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 leadership
BEST MOMENTS
00:00:04. “We had this solution-first thinking, while we should have had problem-first thinking.”
00:01:06. “So one thing I want to first jump into is... how do you build a data team?”
00:03:23. “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