33 Tangents

On our last episode, we discussed making conscious decsions when planning your day. The expected result is being able to accomplish the items you’ve designated as critical without being waylaid or distracted for any number reasons. On this week’s episode of 33 Tangents, Jim and Jason discuss how recent a client reached out to with something that is truly urgent, requiring a pivot. How do recognize when a situation is truly urgent and not overblown or a distraction? How do you go about planning your day and week so as not to be too rigid preventing you from responding actual critical items?   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.c

We’re taking a break the next couple of weeks and will return with new episodes starting next week. This episode originally aired on August 24, 2018. This week Jim, Jenn, and Jason sit down and chat with Adam Woodhouse, Senior Ecommerce Insights Manager at Dixons Carphone. They discuss the typical challenges faced by Adam on a day to day basis, how the organization uses data that is collected, and what it’s like to work with a consulting team that is based on another continent. THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/33-tangents/id1384329330 Listen on TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/33-Tangent

We’re taking a break the next couple of weeks and will return with new episodes starting on March 27, 2020. This episode originally aired on August 31, 2018. This week, Jim, Jon, and Jason dig into one of Jason’s favorite topic - agency billing models. Traditionally, agencies and consulting firms bill by the hour. Every minute an employee spends working with a client needs to billed to them. Employees are also pressured to make sure they maintain a high rate of billable time each week. What are the problems that can arise from this? Are there other ways to run an agency or consultancy? What are the pros and cons of other models?   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on

We’ve all heard the analogy of sharpening the saw. We know that approach is usually the best solution, but what about analytics and marketing organizations that are staffed to the point where they are beyond capacity? Many times these organizations are built with too few people and too many requests. The result is that most ignore the long term best solution and go into panic reactionary mode. What kind of decision making can that lead to? Why to companies struggle with understanding why they maturation issues with analytics? On this week’s episode of 33 Tangents, Jason, Jim, & Bryant talk through their experiences with this situation and they steps they take to deliberately plan out their day and week ahead.   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget

On this week’s episode of 33 Tangents, Jason and Jim welcome Ed Vincent to talk about data & live events, entrepreneurship, and remote work. What kind of data is available in the live event space? How can this data be used to create action? What benefits has FestivalPass seen by embracing a remote first philosophy? Ed is an entrepreneur with over twenty years of business, technology, and management experience having founded and exited several companies in that time including helping to launch film festivals in multiple locations and creating the concept for a Maxim branded hotel in the Caribbean. Most recently, he led a data platform and consultancy in the entertainment space with clients including A&E Networks, AMC Networks, Screenvision, MovieTickets.com and was brought into MoviePass as an interim head of data. Episode Highlights: 01:20 - Introductions. 06:00 - What can those in other analytics disciplines or industries learn from the live events space? 10:15 - It’s about we ensure the discove

Being constantly busy is often times a symptom of procrastination, though people do not feel like they’re procrastinating since they are working. Being in a constant reactionary state makes you feel productive in the moment, but it prevents you from doing the really important things. How do you recognize busy work from valuable work? How does this impact a person in general? What does this mean for practitioners and technical implementers in the analytics space specifically? On this week’s episode of 33 Tangents Jim and Jason discuss how people get stuck in this trap and ways to get out of it.   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.app

Business cliches are a dime a dozen. (see what I did there?) Some say that phrases become cliches for a reason and they help convey deep details in a concise amount of words, but they can also be worn out so as not to have any meaning at all. While cliches can be helpful, they can also mask direct speech with a bunch of round-a-bout words. On this week’s episode of the #33Tangents podcast, Jim and Bryant talk about some of the best & worst cliches they’ve ever heard, the cliches they over-use, and their thoughts on “business speak”. What do you think are the worst cliches and business speak in current use?   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: ht

