Maria Yordanova
Data Analyst

Deeply rooted in data, but guided by curiosity and creativity. As a data analyst, she helps turn information into insights that support fashion brands in the digital space. When she’s not working, she’s drawing, tattooing, sewing, or experimenting with upcycling. In this interview, Maria talks about learning through experience, finding balance between structure and freedom, and how creativity flows between her work and her personal projects.

How would you explain your role to someone who’s not familiar with what we do—and what part of your work do you enjoy most?

We empower (fashion) brands in the digital space through ecom and performance marketing (as some of the ways). Data plays a great part in learning and informing strategy. As a data analyst, I manage everything around it (from the way the data is collected to the way it reaches the team and our clients and all of the steps in between). I often have to build something new as well. That’s my favourite part, because I have full creative freedom there.

What are you currently learning or developing further in your role, and what sparked that interest?

I have past experience with machine learning so currently I am developing models to forecast sales, a MMM (Marketing Mix Modeling) for budget allocation. I am also developing more automations to optimise our processes.

What motivated you to join this team, and what stood out to you about the way we work compared to your previous experiences?

At NSL the vision is very clear and the brand is really there. I was impressed how structure meets flexibility. We are all young people and everybody owns their part.

Does that mean working in fashion is essential for you, or could you see yourself in another industry?

It’s one of the best industries where I could see myself working. When I was little I wanted to work in fashion. Growing up this idea got lost. Luckily, data analytics is not bound to any industry so I was able to circle back to it.

What moments in your day—big or small—tend to give you a sense of joy or calm?

Early mornings before the day begins. Time moves slower and I love the quiet.

You come across as someone with a really strong creative energy, and I’m curious how that shows up outside of your main work. What do you usually like to spend your free time doing when you’re not working or studying?

During the day I am either working on my tattoo skills or working on my own designs. Recently I got into sewing and upcycling so I also do that. All of this is a lot of sitting unfortunately so I like to balance it out with a nice flexibility/mobility training or a pole dance class.

You’ve explored a few hands-on art forms, like learning to tattoo and making your own clothing. What drew you to those particular mediums?

I’ve been drawing since I was little and I also wanted to be a fashion designer.

In your free time you enjoy very creative activities, while your work is highly data-driven. How do these two sides of you influence each other in your work?

There is a lot of room for creativity in work. Yes, the job is analytical but only about 20% of my time goes into analysis, the rest I spend on building something new (e.g. a script to analyse the performance of colors in a collection). There are no strict guidelines on how things should be done because everything depends on the context. More often than not you need to find workarounds because the direct approach isn’t possible. This may sound a bit abstract but that’s just how it is.

Are there any creative projects you’re especially excited about right now, or ones you’d like to explore in the future?

I recently saw a video of a girl that created her leather out of gelatine. I would definitely like to try that but one step at a time.