Being on a data team often involves answering one-off questions and putting out fires, which can hinder the development of bigger plans such as perfecting data architecture or devising strategies. When data teams become bottlenecks, it not only affects the rest of the company but also hinders their own progress. To overcome this issue, empowering the wider team to self-serve their data needs is crucial. This approach not only frees up the data team's time but also boosts the company's potential for impactful insights. By focusing on one department at a time and starting small, data teams can transform from firefighters into strategic leaders, driving the data culture forward and enabling everyone to make better decisions using data.