I had no idea what to expect as I was walking into the Ovative Headquarters in Minneapolis, Minnesota, but leaving their office, I can honestly say that it changed how I see the relationship between data and marketing and just how powerful that combination is! As a double major in computer science and data science, I am trying to figure out which path is best for me, and being inside Ovative’s office has made me realize that I’m more drawn towards the analytics side than I expected. Because of how many different roles they offer, I am left with which role suits me best and I love it because they do have a lot of options.
First Impressions: Walking Into Ovative
When you walk into Ovative’s office on the 8-10th floor of The Nordic, you immediately notice a bright light that opens up the room, no cubicles, just a long row that everyone works with their own space, it is shoulder to shoulder but it also has enough space to have your own space and they are focused on their tasks. It is a tight-knit team. Ovative started in 2009 and works with clients such as American Eagle and Best Buy, so it’s a team which shows just how far they’ve come since then. The building itself is impressive. It’s not an ordinary building. It’s inviting, exactly the kind of place that makes you want to show up and do your best work.
The Tools Behind The Work:
The question I was most excited to ask was about their use of technology, specifically AI and data science tools. I came up with 4 questions which helped me and my classmates a lot!
For the AI side of things, I asked them if they use AI in their workflow, and they confirmed they do, which makes sense for a company that’s both in media and analytics. What I found interesting though was the portion about SQL and other data tools. Since their focus is so much on paid reach and media analytics, their analysts use Excel instead of SQL or the programming language R, unless you are in their IT department. While tools are important, it’s really about the data work you’re using them for.
I asked them how their analysts handle mistakes in Excel, considering how one wrong data point can bring down an entire Excel model and they mentioned that they do have a gut feeling when something seems off in their data, but the teams are always there to help rather than feeling like you are being judged, but what left me curious is how quality control actually works there. I also asked about their professional certifications, considering this is a company in this space and requires expertise in Excel and SQL. It turns out much of their expertise comes from learning on the job, starting as interns and since many were recent college graduates, some had little to no Excel experience before starting but what made them professional are the coworkers who are there to help you out no matter what!
Lesson I Didn’t Expect to Learn:
Leaving Ovative, the one thing that stuck with me was how much they value real world experience over textbook knowledge. The Ovative interns discovered this through internships and hard work, not by studying for exams. That’s a nice thought to know because all that hard work you put in now will pay off someday.
It’s awesome to be skilled in multiple tools, but it’s also important to realize that everyone has their own tools and expectations. The analysts at Ovative are more comfortable using Excel than SQL or the programming language R because of their specific industry. The takeaway is that being versatile and eager to learn is more important than knowing one specific tool.
What this means for me personally as a computer science and data science major is that I am welcomed. You do not need to have a specific field because one of the interns majored in communications which made me feel better and was a huge relief considering how competitive the job market is.
Would I do it again? Absolutely! My visit to Ovative was one of my favorites, and I think it’s because it felt so real and eye opening. They are great people, and they want to show up, work in a team, and be part of something. As I’m trying to figure out the path I should take in computer science and data science, working for companies like this, and walking into the office of Ovative brought me both clarity and excitement. I hope one day you have the opportunity to meet with Ovative!
Blog post written by Aemun Munawar. This employer trek was part of Career Exploration Day on March 3rd, 2026.
