Alex Freberg

Ever seen a dashboard like this?

I've been a Data Analyst for almost 7 years. I don't think I ever made or created a dashboard that looked like this.

Almost all Dashboards I created had between 1-3 charts/graphs each. Anything above that and people would get overwhelmed and genuinely confused with so much going on.

Keeping things simple and straight forward for the people consuming the reports was always top priority.

You make enjoy creating the complicated, advanced dashboards, but if it doesn't help your end user it really isn't helpful.

Here are my upcoming series on YouTube:

1. Data Fundamentals (5-7 videos)
2. Git and Github (3-4 videos)
3. Everything you need to know about Healthcare Analytics (4 videos)
4. Full R series Beginner to Advanced (12-15 videos)
5. Statistics in Data Analysis (3-4 Videos)
 
This will fill in a lot of gaps that my YouTube channel currently has in Analytics and I hope will help a lot of Analysts out there!

If you have any other suggestions on videos or series let me know!

Year 1:
Coworker: “Do you know Excel?“
Me: “Yeah, absolutely! How can I help?“
Coworker: “I have these 10 projects I need help with. Really appreciate your help!“

Year 5:
Coworker: “Do you know Excel?“
Me: “I've never heard of it. Is that some kind of CRM?“
Coworker: “Oh, I'll go ask Bob. Thanks anyway.“

Life Lesson: Never tell your friends or coworkers you know Excel.

Most people think Analysts just build dashboards, but let's look at some other things Analysts do:

1. Data Collection (one of my previous jobs was 80% data collection)
2. Data Cleaning
3. Data Quality
4. Testing Code and Debugging (QA Analysts spend a lot of time doing this)
5. A/B Testing
6. Data Modeling
7. Exploratory Data Analysis

This covers a large portion of what an Analyst will do! I've worked in roles where it's 80% data collection + 20% data cleaning. Or 50% dashboards and 50% EDA. Every role is different and each wears many hats!

Power BI is like my therapist. Easy to talk to. Insightful. Says my best friend is a bad influence on me.

Qlik is like my personal trainer. I don’t really want to use them, but I will if I’m desperate.

Alteryx is like my lawyer. Expensive. I don’t fully understand what they do. But does the complex work me so I don’t have to do it myself.

Google sheets is like my barber. Useless.

What's the difference between a Business Analyst and a Data Analyst?

I've worked with both and even hired both. Here's my thoughts on the difference!

Someone said they finished my Data Analyst Bootcamp on YouTube, but were complaining they hadn't landed any interviews yet.

I asked if they had applied to jobs and they said no 😂 😂

Not everyone is cut out for the employed life...

I'm not one for conspiracy theories.....

but it looks LinkedIn doesn't want their employees to complain about their pizza party this year...

I don't know who needs to hear this, but that recruiter ain't calling you back.

Move on. Find a better recruiter.

6 years..... 6 longs years creating videos on all things Data Analytics...

And it's been and amazing 6 years!!

I started making videos in January of 2020 because I didn't think there were enough free resources for people trying to break into data - so I wanted to change that.

I started making videos on SQL, Excel, and Tableau. The basics. And then I just kept going!

I loved getting feedback that people were learning from my videos and it was actually helping them get jobs and upskill into better paying jobs.

All I've ever asked in return was that you like and subscribe and over 1.25 Million people have!!

So thank you for supporting me after all these years. I have no plans on stopping or slowing down - I'm having just as much fun making videos today as I was 6 years ago.

Thank you all! I'll see you at year 7!

Working from home has increased my quality of life substantially. I’ve been able to spend so much more time with my kids and my wife and honestly that makes me work harder when I do sit down to work!

What would you say is the biggest upside to working remote?

Want to be successful in 2026? Be Consistent!

Consistent in applying to jobs. Consistent in learning new skills. Consistent in staying healthy.

Consistency is what most people lack! Don't give up on something just because it doesn't work exactly how you thought it would after a month. You know what you're doing is good, but you need to stick with it!

One week, I accidentally didn't post on YouTube after about 4 years of posting every week on Tuesday morning. I had people reach out to me asking if everything was okay. If you're consistent people will notice!

Be so consistent this year that people notice.

My wife and I were both offered jobs on the same day, but we could only take one.
 
She was offered a Senior Position in Oklahoma for Counseling for 100k. I was offered an Entry Level Data Analyst Job in Dallas for 63k.

She had just gotten let go from her job so were only on my 47k per year salary which wasn't enough to provide for our family.

