MindSpeaking Podcast Episode 24 - Christina Stathopoulos, Founder and CEO of Dare to Data
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Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
2:30: Data career influenced by number love.
4:29: Left Google for professional growth.
9:59: Public speaking: start small, practice.
13:50: Prepare talks: write, practice, feedback.
17:21: Storytelling connects with audience.
19:38: For non-tech audiences, avoid jargon.
25:03: Use animations to build tension.
29:47: Mixed audiences: start with basics.
36:01: #BookAWeekChallenge fosters learning habits.
44:06: Communication skills are crucial.
47:00 Conclusion
Summary:
In this episode, Gilbert Eijkelenboom interviews Christina Stathopoulos, a thought leader in data, speaker, and lifelong learner. They discuss Christina’s unconventional path into data, her decision to leave Google, and her approach to data storytelling. Christina shares actionable tips on communicating technical concepts to non-technical audiences, designing effective presentations, and the importance of lifelong learning. Listeners will learn about enhancing presentation skills, avoiding common pitfalls in data presentations, and Christina’s initiative to inspire continuous learning through the Book a Week challenge.
Introduction
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom:
So, let’s jump in! Today’s guest is very international—Christina Stathopoulos. Christina is a Greek-American based in Spain, but don’t worry, this episode will be in English! She’s a thought leader and international speaker in data, with a career in advanced analytics. After more than five years at Google and Waze, she decided to move on to her next adventure. Christina is also the Academic Director and adjunct professor at IE Business School, an instructor for LinkedIn Learning, and runs the #BookAWeek challenge on LinkedIn—so you might have seen her there!
In this episode, she shares valuable tips and insights on communicating with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, becoming a better public speaker even as an introvert, using storytelling in presentations, and making impactful PowerPoints that grab attention without distracting the audience. There’s a lot to learn and enjoy in this episode with Christina. Christina, welcome to the show!
🗣️ Christina StathopoulosVery excited to be here today. Thank you for welcoming me on the show.
Christina's Career Journey in Data
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
To start, I’d love to hear more about you—your background and your story. Can you share a bit about how you ended up working in data?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Of course! My path to where I am today wasn’t a straight line—it was anything but typical. Ever since I was a kid, I knew I wanted to work in a field like data or engineering because I loved math, statistics, and physics. Later, I studied an interdisciplinary field with a focus on statistics, which I think of as the original data science. When I graduated from university in North Carolina, I decided to move abroad to Madrid, Spain. I was 22, and my priorities were to learn Spanish and travel the world, both of which I accomplished—I’m now fluent in Spanish and have traveled to 56 countries! After a few years, I returned to the data world and pursued a master’s in Business Analytics and Big Data at IE Business School. Professionally, I began as a systems engineer at SAS, moved on to a data engineering role at Nielsen, and eventually held data positions at Google and Waze. I was at Google for over five years, but in late 2022, I left to start what I call my “data-preneur” journey.
Why Christina Left Google to Pursue Entrepreneurship
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
I love that term, “data-preneur”! But I’m curious—why leave Google? It’s often considered a dream job for many data professionals.
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Yes, exactly—Google is indeed a dream job for many, myself included, and I’m grateful for my time there. But my decision came down to several factors. One reason was that staying too long at one company, even one as great as Google, doesn’t always benefit career growth. Companies, unfortunately, don’t always reward loyalty as they should. In fact, the quickest way to grow your responsibilities and compensation is to switch companies strategically every two to three years.
After five years, it felt like the right time for a change. I considered moving to another company, but I also thought it might be an ideal moment to try something on my own. I’d been building up a variety of side projects, from public speaking to education and content creation. With Google as my priority, my side projects had always been limited, so I thought, “What if I dedicated 100% of my time to these?”
Finally, I needed to assess the financial risks. As a data person, I took into account my family’s needs, especially since my husband and I had been saving for a house, which served as a safety net. All of these factors aligned, making it a good moment to step out on my own. So far, it’s been amazing—I get to choose the projects I love and prioritize my time strategically. I’m not planning to go back to a traditional corporate role anytime soon. In fact, I’m currently in the process of launching my own company, so stay tuned for more on that!
The Transition to Entrepreneurship and Financial Planning
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Exciting! It sounds like you’ve been extremely busy and haven’t had to dip into your savings—always a good sign. It’s great to see you doing something you’re passionate about while also sustaining yourself financially. Kudos for taking the leap!
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Thanks, Gilbert! I know you can relate to this experience.
