Confessions of a Data Gener w/ Sakiko Stickley

05/13/25 • 62 min

Sakiko Stickley joins Raw Data to share a story that is part inspiration, part revelation, and a whole lot of truth-telling. From the first moment she discovered Power Pivot, Sakiko did not just learn data. She lived it. She rewired reporting systems, survived micromanagers, and navigated the strange realities of big consulting firms, all while quietly proving that one person, one model, and a little bit of DAX can change everything.

In this episode, we get an inside look at how a passion for smarter systems can collide with corporate inertia, what it really feels like to challenge the status quo, and why Sakiko believes AI could someday outperform human leadership, not just in data crunching but in ethics and decision-making too. (Spoiler: She might be right.)

If you have ever felt like a lone voice in a world that clings to inefficient processes, Sakiko’s journey will feel like a kindred spirit calling from across the data universe. Listen in for a conversation filled with hard truths, breakthrough moments, and a reminder that true data people do not just build models. They build better futures.

Previous Episode

The Biggest Improvements Announced at FabCon, and the Ever-Widening Gap Between Adoption and Capabilities

What’s the value of a long-awaited feature?

Well, that depends. Have you ever tried explaining a fiscal calendar that doesn’t believe in months?

This week, Rob Collie and Justin Mannhardt dive into the latest Microsoft Fabric updates, including the long-rumored, almost-mythical custom calendar support in DAX, the highly requested user-defined functions, and the Copilot expansion that might finally be worth the hype. These updates aren’t just bells and whistles; they’re fixes to problems that have been quietly driving your team up the wall for a decade.

And while the tech is cool, the real story is what it unlocks for the people trying to build reliable reporting, reuse their logic across models, and stop wrestling with edge cases in Excel at 10 p.m.

If you’ve ever been told, “that’s just how it works,” this episode is a breath of fresh air, and a reminder that progress doesn’t always come with a parade. Sometimes it shows up in patch notes.