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The career-defining question for any data professional STILL struggles to communicate confidently in English…
What if you could finally
"speak the same language"
as those not-so-technical stakeholders?
You can build a state-of-the-art model that will increase sales. You can uncover vital insights about customer turnover. You can create stunning visualizations. But you need to combine advanced technical skills with great communication skills if you want to...
Happy clients working at:
Take Your Career to the Next Level
Everyday data professionals uncover helpful insights. But they often confuse managers by over-explaining their work.
….Or worse yet, have executives tell them that they “don’t agree” with the data.
So think about it….can you really confidently communicate in English with diverse stakeholders?
And even if your current role is largely technical, you still must be able to clearly discuss your expertise during interviews.
Because as you know data scientists were once labeled “the sexiest job of the 21st century”
So the global talent pool? It’s expanding. Fast.
The most successful individuals combine world-class technical abilities with great communication skills.
And those who don’t? They get left behind.
So if you know you could improve your English and finally...
....make a great impression during interviews
...actually speak up during meetings and
...give the types of presentations that people remember.
But you're not sure how to break through your current level.
Then what follows could be a turning point in your career.
It could be THE pivotal moment in your transformation into someone who can drive change through a combination of great technical and communication skills.
The Data-Business Gap
It’s 10 am on a Tuesday. It’s your turn to share your screen. You’ve been tasked with updating your colleagues on an important forecasting project. This project could help your business save a lot of money.
Your heart starts to beat faster. Your leg starts to shake. Your face is a bit red.
You’ve spent the last 2 months working on this project. And 2 days preparing this presentation. You’re really proud of your work.
You begin with all the relevant background details. You discuss the importance of data quality. You introduce your forecasts. You even mention how other departments will be able to use these models.
Boom!! A key business problem is solved. Until..
…a skeptical executive questions the return on investment.
This makes you say to yourself….
“I thought I just explained that…”
So you attempt to explain that investing in quality data will lead to quality forecasts. But skepticism remains.
You're nervous. You try again. And again. At this point, you’re just repeating yourself.
Maybe, they just don’t see the value in your project or…
…maybe the project isn’t the ideal solution to the problem.
This interaction reminds you of an article you read on LinkedIn 2 weeks ago.
It was titled: “Why 85% of data analytics projects fail”
The key lesson? There’s often a pretty big gap between data teams and business teams.
Now you’re certain. The data-business gap? It's real.
But you’re an analytical individual. You’re paid because of your technical, programming, and statistics skills.
You get it—communication skills are important.
However, you’re busy. You work 9-hour days on multiple projects. You still find time to learn new technical skills on Coursera. Maybe the business team should develop data literacy so they understand you.
But if you can't effectively communicate the business impact of your work…it doesn’t matter how good your technical solutions are.
The best projects?
….will be given to colleagues.
The best clients?
… will work with others.
The best jobs?
… will go to those who demonstrate excellent communication skills in interviews.
With all of those technical skills, isn’t it time to truly make a difference?
You deserve to have your insights valued.
You deserve to have all of those “data-driven executives” actually listen to the data.
You deserve the opportunity to bring value to new organizations.
And let’s be clear….
You’re not trying to give TED Talks in English.
You just want to speak the "same language" as business stakeholders
So you can…
…finally get buy-in from that skeptical marketing manager
…present insights that create buzz amongst your coworkers
…offer recommendations that a data-driven CEO simply cannot ignore
…and open Gmail and see “Congrats - We can’t wait for you to join the team!” after interviewing for your dream job.
You can make that a reality.
But first we need to discuss...
The Stories You Tell Yourself...
Story #1
When it comes to communication? You're not a "natural."
Every few weeks you watch one of your bosses give a great presentation. Or easily explain how an algorithm works to a fellow manager.
You’re always impressed. It seems so easy for her.
When it comes to communication? She’s a natural.
…Except, she’s not.
Because there’s no such thing as “naturals.”