Starting Out in Public Speaking as an Introvert
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
I can definitely relate. You went into public speaking, and as you mentioned, you consider yourself an introvert. Yet, you do a lot of public speaking now! How did that journey start? How did you grow into this role of being asked to speak on stage frequently?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Yes, absolutely. I think everyone starts in the same place—terrified of public speaking! I was the same way. The way I got into it was to start small. I volunteered to give presentations in school and even took a public speaking class in university, where all the assignments were public speeches in front of the class. That class was challenging, but it gave me a strong foundation. Then I started volunteering for presentations in my master’s program or at work, getting comfortable in smaller settings before moving up to larger audiences. Whether it’s a small or large group, it’s essential to practice. I’ve always invested a lot of time in preparation—thinking through my message, rehearsing, and refining. Those small steps helped me grow my confidence over time.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Sounds like you’ve done a lot of volunteering! I know from experience it’s easier said than done to put yourself out there. What would you say to people who want to develop public speaking skills but feel intimidated?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
It’s so true—everyone’s afraid of it at first! And it’s easy to pass off a presentation to someone else. But I think it’s a mistake to avoid speaking, especially in lower-risk situations like a class presentation. What’s the worst that can happen? You might feel embarrassed for a bit, but people will forget quickly. It’s a low-risk, high-reward opportunity because you gain practice. The risks are much lower than the potential rewards, and it gets easier each time you step up. The first few times are tough, but it gets better!
Preparing for a Data Presentation
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
I’d love to hear more about your preparation process. How do you prepare for a data presentation or even a bigger talk?
Christina's Approach to Presentation Preparation
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Of course. So here’s my preparation process, and it’s what I recommend to others because it works for me. When I’m putting together a talk, particularly if I’m working with slides, I like to use visuals to enhance the storytelling aspect. The first thing I do is write down what I want to say—literally, word for word. I don’t necessarily use this script later, but writing it out forces me to clarify my ideas. So, even if it’s a 40-minute or hour-long talk, I’ll write it all out. Then, I read through it a few times to let it stick in my head.
After that, I start practicing out loud. I’m not memorizing the script word for word; instead, I focus on the main ideas. I’ll physically stand up, sometimes in front of a mirror, and pretend I’m delivering the talk to an audience. This helps me get comfortable and refine the flow. Practicing in this way is something I find incredibly valuable, and it’s a technique that could help others as well.
The Importance of Realistic Practice and Feedback
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
I love that—standing up as if you’re in a real-life scenario helps your body get used to the experience. Do you ever get feedback on your delivery or script? How do you approach that?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Yes, feedback is crucial, but it can be tricky if, like in my case, the people around you don’t work in data. My husband, for example, isn’t in this field, so he wouldn’t fully understand the content. One thing I suggest is asking someone to record you—literally, set up a phone and capture the presentation. Reviewing the video afterward can be so helpful. I did this during my master’s program, and it allowed me to give myself feedback.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
That’s a fantastic approach. Watching yourself, though uncomfortable, can be so valuable.
Using Storytelling in Data Presentations
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
You mentioned storytelling. Do you follow a specific framework, or how do you use storytelling in practice?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Storytelling is something I try to incorporate in all my talks, even in technical data presentations. Storytelling is essential because it helps the audience connect with you and your message. No matter how technical the topic, find a way to add a story. Relate it back to them, or share a story about how this idea worked in the past or how you envision it working in the future.
I don’t necessarily use a formal storytelling framework, but I keep certain principles in mind, particularly Grice’s conversational maxims: quantity, quality, relation, and manner. I simplify these as be brief, be true, be relevant, and be clear. These principles are key to effective communication, especially when presenting technical data to non-technical audiences. It’s all about communicating as effectively as possible.
Tips for Presenting to Non-Technical Audiences
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Apart from storytelling, any other tips for presenting to non-technical audiences?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Yes, presenting to non-technical audiences can be challenging. The most important thing is to put yourself in their shoes. Speaking to a non-technical audience is completely different from speaking to a team of engineers, so you need to adapt. Avoid jargon, avoid technical terms, and definitely avoid algorithm names—they won’t resonate.
Another tip is to be very clear about the purpose of the talk. Even if the subject is the same, the purpose can vary depending on whether you’re speaking to a business audience or an engineering team. Shaping your content around that purpose is crucial. And if the audience is mixed, I’d love to hear your thoughts, Gilbert, because I know you have some strategies for this!
Gilbert’s G.A.M.E. Framework for Presenting
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Yes, I do! One framework I like is the G.A.M.E. framework, which stands for Goal, Audience, Message, and Expression. Before creating any slides, I think about the goal—not just my goal, but the business’s goal. Then, I consider the audience’s level of understanding and tailor the message to them. It’s also essential to be able to sum up the main message in one sentence.
Expression refers to how you deliver the message, whether through storytelling, visuals, or engagement techniques. Asking questions or checking in with the audience is so important, especially with technical material, to make sure they’re still with you.
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
That’s a great framework, and it aligns with what I was talking about, just without a formal structure!
Strategies for Mixed Audiences
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
We’ve covered non-technical and technical audiences, but what about mixed audiences?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Yes, that’s definitely challenging. I face this frequently when I teach analytics to MBA students with diverse backgrounds. Some may be engineers or analysts, while others come from marketing or business with little technical knowledge. In these cases, I start with the basics to ensure everyone has a foundation, and then I gradually build up to more advanced content.
If I don’t have time to go deep, I’ll provide additional resources for the more technical people to explore later. That way, everyone can follow along, and those who want to dive deeper have the option.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
That makes a lot of sense. I love the idea of offering resources for those who want more depth.
