The Dashboard Effect: Recent Episodes
Brick Thompson, Jon Thompson, Caleb Ochs
NEW EPISODES EVERY WEDNESDAY!!!
Conversations on data analytics, business intelligence, and data driven practices for private equity and the mid-market.
"The Dashboard Effect" is a podcast is hosted by us, Brick Thompson and Caleb Ochs, with insights on the crucial intersection of data analytics, business intelligence, and data-driven practices for the private equity portfolio companies and the mid-market sector.
Our discussions cover real-world applications of data analytics, offering practical advice and insights to listeners. Topics might range from how to effectively set up and use business intelligence tools, to interpreting complex data for strategic decision-making. We are data nerds who know a lot about Power BI, Azure, Fabric, Generative AI and we can't wait to share it with you!
Learn More: BlueMargin.com
The platinum layer sits on top of the standard medallion architecture, built specifically to get data ready for LLMs. In this episode, Brick and Landon break down what it takes to build one well.
Landon walks through the two foundations that make a platinum layer work: markdown files that give the LLM business context and call out data gotchas, and a modeling approach that goes further than typical BI denormalization. They discuss why AI models need a single grain of data to avoid summing errors, why report-specific columns need to be stripped out, and why the platinum layer gets materialized nightly instead of served through views.
They also cover the role of MCP servers in this setup, including why Blue Margin builds tightly scoped servers for business users asking direct questions and more open ones for analysts building queries.
If you've been wondering what actually separates a working AI data layer from a frustrating one, this episode covers the fundamentals.
Key Moments:
1:00 — Markdown Files & Context
2:05 — What Happens Without Context
2:58 — Fabric Data Agent Test
3:19 — Modeling for AI
4:25 — The Grain Problem
5:11 — Extreme Denormalization
5:28 — Cleaning Columns & Tables
6:37 — Nightly Materialization
7:43 — Why You Need an MCP Server
8:22 — Two Types of MCP Access
About Blue Margin
Blue Margin is a Microsoft Fabric and Power BI consultancy based in Fort Collins, Colorado. We help mid-market and private equity-backed companies build data platforms that hold up: clean architecture, trustworthy reporting, and dashboards teams actually use. The Dashboard Effect is where we talk through the technical decisions behind that work.
Learn more: https://bluemargin.com
The gold layer is where cleaned, validated data lives in a medallion architecture, ready for reporting and analysis. In this episode, Brick and Landon break down what actually makes a gold layer good.
Landon covers what "good" means in practice: deduplicated data, validated numbers, and a structure business users can trust without checking behind the curtain. They discuss why star schema still holds up as the standard modeling approach, how to handle naming conventions that make sense to analysts instead of source systems, and what happens when six different systems all claim to have "the customer table."
They also get into the messier parts of building a gold layer: matching source system reports to catch hidden filters, deciding how to relate keys across systems without collapsing records that only look the same, and building exception reports to flag duplicates back to the business instead of quietly fixing them downstream.
If you've ever wondered what separates a gold layer that works from one that just exists, this episode covers the fundamentals.
Key Moments:
0:36 — What is the gold layer?
1:00 — Combining data silos
2:01 — Modeling the gold layer
2:22 — A preview of the platinum layer
2:30 — Naming conventions
3:39 — D_ and F_ naming standards
4:08 — Validating the gold layer
4:36 — Hidden filters and reporting errors
5:13 — Relating fact tables
5:57 — Handling duplicates
6:52 — Exception reports
About Blue Margin
Blue Margin is a Microsoft Fabric and Power BI consultancy based in Fort Collins, Colorado. We help mid-market and private equity-backed companies build data platforms that hold up: clean architecture, trustworthy reporting, and dashboards teams actually use. The Dashboard Effect is where we talk through the technical decisions behind that work.
Learn more: https://bluemargin.com
How does raw data from a system like Salesforce become a dashboard your team can actually trust? On this episode of the Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon walk through medallion architecture and the three stages data moves through on its way to becoming useful.
They keep it simple: the first stage holds an exact copy of your source data, the middle stage cleans it up and combines data from different systems, and the final stage delivers a polished, analytics-ready view for tools like Power BI and Tableau. Landon also makes the case for keeping things lean rather than forcing every dataset through every step, and shares where speed and scale change the approach.
If you're building or refining how your data flows, this is a clear, approachable starting point.
About Blue Margin -
Blue Margin is a fractional data and analytics team for mid-market and PE-backed companies. Acting as an extension of your team, they build and manage your data platform, shape your data strategy, and deliver Power BI dashboards that give leaders a clear, real-time view of what's driving the business. The goal is simple: turn scattered data into decisions and build a culture of accountability and growth along the way.
Everyone's asking the same question: why can't I just run all my business intelligence through AI? In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon break down the real answer. You probably can, but only if your data foundation is built for it.
They cover where AI analytics fit alongside traditional Power BI, why a strong medallion architecture is the difference between reliable answers and confident wrong ones, and the practical engineering that makes natural language query trustworthy. They also dig into rising token costs, vendor lock-in, and how to decide what belongs in a dashboard versus a chat window.
If you run a data-driven business and you're weighing how far to push AI into your reporting stack, this one is for you.
Subscribe for more conversations on data, dashboards, and getting real value from your BI.
About Blue Margin -
We build and manage the data foundation that turns scattered systems into reliable, AI-ready reporting, so your team gets trustworthy answers without the overhead of an internal data team.
