👋 You’re a brilliant engineer.
You’ve mastered the code, earned respect, and now you’ve been promoted.

Suddenly, the job isn’t about solving technical problems.
It’s about leading humans.

That’s where many engineers struggle.

Meetings go quiet.
Decisions bottleneck.
Delegation feels awkward.
Imposter syndrome creeps in.

What made you successful - technical mastery - suddenly isn’t enough.

If you’re a CEO or CTO, you’ve seen this story play out:
Your rockstar IC gets promoted... and flounders.
You risk losing both a great engineer and your leadership pipeline.

👉 That’s why I created coded2lead — coaching for engineers making the IC → leader leap.

With 20+ years scaling teams and shipping software, I’ve lived both sides.

Today I help engineers:

•  Build trust
•  Read the room
•  Run meetings people actually speak in
•  Stop accidentally becoming bottlenecks

In other words:
I help engineers become trusted leaders.

✨ My approach blends systems thinking with emotional intelligence.
Leadership isn’t just what you say — it’s what you train every day.

If you or your engineers are navigating this transition, let’s talk.

📅 Book a coaching intro call: coded2lead.com

Robert Harris

🔁 Career Transition

For the past several years, I’ve been running my own gardening business managing operations, optimising routes, tracking costs, and making day-to-day decisions that directly affected profitability. What started as simple tracking in spreadsheets slowly turned into a genuine interest in understanding patterns, performance, and how better data leads to better decisions.

That curiosity is what pushed me into data analytics.

I’m now transitioning into a Data Analyst role, building hands-on experience in SQL and PostgreSQL to explore datasets, uncover trends, and turn raw numbers into clear, actionable insights. I recently completed the DataCamp Associate Data Analyst certification and continue developing practical projects using real-world data.

At the moment, I’m analysing LinkedIn engagement data to understand which content performs best, how posting behaviour impacts follower growth, and how reach translates into meaningful interaction.

What I bring to data:

- A business-owner mindset focused on outcomes, not just dashboards

- Real-world decision-making experience under pressure

- Clear communication of insights in a way people actually understand

I’m especially interested in roles where I can combine analytical thinking with commercial awareness, keep learning from experienced analysts and probably drink far too much tea while debugging SQL.

Alex Hedges

I thought a Data Analyst’s job was basically… tools.

SQL.
Power BI.
Excel.
Dashboards.

That’s what I thought I was signing up for.

But since starting this path, I’ve realised something:

A Data Analyst doesn’t get paid for using tools.

They get paid for thinking.

Tools are just the vehicle.

The real work is.. 

• understanding the question behind the request
• defining what “good” actually means (and what metric matters)
• spotting what’s missing or misleading in the data
• explaining the “why” in a way a human can act on
• turning numbers into decisions

And honestly… I didn’t see that at first.

As a junior, it’s easy to believe
“If I learn the tools, I’ll be ready.”

But the moment you start building projects you realise.

Getting the query to run is step one.
Understanding what it means is the job.

So if you’re new to data and feeling overwhelmed…

Don’t panic if you don’t know every tool yet.

Start here:
Learn how to ask better questions.
Learn how to interpret results.
Learn how to tell the story.

Because the best analysts aren’t the ones with the most tools…

They’re the ones who can create clarity.

#DataAnalytics #JuniorData #LearningInPublic #CareerTransition #SQL

Data Analyst | SQL • Data Analysis | Career Transition

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“I’ll just run one quick SQL query…”
Famous last words.

Because “one quick query” turns into...

- fixing the date format
- discovering the column name is slightly different than you thought
- realising half the rows are NULL
- adding “just one more” filter
- 7 CTEs later… you’re calculating an average of an average of an average

And then you finally get the result…

…and you don’t even trust it.
So you run it again.
And again.
And again.

Data people don’t have imposter syndrome.
We have query trust issues 🤣.

#DataAnalytics #SQL #LearningInPublic #TechHumor #EarlyCareer

Stop applying to “data analyst” jobs.
Apply to a lane.

Because right now the market isn’t empty…

It’s crowded with people who all look the same:

“Learning SQL”
“Learning Power BI”
“Building projects”
“Open to work”

And if you’re a junior, that can feel brutal.

Here’s what changed everything for me:

Pick a lane.
Healthcare. Finance. Retail. Sports. Marketing. E-commerce.

Not because you’re locking yourself in forever…

…but because it gives you identity.

When you choose a lane

• your projects stop being random
• your portfolio starts telling a story
• your CV becomes easier to understand
• interviews become easier to answer
• recruiters know where to place you

Instead of being “a junior learning data”…

You become..
a junior who can solve problems in a specific world.

