Data at the Heart of Everything with Gage Sonntag from Super.com | Next Gen Builders, Ep. 08

In today’s episode of “Next Gen Builders,” Francois is joined by Gage Sonntag, Senior Director of Data at Super.com. Their conversation hits upon the intricacies of working in a data-driven organization, how roles are evolving in the industry, and the power of experimentation.
Throughout the conversation Gage and Francois discuss creating a balance between data self-service and governance. Super.com has an innovative approach to embedding data analysts within mission-aligned teams to promote agility and deeper expertise in solving specific business problems while maintaining a centralized data engineering team to ensure robust data infrastructure. You’ll also hear about the inherent challenges and excitements in driving data quality and experimentation. Gage stresses the need for a culture that prioritizes learning and truth-seeking over just achieving expected outcomes, advocating that empowering individuals with the right tools and mindset can spur significant organizational growth.
For those looking to advance their careers in product management or data, Gage's insights offer actionable advice. He highlights the importance of creating a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement, emphasizing the need to iterate and learn from every opportunity, even failures. Overall, the interview encapsulates how having a robust data culture and a flexible, yet structured approach to data management can transform organizations and drive remarkable success.
Timestamps
00:00 Episode Start
01:39 Gage's Background
03:12 Oil, beer, data
05:58 What is Super.com?
09:10 Balancing self-service with data governance
11:23 Experimentation at Super.com
14:54 Diving into data quality
16:44 Perfection vs. Speed
20:04 Gage's Oh Shit Moment
24:30 The people side of data
27:36 How to make data teams thrive in a smaller organization
31:02 When small tweaks have large impacts
Links
Connect with Gage Sonntag on LinkedIn: / gage-sonntag
Check out Super.com: www.super.com/
Connect with Francois Ajenstat on LinkedIn:
/ francoisajenstat
Check out Amplitude: amplitude.com/