Finding your Layer of the "Data Cake" with Akia Obas of Netlify

We're kicking off season 2 of the podcast with a bang! In this episode, I’m joined by Akia Obas, Senior Director of Data, Insights, and GTM Business Systems at Netlify. We dive into her career journey—from econometrics to data leadership—and discuss how company size and reporting structure can influence your path.Akia shares her insights on how joining a startup allowed her to “own the whole cake” (from data pipelines and infrastructure to insights and influencing the business) and how self-reflection can help you choose the right focus areas. She also shares her philosophies for running a lean, high-impact data team, the importance of enablement, and how to prioritize based on influence and impact using the stakeholder engagement matrix. It’s a packed episode full of tactical advice—let’s get into it!