And that’s what gets you hired.

Because companies don’t hire “SQL learners”.

They hire people who understand

• the business
• the decisions
• the outcomes
• the story behind the numbers

So if you feel stuck right now, try this

Don’t learn everything.
Learn what matters for your lane.

That’s how you go from invisible…
to obvious.

#DataAnalytics #CareerTransition #EarlyCareer #LearningInPublic #JobSearch

Today’s reminder for anyone learning something new. 

Progress doesn’t always look like results.
Sometimes it looks like:

• opening the laptop anyway
• rewatching the same concept
• fixing something you broke yesterday

I’m still learning data.
Still running a business.
Still figuring out how to make the transition work.

No big win today.
Just consistency.

And sometimes, that’s enough.

We just have to keep showing up!

#LearningInPublic #CareerTransition #EarlyCareer #GrowthMindset #Consistency

There’s a price to success.

And it rarely looks glamorous.

Sometimes it means.. 

• Fewer nights out
• Working when others are resting
• Ignoring comments you don’t agree with
• Neglecting friends but not realising
• Tough comments from family members 

We all pay a different price.
And what we sacrifice won’t look the same for everyone.

For me it’s …

• Evenings spent learning instead of switching off
• Balancing a full-time gardening business with studying data
• Choosing long-term change over short-term comfort

That part isn’t easy to talk about.

But what makes it bearable
is knowing it isn’t permanent.

It’s a season.

And seasons change.

#LearningInPublic #JuniorDeveloper #DataAnalytics #EarlyCareer #BuildInPublic

The best thing to do when a tutorial or course finishes?
Implement what you’ve learned.

Not bookmark another course.
Not jump to the next playlist.
Not wait until you “feel ready.”

Actually use it.

Whether you’re learning data analytics or development, the real learning starts after the tutorial ends.

That’s when…

• things don’t work the first time
• errors don’t look like the examples
• you have to make decisions without step-by-step guidance

That discomfort is the point.

Build something small.
Write your own query.
Create a tiny feature.
Break it. Fix it. Improve it.

Courses teach concepts.
Implementation builds confidence.

Especially at junior level, progress doesn’t come from how much you watch it comes from how much you try.

So when the tutorial ends…

That’s when the work actually begins

#LearningInPublic #JuniorDeveloper #DataAnalytics #EarlyCareer #BuildInPublic

If you’re a junior, indecision is more expensive than mistakes.

And I say that as someone who’s been there.

I’m not saying you need to have it all figured out on day one.
You should explore.

Try things.
Follow curiosity.
Test what you enjoy.

But there’s a point where exploration turns into… delay.

Because when you’re pulled in 3 different directions..

• you learn a little bit of everything
• but you don’t build depth in anything
• and progress starts to feel slow (even when you’re working hard)

Having a direction doesn’t mean you’re locked in forever.

It just means your effort finally starts to stack.

And as a junior, that matters.

There’s already a massive amount to learn.
A huge amount of knowledge to consume.
Endless tools, paths, and opinions.

Direction is what stops you drowning in it all.

So explore early…
but before you start applying for roles, pick your lane.

Because clarity speeds up the journey.

And momentum is what gets you hired.

#CareerTransition #LearningInPublic #EarlyCareer #JuniorDeveloper #DataAnalytics

Two jobs. One goal.

Most people don’t see this part of a career transition.

They see the “learning SQL” updates.
The GitHub commits.
The project screenshots.

But this is the other side of it.

Cold mornings.
Outdoor work.
Running a full-time gardening business.
Still showing up when it would be easier not to.

Then later… I’m inside learning data.

Writing queries.
Building projects.
Trying to understand KPIs.
Learning how to turn numbers into insights.

Two completely different worlds.

But the same mindset.

Because I’m not trying to escape hard work.
I’m just choosing a different kind of hard.

The truth is, the career switch isn’t one big leap.

It’s hundreds of small decisions

• to keep learning after long days
• to stay consistent even when progress feels slow
• to keep going when the outcome isn’t guaranteed

And I think that’s why I’m so confident this will happen.

Not because I’m the smartest person in the room…
but because I know how to keep showing up.

#CareerTransition #LearningInPublic #DataAnalytics #EarlyCareer #GrowthMindset

Learning data has taught me this…

Understanding the query
is harder than writing the query.

You can follow a tutorial.
You can copy the syntax.
You can get the result to run.

But then comes the real question

What is this actually telling me?

What does this number mean?
Why does it change?
And who is it useful for?

That’s the shift I’m learning to make.

From writing SQL that works
to building queries that explain something.

Because in data,
code is only half the job.

Clarity is the real skill.

