It's easy to get started with SQL, but mastering it requires a deep understanding of database architecture and query optimization, which takes time and practice to develop.

In this episode I talk with Michaël Scherding (Analytics Engineering Manager at SFEIR) about his journey to becoming a SQL expert. We also dive into the unique challenges of scaling an analytics platform to more than 100,000 employees.

Key takeaways:

• Michael started his career working with Oracle systems. The technical limitations back then forced you to think about optimizing your code.
• He had a senior colleague with 25 years of SQL experience reviewing his code and learned a lot from that.
• While there are lots of resources to get started with SQL quickly, it takes years of practice to master it.
• When he experienced the ease and power of BigQuery, he immediately "fell in love" and is now a big fan of the Google Cloud Platform.
• Even when compute power is seemingly unlimited today, writing efficient SQL is still important when you care about performance and costs.
• He's currently deploying Looker at a company with more than 100,000 employees. The first phase is onboarding dozens of developers as pilot users.
• Implementing ownership and cost monitoring is critical to have in place from the beginning.
• To stay sane while working from home with two kids he's lucky to have his dedicated workspace. He also builds exercise and meditation into his daily routine, and plays drums in his free time.
• Some of his recommendations to learn and practice SQL are "Learning SQL" from O'Reilly and the Codewars community.

Find Michaël and Valentin on LinkedIn.