Find me at TiffTaff

Hi everyone,

I'm working on another blog, TiffTaff.

I am super excited to share my vision of TiffTaff with you. I'll be back shortly to tell you how I got here--and where I hope we will go together.

Stay sassy,
Cat

My newest obsession: data science

I have a new obsession these days: data science. And, apparently, while I may be a little behind the bandwagon, I'm not the only one completely fascinated by it.

When Google Chief Economist Hal Varian told the New York Times that the “sexy job” in the next decade is statisticians, he wasn’t kidding. Data scientists are becoming increasingly important now that we can track the bazillions of ways people interact with one another on mobile and the Web.

In fact, companies like Google, Facebook and LinkedIn seriously have teams of data scientists who analyze EVERY. BIT. OF. INFORMATION. that comes in. They interpret these massive amounts of data to learn about their users, and ultimately, to acquire and retain more users. (If you've ever wondered why they're wildly successful, this is one of the reasons.)

Here's a great example: LinkedIn’s Daniel Tunkelang was interviewed this week on Forbes.com for What is a Data Scientist? Tunkelang says “data scientists turn big data into big value, delivering products that delight users and insight that forms business decisions.” It’s this type of “big value” that leads to innovative products like the professional networking company’s “People You May Know” feature. (Facebook does it, too.)

Pretty cool, right? Know what's even more cool? This feature gives us a richer user experience and so we spend more time on the sites, searching those familiar names. Advertisers love that high engagement, and they pay big money for it.*

Part of the reason for my new obsession is because I joined a social and mobile analytics firm recently and it's totally changed the way I think of the online world. I mean, the trillions of actions we all make--from our Facebook posts to our tweets to Q&As on Quora to even those silly games we're playing on our phones (Angry Birds, I'm talking to you!)--are telling so many incredible stories about us as a whole. (Sometimes even history-making kinds of stories.)

And, I've learned that a lot of businesses are on information overload. Even if they have the infrastructure in place to collect the data, unless they have data scientists who are trained to analyze the data, it can be not only overwhelming but absolutely worthless. So, if you're in the social and mobile space, you have to ask yourself if you have the data science--the lens--needed to effectively interpret the data?

It’s how Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn stay competitive. And, it's what you need if you want to keep up, too.



*Disclaimer: This is just the tip of the iceberg. There are so many other factors involved. I'll definitely share what I learn in the coming months.




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Love is in the (red) hair!

These pups make Cat one happy girl.

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So you want to be in television news?

When I was a reporter, we had so many interns shadowing us. This is really what they sounded like.







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It's that time of year again!

Click here!

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Make way for a 50-ton miracle

You've probably already seen this story by now but, in case you haven't, I thought I'd share it with you: California surfer receives whale of an escort during marathon paddle.

Jodie Nelson had made a pledge to her best friend, who is battling breast cancer. Nelson, a 34-year-old surfer, promised to standup-paddle nearly 40 miles along the California coast to raise money for cancer charities, and to inspire her sick friend to keep fighting. But, as valiant as her intentions were, Nelson didn't get the support she'd hoped for.

Nelson raised only about $6,000 in advance of the paddle, disappoingtingly short of her target of $100,000 for the Keep a Breast Foundation and Boarding for Breast Cancer.

And, that might have been the end of it--if it hadn't been for "Larry." Shortly after the journey began, Larry, a 30-foot minke whale, joined Nelson on her journey, swimming alongside her for two hours as she paddled through calm waters; he even blew bubbles under Nelson's board. What makes this story more spectacular is, according to marine biologists, minke whales are extremely elusive and rarely seen off the Southern California coast.

The story was featured prominently on the Yahoo! homepage on Friday and it caught on quickly. By the time I donated to Nelson's effort early Friday morning, she'd raised nearly $50,000 through her online site. NBC Nightly News ran her story that evening and more people pulled out their wallets. As of this today, donations have skyrocketed to more than $120,000. Hopefully, they'll continue rolling in.

It's such a great story on so many levels; I think that's why so many people wanted to be a part of it, myself included. If you'd like to donate too, you can do so by visiting Nelson's Web site:
Keep a Breast Foundation - Paddle with Purpose.


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One step at a time

Catherine Mylinh was not sure, with its twisty turns, steep inclines and slippery slopes, how she would make it through the 20-mile hike but she took a deep breath and did the one thing she did know how to do: place one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. There were many times she wanted to turn around, give up. Once, she even slipped and fell. Slowly, though, she hoisted herself up, brushed herself off, and kept on going. Then suddenly she was at the finish line, staring at the majestic coast, the trail completed and left behind. Satisfied, she thought to herself, "Such is life, and life is grand."


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