Booster Analytics

I was inspired by my younger colleague, whom I had recommended read a summary MBA book, so he could better understand business units.

A year later, he messaged me, thanking me — the book had indeed helped him a lot in understanding business unit requirements. That short message confirmed something I’ve been advocating for a while: data engineers need to step beyond the code and into the world of business.

Let me tell you why.

1. Bridging the Data-Business Gap

Too often, data engineers are stuck in their technical silos — focused on ETL pipelines, schema optimization, and cloud infrastructure — without truly understanding why the data matters or how it’s used. MBA books, especially the well-curated summaries, give a fast track into the thought processes of product managers, marketers, CFOs, and operations teams.

The moment a data engineer understands the concept of unit economics or customer acquisition cost (CAC), their dashboards stop being rows and columns — they become decision-making tools.

2. Requirements Make More Sense with Context

Business units don’t speak in JSON or SQL. They talk about customer churn, revenue growth, operational efficiency, or product-market fit. These aren’t just buzzwords — they’re guiding principles that inform what data is needed and why.

When engineers know what “Net Promoter Score” or “Lifetime Value” actually mean in business strategy, they stop asking “what columns do you need?” and start asking “what problem are we solving?” That’s a game-changer.

3. Fewer Misunderstandings, More Impact

I’ve seen endless cycles of missed expectations between business teams and data teams. Why? Because the data team didn’t understand the urgency behind the request or the implications of an error in the report.

MBA books teach frameworks — SWOT, Porter’s Five Forces, Lean Startup — that help engineers anticipate business pain points. They learn to ask smarter questions and, more importantly, deliver insights that actually move the needle.

4. Becoming a Strategic Partner, Not a Ticket Taker

The engineers who rise fast are not just the best coders — they’re the ones who get invited to the strategy table. Why? Because they understand trade-offs, ROI, and business timelines. They don’t just build, they advise.

A basic understanding of business concepts from MBA reading helps engineers transition from being seen as service providers to trusted collaborators. This understanding matters more than most engineers realize, especially in data leadership roles.

5. Business Is Not That Hard, But It’s Often Ignored

Here’s the secret: you don’t need a full MBA to “get” business. You need curiosity, a few good books, and the willingness to speak in terms that business stakeholders understand. Think of it like learning a new API — it’s just another system to interface with.

Reading an MBA summary book once a quarter requires little effort and can potentially yield a high ROI.

Recommended Starter List for Data Engineers

“The Personal MBA” by Josh Kaufman — Great overview of business fundamentals.

“Good Strategy Bad Strategy” by Richard Rumelt — Helps frame technical work in terms of real strategy.

“Measure What Matters” by John Doerr — Understand OKRs and how data supports them.

“Lean Analytics” by Alistair Croll & Benjamin Yoskovitz — Speaks your language with a business twist.

As a CTO and an educator, I encourage all my data engineers to spend at least 5% of their time understanding the business side. If you want your work to have impact, be visible, and align with leadership, learn the language of the business. Reading a few MBA-style books is a humble but powerful step in that direction.