When people say data scientists are needed in every industry these days, they aren’t kidding. There is a world of cool options out there, and 2022 Denison graduate Ollie Lueck is a prime example. Ollie works at Datassential, a company that works with food and beverage companies (manufacturers, distributors, restaurants, supermarkets, etc.) to predict industry trends, and stay on top of quickly changing consumer preferences. At Datassential, Ollie’s work as a Market Research Analyst has her working with clients to get the most value they can out of Datassential’s intelligence platform, along with doing some menu data collection.
Supporting clients in using Datassential’s platform is no small feat. Their AI-powered tools can help clients predict popularity growth of specific food or beverage components, see what items are closely associated in terms of sales, identify local area-dependent popularity, and even see consumer name recognition for individual menu items. And these tools are helpful for organizations regardless of scale. Some industry giants rely on Datassential’s analytics platform: Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, Chick-fil-A, and Wawa, to name a few. With the powerful insights offered, companies can determine what will go on menus, potentially in specific locations, and even what would make for a successful limited time offer.
How does Datassential have the knowledge to power such a comprehensive set of tools? Ollie explained the company’s quarterly surveys, regularly updating their database with the most recent information. In addition to conducting their own surveys to stay up to date regarding industry trends, Datassential also allows clients to purchase spots in the survey to gauge consumer interest in potential menu items.
Ollie is a big fan of her work, but actually didn’t even start in the same industry right out of college. After going into health research, she says she was able to transition easily to her work at Datassential due to her strong skill base from being a Data Analytics major at Denison. A major piece of her success, she says, is her ability to communicate well with data. It’s about more than just being able to crunch numbers – there’s a reason behind any analysis, and communicating that purpose is critical, along with the value the narrative can bring to the audience. And you can take her word for it when it comes to being prepared for the professional world – her senior research project at Denison looked into whether the syllabi for Data Analytics and Computer Science classes at Denison aligned with the core requirements for entry-level positions in those fields.
If you’d like to hear more about Ollie’s career path, her work at Datassential, or her advice for early professionals in tech, you can reach out to her at lueck_o1@denison.edu. She’s a great resource!
