Ottawa’s favourite Beer & Analytics event is returning for its ninth edition on October 11. A mix of networking and industry-expert speakers, it’s been a hit since its establishment in 2018. The event is the brainchild of Martin McGarry, president and chief data scientist of Bronson Analytics. “I wanted to create the kind of energy and excitement about all this new technology in a digestible and fun format,” he says.
Beer & Analytics brings together data enthusiasts from a variety of business types and sizes. Everyone in the room is able to get something out of attending the event, whether it be from conversations with peers or engaging with a data expert in a real-time demo at a sponsor booth. The casual tone of the event allows for integrated participation. In McGarry’s words, “I have never liked the fireside chat format at conferences; too stuffy, and the audience participation is so contrived. What’s more, the cost of conferences is so prohibitive for even medium-sized-business owners.”
Analytics are literally changing the world. They can accelerate your business potential in ways that were unimaginable only a mere decade ago. The problem is, it’s hard to understand what this means to the average business. What Beer & Analytics is looking to achieve is to cut through the jargon and demonstrate how data can unlock hidden business insights for all kinds of organizations. “Analytics should be for everyone, not just large corporations,” is a recurring message from McGarry.
About Bronson
As for his consulting business, McGarry says he “didn’t like the large consulting approach to maximizing revenue from clients.” Bronson does things differently. “Our approach is to help clients help themselves rather than trying to embed in the fabric of the organization.” They do small-business consulting, cloud adoption, and analytics projects, and they bring their clients closely along for the entire journey. Bronson has been in business for over 30 years, working closely with the public and private sector in Ottawa.
A fresh approach to hosting events
McGarry and his team at Bronson have been successful at returning their event to the networking scene amidst the challenges associated with the COVID pandemic. In October 2021, they were one of Ottawa’s first in-person events to resurface, challenging Bronson to navigate the paradox of networking while social distancing. Hosting networking events in a COVID-19 climate has definitely come with its difficulties. Bronson has managed these challenges by planning and operating with the utmost precaution, catering to the varying levels of social comfortability, and operating at a limited capacity.
With successful in-person returns in October 2021 and May 2022 in Ottawa, McGarry also expanded the event to Toronto; with attendees from a range of private sector organizations such as banking, software development, retail and more.
If you are keen to meet people and expand your analytics horizons, Beer & Analytics is a great event at which to do so. As an attendee, you can also earn professional development credits for your professional body.
“What we have created is an evening where you can enjoy craft beer and great food with your friends and colleagues. The analytics is a bonus!”
To purchase tickets to the October 11th event, visit http://beerandanalytics.ca/tickets
