Alain joined Funnel 4,5 years ago as an Analytics Engineer, transitioning from a data analytics role to an Analytics Engineering role finding his perfect fit at Funnel. In this blog post, Alain shares his background, what keeps him at Funnel, a typical day in the Internal Data & Analytics team, and how he balances work with his love for music and fitness.

Can you start by telling us a little about yourself and your background?

My name is Alain, and I am an Analytics Engineer at Funnel. I’m 32 years old with a passion for music production, hitting the gym, reading, and watching short-form documentaries. My journey into data analytics began when I decided to pivot from my role as a data analyst to something more backend-focused. This decision led me to Funnel, where I’ve been happily working for the past 4,5 years.

How did you come to work at Funnel, and what made you decide to stay for 4,5 years?

I found Funnel quite by chance. After feeling the need for something different from my previous employer, I started job hunting and discovered an “Analytics Engineer” role at Funnel that piqued my interest. With my background in data analytics, the transition seemed like a perfect fit. Funnel didn’t have a proper data team back then, and the idea of building a team and infrastructure from scratch was incredibly appealing.

I remember my first interview at Funnel in 2019 vividly. I arrived at the Stockholm HQ, dressed dapperly, and as I walked through the door, I saw eight people carrying various instruments and smiling. That moment confirmed that Funnel was going to be a unique and interesting place to work.

The reason I’ve stayed at Funnel for 4,5 years is not just out of loyalty but because of the mutual give and take in our relationship. Funnel has provided me with engaging challenges, and brilliant and empathetic colleagues. It’s been a rewarding journey filled with growth and excitement.

What does a typical day in the IDA team (Internal Data & Analytics) look like?

A typical day in the IDA team starts with coffee and a standup meeting around 9 AM. We ensure the daily ingestion of data files from various teams has run smoothly, as this is crucial for making data-driven decisions across Funnel. If there are issues, we address them promptly, whether they’re due to file timeouts, faulty code, or unrecognized schemas.

After our morning review, we discuss the previous day’s challenges and plan our tasks, ranging from making new fields available for analysis in Looker to optimizing query runtimes. We often work individually but come together for more complex tasks using mob programming. In these sessions, one “captain” controls the screen and writes code, while the “navigators” provide guidance, rotating roles every hour.

During breaks, we often discuss finance and stocks, a shared interest among the team. At noon, we head to the gym for a workout and lunch, a sacred routine we protect from meetings. We believe that gains and proteins are key to a successful workday. After our break, we continue our work until around 5:30 PM when we wrap up together.

How do you balance your job with your interest in music?

Funnel’s emphasis on work-life balance has allowed me to pursue my passions without any issues. I can come in, do my work, and leave at the end of the day with enough energy left for music production, gym sessions, and other hobbies. This balance is crucial for maintaining my overall well-being and productivity.

What are some of your best memories at Funnel?

Great question! Speaking at the Google Cloud Summit Nordics was a professional milestone, giving me the chance to address an audience of experts. Camp Funnel 2022 in Barcelona, on the other hand, was an exhilarating experience, performing for an enthusiastic crowd. However, my favorite memories are the everyday moments shared with my colleagues, especially the hilarious and random conversations in our #random Slack channel where people share fun content such as memes.

Interested in working in our engineering team at Funnel? We are hiring. Check out our open roles!