You’re not born with skills. You learn them.
Did you wake up one day knowing how to write that perfect SQL query? Or visualize your data using R?
No.
You learned new techniques to clean data efficiently. You asked for advice on how to make your forecasts more accurate. You practiced. You experimented. You continuously improved.
And now when you apply your technical skills? It seems effortless. You’re a “natural”
And your boss?
She learned techniques for how to communicate with skeptical stakeholders. She asked for advice on how to answer those tough questions about her data. She practiced. She experimented. She continuously improved.
And now when she applies her communication skills? It seems effortless. She’s a “natural”
But if your boss became an effective communicator through learning and practice…
…that means you can too.
Of course, you might learn a bit differently than her. You might make more mistakes. You may need more practice. It could take longer.
And that’s okay.
But if you’re motivated to learn communication skills, you can.
The first step? Understand what to learn.
Story #2
You need to improve your English accent or vocabulary.
Technical people from the United States…AKA “native speakers”...are often stereotyped as “geeks” who lack communication skills...
…and these native speakers aren’t struggling because of their accent or vocabulary.
So…what’s the problem?
Analytical people often “speak tech.”
And those business stakeholders? Well…they don’t.
So if your goal is to confidently communicate in English, ask yourself…
Is a wide vocabulary really going to help you explain the results of your A/B tests?
Probably not.
Will a native accent actually help you explain your technical experience during an interview?
Unlikely. Which means….
You should focus on your communication skills first.
And finally stop “speaking tech”
Then fill in your language gaps.
Story #3
You don't have time to improve your English communication skills.
You’re right. Improving your English communication skills takes lots of time and practice.
But that doesn’t mean you need to spend lots of extra time practicing…
Because you already communicate. All day. Every day.
You’re just not improving your communication skills every day.
But you could…
You just need to find practice opportunities.
And use them to ‘optimize’ your communication skills.
Your daily update with your manager? Practice opportunity.
Your email to the product team? Practice opportunity.
The presentation you need to give next month about cookieless tracking?
Definitely a practice opportunity
But if you just repeat what you’re doing now…
You’ll always end up right where you started
…with English communication skills you know could be better.
You won’t speak up during meetings. Your presentation will be “death by powerpoint.”
And you’ll rely solely on your technical skills to advance your career.
But if you use these practice opportunities to ‘optimize’ your communication skills…
And run A/B tests on your communication skills.
Then you can improve a little bit. Every day.
Without investing a lot of extra time.
And even if you don’t speak English often at work, this approach will help you develop great communication habits in your native language and....
…those habits will carry over when you do need to speak English.
Here’s how you can finally break through your current English level
In order to make communication skills your strength, you must master…
“What you say” and “How you say it”
Traditional language learning focuses on “what you say.” This is your grammar, vocabulary, and accent.
As for the “how?”
Well…that’s rarely addressed.
This is a problem because how you frame and present your ideas matters.
This is what makes great communicators seem so “natural.” No matter the situation, they excel.
It is also why there are millions of native English speakers who have really poor communication skills.
They certainly know “what to say”...
...they just don’t know “how to say it.”
Fortunately, you can Focus on Frameworks. This means learning “how” to communicate effectively.
You break down your communication into unique situations.
You learn how to frame and present your ideas for maximum impact.
You ensure you always communicate in a clear, brain-friendly way.
You practice. So you get better. Every day.
Then you fill in language gaps as needed.
When you Focus on Frameworks you can…
…provide clear 60-second updates during meetings that executives love.
…transform data into an engaging story that your colleagues remember.
…give a presentation where the sales team actually listens to your recommendation.
…ask stakeholders thought-provoking questions that help you design the perfect solution.
…and quietly walk into an interview confident that your communication skills are better than your competition.
Best of all?
It makes your communication skills cumulative. They build on one another.
You can learn a new framework today. And apply it tomorrow.
Then continue to master it throughout your career.
Eventually, you’ll be able to combine frameworks confidently.