On this week’s episode of 33 Tangents, Jim and Jason are joined by Brian T. O’Neill, the founder of Designing for Analytics and host of The Experiencing Data Podcast. The conversation with Brian focuses on the importance of design when it comes to solutions. Designing for Analytics is an independent consultancy which helps product leaders and data strategist innovate by applying human-centered design to data science and analytics. For over 20 years, Brian has worked with companies including DellEMC, Tripadvisor, Fidelity, JP Morgan Chase, ETrade and others. Episode Highlights: 1:30 - The Boston Red Sox 4:00 - Introductions 10:30 - Data is now a secondary feature of everything 14:20 - Data Product Manager 19:00 - Data Science Lite 22:00 - Human-Centered Design 27:00 - Brian’s CED Framework 38:00 - Ad hoc analysis requests 42:00 - Future of product analytics 45:00 - Brian’s book recommendations 49:00 - Brian’s broadway favorites Things we talk about: Designing for Analytics The Experiencing Dat

In our last episode, Jason, Hila, and Jim discussed what it meant to “Be The Wolf” when engaging with clients. At the core of that approach is to be authentic and genuine. On this week’s episode of 33 Tangents, Jason, Hila, and Jim talk about the other side, dishonesty and cheating. Right now the Houston Astros, and their 2017 World Series Win, are embroiled in scandal surrounding cheating. In the business world, we’ve seen the controversy with Elizabeth Holmes and Theranos. What drives people to be dishonest & cheat? Why don’t they think they’ll be caught?   Things we talk about: Bad Blood by John Carreyrou The Inventor: Out for Blood T-Shirt Canons and Chandeliers Paragon of virtue   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and r

One of the phrases we use internally at 33 Sticks is “Be the Wolf”, which is a reference to the character of Winston Wolfe, played by Harvey Keitel, in Pulp Fiction. When this phase is used, it refers to direct, honest, and genuine client relationships. This week, Jason, Hila, and Jim talk in detail about what it actually means to “Be the Wolf”. How did that reference originate? How does a client benefit from that approach?   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/33-tangents/id1384329330 Listen on TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/33-Tangents-p1129251/     WHERE TO FIND US Website: www.33stic

Forest fires are horrible and tragic and Jason has first hand experience dealing with them in Utah about a year and a half ago. During that ordeal, he spent a lot of time learning about how they spread and how they are fought. What he found out was that the common understanding of both are wrong. In today’s episode, Jim and Jason dig into those learnings and the parallels that can be drawn with several aspects of life.   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/33-tangents/id1384329330 Listen on TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/33-Tangents-p1129251/     WHERE TO FIND US Website: www.33sticks.co

On this week’s episode of 33 Tangents, Jason and Jim welcome Liam Martin for a discussion and debate around remote work in general, fostering collaboration with remote teams, and how to manage a remote workers. Liam is a serial entrepreneur who runs Time Doctor and Staff.com - one of the most popular time tracking and productivity software platforms in use by top brands today. He is also a co-organizer of the world’s largest remote work conference - Running Remote. Liam lives in Canada but travels 3-6 months out of the year due to his ability to work wherever and whenever he likes. While both Jason and Liam support the ability for workers to choose where and when they work, they have different perspectives which will lead to a rousing and exciting conversation.   HIGHLIGHTS 1:25 - Introductions. 5:00 - Un-retired snowbird. 9:00 - Is remote-first scalable? 14:30 - What is the most obscure place where you have an employee based? 17:35 - What would you say to companies that would rather have nothing inst

We’re taking a break this week to spend time with our families during the holidays. We’ll be back with new episodes starting next week, January 10, 2020. This episode was originally published on October 11, 2019. This week Jim and Jason are joined by Carrie Bourke, Director of Customer Analytics and Insight at Harvard Business Review. Prior to her time at HBR, Carrie spent times in analytics leadership roles at Clario Analytics, L.L. Bean, & Staples. Over the last 3 years Carrie has been a partner of 33 Sticks and during that time she has taken a methodical approach to building out a new digital marketing ecosystem. Carrie’s plan to build and add new capabilities over time runs counter to what is the typical plan to rush and get everything built in a short period of time. Jason, Jim, and Carrie dig into what led her to take this approach and the benefits she has seen.   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found t

