#52 Influencing Marketing with Data Science with Danielle Timmins – Chief Data Analytics Officer
Danielle Timmins is the Chief Data Analytics Officer for Free Range Creatives. Free Range Creatives is a digital marketing agency that is deeply rooted in data and analytics. They have a different view on agency life and challenge the existing ways of working. They believe that work should be fun (well, at least most days) and that our work must be insightful, inspirational and effective.
In this episode, Danielle tells us how she did not start in the data space but initially wanted to be a doctor. Danielle ended up getting a Master’s in Economic Psychology, during which she concentrated on the digital side of marketing. This is where Danielle got her exposure to data and started to understand it. Danielle got her first start at an NGO in a marketing position. She would shoot mini-documentaries for television and then moved into a more traditional marketing role. Danielle’s first job as a strategist was down in South Africa where she worked with several different clients. This is when she would start to work with data and incorporate it with strategy.
Danielle says that her most significant learning curve has been communicating related data information to people that do not understand data. She recalls how she was in a meeting and wondered what to do with the numbers that were presented and challenged people on what the data meant and how it was presented. Danielle says that these questions were not really asked at the beginning and said that they only came about once she got into a higher position. She loved sharing how she got to the data and the process, but she learned that most people do not. This opened her eyes to make sure that data is broken down into something exciting and easy to understand.
Later, Danielle explains how her style is more visual than number driven or a standard PowerPoint, she uses a TED Talk presentation. This method utilizes visuals that create excitement; the brain works better with visuals. Usually, there are specific questions that we are trying to answer, and we can help answer these questions with visual stories. There are multiple presentations for different audiences, and you must know this to tell the visual story.
Enjoy the show!
We speak about:
• [01:45] How Danielle started in the data space
• [03:20] Background and career
• [06:20] Deciding what problems to tackle first on the job
• [08:35] Evolution of marketing
• [13:35] Favorite failure
• [16:50] How to communicate data
• [18:30] Visual presentation style
• [19:45] How Danielle creates a story
• [21:30] How do you structure visuals for executives?
• [23:10] How do you think people can get better at this skill?
• [24:45] What is a strategist for data?
• [27:40] What is the role outside of data?
• [29:00] The main challenges for Danielle’s clients
• [32:30] Working with clients on case-by-case basis
• [33:30] Qualities of a great data scientist
• [35:30] What do you think makes a good data leader?
• [36:15] Current challenges in the data space
• [37:40] Future challenges for the data space
• [42:40] Advice for future data scientists and leaders
Resources:
Free Range Creatives: https://www.freerangecreatives.co.za/
Danielle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielletimmins/
Quotes:
• “There are many different audiences, and you must adapt your story for each one of them.”
• “Data can sometimes be abused during storytelling, but I hope that over time, this will change and only be used to help support someone.”
• “All audiences need to be comfortable with what we are doing as data analysists and sharing their work.”
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Danielle Timmins is based in Essen Area, Germany.
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