And when it comes to both your technical and communication skills?
You’ll be viewed as a “natural”.
I was surprised and happy to discover that becoming a great speaker is a skill that you can learn and it's not something that is “natural” that can’t be taught. I realized you can actually learn how to add “sparkle” to your speech.
Introducing the...
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The only English communication course designed specifically for data professionals who want to confidently communicate in English during meetings, interviews, and presentations.
Here's what you'll get when you join the English Communication Bootcamp
Access to the entire English Bootcamp video library (8 complete units + 3 bonus units) until April 2024.
Practice speaking activities in each unit so you can master what you learn.
Ongoing feedback and advice from David after you complete each unit.
$
Pay What You Can
*This button will take you to the check-out page where you can select your payment amount*
Questions?
Learn more about the course and read the FAQs below
You're probably curious....Why am I offering you the course with no pricing in place?
In 2020 I began working exclusively with data professionals just like you.
They were data scientists, data analysts, business analysts and data engineers across the world. From Taiwan to Spain. Mexico to Saudi Arabia.
My clients worked at companies such as Facebook, IBM, Ernst & Young, Boston Consulting Group, Tiktok, Tesla, HP, Capgemini, and British Airways.
Some were searching for new jobs. Others wanted to do their current work better.
But most of these clients had positions with above average salaries.
So they were able to invest $1,000 to take 10 hours of private 1-on-1 lessons with me. And they saw great results. They were able to leverage their communication skills for new opportunities.
But I know a $1000 course is out-of-reach for most data professionals.
I’ve seen first hand the huge discrepancy in salaries. Data scientists in the U.S. can take home $200k per year. In many parts of the world salaries are 1/10th of that.
Next year, I'll be starting a new chapter in my life where I'll be using my data storytelling skills rather than teaching.
But in the meantime, I want to share the resources I've developed over the last 3 years with as many people as possible.
So if you…
...hear a colleague’s question and think to yourself “I thought I just explained that”
…have failed English interviews even though your technical skills are the perfect fit for the job
…dread the Q&A portion of their presentations
…have to overcome objections from skeptical stakeholders who believe “you can make the data say anything”
…struggle to explain your work to non-technical individuals
…or are worried your English skills are holding you back.
Then take advantage of this offer and pay what you can.
The recommended donation is $47.
However, if you’re between jobs...pay $30.
If you’re making 6 figures and can pay more...please do.
If you're working in a country with low salaries and can only afford to pay $5...Then pay $5
No matter what you pay you'll get access to the full English Communication Bootcamp for Data Professionals until April 2024.
This is an English communication course specifically designed to meet the unique communication challenges data professionals face every day.
A course that moves beyond grammar, vocabulary, and accents and instead encourages you to...
Focus on Frameworks.
You’ll practice dozens of communication frameworks in just 8 units so that you can progress rapidly.
You’ll excel in challenging communication situations. Whether you want to confidently discuss your strengths with a FAANG recruiter. Or you hope to convince skeptical executives to invest resources in data quality.
In the end, you will master both “what to say” AND “how to say it” so your communication skills match your technical skills.
David Gates M.Ed.
Pay What You Can?
I started to work on improving my story-telling and communication skills in English with David in August 2020. I was astonished by the quality and brightness of his approach and immediately recommended his program to my friends.
If you strive to be better in communication, either public or private - David will help you!
Before, I was really afraid of using English to do presentations or have an English interview. I would be stressed, nervous and speechless. I needed to memorize the transcript, otherwise, when audiences asked the question out of my preparation, I would totally draw a blank.
However, after taking David's class, it totally changed my way of preparing a presentation or an interview. He taught me how to speak in a storytelling formula without memorization, how to present in a persuasive way, and also taught me how to hold an engaging presentation.
Now, when I face an English presentation or interview I have more confidence than before. And when people ask me questions, I can answer fluently and persuasively
I took his classes in order to prepare for interviews in BCG Gamma. The remarkable points of his classes are threefold:
(1) He consistently taught me the importance of storytelling, which made it easy for me to structure my answer logically.
