About Shana Braun

I have worked across a wide range of business verticals throughout my career - from finance to consumer goods to retail to entertainment and beyond. My passion lies in making sense of data that might otherwise feel unapproachable. I want to not only share quality work but also empower my clients to use their own digital analytics data with confidence.

I earned my undergraduate degree in Marketing from Penn State University - along with minors in French and International Business. While working full-time, I earned my MBA from Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA.

My career began in big data where I supported consumer goods clients with distributor and store-level data enabling them to conduct trade programs with chain and independent stores. This is where I learned how to manage and work with large datasets. I could start to see beyond the numbers to the power that data provided in running successful programs.

I then dove into the world of digital analytics where I quantified advertising and marketing results for tactics such as digital couponing, loyalty programs, media campaigns, and websites. This knowledge allowed me to transition into the more specific work of website optimization and experimentation. I utilized my skills in statistics and data storytelling to help clients understand the meaning of their work and walk away with tangible insights.

A Pennsylvania native, I spent time living and working in Charleston, SC and Raleigh, NC to achieve a goal I set long ago to live in the Carolinas and near the ocean. Ultimately, my husband and I learned that long summer days in the north outweigh short winter days in the south. Because we also wanted to return to family and friends in PA, we resettled in Pittsburgh in 2021.

I spend much of my week with my young kids and another portion of my week working. In my free moments, I enjoy gardening and reading. I feel passionately about individuals taking ownership of their careers and professional paths, and I am always up for a good conversation about how people can adapt work to fit their individual needs and schedules.

-Shana Braun Hoge

A Pandemic Pivot Story

My independent consulting work came about via equal parts exhaustion and accident. I had my baby boy just one month before the pandemic shifted everyone in tech to work from home full-time. My husband’s industry similarly was able to work remotely.

Upon “returning” to work from my house, our only option was to alternate between kid-blocks and work-blocks throughout the day - unable to work concurrently with an infant and 2 year old to care for at home. Since all 3 bedrooms in our house were accounted for, I ended up working from my bed or the corner of my dresser. After eventually getting the kids to sleep, my husband and I would both finish our 8 hour workdays by working into the night.

It was of course exhausting, but there were so many people in more challenging positions than us during that time. We remained grateful to have the ability to work remotely and keep the kids home.

We maintained this schedule for over a year (phew). With a growing workload at my job, I decided to give myself a break in June 2021. It was time to reclaim control of my schedule as well as my workload.. and to get some rest. I did not intend to jump into consulting right away, but creating that space in my life allowed for new and exciting things to flow into it. Past coworkers began to reach out to ask if I would be interested in doing work for their own companies or those of their friends or family who needed analytics support.

It turned out that my skillset was a good fit for their needs, so I happily accepted a couple of partnerships. My new partners needed an experienced analyst, but not necessarily a full-time resource. I was pleased to maintain that connection to my work community and practice on a smaller scale. Throughout 2022, I created Blooming Valley Consulting to formalize my work and process.

Today, my husband and I have settled into a new home with our daughter, son, and a real-life office.