
The Data Engineering Show
The Data Engineering Show is a podcast for data engineering and BI practitioners to go beyond theory. Learn from the biggest influencers in tech about their practical day-to-day data challenges and solutions in a casual and fun setting.
SEASON 1 DATA BROS
Eldad and Boaz Farkash shared the same stuffed toys growing up as well as a big passion for data. After founding Sisense and building it to become a high-growth analytics unicorn, they moved on to their next venture, Firebolt, a leading high-performance cloud data warehouse.
SEASON 2 DATA BROS
In season 2 Eldad adopted a brilliant new little brother, and with their shared love for query processing, the connection was immediate. After excelling in his MS, Computer Science degree, Benjamin Wagner joined Firebolt to lead its query processing team and is a rising star in the data space.
For inquiries contact tamar@firebolt.io
Latest episodes

6 snips
Apr 8, 2025 • 24min
Revolutionizing Data Governance with DataStrato’s Unified Open Source Approach
Lisa Cao, Product Manager at DataStrato, dives into the world of data governance, sharing her expertise in AI/ML and open-source frameworks. The discussion highlights Apache Gravitino's unique capabilities, enabling unified governance across diverse data systems. They tackle the 'Push-Down Permission Management' model, essential for security, and the growing trend towards open ecosystems that prioritize flexibility. Lisa also emphasizes the importance of real-world tool adoption versus social media hype, keeping data engineers agile in a fast-paced landscape.

4 snips
Mar 19, 2025 • 31min
Database Technology in the Age of AI with DuckDB Labs co-creator Hannes Mühleisen
Hannes Mühleisen, CEO of DuckDB Labs and a professor in the Netherlands, discusses the innovative journey of DuckDB, an open-source analytical database that’s making waves with 10 million monthly downloads. He highlights how DuckDB differs from SQLite and its powerful analytical capabilities. Hannes also dives into the system's flexible ecosystem, allowing for custom functionalities. A fascinating discussion on AI’s impact on database management showcases the balance between traditional SQL usage and modern technological advancements.

4 snips
Feb 11, 2025 • 31min
AI and Data Movement: Trends and Best Practices with Estuary’s Daniel Pálma
Daniel Pálma, Head of Marketing at Estuary, shares his journey from data engineer to marketing professional. He discusses how his tech background enriches his marketing strategies. The conversation dives into the impact of AI on data movement and how cloud solutions are transforming data integration. Daniel highlights the rise of vector databases and structured data challenges in AI, as well as the promising future of Apache Iceberg in data lakehouses. Finally, he emphasizes the growing need for data practitioners in this golden age of data.

Jan 7, 2025 • 37min
AI and Data Change Management with Chad Sanderson, CEO Gable AI
In this episode of The Data Engineering Show, host Benjamin and co-host Eldad sit with Chad Sanderson, CEO and co-founder of Gable AI to explore the interesting world of data change management.Join them as they:Delve into challenges of data quality, how it degrades over time and the one-sided data quality checks on the “last mile” of the data supply chain.Talk about how Gable works through a 3-layer flow of technology which is to identify data production points, trace the data flow and communicate the impact of changes before they reach production.Explain why the gap between data producers and consumers need to be bridged and how Gable continues to emphasize the need for effective communication and understanding data change management across teamsShine light on how AI can enhance data management by extracting semantics from code and effectively manage the translation output.Discuss Chad’s vision for 2025 which is to help companies start to care about data and how the changes made to data affect other people.Chad Sanderson is the CEO and co-founder of Gable AI, a data change management platform. Chad has over a decade of experience in data engineering and infrastructure space, holding significant roles at major companies like Microsoft, Oracle, Sephora where he focused on data quality and governance challenges. He is a former Head of Data at Convoy, a LinkedIn writer, and a published author. He lives in Seattle, Washington, and is the Chief Operator of the Data Quality Camp. His journey from data scientist to data engineer and ultimately to CEO was driven by a desire to transform how organizations manage and utilize data. Gable AI addresses the complexities of the data supply chain, by providing tools for code scanning, data contracts and governance as code, enabling teams to proactively manage data changes and impact.If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to subscribe, rate, and review it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube. Episode ResourcesGable AI websiteChad Sanderson on LinkedInThe Data Engineering Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soPrevious guests include: Joseph Machado of Linkedin, Metthew Weingarten of Disney, Joe Reis and Matt Housely, authors of The Fundamentals of Data Engineering, Zach Wilson of Eczachly Inc, Megan Lieu of Deepnote, Erik Heintare of Bolt, Lior Solomon of Vimeo, Krishna Naidu of Canva, Mike Cohen of Substack, Jens Larsson of Ark, Gunnar Tangring of Klarna, Yoav Shmaria of Similarweb and Xiaoxu Gao of Adyen.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Zach Wilson on What Makes a Great Data EngineerJoe Reis and Matt Housley on The Fundamentals of Data EngineeringBill Inmon, The Godfather of Data Warehousing

