Zachary Bienstock

Results-oriented professional with expertise in data analysis and process optimization. Proven ability to enhance operational efficiency and support client relations through impactful solutions.

University of California, Davis

SQL for Data Science

I have always been the kind of person who wants to understand how things actually work. Not just on the surface, but underneath. Systems, products, people, markets, tools. If something feels inefficient, confusing, or poorly designed, my instinct is to dig into it, figure out why it behaves the way it does, and think through how it could be better.

That curiosity has been with me for as long as I can remember. Long before formal roles, I was buying and selling things online, building and fixing computers, learning how value is created, improved, and exchanged. I have always been drawn to entrepreneurial problem solving, creative freedom, and figuring things out by doing. That instinct still drives me today.

I naturally operate at the intersection of data, creativity, and strategy. I enjoy structured thinking, clean logic, and accurate data, but I am equally motivated by product design, improvement, and creative problem solving. I am at my best when I can take something complex or messy and turn it into something clearer, more usable, and more thoughtful. I do not enjoy analysis that lives in isolation. I care about how insights turn into decisions, better experiences, or smarter systems.

I tend to think in systems rather than tasks. I ask where information comes from, what it represents in the real world, and how confident we should be in it. I care deeply about accuracy, but also about context. Numbers should explain reality, not just look correct. When something is repetitive or inefficient, I start thinking about how to simplify it, make it repeatable, or remove friction altogether.

Outside of work, many of my interests mirror how I think professionally. I am deeply interested in psychology and cognitive science, especially how people think, learn, and make decisions. I spend a lot of time understanding how attention works and how systems can be designed to support human behavior rather than fight it. I am also very involved in crypto and blockchain, drawn more to the mechanics, incentives, and product design than to hype or speculation.

Snowboarding is one of my biggest passions, and it reflects how I approach mastery and improvement. I enjoy the sport itself, but I am equally fascinated by the technical details. Board shape, materials, sizing, and how design choices affect performance. I like experimenting, refining, and learning through feedback. That same mindset shows up in my work. I care about iteration, precision, and understanding why something works.

I thrive in environments where I have room to think, build, and improve. I work best when quality matters, curiosity is encouraged, and ownership is real. I am grounded, thoughtful, and direct. I ask good questions, I listen carefully, and I take responsibility for understanding things deeply. I care about doing work I am proud of and being someone others can trust.

What ultimately motivates me is impact and clarity. I enjoy turning complexity into understanding and ideas into something tangible and useful. I bring that mindset to my work, my learning, and the way I show up every day.