Embarking on an Entrepreneurial Journey: Transforming Reporting Processes
In November 2022, I embarked on an entrepreneurial journey with a clear goal: to help businesses streamline their reporting processes and drive digital transformation. My previous roles in finance had shown me the immense benefits of optimized reporting. I had led numerous implementations, from design and testing to production, bridging the gap between IT and Finance. Despite my experience, I knew there was always room to enhance my technical skills. This realization led me to enroll in a master’s program in Data Science in Spring 2023.
The Power of Upskilling: Master’s in Data Science
The master’s program was a game-changer. It offered me the chance to upskill, meet industry professionals, and explore new opportunities. One standout ‘Project’ was inspired by an MBA class on International Markets at ESIC-Madrid, where I discovered a website offering free data on imports and exports by product, country, and year. The challenge? The data needed cleaning and could only be retrieved one year and one product at a time. I envisioned automating the ‘Extraction and Cleaning’ process to create a comprehensive visual report.
Overcoming Challenges and Gaining Expertise
In January 2023, I hired a web & desktop developer to assist with the ‘Extraction and Transformation’ process. Despite receiving a final product, I still needed to fine-tune the coding for each product and year, clean the data, and aggregate it for visualization. The task was overwhelming, and my technical skills were not yet up to the mark.
However, after completing my master’s final project in June 2024, I revisited the project with newfound confidence and skills. Equipped with more tools and resources, I completed the ‘ETL’ process in just a couple of days, a task that would have taken weeks manually.
Embracing Digital Transformation
The possibilities offered by digital transformation and reporting optimization are limitless. I am continuously learning, exploring new tools, collaborating with professionals, and expanding my scope to support business partners.
If you’re looking to improve your reporting processes, I’m here to help. Let’s visualize options to optimize your processes, materialize solutions, and train your team.