Driving strategy at Walmart Data Ventures: A conversation with Alyssa Niemiec, Director, Business Strategy
Discover how Alyssa transitioned from consumer PR to leading business strategy at Walmart Data Ventures
In celebration of Women's History Month, we sat down with Alyssa Niemiec, Director of Strategy at Walmart Data Ventures, to discuss her career journey and her insights on leveraging data to drive business growth within Walmart.
Alyssa brings a unique perspective to her role, with a career that spans consumer PR, B2B tech communications, and now, data strategy. Her journey highlights the diverse paths that can lead to impactful careers in the data field.
Join us as we delve into Alyssa's career journey, her passion for using data to solve problems, and her advice for aspiring women in the field.
Q: You have a unique career path leading to your role at Walmart Data Ventures. Can you tell us more about it?
A: I have one of the more atypical paths to my current role. I began my career in consumer public relations (PR) and communications, working on the agency side for many years. Then, I had the opportunity to lead an emerging portfolio of B2B and technology clients, which led me to specialize in software as a service. After 12 years in the agency world, I made the decision to pivot in-house as the global PR and communications lead for an advertising technology company in high-growth mode. This gave me hands-on experience helping scale a business to new geographic and vertical markets, including retail. In fact, Walmart was one of our clients at the time, and it really opened my eyes to Walmart as a technology company, not just a retailer. Fast forward a few years, I was recruited for an open corporate communications role for Walmart Data Ventures, which, at the time, was less than a year old. I had a unique and privileged opportunity to learn the business from the inside out, alongside our Leadership Team, and that eventually opened the door to transition to my current role as Director of Strategy.
It's been an incredible journey, and I'm grateful for the diverse experiences that have led me here.
Q: Business strategy at Walmart Data Ventures is where data meets decision-making. What first sparked your interest in using data to identify new opportunities? And how has that passion evolved during your time at Walmart Data Ventures?
A: I've always been an analytical and detail-oriented person who values efficiency. What sparked my interest in using data was the opportunity to apply this to inform business decisions and long-term strategies. Working at Walmart Data Ventures is particularly exciting because we have an endless supply of rich first-party data and insights at our fingertips. There’s always some new ‘unlock’ that we can access, whether it’s to drive value internally, or externally for our clients and customers.
In my role on the Strategy team, I am fascinated by the opportunity to identify key signals, understand how they relate to broader trends in data, technology, and retail, and then leverage Walmart's first-party data to develop a hypothesis or a strategy that can help take our business to the next level.
Q: Walmart operates on an enormous scale, with data at the core of its strategic decisions. What excites you most about the challenge of turning granular data into greater insights that drive business growth?
A: The opportunities are endless. When I think about the long-term vision for Walmart Data Ventures, Scintilla is just the beginning. Retail insights and analytics are just the beginning. Seemingly every week, I have the privilege of speaking with our associates about the challenges they’re facing and how they are solving them in stores, online, across our supply chain, and beyond. And thanks to advances and investments we’ve made in technology here at Walmart, that translates to increasing opportunities to leverage our scale (and our data and insights) to continue to make a positive impact in the lives of our suppliers, our customers, our associates, and hopefully the world at large. It’s inarguably a challenge to figure out–what do we focus on? How do we do this? Where can we deliver the most value? But that challenge is equally exciting and energizing for me.
Q: What is one thing that someone interested in a career in data should know about the strategy team within Walmart Data Ventures?
A: One unique aspect of our strategy team at Walmart Data Ventures, which sets us apart from many others, is our primary focus on identifying whitespace opportunities for expansion. While we've achieved significant success building and scaling our flagship product, Scintilla, we're constantly looking ahead. Our work involves uncovering new insights and data points to potentially serve new customer bases, always prioritizing the Walmart customer. We're not just focused on short or mid-term opportunities but on the long-term success and scalability of Walmart Data Ventures.
Q: What is one lesson you've learned as a leader in business strategy that's been pivotal to your success so far?
A: Never underestimate the power of being easy to work with. It's crucial to be a strong collaborator. While that doesn't mean being a 'yes person,' it does mean approaching every interaction with an open mind, assuming positive intent, and seeking to understand others' perspectives. Our team specifically is horizontal in nature. We work across and partner with nearly every cross-functional team and discipline. Being a good collaborator allows us to build strong connections, refine our approach to new opportunities, think strategically, and anticipate challenges. Collaboration is essential for our success.
Q: What advice would you give to women aspiring for a leadership role in data and/or business strategy?
A: I'd offer advice from both a professional and a personal perspective.
Professionally, always be curious. In the rapidly evolving landscape of data and insights, continuous learning is essential. Stay informed by reading industry publications and actively engaging in timely conversations on digital platforms or in person.
Addressing this question through more of a personal lens: Set clear boundaries and radically prioritize what matters most to you. This not only builds credibility at work but also protects your relationships and well-being at home, with your friends and family.
Alyssa’s journey from PR and communications to data strategy at Walmart Data Ventures highlights the many paths that can lead to a successful career in data. Her passion for leveraging data to drive business decisions, uncovering new opportunities, and creating meaningful impact within Walmart reflects the dynamic nature of business strategy in a data-driven world.
If you’re inspired by Alyssa’s story and eager to make an impact in the world of data strategy, explore the exciting opportunities available at Walmart Data Ventures. Visit www.WalmartDataVentures.com to learn more about our team, our mission, and how you can be part of shaping the future of data-driven decision-making.
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