I just got back from Midwest Con in Cincinnati, and the timing honestly couldn’t have been better because I’m actively pivoting from web development into data analytics. The conference was focused on AI and data, and I got to meet data analysts, data scientists, and people who collaborate with data professionals to create real change in their communities. The most encouraging part was talking to someone who already made the exact pivot I’m making—from web dev to data analytics—and hearing that she loves it. That representation matters, especially when you’re trying to make a leap that feels big. In this video, I break down why you’re probably already closer to data analytics than you think. If you come from web development or software engineering, you already have major overlap: coding fundamentals, debugging, problem solving, and the mindset to learn new languages (for me, that’s moving from JavaScript into more SQL and getting serious about Python). I also talk about the soft skills that matter just as much—communication, collaboration, and being able to explain technical work to non-technical stakeholders. And if you’re not from a technical background, I share a simple exercise: write down what you do in your current job, then research how those tasks map to analytics. You might be surprised how much carries over.