The Data Stack Show

Latest Episodes:

253: Why Traditional Data Pipelines Are Broken (And How to Fix Them) with Ruben Burdin of Stacksync Jul 16, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and welcomes back Ruben Burdin, Founder and CEO of Stacksync as they together dismantle the myths surrounding zero-copy ETL and traditional data integration methods. Ruben reveals the complex challenges of two-way syncing between enterprise systems like Salesforce, HubSpot, and NetSuite, highlighting how existing tools often create more problems than solutions. He also introduces Stacksync's innovative approach, which uses real-time SQL-based synchronization to simplify data integration, reduce maintenance overhead, and enable more efficient operational workflows. The conversation exposes the limitations of current data transfer techniques and offers a glimpse into a more declarative, flexible approach to managing enterprise data across multiple systems. You won’t want to miss it.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

The Pain of Two-Way Sync and Early Integration Challenges (2:01)
Zero Copy ETL: Hype vs. Reality (3:50)
Data Definitions and System Complexity (7:39)
Limitations of Out-of-the-Box Integrations (9:35)
The CSV File: The Original Two-Way Sync (11:18)
Stacksync’s Approach and Capabilities (12:21)
Zero Copy ETL: Technical and Business Barriers (14:22)
Data Sharing, Clean Rooms, and Marketing Myths (18:40)
The Reliable Loop: ETL, Transform, Reverse ETL (27:08)
Business Logic Fragmentation and Maintenance (33:43)
Simplifying Architecture with Real-Time Two-Way Sync (35:14)
Operational Use Case: HubSpot, Salesforce, and Snowflake (39:10)
Filtering, Triggers, and Real-Time Workflows (45:38)
Complex Use Case: Salesforce to NetSuite with Data Discrepancies (48:56)
Declarative Logic and Debugging with SQL (54:54)
Connecting with Ruben and Parting Thoughts (57:58)

The Data Stack Show is a weekly podcast powered by RudderStack, customer data infrastructure that enables you to deliver real-time customer event data everywhere it’s needed to power smarter decisions and better customer experiences. Each week, we’ll talk to data engineers, analysts, and data scientists about their experience around building and maintaining data infrastructure, delivering data and data products, and driving better outcomes across their businesses with data.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The PRQL: Zero Copy ETL: Myth vs Reality with Ruben Burdin of Stacksync Jul 14, 2025

Show notes

In this bonus episode, Eric and John preview their upcoming conversation with Ruben Burdin of Stacksync.

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

252: What the Heck is Happening in Data Right Now with the Cynical Data Guy Jul 09, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome back Matt Kelliher-Gibson for another edition of the Cynical Data Guy. The group explores the current state of data engineering and team dynamics while critically examining the evolving landscape of analytics engineering, dissecting the hype around the modern data stack and its tools. The conversation also explores the challenges of data team management, including headcount reductions, rising technology costs, and the struggle to maintain efficiency. Key discussions revolve around the need for open standards, the impact of AI on data roles, the complex hiring practices in tech startups, and so much more.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

The Evolution of Analytics Engineer Roles (1:53)
Job Titles and Role Consolidation in Data (3:20)
Standardization and Open Data Standards (7:51)
SQL as a Universal Standard & Vendor Lock-In (11:58)
Modern Data Stack: Hype vs. Reality (13:29)
The State of Data Teams in 2025 (18:12)
Morale and Job Market Realities for Data Professionals (25:17)
Bonus Round: Extreme Work Culture Satire (28:41)
Honesty in Hiring and Team Building (33:18)
Challenges of Building and Leading Data Teams (37:31)
Final Thoughts and Takeaways (41:15)

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The PRQL: Data Engineering in 2025: Tooling, Headcount, and Survival Strategies with the Cynical Data Guy Jul 07, 2025

Show notes

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

251: Data Teams at the Crossroads: Proving Value in a Changing Business Landscape with Ben Rogojan Jul 02, 2025

