I'm Lee Durbin. I studied English literature, then spent a decade leading data teams in the UK and New Zealand. Now I build apps and write about what I've learned along the way.
The unlikely path
My degree was in English lit. I read Chaucer, analysed Shakespeare, and wrote essays about Victorian novels. None of it seemed particularly practical at the time.
Then I discovered data. Or rather, I discovered that the skills I'd built studying literature—pattern recognition, close reading, communicating complex ideas clearly—translated surprisingly well to working with data.
I spent ten years leading data teams at nonprofits and tech companies across the UK and New Zealand. I built analytics functions from scratch, hired and mentored analysts, and helped organisations make better decisions with their data.
Data analytics expertise
My data career spans three countries and multiple sectors. I've worked with tools like R, Power BI, Tableau, and Excel to deliver data analytics, data visualisation, and reporting solutions. I've built data strategies for organisations at every stage of maturity, from those hiring their first analyst to established teams looking to level up.
I specialise in helping leaders understand and improve their organisation's relationship with data. The Data Maturity Assessment I built is a free tool that helps organisations benchmark where they stand and identify what to focus on next.
What I do now
These days I split my time between building things and writing about ideas.
Building: I make apps that solve real problems. Myndarin helps people learn Chinese characters through memory palaces. I've also built products for clients, like Blue Dollars, a 16-day email challenge about valuing your time.
Writing: I write about leadership, data strategy, and the unexpected places where good ideas hide. My essays explore questions like: What can Dua Lipa teach us about building trust? Will AI do to code what CAD did to drafting? How do you lead without authority?
What I believe
I believe the best insights come from unexpected places. Literature taught me more about leadership than any management book. Building apps taught me more about writing than any style guide.
I believe in learning by doing, explaining things clearly, and staying curious about disciplines outside your own.
Get in touch
The best way to keep up with my work is to subscribe to my newsletter. I send occasional updates when I publish something new or ship a project.
You can also find me on LinkedIn or GitHub, or email me at hello@leedurbin.co.nz.