Starting as a CPA with a top accounting firm, I realized that I wanted to be a part of creating technical solutions rather than merely utilizing them. Leaving my accounting job I joined a string of start ups, teaching myself to code along the way.
Gradually, I became disillusioned with the typical start-up approach of assuming you have the right answer and plowing forward. I began to look for something more evidence-based that blended my understanding of business strategy and technical coding skills. That was when I found data science.
Data science hooked me because it is highly creative, a constant technical challenge, and incredibly important for solving real world problems. As a data scientist, I can tackle questions like:
How can we predict changes in inequality as remote work becomes more prevalent?
Can we create speech to text software that first finds the speakers accent?
If online shopping continues to surge, what in-person small businesses will thrive?