It was a very tough decision. Neither of us wanted to move to Oklahoma, but there was more money there.

After a few days we agreed to let me take a stab at this "Data" thing and see if I could make it in that industry since we saw a lot of future potential in it.

Fast forward 8 years and I would say it was the best decision we could have made. Taking a leap of faith doesn't always work out, but if you don't ever try and you always play it safe it's almost impossible to make it big.

Sometimes you just have to believe in yourself and go for it if you see the long term potential.

Needing some feedback on a new Profile Picture.

Which one fits me the best? I haven't had hair in quite some time so not sure what's in with the Kids these days.

Want something trendy that also says "I know data".

After a lot of feedback, here is the new updated for 2026 on my YouTube channel:

1. Soft Skills in Data - 3 Videos (currently releasing)
2. PostgreSQL series - 10+ Videos
3. Databricks IDP - working with Unstructured Data - 5 videos
4. dbt for Data Analysts - 3-4 Videos
5. Alteryx for Beginners - 3-4 videos
6. Data Pipelines for Dummies - 5-6 Videos
7. Statistics for Data - 3 Videos
8. Show us the Data Series (Digging into real world data) - 5 Videos
9. Duckdb for Data Analysts (3 Videos)
10. Building and Maintaining APIs- 5 Videos

I release 1 video per week so this should be almost all the videos I make for the whole year!

It's a lot! I hope these really help a lot of people out there and if you have any other ideas or suggestions please let me know! I'm always adding to my list!

If I were applying for a job today here is what I would do:

1. I would look up 10-15 companies that I'm trying to target for a job.
2. I would look up job postings for roles I'm qualified for and create 2-3 custom resumes to use to apply.
3. I would apply to all open positions at those companies and then reach out to recruiters and hiring managers who work at those companies/for those specific jobs.
4. Create a Spreadsheet of all these roles and track responses.
5. Follow up. If I don't hear back in a week.
6. Rinse and Repeat.

I would also be focusing on local jobs that are in-person as there will be a lot less competition. If I was out of work I would be willing to relocate for a role.

The job market is tough! But it wasn't ever super easy. It took my about 6 months or applying to 1k+ jobs back in 2017 to land my first real Data Analyst Job.

There are still great companies hiring if you look in the right spots and apply strategically.

3 Years ago I was offered a job at PwC as a Senior Data Analyst Consultant.
 
The offer was around 140k and I was making 100k at the time. I had just started doing Consulting on the side and was starting to get some clients and make some money from that.

PwC is a big Consulting company and I know that would have looked good on my resume and would help my credibility with other companies and future work.

I was researching PwC and all the reviews said it was a lot of hours, a lot of travel, and not a good work culture. My work-life balance was great at that time - I was spending lots of time with my family, taking trips here and there and I wasn't willing to sacrifice that.

So I turned it down and haven't regretted it for a second!

Since then, I continued to scale up my own Consulting business and have worked with large tech companies and a lot of startups in Silicon Valley. And not once have I looked back and wish I'd taken it.

I get to pick and choose who I work with and I don't have to travel all the time and be away from my family.

As I get older and my kids grow I value that time with them a lot more than I do the extra money that would have come with that job.

Posting on Social Media can change your life completely, but most people give up if they don't get 100 likes on a post in a month.

I started posting on Social Media in January of 2020. I didn't just post about anything that came to my head, I had a plan. I wanted to post about Data Analytics and share things I was learning as I grew as an Analyst.

I was finding groups on LinkedIn, Facebook, Reddit, and other platforms where they were already interested in things I was going to post about.

I started with SQL, Excel, and Tableau (things I was actively using in my job) and as I learned more I posted more about different things like Azure, Python, and Databricks as I started using them.

I got very few "likes", "favorites", etc. because people didn't know who I was. I had no track record of knowledge in this area. After a few months though, people started noticing I was posting a lot on topics they were interested in and what I had to say was useful.

You can't build a following or grow a personal brand in one day. Maybe some do out there, but that's like winning the lottery.

So here's what you do step by step:
1. Figure out what you want to post about
2. Find groups that value that type of content
3. Post consistently in those groups as well as just in general on your main accounts
4. Keep sharing as you learn more
5. Don't stop

It's not an easy path, but it is a path that will take you where you want to go over time. You don't need 100k followers to have a personal brand. Finding 1000 people who value what you have to say is still a good personal brand!

What are your New Years Goals going into 2026?