(2) He provided highly customized lessons to me.
(3) The lesson fee was very reasonable, and the ROI was greater than other competitors.
The result: thanks to his lessons, I was able to get an offer from BCG Gamma!
I recommend his course to every data scientist. David is for sure to give you appropriate guidance so you get your dream job!
You'll master essential skills in the
English Communication Bootcamp
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Unit 1: Start with Stories
Storytelling should be your superpower.
You’ve probably encountered great storytellers...
...the individuals who always engage an audience.
They make communication seem easy.
You’ve also probably encountered average storytellers. The people who tell a story that is kind of interesting. But then it goes on and on. And when they finish, you think to yourself “so what?”
Unfortunately, most people are average storytellers. Or worse yet, they’ve never even thought about their storytelling skills.
Being a poor or average storyteller can put you at a serious disadvantage in your career.
Because great storytellers use this skill to transform nearly every aspect of business communication.
Presentations. Interviews. Sales. Meetings. Marketing. Partnerships. Networking.
Storytelling becomes their superpower.
The first unit of the course will help you become a memorable storyteller. With the right framework and a little bit of practice, you can tell engaging stories in English quickly. And then leverage this skill for growth.
You’ll learn:
-
The simple storytelling framework you can use in every situation, whether you’re chatting with a colleague or pitching your new project.
-
The 4 essential elements you must include if you want to engage your audience. (Lesson 1.2)
-
How to make sure your story passes the “Beer Test.” (Lesson 1.3)
-
How to bring your stories to life with "Goldilocks" details (Lesson 1.6)
Unit 2: Concise Communication
Concise communication makes executives want to hear your opinion.
Have you ever heard a colleague give so many details about their project that you have no idea what they’re actually trying to say?
Or you’re updating the team about your work and you seem to be saying the same thing. Over and over and over.
Being able to communicate key information in as few words as possible makes it easier for others to understand you.
Less is more. That’s why concise communication is great for English learners.
In unit 2 you’ll learn:
-
Why communicating "the gap" is the most important communication skill you can develop (Lesson 2.2)
-
A 3-step framework that will make executives love your updates. (Lesson 2.3)
-
The two words that will help you show the the true value of your work (Lesson 2.5)
- Six rules for concise communication so you can give updates executives love (Lesson 2.6)
Before the lessons, every time I had to do a presentation I would be anxious and nervous because there were too many thoughts coming out in my brain which made it blow up. As a data scientist, sometimes I need to communicate with clients, and presentations really bother me.
But with David's storytelling techniques, I could finally organize the chaos in my mind, and use a clear structure to prepare the presentation. David CAN HELP.
Unit 3: Simplify Technical Concepts
“You don't really understand something unless you can explain it to your grandmother”
This famous quote is often incorrectly attributed to Albert Einstein. It doesn’t really matter who said it. Because the key lesson? It's spot on.
Great communicators explain complex ideas in simple ways.
Ineffective communicators make their explanations overly complex. They give too many details. They focus on the wrong information.
The end result?
Their coworkers nod along politely…pretending to understand.
But you should do better.
In this unit, you get the tools and techniques to easily explain technical concepts in English to everyone (even the marketing manager who never ever “gets it”)
You’ll see:
-
How to easily communicate the impact of your work (Lesson 3.4)
-
The language you must use to ensure that colleagues always listen to your technical explanations
-
How the "Aha" framework can help you explain complex data concepts (like machine learning) so your grandma (and your coworkers) understand (Lesson 3.5)
Unit 4: Discuss your data
Unit 4: Discuss your Data
You use data to improve your organization.
Whether you are…
….discussing the results of an A/B test with the marketing team
….updating the sales manager on KPIs about customer behavior
…or forecasting Q3 for the entire executive team.
You must be able to communicate insights clearly.
