Your First SQL Query — Using Real World Banking Data - Episode 2.
Welcome to Beyond the Numbers!
In this beginner-friendly SQL tutorial, you’ll learn how to write your very first SQL queries using real Nigerian banking data. We move beyond theory and focus on how data analysts actually use SQL to answer business questions and generate insights.
In this episode, we write your first SQL queries using banking data, and every single one ends with the question that separates analysts from tool operators: "So What?"
What you will learn:
SELECT and FROM — how to choose exactly what you want from a database
WHERE — how to filter with precision instead of pulling everything
COUNT and GROUP BY — your first aggregation and why it matters for business decisions
The "so what" habit — how to turn a query result into a recommendation
The dataset is free. Download it and follow along:
🔗 https://github.com/LolaHaastrup/beyon...
You will need MySQL and DBeaver Community - both free. Setup guide is in the GitHub folder.
CHAPTERS
00:00 — Introduction & dataset download
01:00 — Quick recap from Episode 1
02:15 — The database: what are we working with?
04:00 — The anatomy of a SQL query
06:00 — Query 1: SELECT and FROM
07:30 — Query 2: WHERE and AND
10:00 — Query 3: COUNT and GROUP BY
12:00 — Your turn: practice query
13:00 — SQL quick reference (save this slide)
14:00 — What's next: JOINs in Episode 3
HOMEWORK
Write the practice query from the video. Post your "so what" answer in the comments. I'll read every one and tell you if it's strong enough. 👇
NEXT EPISODE:
SQL JOINs - connecting two tables to answer the questions that actually matter. Which customers are generating the most value for the bank? Episode 3 answers that.