We’re taking a break this week to spend time with our families during the holidays. We’ll be back with new episodes starting on January 10, 2020. This episode was originally published on September 26, 2019. As a consultant, you may feel the need to have to jump at every opportunity that comes your way. What could go wrong with more work and keeping busy? This week, Jim and Jason sit down with East Tennessee State University Department Chair Stephen Marshall to discuss why you might not want to go after every opportunity that comes your way.   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/33-tangents/id1384329330 Listen on TuneIn: ht

Data collection is not perfect and that is ok. That being said, we’re not talking about accepting major flaws or gaps. You can still work with imperfect data and gain insights. How do you prevent the pursuit of perfection from blocking you making progress with the data that you have? Is perfect data even attainable? How can you identify an imperfection that is acceptable as compared with a flaw or gap that needs to be addressed? On this week’s episode of 33 Tangents, Jim and Jason discuss their experiences with clients who had become paralyzed over imperfections and the steps that can be taken to get the focus in the right areas.   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on

With holidays right around the corner, it’s important to disconnect from work and be present. Just like summer vacation, the holidays offer us the chance to relax, recharge, clear our minds, and start the new year fresh. Every year, it feels harder and harder to do as technology keeps us tethered to the office. This can be even harder for remote workers since their office is wherever they go. How can you prevent work from taking you out of the moment? How can you make sure to be present for your family and friends? As an employer, are there things you can do to encourage your employees to rest and recharge?   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes

We’re taking a break this week to spend time with our families during the Thanksgiving holiday. We’ll be back with a new episode next week, December 13, 2019. This episode was originally published on November 16, 2018. During a trip to Boston, Jim had a chance to sit down and talk with Todd Schauman, Head of Digital Promotion and Analytics at the Christian Science Monitor, who has a great deal of experience working in the publishing space. While there are tried and true implementation best practices for implementing analytics for an ecommerce site, it’s much less the case for a publishing site. We ask Todd his thoughts on why? With the cost of implementing, maintaining, and running an analytics practice, how does Todd make the case to his management? What are some unique options that are available to non-profit publishing organizations?   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would

We’re taking a break this week to spend time with our families during the Thanksgiving holiday. We’ll be back with a new episode on December 13, 2019. This episode was originally published on August 23, 2019. The business world is often thought of as cold and calculating. The only purpose employees serve is to make widgets and check items off a list. When push comes to shove, employees are cut loose when finances are tight. Employees are scared to reach out and ask for help for fear of being seen as weak, thought of as less, and someone else taking their job. There are those that are trying to change it. More and more are talking about building a culture of trust within their business or organization. The key things with a trust culture is the ability to be honest and vulnerable in order to make yourself, your team, and your org better. Dan Roden is one of those people and he joins Jim and Jason this week talk about what trust culture means and how to go about building one.   THANK YOU We know your time

We’ve all encountered those clients that are so focused on instrumentation and the data they want to collect, that they lose sight of actually using it. What is a data hoarder and how do you approach an engagement like this? How do you refocus a client and show them they don’t need to track absolutely everything to get valuable insights? How do you show a client that trying to track everything is not good and even futile? On this week’s episode, Jim, Bryant, and Jason talk about their experiences with data hoarders and what they’ve done to show that there is no value in collecting data if it’s not going to be used.   THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on iTunes: https:

With Thanksgiving just a couple of weeks away, Jason and Jim spend some time talking about gratitude. How can you express gratitude genuinely? As an employer, how can you show gratitude without being seen as phony? As an employee, how can you show gratitude without being viewed as a kiss-ass? As a company, how you show gratitude to customers without it being seen as another marketing gimmick? THANK YOU We know your time is limited, so it means a lot to us that you would spend some of your time with us. If you have found this episode to be valuable, we would appreciate if you would share using one of the social media buttons bellow    And if we are getting you hooked, don’t forget to subscribe, like, and recommend on your favorite podcast platform.   Subscribe on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/33-tangents/id1384329330 Listen on TuneIn: https://tunein.com/podcasts/Technology-Podcasts/33-Tangents-p1129251/     WHERE TO FIND US Website: www.33sticks.com Email: Podcast@33sticks.com Twitter