Common Communication Challenges for Data Professionals
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
We’ve been talking about storytelling and presentation skills, but communication goes beyond presentations. What are some of the communication challenges you see among data professionals?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
One common challenge for analysts and data professionals is communicating with people from non-technical backgrounds. We tend to approach every audience the same way, which doesn’t work with business stakeholders. Another common mistake is overloading slides with text. I like using slides as visual aids, but too much text is distracting. The audience’s eyes will go straight to the slide, and they’ll stop listening. Instead, use visuals that support your point without overwhelming them.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
A big mistake is creating one slide deck to serve as both a visual aid and a standalone document for later reference. It ends up being cluttered and ineffective as a presentation tool. For presentations, you are the focus—the slides are just there to support you.
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Exactly. If you have a slide with multiple points, reveal them one at a time. It’s a simple way to keep the audience focused on each point as you discuss it.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
That’s a fantastic approach because it also allows you to build a bit of suspense, especially if it’s a narrative structure. It keeps people curious and engaged.
Selecting Effective Visuals for Data Presentations
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
What’s your approach to choosing visuals? How do you pick the right images for your slides?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
I spend a lot of time on this! I use sites like Unsplash to find images that resonate with my message. For data visuals, I keep it simple. Complicated graphs with too many labels lose people, so I build up the message step by step. If I’m presenting multiple key points, I might only put the keywords on the slide and then explain them verbally. It’s about creating focus without overwhelming the audience.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Unsplash is great! I can see why your slides get so many compliments.
The Value of Lifelong Learning
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
That's a good question. Why is lifelong learning important to me? I think there's just so much to learn in the world—so much that I don’t know or understand. I’m naturally curious, and the only way to satisfy that is through continuous learning. This goes back to why I love to travel. When I travel, I dive into the history, museums, monuments—all because I’m curious about new places, their history, and their people. Lifelong learning is similar; the more I learn, the more I realize I don’t know. This happens in data science, too. You might start feeling confident, but soon you realize how much more there is to discover. It’s a journey that keeps expanding.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Beautiful. One way to keep learning, of course, is through books. You’ve read a lot—do you have a number?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
I do, but I’d have to check my Goodreads account. Do you use Goodreads?
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
I don’t, but I know it’s popular for organizing books and reviews.
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
I use it to organize my reading. I think I’ve read around 300 books, but I started tracking it just a few years ago. Hopefully, that number keeps growing!
The #BookAWeek Challenge
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
You started the #BookAWeek challenge. What inspired that?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
The #BookAWeek challenge on LinkedIn began as a personal goal and grew into a community initiative. I loved reading as a kid, but, like many, I lost the habit in my teens. At the end of college, I wanted to bring reading back into my life, so I challenged myself and then started sharing my progress on LinkedIn. Eventually, it turned into a community where people share their own reading goals. It’s not just about reading; it’s about fostering better habits and having a mindset of continuous learning. I also started a #BookAMonth challenge, which is more manageable for those with busy schedules. And for me, it’s a way to disconnect from screens since I only read physical books. My house is full of bookshelves because of this!
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
It’s amazing how you inspire others to build a habit of learning. That’s a fantastic contribution.
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Thank you! I think we might have connected through the #BookAWeek challenge, actually.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Yes, I think that’s right! And it was great that you reviewed my book as part of the challenge.
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Absolutely. I loved your book—it’s full of highlights! I recommend it to anyone listening. And just so everyone knows, Gilbert didn’t ask me to say this!
Rapid-Fire Round
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Let’s switch gears to a rapid-fire round. Ready?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
I’ll do my best!
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
What’s one thing that surprises people about you?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
That I’m an introvert. People assume I’m an extrovert because I’m active on LinkedIn and do public speaking, but I actually prefer quiet time at home.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
You’re an avid traveler. Favorite place?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Southeast Asia—Thailand, Malaysia, and Hong Kong are my top spots.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Where do you go for learning?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
My bookshelf! I buy books faster than I can read them.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
First career dream as a kid?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
An engineer. I loved math, stats, and physics, and I was one of the few girls in my class interested in it.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Best decision you’ve made?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Moving to Spain. It was a huge risk but transformed my life in ways I never expected.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
If you could talk to your 18-year-old self, what would you say?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Trust your instincts. I’m a data-driven person, but I’ve made some of my best decisions by following my heart.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
What job would you be terrible at?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Chef! I’m a terrible cook, but thankfully, my husband is great in the kitchen.
Where to Connect with Christina
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Where can people connect with you or follow your work?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
LinkedIn is the best place. You can also follow the hashtags #BookAWeekChallenge and #BookAMonthChallenge to see my reading updates and connect with others in the community.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Great reminder! And to wrap up, what’s one takeaway you’d like listeners to remember?
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Focus on communication skills. Even if you’re a technical person, communication will set you apart and open doors professionally. Hard skills might get you the job, but soft skills will get you promoted.
🎙️ Gilbert Eijkelenboom
Thank you, Christina. It was a pleasure discussing everything from lifelong learning to storytelling with you. Thanks for joining.
🗣️ Christina Stathopoulos
Thank you for having me—I loved the conversation.
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