Matt Kelliher-Gibson, the Cynical Data Guy, brings a sharp lens to the evolving world of data engineering. He dissects the hype surrounding the modern data stack and critiques the complexities and frustrations plaguing data teams today. Key conversations revolve around the shifting roles of analytics engineers and the push for open data standards to combat vendor lock-in. Kelliher-Gibson also highlights the emotional toll of job market fluctuations and rising costs, while emphasizing the importance of honesty in hiring and team morale.
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insights INSIGHT
Evolution of Analytics Engineer Role
Analytics engineer roles existed before the title, evolving from data architects and analysts.
The title may consolidate or change, possibly incorporating AI as the role evolves.
insights INSIGHT
Modern Data Stack Reality Check
The modern data stack is often overhyped, seen as repackaged old concepts with marketing buzz.
Open standards and universal formats like SQL are crucial but challenging to commercialize and unify.
insights INSIGHT
Shrinking Data Teams, Rising Costs
Data team headcount is shrinking while technology costs rise, causing operational inefficiencies and low morale.
Teams struggle to reduce tech spend due to lack of time, expertise, and increasing vendor price hikes.
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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)
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.
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