Whether you’re a manager or a frontline worker, having the analytical skills to make sense of data is becoming increasingly important.
But like any industry, data analytics is a complex field that’s constantly evolving. One of the best ways to gain actionable insights and learn about emerging trends is directly from the experts.
Here we’ve compiled a list of the top data analysts (in no particular order) that you should follow on YouTube, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
1. Alex Freberg

The first data analyst on our list is Alex Freberg. He currently works as an Analytics Manager for AmerisourceBergen Corporation, an American drug wholesale company, where he helps key stakeholders better utilize their data.
Freberg also runs the Alex the Analyst channel on YouTube, where he shares tutorials on SQL and creating data visualizations in Tableau. In addition to teaching technical skills, he also shares tips on becoming a data analyst and the steps he took to work for a Fortune 10 company.
2. Luke Barousse

Luke Barousse is a lead data analyst and engineer for CloudFarms, a software company for livestock farm management. Before becoming a data analyst, he earned a degree in mechanical engineering and served in the United States Navy’s submarine force for seven years.
Barousse has his own personal YouTube channel, where he shares tutorials on using Python and Tableau to create data visualizations. Like Alex Freberg, Barousse also shares tips on becoming a data analyst and the steps he took to landing a data analyst job.
3. Curtis Frye

Curtis Frye earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Syracuse University and his MBA from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He’s the president and founder of Technology and Society, a company that encompasses his work as a writer, speaker, and consultant.
Frye has authored more than 40 books, including Microsoft Excel 2019 Step by Step. He’s also created dozens of online training courses, including Learning Excel: Data Analysis, Become a Data Analyst, Tableau Essential Training, and more.
4. Bernard Marr

Bernard Marr is widely regarded as one of the leading experts in business and technology. In 2006, he founded Bernard Marr & Co, a consultancy that helps companies improve their business performance through data analytics and artificial intelligence.
LinkedIn has ranked Marr as one of the top 10 business influencers. He has consulted for many well-known companies, including Amazon, Google, Cisco, Toyota, Oracle, and more. He has also authored 20 books, including Business Trends in Practice, Key Business Analytics, Managing and Delivering Performance, and more.
5. Robin Hunt

Robin Hunt specializes in data design, data modeling, and customized workflow solutions. She’s the co-founder of ThinkData Solution, a technology firm that helps companies develop their data strategy and fully utilize their tools. It also offers training courses and guides for those wanting to build their data analytics skills.
Hunt is the author of the Official CompTIA Data+ Student Guide, which covers different data systems and data manipulation techniques. It helps learners prepare for the CompTIA Data+ certification exam. She’s also an advisory board member for the Alabama State Department of Education.
6. Hilary Mason

Hilary Mason is an American data scientist residing in New York. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Grinnell College. She was named one of the Top 100 most creative people by Fast Company and was on Forbes’ 40 under 40 Ones to Watch list.
Mason is a founder of Fast Forward Labs, an organization that helps companies develop their data science and machine intelligence capabilities. She also worked as Chief Scientist at Bitly, Inc., where she spent her time studying attention on the Internet.
7. Bill Shander

Bill Shander is the CEO and founder of Beehive Media, an information design consultancy that specializes in data storytelling and visualization. Some of the clients he’s worked with include the World Economic Forum, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Harvard University, and more.
Shander regularly speaks at public conferences and holds in-person workshops for clients on data visualization. He also serves on the board of directors of the Data Visualization Society, a group of over 16,000 data professionals that aims to make the use of data visualization more prominent.
8. Ronald van Loon

Ronald van Loon is widely recognized as one of the top global influencers in data science, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things.
He previously served as the director of Adversitement, a data analytics consultancy based in the Netherlands, where he helped companies deliver more value from their data. He currently serves as principal analyst and CEO of the Intelligent World, a global influencer network that lets technology experts share their content with new audiences.
9. Marcus Borba

Marcus Borba is a global thought leader and influencer in big data, artificial intelligence, and digital transformation. He’s the founder of Borba Consulting, a consultancy firm that helps companies make better data-driven decisions through analytics and business intelligence.
Borba has contributed to several guides, including A Practical Guide to Using Third-Party Data in the Cloud, The Essential Guide to Building Analytic Applications, and more.
10. Cindi Howson

Cindi Howson is a data and analytics expert with over 20 years of experience. Howson is the Chief Data Strategy Officer for ThoughtSpot, a business intelligence platform that enables companies to explore and analyze their data analytics in real-time. She helps companies develop their data strategy and select the right tools based on the use cases.
Howson is the author of several books, including Successful Business Intelligence: Unlock the Value of BI and Big Data and SAP Business Objects BI 4.0: The Complete Reference. You can read her latest articles on the ThoughtSpot blog.
Conclusion
The data analytics field is so massive that it can be overwhelming to know where to start. Learn key insights about emerging data trends and how you can apply them by following the top successful data analysts listed here.
Of course, you’ll need the right tools to organize and analyze your data.
With Toric’s powerful data platform, you can consolidate your data in one workspace where you can effortlessly transform your data and build real-time visualizations to inform key business decisions — without coding.
Request a demo today to learn more about the platform and how it can help you solve different use-cases.