Jess Hayden Consulting

02/26/2026

I spent the last two days fighting PostgreSQL, Python, and my own stubbornness 😏. Alas, I have a new portfolio project to show for it!

What is it? A De-Identification Pipeline, built from scratch.

Working in the healthcare data space, I know how valuable keeping patient data secured is. I had even started on a project at my last company to help de-identify the company's data, but left before the completion of that project. This helped me explore what could have been done.

The idea was simple: simulate how real healthcare organizations protect patient data while still making it useful for analytics.

The ex*****on wasn't so simple though. Between Faker generating phone numbers in scientific notation, CSV import permission errors (just let me import the fields in the columns I want, regardless of the data type!! 😂), and SERIAL sequence starting at 9 instead of 1 due to the those import permission errors *rolls eyes*, let's just say this project tested my patience as much as my skills.

But here's what I built:
- a raw_data schema with three normalized tables: patients, medical_records, insurance; holding full PII and PHI data

- three de-identified analytics views using HIPAA Safe Harbor techniques:
* Masking (SSN, phone, names)
* Redaction (last name, address)
* Generalization (DOB > birth year, ZIP > first 3 digits)
* Tokenization (SHA-256 hashed IDs)

- a comment-heavy SQL script that explains step-by-step what my process was in building the pipeline, and the code to create the schemas, tables, views, and role.

- a detailed Python script that uses the Faker library to generate 50 fake patient records across three CSV files, ready for import into PostgreSQL

- Role-Based Access Control - a data_analyst role that can query the analytics schema but gets a permission error if it tries to query raw_data

The best screenshot of this project? ERROR: Permission denied for schema raw_data. I've never been happier to see an error in my life. 😂

For those transitioning into or looking to demonstrate compliance awareness, understanding the WHY behind de-identification not just the how, is what sets you apart.

🔗 Full project on GitHub: https://github.com/jlynne2004/hipaa-deidentification-pipeline

02/07/2026

Finally got the Slump Dog Sluggers project into Tableau! 🎉⚾

Interactive dashboards tracking Phillies batters throughout the 2025 season. You can explore different rolling average windows, compare batting stats, and see exactly how players performed against lefties vs righties.

Spoiler: The data explains a LOT about why this season went the way it did... 😬

Still adding more games to the dataset, but you can check out what I have so far: https://tinyurl.com/yru6rr5z

02/01/2026

These are some great tips on Excel formulas!

Top 25 Excel Formulas Everyone Should Know

Whether you’re a student, office professional, analyst, or business owner, these Excel formulas can dramatically improve your speed, accuracy, and confidence while working with data.

Instead of memorizing everything, focus on understanding how and when to use these formulas.

Core Calculation Functions

SUM – Add a range of numbers

AVERAGE – Find the average value

MIN – Get the minimum value

MAX – Get the maximum value

ROUND – Round numbers to required decimal places

Lookup & Search Functions

VLOOKUP – Perform vertical searches

HLOOKUP – Perform horizontal searches

INDEX – Retrieve data based on position

MATCH – Find the position of a value in a list

Logical & Conditional Functions

IF – Check conditions and return results

SUMIF – Sum values based on a condition

AVERAGEIF – Average values based on a condition

COUNTIF – Count values that meet a condition

Text Handling Functions

CONCAT – Join text from multiple cells

LEFT – Extract text from the left

RIGHT – Extract text from the right

LOWER – Convert text to lowercase

UPPER – Convert text to uppercase

PROPER – Capitalize the first letter of each word

Date & Time Functions

TODAY – Return the current date

NOW – Return the current date and time

Why These Formulas Matter

Save time on repetitive tasks

Reduce manual calculation errors

Build smarter reports and dashboards

Essential for Excel automation and Power BI preparation

Used daily in finance, sales, HR, and data analytics

Pro Tip
Mastering just these formulas can cover nearly 80% of real-world Excel work.

Save this post for quick revision.
Share it with someone learning Excel.
Comment “PDF” if you want a clean downloadable cheat sheet.

02/01/2026

𝐉𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 2026 𝐅𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐈𝐧! 📊

Messages received: 19

Legitimate client inquiries: 0

Phishing attempts reported: 19

That's right, folks - I maintained a perfect 100% scam rate for the entire month!

The Breakdown:

- 17 variations of "I've finalized the whole thing and am waiting for your feedback" followed by a suspicious link (narrator: we have never spoken, and there is no "thing")

- 2 classics: "I tried ordering but it's not letting me, please accept" (narrator: there was no order)

Shoutout to Fiverr's Report button for getting a serious workout this month. 💪

The real mystery: Do these scammers think freelancers just click random links from strangers? Sir, I troubleshoot Excel formulas for a living. I know what a phishing attempt looks like.

To actual small businesses who need Excel help: I promise I exist and I'm significantly less sketchy than these 18 individuals. My DMs are open. 𝘗𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 be real. 🙏

01/22/2026

Completed my first challenge! 🎉

I tackled Week 2: Can you create a fake Viz in Tooltip?