Nov 26, 2024 • 25min
Tech Stacks and Tradeoffs: Xudo's Founder on Picking the Right Tools for BI Success
Wouter Trappers is the founder of Xudo and shares his slightly unconventional path from philosopher to data consultant with the Bros in this latest episode of The Data Engineering Show. Wouter’s grounding in philosophy has proved to be a shaping influence on his approach to business intelligence. Much more than just a software solution, for Wouter, BI is all about change management and aligning leadership with data projects.They discuss:From Excel to Expert: From basic Excel tasks to a full mastery of BI tools like QlikView, Wouter has blended his technical and philosophical approaches to data to become a bona fide expert.Data Strategy as Transformation: Good change management principles have to be adhered to if a BI project is going to bear fruit. Focus on leadership alignment, KPI clarity, and user empowerment instead of simply implementing software. Challenges of Starting Small: Wouter has some tips to offer smaller companies around bootstrapping their data journey using existing tools, practical education, and even Gen AI.Balancing Scales: Smaller startups compared to large enterprises face a very different set of challenges.Wouter’s combination of philosophy and pragmatism brings fresh takes to building effective data solutions.The Data Engineering Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soPrevious guests include: Joseph Machado of Linkedin, Metthew Weingarten of Disney, Joe Reis and Matt Housely, authors of The Fundamentals of Data Engineering, Zach Wilson of Eczachly Inc, Megan Lieu of Deepnote, Erik Heintare of Bolt, Lior Solomon of Vimeo, Krishna Naidu of Canva, Mike Cohen of Substack, Jens Larsson of Ark, Gunnar Tangring of Klarna, Yoav Shmaria of Similarweb and Xiaoxu Gao of Adyen.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Zach Wilson on What Makes a Great Data EngineerJoe Reis and Matt Housley on The Fundamentals of Data EngineeringBill Inmon, The Godfather of Data Warehousing

Oct 31, 2024 • 28min
Data Rewind: Conversation Highlights from Zach Wilson, Matthew Housley, Joe Reis, and Krishnan Viswanathan
In this special roundup episode of The Data Engineering Show, the Bros revisits some of the best bits from episodes with data thought leaders Zach Wilson, Matthew Housley, Joe Reis, and Krishnan Viswanathan, spotlighting essential trends and lessons learned across the evolving data engineering landscape. From data observability to bridging academia with real-world practice, this episode covers perspectives on where data engineering is heading and why certain challenges persist.Topics include:Foundations of Data Engineering: Zach Wilson emphasizes the importance of core, tech-agnostic skills in data modeling, quality assurance, and storytelling. By sharing his experiences at Airbnb and in education, he reveals that effective data engineering hinges on creating robust data models, quality controls, and persuasive narratives rather than expertise in any single tool or language.Bridging Academia and Practice: Matthew Housley and Joe Reis delve into the need for better data education, emphasizing hands-on experience and data fundamentals over tool-specific training, and advocate for apprenticeships and real-world collaborations in educational settings.Legacy Meets Modern in Data Engineering: Krishnan Viswanathan reflects on recurring themes in data engineering and the importance of adapting legacy approaches to new data needs, underscoring the challenges and benefits of vendor-built versus in-house solutions.Join the Bros for a well-rounded exploration of current themes in data engineering, filled with practical advice for data professionals at any stage of their journey.The Data Engineering Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soPrevious guests include: Joseph Machado of Linkedin, Metthew Weingarten of Disney, Joe Reis and Matt Housely, authors of The Fundamentals of Data Engineering, Zach Wilson of Eczachly Inc, Megan Lieu of Deepnote, Erik Heintare of Bolt, Lior Solomon of Vimeo, Krishna Naidu of Canva, Mike Cohen of Substack, Jens Larsson of Ark, Gunnar Tangring of Klarna, Yoav Shmaria of Similarweb and Xiaoxu Gao of Adyen.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Zach Wilson on What Makes a Great Data EngineerJoe Reis and Matt Housley on The Fundamentals of Data EngineeringBill Inmon, The Godfather of Data Warehousing

