#52 Transforming 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.  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: Sexy Little Numbers Free Range Creatives: https://www.freerangecreatives.co.za/ Danielle’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielletimmins/  Now you can support Data Futurology on Patreon!   https://www.patreon.com/datafuturology  Thank you to our sponsors:  UNSW Master of Data Science Online: studyonline.unsw.edu.au  Datasource Services: datasourceservices.com.au or email Will Howard on [email protected]  Fyrebox - Make Your Own Quiz! And as always, we appreciate your Reviews, Follows, Likes, Shares and Ratings. Thank you so much for listening. Enjoy the show!