Unfortunately, after gathering so much information, it can be easy to simply list everything you learned.
Oh...the dreaded “data dump.”
You know that too much data will overwhelm your audience. And not enough? Then they may not trust your expertise.
The most effective communicators strike the perfect balance.
In this unit, you’ll see how to actually discuss data and numbers in English.
You get tips, tools, and frameworks to help you strike the perfect balance. So you can clearly communicate your actionable insights to executives and management.
And ensure your organization is truly “data-driven”
By the end of Unit 4 you’ll know:
-
How to identify your most important insights AND communicate them clearly
-
The simple way to talk about numbers so your audience actually remembers what you said.
-
The communication skill that most data professionals never even think about and the tactics to master it (Lesson 4.3)
Unit 5: Talk less. Listen more.
You likely spend the majority of your “communication time” listening.
There’s a reason you have two ears and one mouth.
Unfortunately, a lot of us are poor listeners. Because we spend most of our energy thinking about what to say next.
This can lead you to make assumptions about what key stakeholders actually want. And misunderstandings about what your data projects can actually provide.
The end result? Your project “sits on the shelf”
If you want…
…project managers to trust your expertise and give you the freedom to design effective solutions
…the marketing team to understand how data science can help them accomplish their goals
…or to become a “go-to” data consultant because your projects provide clients with a high ROI.
Then you need to master active listening.
Because designing a great solution begins with a clear understanding of stakeholders' goals.
In this unit, you can improve this vital skill.
We’ll cover:
-
The 3 types of questions you must ask in order to understand every business problem
-
How active listening can help you understand "the gap"
-
Why every business conversation should end with a “No” (and how to get there)
Unit 6: Master Presentations
One persuasive pitch on Zoom can make your dream client choose to work with you.
One excellent presentation in front of management can make them remember you when it’s time to consider a promotion.
Presentation skills can be career-altering…
...but actually delivering these types of presentations is hard. Because presentations are nerve-wracking and stressful, especially when you have to do so in English.
So you try to memorize what you’re going to say.
You rely on your Powerpoint. You begin with an agenda. Read your slides. Give background details. Explain your objectives. Introduce a few visualizations. Talk about the next steps.
And then it's over. And you don’t care if your audience remembers your key point. You’re just happy it’s finished.
The end result? Your presentations are just like everyone elses.
Average.
Sometimes, you see great presenters and ask yourself “how do they do it?”
You know that creating presentations that are engaging, entertaining, and informational can take weeks. And you’re busy enough as it is.
What if you had an array of strategies that helped you create presentations faster AND make them more engaging and memorable?
Unit 6 will help you level up your presentation skills.
You'll learn:
-
How the TV show South Park can make you a better communicator
-
How a simple principle can help you quickly plan presentations (Lesson 6.3)
-
The 5 checkpoints to transform a presentation into a story that will engage and entertain (Lesson 6.4)
-
The “Easy Intro” framework you can use to engage your audience in the first 60 seconds (Lesson 6.5)
-
How to use the "Wave" framework to design the perfect presentation to transform a presentation into a story
...I feel that I evolved from the classical plain informative technical/academic presentation to a new level, more appropriate for business communications.
Unit 7: Storytelling in Interviews
Interviews are challenging. For everyone….Because they are a very unique type of communication.
The stakes are high. You’re nervous. And you still need to be clear, memorable, and engaging.
.
Data professionals face additional challenges. Because you must communicate very differently during a behavioral interview and technical interview.
Fortunately, frameworks can help relieve the pressure of interviews. A great story can help you communicate your expertise and ensure you’re memorable.
Best of all? Frameworks differentiate you from the competition.
In unit 7 you can go beyond Amazon’s S.T.A.R. framework and learn:
-
The easy way to communicate your expertise with non-technical stakeholders (Lesson 7.2)
-
How to transform a weakness into a strengths (Lesson 7.3)
-
How to confidently communicate your business expertise (Lesson 7.4)
Unit 8: Answer Questions Confidently
Over the first 7 units, you’ve learned frameworks for the situations you encounter frequently.
