1 of 53

How To Use Your Data Superpowers To Gain Financial Independence

(Without Selling Your Soul)

Sean McMinn

@shmcminn

#NICAR19 ⚡️ Talks

2 of 53

3 of 53

4 of 53

5 of 53

6 of 53

7 of 53

8 of 53

9 of 53

10 of 53

11 of 53

12 of 53

13 of 53

“You get to leave, go talk to strangers, ask them anything, come back, type up their stories, edit the tape. That’s not gonna retire your loans as quickly as it should, and it’s not going to turn you into a person who’s worried about what kind of car they should buy, but that’s kind of as it should be. I mean, it beats working.”

-David Carr, NYT media columnist

14 of 53

15 of 53

16 of 53

17 of 53

“You get to leave, go talk to strangers, ask them anything, come back, type up their stories, edit the tape. That’s not gonna retire your loans as quickly as it should, and it’s not going to turn you into a person who’s worried about what kind of car they should buy, but that’s kind of as it should be. I mean, it beats working.”

-David Carr, NYT media columnist

18 of 53

But that’s kind of as it should be.

19 of 53

Data Superpower #1

We Know Not All Relationships Are Linear

Stuff

Happiness

Survival

Comfort

Luxury

20 of 53

Data Superpower #1

We Know Not All Relationships Are Linear

Stuff

Happiness

Survival

Comfort

Luxury

21 of 53

22 of 53

Data Superpower #1

We Know Not All Relationships Are Linear

Stuff

Happiness

Survival

Comfort

Luxury

ENOUGH!

Wasted money

:(

Fulfillment Curve,

Vicki Robin

23 of 53

24 of 53

25 of 53

26 of 53

27 of 53

Data Superpower #2

Our Skills Earn Us More $$$

28 of 53

$0

$100K

$50K

Median U.S. salary

$46K

Median journalist salary

$52K

Source: BLS, Soo Oh

29 of 53

$0

$100K

$50K

Median U.S. salary

$46K

Median news nerd (non-manager)

journalist salary

$75K

Median journalist salary

$52K

Source: BLS, Soo Oh

30 of 53

https://www.federalreserve.gov/econresdata/2016-economic-well-being-of-us-households-in-2015-Income-and-Savings.htm

31 of 53

32 of 53

33 of 53

34 of 53

35 of 53

36 of 53

Data Superpower #3

We Apply Math To The Real World

does not have to be complicated!

37 of 53

Spend

Save

Data Superpower #3

We Apply Math To The Real World

38 of 53

Data Superpower #3

We Apply Math To The Real World

$100

39 of 53

Data Superpower #3

We Apply Math To The Real World

$107

40 of 53

Data Superpower #3

We Apply Math To The Real World

$115

41 of 53

Data Superpower #3

We Apply Math To The Real World

$123

42 of 53

Data Superpower #3

We Apply Math To The Real World

$131

43 of 53

Data Superpower #3

We Apply Math To The Real World

$140

44 of 53

Data Superpower #3

We Apply Math To The Real World

45 of 53

46 of 53

+ X

47 of 53

48 of 53

X

25

49 of 53

50 of 53

~10

years

51 of 53

52 of 53

53 of 53