The Secret to Data-Driven Decision Making | Eric Hornyak (Director of Data Visualization)

On this episode of The Data Storytellers Podcast, we sit down with Eric Hornyak, Director of Data Visualization at Sunbelt Rentals, to discuss how data teams can bridge the gap between analytics and business action through better communication, data storytelling, and strategic reporting.

Eric shares his playbook for engaging business leaders, breaking down complex analytics into actionable insights, and building trust through over-communication and delivering results. We explore how Sunbelt leverages data visualization, AI, and predictive analytics to optimize operations, improve decision-making, and enhance customer experiences.

This episode is packed with insights for analytics professionals looking to elevate their impact and move beyond dashboards to drive real business change.

Connect with us:

• Website: https://thedatastorytellers.com/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-data-storytellers

• Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-data-storytellers-podcast/id1493766476

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2N0vZtHZHgod4Tll2LX2xa

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz9e56lhYUfORiOHMiLlPmA

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction to Eric Hornyak and Sunbelt Rentals

02:13 - How analytics impacts Sunbelt’s customers and operations

05:09 - Eric’s career journey: From history major to data leader

08:26 - The evolution of analytics at Sunbelt Rentals

10:24 - The biggest challenges in driving analytics impact

12:12 - The key to building trust in data teams: Over-communication

15:45 - How to develop strong relationships with business stakeholders

18:00 - The “send it to yourself” email hack for executive communication

21:26 - The 3-30-3 framework for designing high-impact reports

26:24 - AI, data visualization, and the future of analytics

29:43 - The biggest opportunities for data professionals in the next 5 years

33:17 - Eric’s playbook: Key takeaways for data leaders