152: Sarah Krasnik Bedell: A data eng turned marketer on embedded marketing analysts and batch vs webhook pipelines

What’s up everyone, today we have the pleasure of sitting down with Sarah Krasnik Bedell, Director, Growth Marketing at Prefect.

Summary: What happens when a data engineer with an obsession for truth-testing crashes into marketing's sacred cows? Sarah's journey from code to campaigns unfolds like a detective story, where she picks apart marketing myths and rebuilds them with an engineer's precision. Her fresh take transforms marketing tools from black boxes into purposeful instruments, while her approach to AI echoes "Limitless" - it's not about letting machines take the wheel, but supercharging human creativity. Whether you're wrestling with developer outreach or trying to get sales and marketing teams to actually talk to each other, Sarah's technical-meets-tactical perspective offers a compelling roadmap for modern marketing that actually works.

About Sarah

• Sarah studied math and cognitive science before completing a masters in data science
• She started her career at Amsted working on data aggregation and machine learning models and eventually moved to a customer-centric role where she helped engineer data architecture for supply chain optimizations
• She had short stints in financial forecasting and company-wide data architecture
• She then joined Perpay as a data engineer focused on product analytics as well as reverse-ETL for their marketing team. She was eventually promoted to Lead data eng, managing the full team of data engineers 
• She’s an Analytics and GTM Advisor for devtools
• Today she’s Director of Growth Marketing at Prefect, a workflow orchestration tool for data and ML engineers

Unconventional Paths From Data Engineering to Marketing Leadership

The traditional career trajectory rarely follows a straight line, particularly in Sarah's fascinating pivot from data engineering to marketing. While leading the data engineering team at Perpay, she found herself knee-deep in an Iterable implementation project that would unknowingly alter her professional DNA. This wasn't just another technical integration; it was a complex orchestration of customer data streams, product catalogs, and audience segmentation capabilities that secretly doubled as an apprenticeship in modern marketing mechanics.

Marketing technology projects have a peculiar way of revealing their true nature over time. What begins as lines of code and data pipelines often transforms into something far more intriguing: a window into the soul of marketing operations. Sarah discovered that while her peers remained captivated by the elegance of their code, she found herself increasingly magnetized by the downstream impact of these technical solutions. This subtle shift in perspective proved transformative, compelling her to venture beyond the comfortable confines of engineering meetings and into the dynamic world of marketing strategy sessions.

The pandemic's isolation birthed unexpected opportunities, as Sarah's technical writing began attracting attention in the data community. What started as casual documentation of her engineering adventures morphed into paid writing engagements, creating a surprising bridge between technical expertise and marketing communications. This organic evolution suggested something more profound lurking beneath the surface, a hidden pathway connecting the precision of data engineering with the artistry of marketing strategy.

The final pieces of her transition fell into place through a combination of hands-on consulting work, mentorship from industry veterans, and immersion in marketing literature. Her participation in the Reforge community added structured learning to her toolkit, while her unique perspective as a former technical buyer provided invaluable insights into marketing dynamics. This multifaceted approach to learning, mixing practical experience with theoretical knowledge, transformed what might have seemed like an improbable leap into a natural progression.

Key takeaway: Career transitions in technology rarely require formal education; they thrive on practical experience and curiosity. The most valuable skills often develop through side projects, technical writing, and a willingness to understand the business impact of your work. For those considering a similar path, start by documenting your technical experiences, engaging with cross-functional teams, and focusing on how your current role impacts business outcomes rather than just technical implementations.

First Principles Marketing Against Best Practices

Marketing orthodoxy often goes unchallenged, with practitioners blindly following conventional wisdom without questioning its validity. Sarah brings a refreshing perspective to this dilemma, approaching marketing strategies with an engineer's skepticism and a commitment to first principles thinking. This natural inclination to question established norms stems from her background in data engineering, where decisions require rigorous validation rather than mere acceptance of industry standards.

The notion that Tuesday morning at 8 AM represents the optimal time for email sends exemplifies the kind of unexamined marketing wisdom that pervades the industry. Rather than accepting such practices at face value, Sarah advocates for a two-pronged approach: first envisioning the ideal outcome, then assessing what's practically achievable within existing constraints. This methodology creates space for innovation while maintaining pragmatic boundaries, allowing marketers to challenge assumptions without losing sight of business objectives.

The parallel between architectural decisions in software engineering and strategic choices in marketing reveals an interesting pattern. Just as engineers must carefully consider system architecture before writing code, marketers benefit from establishing solid strategic foundations before diving into tactical execution. This shift in focus from immediate implementation to thoughtful strategy design represents a more sophisticated approach to marketing operations, one that prioritizes intentional decision-making over reflexive adoption of industry practices.

In the context of accelerating AI adoption, this first-principles approach becomes even more crucial. Rather than immediately jumping to content creation or campaign execution, successful marketing strategies begin with fundamental questions about audience selection, engagement methods, and value proposition. This methodical approach ensures that technological tools serve strategic objectives rather than dictating them, maintaining human judgment at the core of marketing decisions.

Key takeaway: Transform your marketing approach by questioning established practices and applying first-principles thinking. Start by clearly defining your ideal outcome, then work backward to create practical strategies that challenge conventional wisdom. This method often reveals more effective approaches than blindly following industry "best practices." When evaluating any marketing tactic, ask yourself: "What problem are we really trying to solve, and is this truly the most effective solution?"

Systems Thinking Applications For Marketing Analytics

Systems thinking represents the essential bridge between marketing and data engineering, offering a framework for understanding how data flows through modern marketing operations. The ability to visualize and architect data pathways across platforms separates proficient marketing technologists from those merely executing tactical campaigns. This foundational skill proves invaluable when orchestrating the complex dance of customer data across marketing systems.

Consider the journey of a single lead signal as it traverses through various marketing platforms. The ...