The challenge? Transform sales data into a filled map with % Sales per Segment displayed as a bar chart in the tooltip. I completed this challenge by using string manipulation and the LEFT() function to build proportional bars without embedding a separate worksheet.

View my Visual, 👉🏻: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/jessica.hayden/viz/WOW2026_W02_FakeVizTooltip/Sheet1 #1

I'm excited to expand my and skills by completing these weekly challenges!

WOW2026_W02_FakeVizTooltip

01/05/2026

𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚 𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫 𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫?
Stop paying $50+/month for clunky software you barely use. I create custom Excel tools built specifically for YOUR business:

𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐒𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫𝐬 - I create custom Excel inventory trackers tailored to your business needs. From simple one-sheet solutions to multi-sheet systems with dashboards and alerts. I offer three tiers, starting at $75.

𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 - I create clean, custom invoices with auto-calculated totals so you can bill your clients with confidence and zero stress. From basic invoices to a complete invoice system with client databases and YTD tracking. I offer three tiers, starting at $30.

Both come with documentation on how to use the tools, so there are no extensive learning curves.
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𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞?
In addition to Excel, I also love working with SQL. As a data analyst with over 5 years of professional experience in healthcare and business environments, I've worked extensively with SQL Server and PostgreSQL. I've built reporting systems, automated data processes, and optimized slow queries that were dragging down performance times. Need a query written or optimized? Check out my 𝐒𝐐𝐋 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 gig below.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝? Check out my services:
Inventory and Sales Trackers - https://www.fiverr.com/s/Q7oZPxP
Invoice Templates - https://www.fiverr.com/s/XL9qyV2
SQL Queries - https://www.fiverr.com/s/xXxGNXB

For only $75, Jhaydenconsult will create an inventory and sales tracker in excel. | Are you a small business owner or solo entrepreneur struggling to track your inventory and sales? Tired of clunky, expensive software when all you need | Fiverr

10/01/2025

I've been really discouraged (and honestly angry) at the state of the job market, and how stagnant my job search has felt.

And then yesterday... a notification from the Fiverr app popped up on my phone. I almost ignored it, expecting another scam. Instead, it said: "An order has been placed for..."

I was ecstatic! I still stayed cautious, but I accepted the order, reviewed the client's requirements, and got to work. In less than 24 hours, with two days still left on the clock, I had a custom Google Sheets invoice template with auto totals, retainer tracking, and professional branding created, delivered and marked complete by the client.

I've missed this feeling of being able to help someone achieve their goals with my skills. And now, I get to celebrate my first Fiverr order in the books!

09/20/2025

Guess who’s back? 👋

I stepped away from consulting for a bit to focus on finding a full-time job. I’m still in the market, but with the way things are right now, I want to keep myself open for consulting work too. The goal? Build up enough of a client base so I can eventually shut the door on corporate full-time for good. 💻✨

I just finished updating my website so it's simple with less corporate jargon. If you click around and find anything you think I need to clarify or expand on, please let me know. Fresh eyes are always helpful!

Thanks for your continued support!

https://www.jesshaydenconsulting.com/

08/22/2025

#𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘

Have my posts sparked an interest in what I can do? Are you saying to yourself, "While the tips & tricks are good, I don't have the time to do all that"?

Good news: you don't have to, I can do it for you! Let me take the spreadsheet chaos off your plate so you can focus on what actually matters.

Here are four ways we can get started:
- Check out my services at www.jesshaydenconsulting.com, then fill out the Contact Form at the bottom of the page so I know what you need and how to reach you.
- Not sure what you need? That's okay! You can still fill out the Contact Form, or you can book a Discovery Call with me so that we can talk it through.
- Prefer email? Send me an email at [email protected], and let me know if you'd rather chat by phone, video, or text.
- Or try the chat widget on my site (just give me a little time to reply, I'm still finessing the tech).

I typically respond within 24-48 hours, depending on the complexity of the request. Let's fix your data headaches, one file at a time.

08/15/2025

#𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐑𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐘

Did you know that today is Relaxation Day?
Missed the memo? Let me guess, knee-deep in messy spreadsheets again?

No worries! Raise that spreadsheet signal and let me take the spreadsheet chaos off your plate so that you can ACTUALLY relax, today and every Friday.

Here are four ways we can get started:
- Check out my services at www.jesshaydenconsulting.com, then fill out the Contact Form at the bottom of the page so I know what you need and how to reach you.
- Not sure what you need? That's okay! You can still fill out the Contact Form, or you can book a Discovery Call with me so that we can talk it through.
- Prefer email? Send me an email at [email protected], and let me know if you'd rather chat by phone, video, or text.
- Or try the chat widget on my site (just give me a little time to reply, I'm still finessing the tech).

I typically respond within 24-48 hours, depending on the complexity of the request. Let's fix your data headaches, one file at a time.