ex-Rocket Advisor: Stop Building the Wrong Stack | ExperiMENTAL Ep. 11

How do you build a data team that actually drives business outcomes? In this episode of ExperiMENTAL, host Sundar Swaminathan sits down with Sebastian Hewing, Data & AI Advisor to C-Level leaders in VC and PE-backed companies, and ex-Rocket Internet, to uncover what most companies get wrong about building and scaling data teams. From startup chaos to structured experimentation, Sebastian shares his three-step consulting framework, lessons from over 40 implementations, and what it really takes to empower “super users” and stop being a dashboard factory. If you’re a data leader, growth marketer, or founder tired of surface-level advice, this episode is your blueprint.KEY TAKEAWAYS• Most companies suffer from solution-first thinking instead of problem-first frameworks• Data teams need to be business-driven, not just tech-stacked• Hiring analytics engineers early enables speed, clarity, and better decisions• “Super users” are the missing link between tech and business• Sebastian uses a 3-step productized consulting approach: Discover, Build, Empower• Complexity isn’t just technical, it’s human, organizational, and strategic• AI can supercharge teams, but only when tied to real pain points• Founders, CMOs, and CTOs feel different “data pains” at different company stages• Scaling data teams requires repeatable playbooks, not custom chaos• The Data Collective was built to fix the mentorship gap and noise in data leadershipBEST MOMENTS00:03:23. “CTOs have to ship product, but end up fixing broken spaghetti queries.”00:05:29. “The higher the marketing budget, the more you can gain with proper data stuff.”00:08:25. “Step three is where I empower the organization to use that data foundation.”00:13:02. “The super user is a business stakeholder who can self-serve 80% of the time.”00:16:07. “They don’t have any skin in the game. The marketing manager does.”00:20:12. “People say this analytics engineer doesn’t exist, but I’ve never had an issue finding one.”00:26:48. “My vision is a context-aware analytics agent that knows your goals and actions.”00:40:17. “The wrong way is: let me put AI into everything. The right way is: pick one real problem.”🎧 ExperiMENTAL is hosted by Sundar Swaminathan, Head of Data Science at Bounce and former Uber leader. This show is your behind-the-scenes look at how top marketers and data scientists make smarter decisions. 🧠 Expect unfiltered conversations, mental models, and case studies that help you cut waste, build conviction, and grow your B2C business. 📬 Subscribe to the ExperiMENTAL newsletter for deep dives and frameworks: https://experimental.beehiiv.com/This podcast has been brought to you by APodcastGeek. https://www.apodcastgeek.com

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