit someone like me.
So I signed up.
But I still didn’t appreciate the scope of what I had signed up for.
After talking with Bill, I went back to the exhibitor area. And started to fit the pieces together.
Several of the speakers had done what I was doing. And one after another, as I spoke to them, Deann, Merri-Jo, Tina, Sheridan, Angel… validated my thoughts that this is something I should be part of.
The Small Business Expo is THE stage that the graduates of the program are put on. They get to talk about their area of expertise and offer their services while also sharing what Powerteam does for its speakers.
It’s brilliant.
I’ve been a speaker at many, many events where part of the speaker lineup (including myself) is working closely with the event organizers to develop additional post workshop activities to partner on.
But this one, the Small Business Expo series… it’s the best I have ever seen.
It will get me on stage, to build my advocacy, to grow my business and take me all around the world.
For me it is that game changer I had been looking for, but did not expect to find it here.
Boom! I got my mojo back.
Now off to climb a new mountain.
Dan Meyer heads Sonic Analytics, an analytics advocacy with offices in Manila, the San Francisco Bay Area and as of February 2019, Ocala, FL. With over 20 years in Big Data, Dan is one of the most sought-after public speakers in Asia and has recently begun offering public training seminars in the United States. Dan has also recently joined the Powerteam International family as a small business analytics resource speaker.
Sonic Analytics(www.sonicanalytics.com) brings big data analytics solutions like business intelligence, business dashboards and data storytelling to small and medium sized organizations looking to enhance their data-driven decision-making capabilities. We also advocate the use of analytics for civic responsibility through training, consulting and education.
As citizens of this great democracy, we need to look at the data (analytics), plan a course of action (strategy) and share our data-driven viewpoints (presentation). This approach to a data savvy work force starts in school. So, we started an internship program to empower our youth to use Analytics, plan Strategy and Present their insights… ASP!
When not training current and future analysts, you can find Dan championing the use of analytics to empower data-driven citizenship by volunteering his expertise with schools and non-profits dedicated to evidence-based social progress like Saint Leo University’s Women in Data + Science Program and the Data + Women of Tampa Meet Up Group.