Here are some of my personal goals:
1. Write a full book on Analytics (Not on how to become one, but a guide once you are) - probably finish 2027
2. Make new Series on Alteryx, Snowflake, DuckDB and others on YouTube
3. Make Analyst Builder even better for every Analyst out there
(AI Resume Reviewer, Mock Interviews, Integrated Full database)
4. Travel less for work this year and go on more small trips with the family (hiking, beach, etc.)

I've helped millions of people around the world learn tech skills and land data jobs.

I get messages every day on what helped them land jobs and here's what I've been seeing:

#1 - Domain Knowledge (35%)
I get messages that say "I was a nurse..."/"I was a teacher..."/"I worked at a bank... and then I transitioned into a data role". They're using their domain knowledge to switch jobs - adding in technical skills they've learned.

#2 - SQL (25%)
"I work at a small company and they use SQL so I learned it from you and they gave me the chance". I'm surprised at how much I get this job. Local, small companies have been great places for people to upskill and transition into data roles.

#3 - Cloud Platforms (25%)
"My company switched to AWS (or Azure or Databricks)...". Companies are migrating to the cloud and they need people who know how to work in it. Being early to learn these tools gives you a massive edge.

#4 - Miscellaneous (15%)
"My best friend got me an interview"/"A recruiter on LinkedIn reached out to me." - lots of different stories.

From all of these messages it's apparent there is no 1 way to get a job.

The best thing to do is to upskill - learn technical skills, get a job in an industry and learn it, and work with recruiters.

I show how to do all of these things on my YouTube channel "Alex The Analyst" where you can learn all of these things completely free!

You can also learn on my platform AnalystBuilder.com where you can take my full courses and learn everything more in-depth with hands-on practice questions.

Everybody wants to use the data.

But no one really wants to get to know the data first.

What happened to first dates? Not even a walk next to the data lake?

Straight from Raw data to insights with no warm-up and you’re shocked when the insights feel a little… underwhelming.

My 13 year old said she heard that Tik Tok collects people’s data and it’s really valuable and now her friends think I’m cool because I work with data.

I don’t make the rules.

“At this moment, lying in bed, sick and remembering my whole life, I realize that all the recognition and wealth I have is meaningless in the face of imminent death. I have the money to hire the best at any task, but it is not possible to hire someone to carry my disease. Money can get you all kinds of material things, but there is one thing you can't buy: "LIFE".
- Steve Jobs

When I'm on my deathbed (if I make it that far). I want to know that my family came first. Money was always important to have to do things and pay bills, but that it wasn't my main motivation or thing I lived for.

Money will come and money will go, but if my family isn't there I know I'm in the wrong place.

Technical skills are 20% of the job... but you 100% have to have them to get most jobs in data.

Here are the other 80% of skills that actually matter once you get the job:
- Turning vague questions into clear problems you can actually solve
- Knowing when “good enough” is better than perfect
- Communicating insights in a way non-technical people understand
- Asking better questions than anyone else in the room
- Understanding the business behind the data
- Managing stakeholders (and their expectations)
- Prioritizing what actually matters vs. what’s just noise
- Being reliable and hitting deadlines consistently
- Documenting your work so others can use it
- Not overcomplicating things just to look smart

You still need the hard-skills (and they're important for getting a job), but in the real world they aren't 100% of what you need.

Took the morning off to have breakfast with my wife!

My work will still be there when I get back.

Big Tech used to be the pinnacle of success as a Software Engineer, Data Analyst, Program Manager, or really anything else.

It came with prestige, high pay, and unparalleled benefits.

Those days are gone (for now).

For the past several years, Big Tech has been a gamble. Will you have a job next year? Will you position get cut our of nowhere? Nobody knows!

Because they're mainstream brands they know there is still a line of people waiting to fill any job they have and are willing to risk being fired the following year with no backup plan.

I'm not one for being discarded like my work meant nothing, but to each his own.

You are the sum of your daily actions.

If every day you get up and make good choices for your health, family, community, and career - you're going to see positive change.

If your everyday choices are poor you probably won't have the life you were expecting.

The daily habits that I try to do every day:
1. Breakfast with the family
2. Read Bible and workout (mostly push ups)
3. Focus on work and don't get distracted with other things
4. Spend time with Family in the afternoon

Saying "No" can get your farther in your career than saying "Yes".

Say No to:
- Jobs that don't pay you what you're worth
- Bad bosses
- Staying late because everyone else does
- Work that doesn’t use your strengths
- Every request that comes your way

Saying Yes to these things can set you back years in your career. Know yourself, your strengths, what you want and say Yes to those things and no to everything else.

