Have you ever wondered how people go from a steady 9-to-5 job to something bigger—or at least different? For me, it all started with a single consulting project. Funny enough, I almost turned it down. However, that one yes ended up reshaping my entire career. At 23, I was clocking 40 hours a week at my day job and suddenly adding another 15-20 hours on a side hustle. It wasn’t part of some big master plan. My friends just needed help with projects, and I thought, why not? Back then, I had zero intention of leaving my full-time job. Yet, over the next six years, that little side gig not only pushed me past six figures for the first time but also gave me the confidence to leave my job at Facebook. No one can script their career perfectly. Technology evolves fast, and life is often unpredictable. But even in the face of uncertainty, it’s possible to build a career that helps you grow, challenges you in meaningful ways, and sets you up for success. If you enjoyed this video, check out some of my other top videos. Don't Lead A Data Team Before Watching This - 5 Lessons You Need To Know As A Head of Data https://youtu.be/n74ke0Wjmi4 Building A Data Engineering Project - Starting A Data Analytics Project With Healthcare Data https://youtu.be/Qp4BfEOq7zA If you'd like to read up on my updates about the data field, then you can sign up for our newsletter here. https://seattledataguy.substack.com/ Or check out my blog https://www.theseattledataguy.com/ And if you want to support the channel, then you can become a paid member of my newsletter https://seattledataguy.substack.com/subscribe Tags: Data engineering projects, Data engineer project ideas, data project sources, data analytics project sources, data project portfolio _____________________________________________________________ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmLGJ3VYBcfRaWbP6JLJcpA?sub_confirmation=1 _____________________________________________________________ About me: I have spent my career focused on all forms of data. I have focused on developing algorithms to detect fraud, reduce patient readmission and redesign insurance provider policy to help reduce the overall cost of healthcare. I have also helped develop analytics for marketing and IT operations in order to optimize limited resources such as employees and budget. I privately consult on data science and engineering problems both solo as well as with a company called Acheron Analytics. I have experience both working hands-on with technical problems as well as helping leadership teams develop strategies to maximize their data. *I do participate in affiliate programs, if a link has an "*" by it, then I may receive a small portion of the proceeds at no extra cost to you.