Show notes

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

Technical Freelancer Academy & Consulting Community (1:21)
Evolution of Data Teams and Technology (2:52)
Data Team Growth and Output vs. Outcome (4:47)
Internal Optimization vs. Client-Facing Data Work (7:23)
Audience, Delivery Mechanisms, and Actionability (12:40)
Proving ROI and Prioritizing Work (15:27)
Practical Tips for Data Team-Business Alignment (18:31)
Dealing with Vanity and Security Blanket Metrics (23:39)
AI’s Impact on Data Workflows (27:07)
BI Tools, AI Integration, and Dashboards (32:25)
Top Skills for Data Professionals (37:27)
Career Growth: Technical, Communication, and Business Skills (42:02)
Show, Don’t Tell: Prototyping and Feedback (44:37)
Taking Initiative and Risk in Data Roles (50:21)
Parting Advice and Closing Thoughts (51:16)

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The PRQL: Beyond Dashboards: Selling Data Value to the Business with Ben Rogojan Jun 30, 2025

Show notes

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

250: The Chat Interface Debate: Is Text Really the Future? Jun 25, 2025

Show notes

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

Dashboard vs. Chatbot Discussion (1:40)
The Future of Chat Interfaces (3:03)
Vibe Revenue Concept (6:36)
AI's Early Days Compared to the Internet (10:14)
OpenAI and Hardware Collaboration (13:09)
Challenges of Hardware Development (16:20)
Productivity in Programming Languages (18:18)
Critique of 'Language is Dead' Posts (21:34)
Legacy Systems in Use (22:34)
Deterministic vs. Non-Deterministic Workflows (23:37)
Final Thoughts and Takeaways (23:45)

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

249: Quacking Through Data: Duckdb's Emerging Ecosystem Jun 18, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Data Stack Show, John Wessel and Matt Kelliher-Gibson dive into the recent Duck Lake announcement, exploring the evolving landscape of data analytics technologies. They discuss DuckDB's role as a lightweight, local analytics database and its potential as a caching layer for open table formats like Iceberg. The conversation also highlights the current state of data storage standards, focusing on agreements around Parquet and Iceberg, while noting the ongoing complexity in catalog management. Key takeaways include the importance of local compute solutions, the early stage of open table formats, and the potential for simplified data infrastructure that can provide faster, more cost-effective analytics workflows. The episode underscores the ongoing innovation in data technologies and the need for more streamlined, flexible data management solutions. Don’t miss it!

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

Discussion on Duck Lake Announcement (1:41)
Compatibility with Apache Iceberg (4:05)
Use Cases for DuckDB (6:23)
Concerns About Data Management (10:01)
Introduction to Data Formats (11:40)
Catalog Space Challenges (13:13)
Metadata Orchestration (14:54)
Simplicity in Data Management (15:25)
SQL Demo Discussion (17:26)
Wrap-Up and Final Thoughts (18:44)

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

248: AI and BI: The Future of Data Analytics with Michael Driscoll of Rill Data Jun 11, 2025

Show notes

This week on The Data Stack Show, Eric and John welcome Michael Driscoll, Co-Founder and CEO of Rill Data. Mike discusses the transformative impact of AI on business intelligence (BI) and data analytics. He also explores the shift from traditional dashboard-based tools to more dynamic, code-driven, and AI-powered interfaces that provide deeper insights. During the conversation, the group emphasizes the importance of a metrics-first approach, the potential of leapfrog architectures using technologies like data lakes and real-time analytical databases, and how AI agents are increasingly becoming the primary users of data tools. The conversation highlights the evolving landscape of data infrastructure, where open standards, flexibility, and intelligent interfaces are reshaping how businesses interact with and understand their data, and more.

Highlights from this week’s conversation include:

Welcome Back Mike Driscoll (1:11)
Philosophy Behind BI Tools (2:04)
Building a Natural Language Processing Server (4:33)
Deployment of MCP Servers (6:07)
The Role of Visualizations in BI (10:09)
Measuring Product Success (12:43)
Navigating Changes as Data Professionals (16:13)
Efficiency Gains with Code (19:00)
The Future of Data Teams (22:29)
Long-term Use of Rutter Stack (25:16)
Analytics Landscape Overview (30:59)
Future of BI Architecture (33:04)
AI's Role in Analytics (35:07)
Interoperability and Talent Pool (39:41)
The Crowded BI Market (42:03)
Final Thoughts and Takeaways (46:07)

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The PRQL: The Metrics-First Approach: Transforming How We Understand Data with Michael Driscoll of Rill Data Jun 09, 2025

Show notes

RudderStack helps businesses make the most out of their customer data while ensuring data privacy and security. To learn more about RudderStack visit rudderstack.com.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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