#DataAnalytics #LearningInPublic #SQL #EarlyCareer #CareerTransition

Time is more valuable than motivation.

We all say we want something:
a new career
a new skill
a different future

But wanting it isn’t the hard part.

The hard part is changing your priorities to match it.

Time gets spent whether we plan it or not.
The question is where it’s going.

For me, that’s meant..

• learning after long workdays
• choosing focus over comfort
• saying no more than I’d like to

Not forever.
Just for now.

Because real change doesn’t come from big gestures.
It comes from quiet, repeated choices.

If you truly want something,
your calendar will eventually reflect it.

Not perfectly.
But honestly.

And that’s usually enough to move forward.

#DataAnalytics #JuniorData #SQL #LearningInPublic #EarlyCareer

Knowing your value isn’t about confidence.
It’s about evidence.

Early in your career, it’s easy to feel replaceable.
You don’t have years of experience.
You don’t tick every requirement.

So you doubt yourself.

But value isn’t seniority.
Value is usefulness.

Your value grows when you can:
• solve one real problem
• explain what you’re learning
• show up consistently

You don’t need permission to build this.
You don’t need to “feel ready”.

You earn confidence by stacking proof.
And proof comes from doing the work.

Know your value.
Then keep increasing it.

#BuildInPublic #CareerGrowth #CareerSwitchers #EarlyCareer #PersonalBrand

Junior Data Analyst | SQL • Data Analysis | Career Transition

From Garden Beds → Data Sets (Week 15) 🌱➡️📊

This week I worked on my second SQL query: daily_follower_growth.

The goal was simple:

• track followers gained each day
• find the highest and lowest days
• check whether each day was above or below average

It was a solid SQL week.
I am becoming more confident with the structure and how the query’s flow. 

But I also had a realisation…

I’ve been so focused on writing the query
that I wasn’t spending enough time on the part that actually matters…

deriving insights from the data.

Getting the numbers is one thing.
Understanding what they mean is the real skill.

Why did the spikes happen?
What caused the drop-offs?
What patterns are repeating?

That takes time.

Not because it’s hard to calculate…
but because you’re training your mind to spot what’s important.

SQL builds the output.
Insights build the value.

Week 15 done. We keep showing up!

#SQL #DataAnalytics #LearningInPublic #CareerTransition #EarlyCaree

From Garden Beds → Data Sets (Week 14) 🌱➡️📊

This week I worked on my first monthly_overview query for my SQL project.

It meant.. 

• writing and testing the query in DBeaver
• making sure it actually worked
• then moving the code into my VS Code repo

Nothing flashy but a big step for me.

I know best practice SQL keywords are uppercase, however DBeaver wasn’t having any of it 😅

I implemented two CTEs and started getting more familiar with KPIs (Key Performance Indicators).

But the biggest learning wasn’t just the SQL.

It was the thinking.

I’ve been spending a lot of time asking..

• what story is this query trying to tell?
• what should someone understand from this data?
• what actually matters, vs what just looks impressive?

That mindset shift has been huge.

Coming from running a gardening business, I’m used to thinking in outcomes:
growth, health, results over time.

Data isn’t that different.
You’re still observing patterns just in rows instead of soil.

Slow progress.
Real learning.
Week 14 done.

#LearningInPublic #SQL #DataAnalytics #CareerTransition #EarlyCareer

From Garden Beds → Data Sets (Week 16) 🌱➡️📊

This project is coming together nicely now and we’re not far off it being completed.

My next big task is making sure I structure the README properly so the project is easy to understand and actually useful to someone viewing it.
(Any advice would be massively appreciated!)

On the SQL side, we’re making great progress too.

This week I worked on Query 4: finding which post per topic performed best.

And for the first time in the project, I used a window function to get it done.

I’m still not at the point where the query flows out effortlessly, it takes time. This is why you have to do it daily until it becomes second nature.

It’s a small win, but it feels like a big milestone.
The more I build, the more I realise data isn’t just writing queries…

It’s shaping the results into something that tells a clear story.

What’s fascinated me most is how each query changes the way you interpret the data.

Also thank you to everyone who’s given me advice and feedback on this project so far.
It’s genuinely helped more than you know.

Week 16 done 🌱➡️📊

#SQL #DataAnalytics #LearningInPublic #CareerTransition #EarlyCareer

Me: “I’ll just finish this SQL query.”

Also me 10 minutes later: 🎶 I Could use somebody (Yes I got stuck 🤣)

Debugging, but make it musical. 
Thought I would share how I reset! 👀

taplio

The Battle

Robert Harris

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taplio

The Battle

Robert Harris

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Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Alex Hedges's LinkedIn Performance

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