Here’s what’s in my toolbox — the business intelligence and data tools I actually use every day. These aren’t theoretical picks or affiliate list fluff. They’re tools that have been tested in real projects, under real deadlines, with real data (and sometimes, real panic).
📊 Business Intelligence
Power BI – My go-to for interactive dashboards and flexible visuals. It handles most projects without needing to fight the data model too much.
Tableau – Great for when design and storytelling matter most. I love how fast you can iterate visually.
Looker Studio (Google Data Studio) – Lightweight, simple, and perfect for sharing dashboards without extra setup.
🧰 Data Prep & Cleaning
Excel + Google Sheets – Still the quickest way to wrangle data and do exploratory analysis. Old-school, but unbeatable.
Python (Pandas) – When spreadsheets get too big or weird, this is my best friend. Ideal for automating cleaning and merging datasets.
SQL (BigQuery + PostgreSQL) – Where most of my analysis actually begins. Clean queries = clean dashboards.
⚙️ Automation & Workflow
Zapier / Make (Integromat) – For connecting everything when APIs don’t want to cooperate.
GitHub – For version control and keeping my logic transparent (and recoverable).
Notion – My central brain for notes, workflows, and documentation.
🎨 Design & Visualization
Figma – For mocking up dashboards before building them. A lifesaver when clients can’t quite visualize what they want yet.
Coolors + Adobe Color – For building consistent, accessible color palettes that keep dashboards clean and readable.