Today we are launching the Soft Skills for Data Professionals course on AnalystBuilder.com!

This course covers so many things I wish I had known about when I first started:
- How to Handle Tough Coworkers
- How to give Presentations in Meetings
- Office Politics and how to use it to your advantage
- How to Ask the Right Questions instead of just saying "Yes" all the time

I go into so many different scenarios and topics and I know this will really benefit a lot of people!

Today is also the last day of our New Year sale with 40% off all purchases!

Link: https://lnkd.in/esk94MHW

My son is home sick and asked me “Daddy, what do you do for work?”

Instead of telling him, I showed him!

I showed him some of my videos on YouTube, some of the work I’m doing with my consulting clients, and Analyst Builder.

He wanted to solve a problem on Analyst Builder so I walked him through it and after about 5 minutes he solved his very first problem!

He was smiling from ear to ear when he saw the confetti flying down.

He loves computers and I have a feeling he has a solid career ahead of him!

Just released 2 new Healthcare Projects on AnalystBuilder.com!

If you're wanting to learn Claims data, Diagnosis Codes, and Patient Data these are for you!

Healthcare Claims Project: https://lnkd.in/etTza2ae

Diagnosis Trends Project: https://lnkd.in/e-vR7TZi

In this weeks video we are continuing working on our Soft Skills focusing on Problem Solving.

Problem Solving is something that's needed for almost any job in tech, but most people think they're just not born with it. In reality, it's more about processes than just how you think.


https://lnkd.in/eU_MHFgC

On Monday I'll be launching the Soft Skills for Data Professionals course on Analyst Builder!

This course covers so many things I wish I had known about when I first started:
- How to Handle Tough Coworkers
- How to give Presentations in Meetings
- Office Politics and how to use it to your advantage
- How to Ask the Right Questions instead of just saying "Yes" all the time

Soft Skills are a very important skillset to have, but it can be hard for most people. I know this course will be very helpful to a lot of people out there!

There are so many things happening in AI that people won't even use in a year!
 
But they're trying and they're learning. And they'll grow with the changes. 
 
I'm extremely bullish on the future of AI and I think more good will come with it than negative, but there is so much to keep up with - I myself feel behind at times and I'm using it almost every day and work with companies using it.

You can't keep up with everything, but don't do nothing. Try things out and see how they work and how you can use them in your work.

I'll have more videos on my YouTube channel on AI in the near future and I'll also be updating and making the AI for Data Professionals course on Analyst Builder more robust as well.

What does a Data Analyst Actually Do?

I’ve talked about it for years on my channel, but let’s see what other people have to say!

https://lnkd.in/evPEiMSp

In this weeks Databricks lesson we are taking a look at ai_classify!

With ai_classify you can classify your files and label them before you actually start extracting your data.

Imagine you have a ton of files in a folder and you want to extract the data, but they're all mixed in with tons of other files - this is how you can easily classify and separate them

https://lnkd.in/eyR2Nkft

Today only you can get our new AI for Data Professionals course for only 1$!

Promo Link Here: https://lnkd.in/eMchGm4Y

This is a Crash Course focused on using AI as a Data Professional! You'll learn how to interact with AI - not just using ChatGPT, but also in a Code Editor and an API!

This deal will only last until Midnight 10/27 EST! After that it'll go up to it's full price of 14$.

AI is becoming a fundamental skill so I want to make sure everyone has the ability to get their hands on it.

I'll have an advanced course coming that dives into more advanced topics of AI!

Everyone who is a Lifetime Member or who has a Subscription will automatically have access to this course!

Let me tell you something. 95% of the time personality is more important than looks in a relationship.

Sure, you don't want to be dating someone you think is ugly, but if they're a 5/10 looks with a 10/10 personality that person is a 9/10!

It's the same thing when hiring (except with hard and soft skills). If someone has 5/10 Technical skills, but has 10/10 Soft skills - that person is a 9/10 hire right there!

Hiring Managers often miss out on great candidates because they are only looking at what tools they know.

Today I threatened AI to force it to give me the answer… nothing!

If I had done that to a human, I know for a fact they would give me the answer right away.

AI won’t replace us.

I've worked with and seen some incredibly smart and talented people who just don't get promoted at all.

They would like to, but they just don't.

It's never a skills issue - it's usually political or a visibility issue. They're doing amazing work, but people don't see it so they don't see the value in what they're doing.

I'm certain my soft skills took me farther than my hard skills did in my career and will continue to do so.