Daliana Liu

Daliana Liu Coaching

90% senior IC and leaders in tech got stuck in their careers because they lack two things: a) communication skills and b) understanding of their goals and strengths.

There are 3 ways I coach my clients:

1. Develop the communication skills to deliver high-impact projects and get promoted.
2. Build a trustworthy personal brand to attract high-quality opportunities or future customers.
3. Get clarity on your niche and design a career path that works best for you.

Want to reach your full potential without burning out?

I offer courses and 1-on-1 coaching: DM me on LinkedIn or email daliana@dalianaliu.com with your bio and the area you need coaching.

Join my newsletter with 20k readers: https://dalianaliu.kit.com/profile

Founder, Coach to Senior ICs, Tech Execs, Founders

The Data Scientist Show

• Built the podcast to the Top 100 US Tech Podcast.

• Built partnerships and advised GTM/content strategies for leading B2B Data & AI startups like Statsig (Acq. by OpenAI), Eppo (Acq. by Datadog), NVIDIA, Monte Carlo Data, Predibase (Acq. by Rubrik), SingleStore, Galileo AI, etc.

• Loved by the audience, highly rated on Apple and Spotify (4.8/5)

It's a deep dive into data scientists' day-to-day work, how they tackle technical problems, and their career journeys. This podcast helps you grow a successful career in data science. Listening to an episode is like having lunch with an experienced mentor. Guests are data science practitioners from various industries, AI researchers, economists, and CTOs of AI companies.

It has been re-branded to "Daliana's Game". 
Old episodes are still available on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, and all podcast platforms.

Founder, Host, Content Partnership Advisor

Predibase

• Developed technical content and led the online and in-person workshops to educate thousands of AI/ML practitioners on declarative ML and LLM finetuning.

• Advised the company and co-founders on data & AI content strategies and personal branding.

• Created a strategic partnership with Deeplearning.ai, which led to course collaborations with Andrew Ng's team and boosted the awareness of the product.

Senior Data Scientist/Developer Advocate

Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Machine Learning Solutions Lab: I work with AWS customers to translate the business problems to ML problems and build the models for them.
 
• Led the project with Sportradar to develop a Soccer Goal Predictor using action recognition models. The solution will help broadcasters with storytelling and fan engagement.
• Led the project with UIUC Football coaches to improve game preparation. Our ML model automated the process and reduced the workflow from hours to under 10 mins, and it provides more insights for the coaches.

Senior Data Scientist - Machine Learning

Data Scientist

Amazon

• A/B Testing (experiment design, causal inference, decision making, metrics deep dive)
Collecting data, generating features, and building machine learning models for prediction with customer behavioral data to shorten experimentation time.

• Designed success metrics for marketing and business for better and faster decision making
Created data visualization tools and analytics report 

• Gave company-wide training and workshops on A/B testing and data-driven decision-making

• Created a knowledge-sharing internal newsletter on "A/B testing learnings and best practices". Grew the list to 1,000+ subscribers.

Boingo Wireless

• Won 1st place in the Boingo Wireless Hackathon by creating a time series model using trigonometric functions to forecast daily ad capacity. 

• As the first and only data analyst, I led time series analysis and capacity forecasting projects and delivered business insights to marketing and sales executives.

Business Intelligence Data Analyst

SMIF UCI

• Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) Team

• Our team won 1st place in the CFA Orange County portfolio management competition in 2012.

• Conducted top-bottom research pertinent to the $33,000 fund’s investment objective, including economic research, industries research, and asset allocation.

Equity Research Analyst

I'm a career coach and entrepreneur. Previously, I was a Senior Data Scientist at Amazon with 7 years of experience in data science & ML. 

When I started my career, I felt lost. I struggled to meet expectations and feared I wasn't good enough. I had to figure out how to navigate my career and advocate for myself. Eventually, I got promoted to a senior data scientist at Amazon, leading high-impact projects and mentoring data scientists and MLEs. My career advice has been featured on Business Insider, Amazon Science Blog, and VentureBeat.

In my coaching program, I help data science/ML professionals advance their careers and future-proof themselves without the burnout. 

If you want to explore coaching, join my newsletter https://dalianaliu.kit.com/profile

Last night felt surreal. I went to The Monkey King (猴王悟空) opera with Chip Huyen and Khailee Ng — three friends from China, Vietnam, and Malaysia, all connected by the same childhood memory.

For anyone who didn't grow up with him: The Monkey King is a rebellious, brilliant, rule-breaking monkey who went on a journey to retrieve Buddhist scriptures. One of the most iconic characters in Chinese culture.

Seeing his story performed in English and Mandarin at the San Francisco Opera was magical.

Thank you to the NVIDIA team for the invitation — and especially to Jensen Huang and his family, who served as Honorary Chairs of this world premiere. They partnered with SF Opera to bring this iconic Asian story to a global stage.

