2024 has been a year full of experimentation, storytelling, and connection for me on LinkedIn.
Reflecting on my most popular posts from this year, I noticed a recurring theme: authenticity.
Sharing my journey, acknowledging my influences, and showcasing the incredible people and ideas that have inspired me resonated deeply with my audience. So, here’s a recap of my five most popular posts from 2024 and why I think they struck a chord.
1. Podcast Recommendations for Data Enthusiasts
In this post, I shared my top three podcasts for anyone working in data or interested in code.
From The Analytics Engineering Podcast to CoRecursive, these podcasts blend technical insights with engaging stories. I highlighted standout episodes and explained how they’ve shaped my thinking. The response was incredible—proof that people value curated, actionable content.
👉 Lesson Learned: People crave recommendations that can help them learn and grow, especially when the suggestions are grounded in personal experience.
2. Celebrating Data Leaders Who Inspire Me
This post was a tribute to the people who’ve shaped my career, from Harkanwal Singh’s mentorship to Stephanie Evergreen’s masterclasses in data visualisation. I also took the opportunity to highlight Ernestynne Walsh’s talk on Māori data sovereignty, which profoundly impacted my understanding of data ethics.
This one resonated because it was about gratitude and acknowledging the broader community that makes our individual successes possible.
👉 Lesson Learned: Expressing genuine gratitude and recognising others’ contributions strengthens connections and fosters goodwill.
3. Wrapping Up a Data Engineering Project
This post detailed my journey through a challenging data engineering project analysing The Met’s artwork collection.
It was a proud moment to share the culmination of months of effort, including the lessons learned from my first (less successful) attempt. By linking to my code and openly reflecting on the challenges, I invited others into the process.
👉 Lesson Learned: Sharing the process—not just the polished results—helps others relate to your journey and learn alongside you.
4. My Unconventional Path to Data
In one of my most personal posts, I reflected on graduating with a Master’s in English Literature and feeling uncertain about my future. I shared how my unconventional background became one of my greatest strengths in data, helping me think critically and connect dots in unique ways. The post resonated with anyone who’s ever felt like their career doesn’t follow a “traditional” path.
👉 Lesson Learned: Vulnerability and authenticity create a sense of community and inspire others to see their own unique paths as valuable.
5. The R-Python Debate
As an R enthusiast dabbling in Python, I shared my struggle to make Python feel as intuitive as R.
Emily Riederer’s blog post on interoperability between R and Python gave me fresh insights, and I highlighted her generosity as a thought leader. This post not only engaged the R and Python communities but also sparked discussions about bridging gaps in open-source tools.
👉 Lesson Learned: Engaging with niche technical topics can spark meaningful conversations, especially when you shine a spotlight on others’ work.
Final Thoughts
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from these posts, it’s that authenticity, curiosity, and a willingness to share your journey resonate most. Whether I’m reflecting on my own path, celebrating others, or diving into technical challenges, the posts that perform well are the ones where I show up as myself.
And it works! At the start of the year around 300 people were following me on LinkedIn. As I close out the year, around 1,000 people are interested in what I have to say.
So, as we head into 2025, I’m excited to continue experimenting, sharing, and learning with all of you. Here’s to another year of stories, connections, and growth.
💬 What types of posts have resonated most with you this year? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!