Description: In this episode of Data Career Transformations, Bolaji interviews Eddy Zulkifly, a senior staff data engineer at Kanaxis. They discuss Eddy's journey from chemical engineering to data engineering, his passion for soccer coaching, and the importance of community and mentorship in professional growth. Eddy shares insights on the role of Excel in business, the challenges of FinOps, and the significance of a growth mindset in both sports and data careers. He emphasizes the value of learning in public and encourages data professionals to share their experiences and learn from one another. Takeaways Eddy transitioned from chemical engineering to industrial engineering due to his interest in psychology and data analysis. Excel remains a crucial tool in business, often seen as the universal data language. Eddy's experience in supply chain management has greatly influenced his approach to data engineering. Coaching kids in soccer has taught Eddy the importance of tailoring strategies to individual needs. The concept of learning in public can accelerate personal and professional growth. Eddy believes in the importance of mentorship and community support in the data field. Understanding business requirements is key to effective data engineering. Eddy's team at Kanaxis is structured to promote collaboration across data lifecycle stages. Technical challenges in FinOps often involve cost allocation and resource tagging. Eddy aspires to lead a data team and build impactful data products in the future.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Data Career Transformations 02:47 Culinary Adventures in Malaysia and Singapore 05:41 The Joy of Coaching Soccer 08:29 From Chemical to Industrial Engineering  11:08 The Role of Excel in Business  13:51 Transitioning to Data Engineering 16:44 Understanding Kanaxis and Its Operations 19:23 The Structure of the Data Team at Kanaxis 22:12 Challenges in FinOps and Data Optimization 22:22 Navigating FinOps Challenges 25:12 Lessons from the Pandemic: Data Engineering at Home Depot 28:25 Proud Projects: Implementing Modern Data Stacks 30:52 Mentorship and Community in Data Engineering 34:12 Growth Mindset: Coaching and Learning 39:42 Future Aspirations in Data Engineering 41:46 Advice for Data Professionals   Speakers: Guest: Eddy Zulkifly, Senior Staff Data Engineer, Kinaxis Host: Bolaji Oyejide, Community Manager at dbt Labs   We're Building the Future of Data. Together. We've always believed the best way to get better at data is by sharing what you're learning. That's why we built the dbt Community—a place where data pros at every level can ask questions, debate ideas, and push each other forward. It's not just about solving today's problems—it's about building what's next, together. Crowdsource solutions—70,000+ people who've been there, done that. Find your crew—meet others who use the same tools you do. Stay at the cutting edge—discussions, meetups, and game shows keep things fresh. 👉 Jump in and say hi—join the dbt Community now.  

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