We got there early to join a pre-show interview with Jensen, someone asked him “what do you like the most about the Monkey King?” He smiled and said: "The monkey is a little naughty."

That’s right. The Monkey King isn’t a traditional hero. He's fearless, resiliant, yet mischievous. He can fight anyone, outsmart demons, and endure the darkest challenges — he was buried under a mountain for 500 years.

Yet he emerges still playful, still pure at heart. 

He has seen the weight of the world, but somehow keeps his childlike innocence. I wonder if Jensen sees a bit of his own resilience and playful nature in Monkey King's story.

The show was a beautiful blend of Western Opera, Chinese Opera, acrobatics, and immersive light design. The New York Times called it "a jaw-dropping feat of music theater. Worth looking into if you're in the Bay Area!

I hope more tech leaders continue to support the arts in this city — bringing people together in real life.

Helping tech leaders and senior ICs gain visibility, build optionality, and achieve their versions of success | Ex-Amazon Sr. Data Scientist

Someone just asked me: "If layoffs can happen anytime, does getting a promotion still matter?"
It depends ⤵

If you're already at that level and learning to advocate for yourself, influence others, and navigate politics: yes. Go get what you deserve. Those skills transfer everywhere.

But if chasing the title is a distraction, if there's another team where you'd learn more even if it delays the promotion: skip it.

The real questions: 
1. Am I building skills that compound? 
2. How much value does this title actually add to my resume and personal brand?

Your technical skills might be obsolete in 3 years. Your ability to influence stakeholders, lead cross-functional teams, and advocate for your impact compounds forever.

Either way, stay engaged. Build the relationships. Learn from every project.

The goal isn't to collect titles. It's to build the skills & your personal brand to make you valuable in any market.

I believe 3 skills are essential to win in the next 5 years. I break them down in my "Contractor Economy Starter Kit" article. Get full access: https://lnkd.in/exDzawDb

Five things I'm grateful for in 2025:

1. My digital nomad journey in Asia & US

After living in 5 cities in Asia, I finally lived in NYC for 5 months as my last stop. I'm grateful for the new friends I made along the way. Except this time, I made friends differently. 

I used to go to a lot of meetups when visiting a new city, but this time, I only relied on friends' referrals. I asked them who they think I should meet. The connection is so much deeper when it's vetted by people you trust. Quality > Quantity.

2. My teachers outside of Tech 

I haven’t written a line of code in two years. Instead, I treated coaching like a second Master’s degree. I realized giving people a strategy isn’t enough. You have to work on their emotion. 

Because emotion is what actually drives decisions. To the executive coaches and healers who taught me how to help people overcome fear and self-doubt: Thank you. This work is more rewarding than any code I’ve ever shipped.

3. The Client Wins 

Nothing beats this. I watched clients transform: 
→ From terrified of presenting to winning executive buy-in. 
→ From stalled careers to securing Senior promotions. 
→ From "scared to post" to landing speaking invites at conferences. 
→ From undercharging to launching their dream products. 

I always believe in my frameworks, but seeing real results motivates me to share this with more people!

4. The Community - You

From the quiet lurkers to those who send heartfelt emails and LinkedIn comments — thank you. I read every response. Even if we haven't met, reading your stories feels like hearing from a friend. You fill my "jar of love" and keep me going. 🤎

5. Time with Family (The most important one) 

I got to see my grandpa before he passed away this year. That moment clarified everything. It reminded me exactly why I chose this path of freedom. I didn’t leave the corporate ladder just to travel. I left so I could be present for the moments that actually matter.

All of these things led me here. And I want to help you find that same freedom and fulfillment for 2026.

So, for Thanksgiving, I am doing an "All-In" special offer as a gift to you. I am unlocking ALL my course materials (20+ hours) + a 1-on-1 Strategy Call with me to map out your next career move.

Whether you want to climb the corporate ladder or build your optionality, this bundle covers the exact frameworks I used to get promoted in Big Tech and build a successful personal brand. They are from my $2,000+ courses and are now only $199 for Thanksgiving week.

Claim the offer: 
Register to see the details: https://lnkd.in/e7PmgfpW

Thank you for being part of this journey.

Daliana

How top 1% data scientists communicate with stakeholders - a checklist I wish I had 8 years ago (pay attention to the last one):

We are officially in the "wrapping up" season. How you communicate your wins now determines the projects (and promotion) you get in 2026. 

Here are 3 things I learned from the top 1% data scientists:

1. Put it in a "what if" scenario using business metrics 

❌ Don't say, "The model has 85% accuracy in predicting customer churn" 

✅ Say "If we implement this model, we could prevent losing ~850 out of every 1000 at-risk customers, saving approximately $1.2M in annual revenue based on our average customer lifetime value."