Sep 24, 2024 • 33min
The Resurgence of SQL: Insights from Ryanne Dolan from LinkedIn
In this episode of The Data Engineering Show, the bros, Eldad and Benjamin are joined by Ryanne Dolan from LinkedIn to discuss the innovative Hoptimator (H2) project. This conversation reveals how LinkedIn has improved its data pipelines by automating the setup and management of complex workflows.Together they cover:Automated Data Pipelines: Ryanne explains how Hoptimator allows users to create and manage data pipelines using just a simple SQL SELECT query, streamlining the process of setting up Kafka topics, Flink jobs, and schemas.Integration with Kubernetes: The project utilizes Kubernetes to handle infrastructure tasks, treating Kubernetes as a database for managing state. This integration simplifies the orchestration of data workflows and automates routine tasks.Consumer-Driven Model: Ryanne discusses the shift from a producer-driven to a consumer-driven data model, emphasizing the importance of understanding and addressing consumer needs to reduce engineering complexity and optimize data systems.Future of Data Engineering: The conversation touches on the ongoing experimental nature of Hoptimator and its potential to transform data engineering practices, highlighting its impact on LinkedIn's data infrastructure.The Data Engineering Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soPrevious guests include: Joseph Machado of Linkedin, Metthew Weingarten of Disney, Joe Reis and Matt Housely, authors of The Fundamentals of Data Engineering, Zach Wilson of Eczachly Inc, Megan Lieu of Deepnote, Erik Heintare of Bolt, Lior Solomon of Vimeo, Krishna Naidu of Canva, Mike Cohen of Substack, Jens Larsson of Ark, Gunnar Tangring of Klarna, Yoav Shmaria of Similarweb and Xiaoxu Gao of Adyen.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Zach Wilson on What Makes a Great Data EngineerJoe Reis and Matt Housley on The Fundamentals of Data EngineeringBill Inmon, The Godfather of Data Warehousing

Jun 4, 2024 • 43min
Vector Databases Won’t Replace SQL - Andy Pavlo
SQL’s slow. SQL’s stupid. We hear these claims every time a new shiny tool enters the market, only to realize five years later when the hype dies down that SQL is actually a good idea. In this super techie episode of the Data Engineering Show, Andy Pavlo, Associate Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, joins the bros to delve into database internals and optimization. Andy discusses leveraging ML for autonomous database optimization, using Postgres for practical applications, tuning production databases safely, and why SQL is here to stay.The Data Engineering Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soPrevious guests include: Joseph Machado of Linkedin, Metthew Weingarten of Disney, Joe Reis and Matt Housely, authors of The Fundamentals of Data Engineering, Zach Wilson of Eczachly Inc, Megan Lieu of Deepnote, Erik Heintare of Bolt, Lior Solomon of Vimeo, Krishna Naidu of Canva, Mike Cohen of Substack, Jens Larsson of Ark, Gunnar Tangring of Klarna, Yoav Shmaria of Similarweb and Xiaoxu Gao of Adyen.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Zach Wilson on What Makes a Great Data EngineerJoe Reis and Matt Housley on The Fundamentals of Data EngineeringBill Inmon, The Godfather of Data Warehousing

Apr 16, 2024 • 40min
How ZoomInfo transitioned from data graveyards to ROI-driven data projects
Too often expensive resources and manhours are spent on dashboards no one uses, resulting in zero ROI. Philip Philip Zelitchenko, VP of Data & Analytics at ZoomInfo met the bros to talk about adopting product management principles to ensure data projects have value, and provide an unfiltered peak into ZoomInfo’s data stack and unique tech culture. The Data Engineering Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soPrevious guests include: Joseph Machado of Linkedin, Metthew Weingarten of Disney, Joe Reis and Matt Housely, authors of The Fundamentals of Data Engineering, Zach Wilson of Eczachly Inc, Megan Lieu of Deepnote, Erik Heintare of Bolt, Lior Solomon of Vimeo, Krishna Naidu of Canva, Mike Cohen of Substack, Jens Larsson of Ark, Gunnar Tangring of Klarna, Yoav Shmaria of Similarweb and Xiaoxu Gao of Adyen.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Zach Wilson on What Makes a Great Data EngineerJoe Reis and Matt Housley on The Fundamentals of Data EngineeringBill Inmon, The Godfather of Data Warehousing

Mar 26, 2024 • 27min
Matthew Weingarten from Disney Streaming about Data Quality Best Practices
Matthew Weingarten, Lead Data Engineer at Disney Streaming, talks about principles essential for data quality, cost optimization, debugging, and data modeling, as adopted by the world's leading companies.The Data Engineering Show is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.soPrevious guests include: Joseph Machado of Linkedin, Metthew Weingarten of Disney, Joe Reis and Matt Housely, authors of The Fundamentals of Data Engineering, Zach Wilson of Eczachly Inc, Megan Lieu of Deepnote, Erik Heintare of Bolt, Lior Solomon of Vimeo, Krishna Naidu of Canva, Mike Cohen of Substack, Jens Larsson of Ark, Gunnar Tangring of Klarna, Yoav Shmaria of Similarweb and Xiaoxu Gao of Adyen.Check out our three most downloaded episodes:Zach Wilson on What Makes a Great Data EngineerJoe Reis and Matt Housley on The Fundamentals of Data EngineeringBill Inmon, The Godfather of Data Warehousing
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