This episode of Club Soda features the data team of FirstParty, recorded live at a speakeasy in downtown New York, where data teams and practitioners gathered.

The topic is data products and the conversation centers on FirstParty's mission to provide businesses with the capabilities to maximise the value of their data assets.

Your host Maarten Masschelein is joined by Jolie McDonnell (Data Scientist), Ben Sgro (VP Engineering), and Tommy Dodge (Director of Analytics). 

• More about our host, Maarten Masschelein
• Read the transcript of this episode
• Learn more about FirstParty
• Connect with us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• From Soda, the data quality platform to enable data teams to find, analyze, and resolve data issues.

Maarten is in conversation with Ramón Medrano, Senior Staff Site Reliability Engineer at Google. 

In this conversation Maarten and Ramón discuss how the principles and practices of Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) can be applied to the practices of Data Reliability Engineering and data quality management. They deep-dive into four topics - SLOs, lineage, debuggability, and how to operate as a team - from the book Site Reliability Engineering: How Google Runs Production Systems, co-authored by Ramón’s manager, Jennifer Petoff. 

As the book explains how Google’s SRE team builds, deploys, monitors, and maintains some of the largest software systems in the world, Maarten and Ramón’s conversation explores how data practitioners can apply some of the best practices, processes, and thinking, when it comes to data and systems.

• More about our host, Maarten Masschelein
• Read the transcript of this episode
• Learn more about the chosen charity, Open Arms
• Connect with us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• From Soda, the provider of data reliability tools and observability platform to enable data teams to find, analyze, and resolve data issues.

Meet Ramón Medrano, Senior Staff Site Reliability Engineer at Google. Inspired by the book, Site Reliability Engineering: How Google Runs Production Systems, our host Maarten will explore and discuss how the practice of using software to automate IT infrastructure tasks such as system management and application monitoring - can be adopted and applied to the practice of data management. Hear Maarten and Ramón get the conversation started with introductions.

• More about our host, Maarten Masschelein
• Read the transcript of this episode
• Learn more about the chosen charity, Open Arms
• Connect with us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• From Soda, the provider of data reliability tools and observability platform to enable data teams to find, analyze, and resolve data issues.

Kulani Likotsi is Head of Data Management and Data Governance at one of the big four African banks, headquartered in South Africa. Kulani is curious and practical. As an individual she seizes every opportunity to learn, adapt, and grow. As a leader she is focused on people and enabling every one as an individual, to be their best. In this episode Kulani shares her passion for people and data governance. You’ll also hear her approach to mentoring, thoughts on diversity, and how she truly lives the values that she believes in with her incredible volunteer spirit

• More about our host, Jesse Anderson
• Read the transcript of this episode
• Connect with us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Find book recommendations and more resources for data professionals at https://dreamteam.soda.io

From Soda, the provider of data reliability tools and observability platform to enable data teams to find, analyze, and resolve data issues.

Meet Kulani Likotsi, Head of Data Management and Data Governance at one of the big four African banks, headquartered in South Africa. Kulani’s career spans from being a developer and analyst in the technical team, and growing into the head of a team in the business. Get to know Kulani ahead of her conversation with Jesse, which will delve into her passion for data governance, data privacy, and people. 

• More about our host, Jesse Anderson
• Read the transcript of this episode
• Connect with us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Find book recommendations and more resources for data professionals at https://dreamteam.soda.io

From Soda, the provider of data reliability and data quality management platform to enable data teams to detect, resolve, and prevent data issues.

Erick Webbe is Head of Data Science at bol.com. Erick is building a data science team of bright minds to push the boundary of science, explore new methodologies, and experiment with new technologies. As a practical and thoughtful leader, his focus is on giving each individual the freedom to explore, the freedom to experiment, and figure out what will work and what will make bol.com a gamechanger in the online retail market. Hear Erick and Jesse as they discuss the scale of data science, building and managing teams, and making a difference.

• More about our host, Jesse Anderson
• Read the transcript of this episode
• Connect with us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Find book recommendations and more resources for data professionals at https://dreamteam.soda.io

From Soda, the provider of data reliability tools and observability platform to enable data teams to find, analyze, and resolve data issues.

Erick Webbe, Head of Data Science at bol.com, is a physicist with a passion for experimentation, exploration, and big data. He is responsible for implementing and scaling data science-powered solutions that will ensure bol.com retains its position as a leading European online retailer. Hear Jesse get to know Erick as they get the conversation started.

• More about our host, Jesse Anderson
• Read the transcript of this episode
• Connect with us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• Find book recommendations and more resources for data professionals at https://dreamteam.soda.io

From Soda, the provider of data reliability tools and observability platform to enable data teams to find, analyze, and resolve data issues.

Maarten is in conversation with Arif Wider, Professor of Software Engineering at HTW Berlin, and Max Schultze, Data Engineering Manager at Zalando. Arif and Max are friends in data who share a passion and interest in data mesh.

“Data Mesh in Practice: How to Set Up a Data-Driven Organization”, is the book co-authored by Arif and Max and it’s where this conversation starts. This conversation brings forward their practical experience and opinions as they tackle some common misconceptions and answer some challenging questions that will provide insights, "a-ha" and "oh yeah" moments, and valuable takeaways for anyone embarking on their data mesh journey, and everyone looking to make conscious decisions on how they address data at scale. 

There is something for everyone - from data engineers and practitioners, to Berliners, and anyone who believes in the power of people to make the change that will help organizations realize the value of data. 

• More about our host, Maarten Masschelein
• Read the transcript of this episode
• Learn more about the chosen charity, Tierschutzverein für Berlin
• Connect with us on social media: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook
• From Soda, the provider of data reliability tools and observability platform to enable data teams to find, analyze, and resolve data issues.