2. Use English terms instead of jargon 

❌ Don't say, "We used XGBoost with SHAP values for feature importance." 

✅ Say "We built a system that learns from past customer behavior, and it shows us the top 3 warning signs before a customer leaves - price sensitivity, declining usage, and support tickets."

3. Help your stakeholders explain it to their stakeholders 

❌ Don't assume your job is done when you get direct stakeholder buy-in. 

✅ Your mission: Make your stakeholders look like heroes to their bosses! Package your insights into ready-to-use slides with compelling narratives. Remember: Your work's success depends not just on your direct stakeholder's approval but on their ability to champion it up the chain.

If you want to drive impact and get promoted in 2026, you have to stop thinking like an "executor" and start thinking like a "partner."

You need to know: 
→ How to influence stakeholders without authority. 
→ How to present to Executives (so they actually listen). 
→ How to make your impact visible to the people who control your budget.

I have helped data scientists/MLEs get promoted and receive excellent performance reviews by teaching them the "Corporate Mastery" frameworks that nobody teaches in school.

For Thanksgiving, I am unlocking my entire playbook. I’ve put ALL my courses into one "All-In" Bundle. It includes:
1. Senior Promotion Strategies: How to get promoted without burning out.
2. Stakeholder Management: How to get buy-in for your ideas.
3. Executive Presentation: Turning "shy presenter" into "confident speaker."
4. DS/ML Project Strategies: How to identify and deliver high-impact projects
5. LinkedIn Personal Branding: Attract high-quality career opportunities 

Plus, you get a 45-minute 1-on-1 Strategy Call with me. We will sit down and map out exactly how you get to the next level in 2026.

Total Value: $2,000+, previously only available through group coaching.
Thanksgiving Offer: $199 for 6 weeks. You'll have plenty of time to binge-watch the 20 hours of on-demand courses during the holidays.

How to claim your offer:
Register here to view the details: https://lnkd.in/enGsKSwB

I am unlocking ALL my courses.

Whether you want to climb the corporate ladder or build a path outside of it, this "All Courses" bundle covers the exact frameworks I used to get promoted in Big Tech and build a successful personal brand that helps me grow my business.

What’s Inside:

Part 1: DS/ML Career Accelerator
↳Senior Promotion Strategies: How to get promoted without burning out.
↳Stakeholder Management & Influence: How to influence stakeholders and get buy-in 
↳Impact Creation: How to find high-impact projects and iterate for success

Part 2: Personal Branding & Freedom
↳LinkedIn Mastery: How to build a trustworthy brand and write viral posts.
↳Niche Finding: Future-proof your career by owning a specific problem.
↳The Creator Business Roadmap: How to package your knowledge and launch your side-hustle.

This isn't just theory. It's the exact playbook my clients used to: 
✅ Secure senior-level promotion.
✅ Turn a "shy" presentation style into C-Suite buy-in.
✅ Earn top-tier performance reviews at FAANG companies.
✅ Build personal brands that led to speaking invites.
✅ Created engaging LinkedIn posts that attract paying clients.
✅ Launch websites and products after years of procrastination.

For the next 48 hours, get full access for $199. (If you bought these separately, it would be $2,000+ ) You'll have 6 weeks to watch the content, which is plenty of time during the holidays.

🎁 THE BONUS: You also get a 45-minute 1-on-1 Strategy Call with me. We will sit down, review your situation, and map out your next career move.​

Claim this offer before it expires. 

Comment "Unlock" and I'll send you the details.

You should have an "Independent Contractor Mindset" even if you have a full-time job today.
Some people think that means 3 things: 

→ Do the bare minimum 
→ Stop caring about your coworkers
→ Ignore work relationships, just ship technical work

That's the OPPOSITE of what I mean.

The misconception is to think that Contractor Mindset means protecting yourself by disengaging.

Actually, the best contractors do exactly what the best employees do: 
→ They maintain deep relationships with clients 
→ They understand the client's broader business needs 
→ They become trusted advisors, not just executors 
→ They get bigger contracts, more equity, strategic influence

So, what's the difference?
Here's what the Contractor Mindset looks like in practice:

→ You're fully engaged in your current role AND you're keeping your LinkedIn updated and building your personal brand.
→ You're pursuing that promotion AND you're learning stakeholder management that works anywhere.
→ You're committed to your team's success AND you're protecting time for family, friends, and side projects.

The Contractor Mindset isn't about checking out. 

It's about staying engaged, gaining transferable skills, and building optionality outside your job.

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I believe 3 skills are essential to win in the Contractor Economy. I break them down in my "Contractor Economy Starter Kit" article. Get full access by clicking the View My Newsletter button ☝🏼.

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