Whether you need to provide a concise update. Explain your solution to the “non-technical” marketing manager. Or present insights from your A/B test to executives...
You can use frameworks to communicate confidently. In English.
But you need to be able to quickly use the frameworks, whenever you're asked a question.
… sometimes you're asked to give a quick update on your latest sprint during
… you may need to answer a skeptical manager's questions about your model at the end of a presentation
… or maybe you're unexpectedly invited into a huddle on Slack to discuss your A/B tests
Answering questions requires great communication skills.
Unit 8 can help you use frameworks when answering questions which means you can communicate confidently in English in every business situation.
You’ll learn:
-
How to adapt frameworks for different situations (Lesson 8.2)
-
Why you only need to prepare for 3 types of questions (Lesson 8.3)
-
How a decision matrix can help you master answering questions (Lesson 8.5)
David is basically the most professional, helpful, and dedicated teacher I have ever met, the data science storytelling curriculum is very worth it. The storytelling and persuasive skills are so useful for me, I can apply them when I need to present my projects during an interview or to colleagues...
1.) Is it really pay what you can?
There is a $5 minimum. Only because space is limited. Less than 500 data professionals across the entire world can take advantage of this offer. For that reason, I've added a minimum so the course doesn't fill up with individuals who made no contribution.
2.) What's the catch?
There's no catch. No upsells. No additional offers. As I move to the next chapter in my career, I'll no longer be providing 1-on-1 coaching and have decided to sunset the digital course in 2024. Before I take that step, I want to share this valuable knowledge with you.
3.) When does this offer expire?
The offer is available until the course is full. Currently, there are less than 500 spaces left. I reach out to my connections via email and LinkedIn on a daily basis so the course could fill at any time.
4.) How long will I have access to the course?
You'll have access to the full digital course until April 2024. Afterwards, I'll share the videos and learning materials directly with you if you'd like to keep them for future reference.
5.) What do I need to do next?
Visit the checkout page and choose your payment amount. You'll be automatically enrolled in the course.
FAQs
It was such a great experience. I did not expect a course so adapted and personalized to my requirements. Definitely, David's advice and feedback have been very useful for me to build confidence in my daily work.
75% of data professionals will read this page and think to themselves:
“I’ll do it later…”
They’ll think about how they should improve their communication skills but never take action...
Here are 3 ways they’ll miss out…
1.) They’ll miss out on endless learning opportunities.
Communication skills are developed over time. Learning effective communication is cumulative.
Tell a story today. Tell a better story tomorrow. 🚀
Those who never develop foundational communication skills will miss out on opportunities to improve. Every. Single. Day.
And after a few years? They’ve missed out on thousands of opportunities to get better.
2. ) Their communication skills will continue to be an obstacle.
They’ll uncover essential insights from their data. They’ll build models that solve their client’s key business problems. They’ll design state-of-the-art data infrastructure.
But then struggle to explain the value of their work.
This means others will never totally understand why their solution is so great.
The end result?
Their solutions and insights will “sit in an inbox” and never be used to their fullest.
3. ) They’ll rely on technical skills to stay relevant.
When asked during an interview: “What makes you unique?” They’ll say
”I have a lot of experience with (insert technical skills)”
They’ll want new opportunities, but they’ll rely entirely on their technical skills.
They’ll hope these skills will propel them forward.
But as more and more people develop these technical skills?
They’ll find it difficult to differentiate themselves.
But if you pay what you can and join the English communication Bootcamp…
You can improve your communication skills—every day.
Your communication skills will be an asset. Your insights and solutions will reach their highest potential.
…and you can separate yourself from the competition.
Because when you’re sitting in the final round of your next interview and asked “What makes you unique?”
You’ll confidently respond:
“I combine advanced technical skills with great communication skills. Let me give you an example…”