A little story about my adventurous leap from being a Business Intelligence (BI) analyst to a Business Strategist.
Spoiler alert: it’s not all spreadsheets and, dashboards and charts!
First of all, the primary motivation behind this transition was my desire to have a greater impact on the business and to explore new growth and advancement opportunities. While I enjoyed my time as a BI analyst, focusing on data and analysis, I wanted a role that leaned more towards business strategy and decision-making.
As a BI analyst, I dedicated about 70% of my time to working with data. This involved analyzing vast amounts of information, creating detailed reports, and providing insights that informed the company’s decisions. The role required a strong foundation in data handling, logical thinking, and story-telling to ensure that the insights were clearly understood and actionable. Think of it as being a data detective, always on the hunt for that hidden insight.
In my current role as a Business Strategist, my responsibilities have shifted dramatically. Now, only about 30% of my time is spent on data analysis. The bulk of my work involves solving complex business problems, making presentations, and planning.
My Business Strategist is essentially the bridge between high-level strategic directives and the execution teams.
Specifically, I help:
- Break down large strategies into smaller, manageable projects for different teams. It’s like turning a giant jigsaw puzzle into several mini-puzzles.
- Develop a comprehensive set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of these projects, ensuring everything aligns cohesively.
- Plan monthly and quarterly goals based on top-line metrics and assigned budgets.
- Engage in experimental projects like A/B testing and planning new business initiatives. Yes, sometimes it feels like being a mad scientist.
When I first took on this role, I naively thought it would be at least 50% similar to my BI job. But Oh nooo , was I wrong! I quickly realized that being a Business Strategist requires a far broader skill set.
In BI, I relied heavily on logical thinking, strong data skills. But in business strategy, I need:
- Exceptional problem-solving skills to tackle unique, company-specific challenges. Imagine being MacGyver, but with less duct tape and more spreadsheets.
- A keen sense of curiosity and observation to catch trends and plan effectively.
- Excellent communication and high emotional intelligence (EQ) to work across multiple departments. Basically, turning into a diplomat overnight.
- Strong storytelling skills with solid arguments and data backing.
- The ability to create clear, scientific slides for complex presentations and meetings. My PowerPoint game has never been stronger!
Learning these new skills was no walk in the park. There were times when the pressure to understand high-level directions without sufficient business context felt like trying to solve a jigsaw puzzle with half the pieces missing. Building KPIs was another beast altogether. Imagine spending hours crafting what you think are perfect KPIs, only to have them shot down as “unreasonable” or “irrelevant.” Planning without a solid grasp of reality felt like trying to navigate a ship through a foggy sea with a broken compass.
The clock was always ticking, adding extra stress to the mix. In a short time, I had to master skills like slide creation, effective communication, and, most importantly, shifting my mindset. I had to become curious, open-minded, and fearless in trying new things. Embracing failure became part of the job. Stepping out of my BI comfort zone — where I was a data wizard — into this new, uncertain territory meant accepting that I would stumble and fall.
Maintaining a positive and resilient mindset was crucial. I had to keep reminding myself that every mistake was a learning opportunity. It was like being on an exhilarating rollercoaster ride — terrifying at times, but oh-so-rewarding.
After 2 years in this role, I’ve gained a quick view of what it takes to thrive as a Business Strategist. The transition has pushed me to grow in ways I hadn’t anticipated, equipping me with a diverse skill set that I continue to expand. For anyone contemplating a similar move, be prepared for a steep learning curve, but also for an incredibly enriching experience. And remember, every misstep is just another data point on the path to success!
Stay tuned — perhaps in a few more months, I’ll have even more insights to share with you all.
