Alex The Analyst: Your Friendly Guide to Data Analytics and Business Intelligence (Without the Boring Parts)
Let me be brutally honest: some data analytics tutorials feel like eating unsalted crackers. Dry, repetitive, and… slightly soul-crushing. Now, imagine someone hands you a crunchy taco instead—still full of substance, but way more fun. That, my friend, is what watching Alex The Analyst feels like.
This guy has built a YouTube empire—okay, maybe not an empire, but definitely a thriving village—for data analytics tutorials, project walkthroughs, and career advice. And the best part? You don’t need to know Python or pivot tables inside and out to keep up.
He breaks things down in a way your grandma could probably follow—and I mean that as the highest compliment.
Who Is Alex The Analyst?
Alex Freberg (his full name, if you’re curious) is the affable human behind the channel “Alex The Analyst.” Think of him as the relatable big brother of the data analytics world—except this one teaches you SQL instead of how to ride a bike.
He started the channel when he was working full-time as—you guessed it—a data analyst. Unlike those content creators who used to analyze data before becoming full-time influencers, Alex is the real deal. His videos reflect that—grounded in reality, full of actual use cases, and occasionally featuring real-world awkwardness (like "Oops, forgot a semicolon" moments).
IMO, that authenticity is a big part of what makes his channel so binge-worthy.
Why People Love Alex (Besides His Clean SQL Syntax)
Let me break down what makes Alex The Analyst such a goldmine, especially if you’re on the path to a data analytics or business intelligence career.
1. Beginner-Friendly, But Not Dumbed Down
If you’ve ever rage-quit a tutorial because the instructor assumes you’re already a data scientist at Google—Alex is your safe space. He builds from the ground up, often starting with “This might sound basic, but here’s why it matters.”
No ego. No gatekeeping. Just straight-up clarity.
He’s great at explaining:
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SQL basics (SELECT, WHERE, GROUP BY—yes, he makes it interesting)
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Power BI dashboards that actually look like something you'd show a client
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Excel tricks that make you feel like a wizard in front of your boss
If you’ve just opened Excel and stared at the blank grid wondering, “Where do I even start?”—start with Alex.
2. Realistic, Job-Ready Projects
This isn’t just academic fluff. Alex’s tutorials are packed with real-world projects:
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Analyzing sales data from retail stores
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Creating KPIs in Power BI
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Building dashboards that don’t look like they were made in 2005
He doesn’t just say “Let’s analyze data!”—he says:
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“Here’s the business problem.”
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“Here’s the dataset.”
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“Here’s how I’d tackle it as an analyst.”
Boom. Instant résumé material.
Honestly, you could build a solid portfolio just by copying his walkthroughs (though maybe don’t literally copy—c’mon, you know better 😏).
3. Consistent, Clean, and Just the Right Amount of Personality
One thing I admire? His consistency.
His thumbnails are clean. His delivery is smooth. His explanations never go off the rails (which is more than I can say for most YouTubers trying to teach anything data-related).
But he’s not robotic either. He throws in jokes. He shares bits of his own experience. He even talks about his mistakes and what he wishes he’d known starting out.
Honestly? It feels like chatting with a friend who’s just a few steps ahead on the path.
Popular Topics He Covers (AKA “Everything You Should Probably Know”)
Want a peek into what Alex teaches? Here’s a greatest hits list:
SQL Tutorials
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SELECT statements and JOINs
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Subqueries and window functions
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Writing clean, readable queries
Power BI Projects
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Building fully interactive dashboards
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Using DAX (yes, he makes it less terrifying)
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Connecting data sources and modeling data properly
Excel Tutorials
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VLOOKUPs (which will haunt your dreams until you get it)
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PivotTables that actually do something useful
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Cleaning data like a pro (even without fancy tools)
Career Advice
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How to become a data analyst with no experience
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What to put in your portfolio
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Interview prep and resume tips that actually land jobs
Let’s be real—those “How I Got a Job in 30 Days” videos often feel like clickbait. But with Alex, it’s grounded. He’s honest about the grind and offers real, actionable tips. I used one of his resume formatting tips myself. (Got a callback. Coincidence? Maybe. But I’m giving him the credit.)
Why His Tutorials Actually Work
Let me get nerdy for a second.
Pedagogically, Alex does something a lot of instructors miss: he builds context before complexity. He starts with:
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The problem
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The tool
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The steps to solve it
That flow sticks. You’re not just memorizing syntax—you’re understanding how everything connects. That’s how you stop being “someone who follows tutorials” and become “someone who solves problems.”
Also… no annoying background music. Just saying. 🤷
A Few Things to Know (Before You Binge His Whole Channel)
No creator is perfect. So here’s a bit of real talk:
Pros
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Friendly, easy-to-follow explanations
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Great for beginners and job switchers
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Real-world projects you can show off
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Tons of free content (YouTube = $0)
Cons
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Doesn’t go too deep into data science (like machine learning or Python-heavy stuff)
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Sometimes skips advanced BI features (if you’re already advanced, you might want more)
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The “Alex The Analyst” branding makes him sound like a cartoon sidekick (okay, that one’s not really a con)
If you’re an aspiring data scientist, you may eventually outgrow the content. But if you’re on the analytics/BI track, you’ll feast here for a good while.
Who Should Watch Alex The Analyst?
Let’s make it simple. You’ll benefit most if you are:
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A beginner or career changer trying to break into analytics
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A self-learner building your portfolio or LinkedIn presence
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A business professional trying to finally understand what Power BI does
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Someone who needs a friendly nudge (instead of a lecture) to stay motivated
Whether you’re pivoting careers or upgrading your Excel game, Alex has your back. Just bring a notepad. And snacks. You’ll wanna stick around.
Final Thoughts: Alex Is the Chill Coach We All Needed
Here’s the thing—data analytics can feel overwhelming. So many tools. So many buzzwords. So many dashboards that somehow look both confusing and ugly.
But Alex The Analyst makes it accessible. Not only that—he makes it feel doable.
He teaches with clarity, humor, and humility. He gives you everything you need to get started and keeps the vibe chill while doing it. Which, honestly, is no small feat in a world where “data” and “fun” rarely appear in the same sentence.
So next time you feel overwhelmed by analytics? Don’t doomscroll through another Reddit thread.
Fire up an Alex video. You’ll learn something useful. And hey, maybe even smile while doing it. 🙂
