What "Data-Driven" Actually Means | Anthony Jackel (Ferrara)
Mon Jan 05 2026
What separates analytics teams that get a seat at the table from those stuck in the reporting queue?
Anthony Jackel, Senior Director of Business Intelligence & Analytics at Ferrara, has spent his career answering that question, from Kraft to one of America's largest candy companies.
In this conversation, we explore:
What "data-driven enterprise" actually meansThe shift from data providers to decision enablersWhy user-centered design matters as much for dashboards as it does for iPhonesHow to build analytics products that drive action, not just curiosityThe mindset shift that earns analytics a seat at the table
Connect with us:
Website: https://thedatastorytellers.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-data-storytellers
Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-data-storytellers-podcast/id1493766476
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2N0vZtHZHgod4Tll2LX2xa
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9e56lhYUfORiOHMiLlPmA
Chapters:
00:00 – Introduction to Anthony Jackel and his role at Ferrara03:35 – Building Ferrara’s analytics team from scratch07:42 – The problem with dashboards and low-value data work11:50 – Connecting analytics to business decisions and revenue16:25 – The importance of commercial empathy for data leaders20:18 – Getting out of the service provider mindset25:04 – Translating technical insights for non-technical audiences28:45 – Why building trust is more important than being right33:29 – Lessons from finance that shaped his analytics approach37:12 – Coaching and developing high-performing analytics talent41:05 – The challenge of balancing curiosity with execution45:18 – Internal marketing and the power of repeatable wins49:56 – Final advice for future analytics leaders
📍 Chapter Timestamps (Finalized for 50:13 runtime)
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What separates analytics teams that get a seat at the table from those stuck in the reporting queue? Anthony Jackel, Senior Director of Business Intelligence & Analytics at Ferrara, has spent his career answering that question, from Kraft to one of America's largest candy companies. In this conversation, we explore: What "data-driven enterprise" actually meansThe shift from data providers to decision enablersWhy user-centered design matters as much for dashboards as it does for iPhonesHow to build analytics products that drive action, not just curiosityThe mindset shift that earns analytics a seat at the table Connect with us: Website: https://thedatastorytellers.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-data-storytellers Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-data-storytellers-podcast/id1493766476 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2N0vZtHZHgod4Tll2LX2xa YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9e56lhYUfORiOHMiLlPmA Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction to Anthony Jackel and his role at Ferrara03:35 – Building Ferrara’s analytics team from scratch07:42 – The problem with dashboards and low-value data work11:50 – Connecting analytics to business decisions and revenue16:25 – The importance of commercial empathy for data leaders20:18 – Getting out of the service provider mindset25:04 – Translating technical insights for non-technical audiences28:45 – Why building trust is more important than being right33:29 – Lessons from finance that shaped his analytics approach37:12 – Coaching and developing high-performing analytics talent41:05 – The challenge of balancing curiosity with execution45:18 – Internal marketing and the power of repeatable wins49:56 – Final advice for future analytics leaders 📍 Chapter Timestamps (Finalized for 50:13 runtime)