Ned Krastev, Co-founder of 365 Data Science
It's time to meet the 365 Team! Each week, we'll post an interview with one of our members. We start with Ned Krastev, Co-founder of 365 Data Science.
Ned Krastev is the co-founder of 365 Data Science and the author of many of the program’s popular courses such as Introduction to Excel, Data Analysis with Excel Pivot Tables, and Introduction to Tableau. He has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Management, and a Master’s degree in Finance at Bocconi University in Milan, Italy.
Prior to starting up 365 Data Science, Ned had gained solid experience in financial advisory, and had worked for several international companies, such as PwC (Italy), Coca-Cola (United Kingdom), and Infineon Technologies (Germany).
Hi Ned! Let's start with a snapshot of you and what you do in the company.
Well, I go around and ask everybody whether they are close to completing their current project. No, I'm joking. I oversee the 365 Data Science project high level and work closely with Iliya (our co-founder) when we need to make some strategic choices. I'm responsible for staff recruitment and planning, as well as content creation planning (which is probably my favourite thing to do in the whole process).
I think I’m quite good at Excel. It’s a skill I learned during my years in consultancy (with PwC) and in-house M&A (Infineon Technologies). The Excel content at the beginning of the program comes first-hand from me, and I’ll be happy to answer any of your questions (you can email me at nedko@365datascience.com).
Can you name five places that are on your bucket list?
I don’t think I’m much of a bucket list guy. I even struggle to plan my weekends.
Last year, I visited the United States and really loved NYC. It’s an amazing city. So, I’d love to visit it again.
Please don’t make me think of four other places.
What do you think of the current education programs teaching Data Science? In your opinion, what makes 365 Data Science different from other companies in the field?
All of them horrible. 365 Data Science is the only viable option!
I’m kidding, of course.
It really depends where one stands in terms of experience. I believe our program is, by far, the best option for people who are just getting started in the field. At the same time, there are other platforms that have managed to provide trainings on some very advanced topics, which we currently don’t have.
We heard you are a fan of…
I’m a big fan of non-working Sundays. It feels amazing.
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way that you want to share with the community?
One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced up to now was when we first started this business. We were so far from where we wanted to be. It seemed like an impossible task. Truth is, with the right people and a bit of blind determination, we managed to come up with a great product. That’s why I hope you will enjoy our program and take full advantage of it. It took us a few years to build this curriculum and we’ve really poured in our hearts and souls. Hopefully, the videos will be useful and you will learn a lot.