Learn more: https://www.bluemargin.com/
In this episode, the team gets hands-on with vibe coding and what it actually looks like inside real data work. From building API connections to generating synthetic datasets, they walk through where AI is genuinely speeding things up and where it still runs into friction.
The big takeaway: writing code might be faster, but everything around the data still matters just as much.
Blue Margin helps growing companies make better decisions with their data. From building data pipelines to creating reporting and dashboards, we handle the technical side so teams can focus on using their data—not chasing it.
AI is replacing software engineers. At least that's what the headlines say. But is it actually true?
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick - CEO of Blue Margin and Landon - Data Platform Manager at Blue Margin, get into what AI coding tools are really doing to software engineering teams right now. They cover why developers who tried AI tools in 2024 gave up too soon, how the best engineers on their teams are using Claude Code and ChatGPT Codex to ship faster without losing the craft, and why software engineering job growth keeps climbing despite all the doom and gloom.
If you lead a dev team, work in software, or just want to understand where this is all heading, this episode will change how you think about AI and your career.
👍 Like and subscribe if you want no fluff conversations about data, AI, and running a modern tech business.
Blue Margin is a business intelligence and data analytics firm helping companies turn raw data into decisions that drive revenue. With 120+ clients across industries, their team specializes in building dashboards and data platforms that leaders actually use.
Learn more at bluemargin.com.
Designing a dashboard might seem straightforward, just add charts, metrics, and a few visualizations. But the dashboards that actually help businesses make decisions often look surprisingly simple.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon talk about why the most effective dashboards are usually the simplest to read, and the hardest to build. Behind a clean dashboard is often a lot of complex data modeling, business rules, and engineering work that makes the information accurate and easy to understand.
They walk through real examples, including salesperson ROI dashboards, accounts receivable reporting, and price-volume-mix analysis, to show how much work happens behind the scenes to create dashboards that people actually use.
If you’ve ever wondered why some dashboards get ignored while others become essential tools for decision-making, this episode explains the difference.
Learn more about Blue Margin:
https://bluemargin.com
Many companies assume the best way to build a data capability is to hire an internal team. But is that always the right move?
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon break down one of the most common questions they hear from prospective clients: Why outsource your data work instead of hiring in-house?
They talk through the real tradeoffs companies face when building a data team, from the challenge of finding a single person who can do everything (the “Batman” hire), to the hidden costs of recruiting, training, and managing multiple specialists.
They also discuss why outsourced teams can sometimes deliver more value than a single internal hire, thanks to a broader bench of expertise and the ability to scale resources up or down as business needs change.
Whether you're considering building your own data team or looking for ways to get more out of your data infrastructure, this conversation offers a practical look at the pros and cons of each approach.
Pulling financial data together sounds simple, until you’re dealing with 20+ acquired companies, multiple ERPs, and a reporting process held together by massive Excel files.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick Thompson sits down with Senior Account Executive Kate Eberle to walk through a real client example: a PE-backed, billion-dollar organization struggling to consolidate financial data across a highly fragmented system landscape.
They break down what went wrong, why Excel stopped scaling, and how moving to a modern data platform eliminated weeks of manual FP&A work, while giving leaders faster, more actionable insight into the business.
About Blue Margin
Blue Margin helps growing companies make better decisions with their data. We work with finance and technology leaders to consolidate messy, disconnected systems into reliable, usable data foundations, so teams can spend less time wrangling spreadsheets and more time understanding what’s actually happening in the business.
Learn more: https://bluemargin.com
If your reporting process depends on manual work, fragile Excel files, or month-old data, we help you move to a more scalable, trustworthy approach.
Most finance and ops teams aren’t short on data, they’re short on trust in the numbers.
This podcast digs into why reporting breaks down, why Excel becomes a crutch, and what actually changes when companies move to cleaner, more reliable data foundations. We talk with CFOs, operators, and data leaders about the messy reality behind budgets, forecasts, board decks, and “magic spreadsheets” and how teams can get out of survival mode and make better decisions with confidence.
At Blue Margin, we help companies stop guessing and start leading with data. Our dashboards turn business performance into a daily habit, giving executives visibility that drives results. Visit https://bluemargin.com to see how we make data your biggest advantage.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Landon break down why so many data projects fail and how to fix them. Instead of “boiling the ocean” with massive, months-long BI initiatives that never gain traction, they share a practical, proven approach to delivering fast ROI, user adoption, and sustained data success.
Whether you’re leading a data transformation, building dashboards, or just trying to get your first BI win, this episode will help you reset your mindset and find your “real antidote” to failure.
At Blue Margin, we help companies stop guessing and start leading with data. Our dashboards turn business performance into a daily habit, giving executives visibility that drives results. Visit bluemargin.com to see how we make data your biggest advantage.
AI adoption is booming but most initiatives still fail to deliver real ROI. In this episode, Brick and Landon unpack why 60–95% of AI projects miss the mark and what companies can do differently. From the importance of a solid data foundation to starting small with practical use cases, they outline a smarter approach to AI that focuses on results, not hype.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon unpack why so many AI projects fail and how the right data foundation can make all the difference. From breaking down what a semantic model actually is to exploring the role of governance, they explain how structure, quality, and oversight in your data environment directly impact the reliability of AI.
Whether you’re an executive planning your first AI initiative or a developer struggling to wrangle messy data, this conversation offers a clear look at what it really takes to make AI work in the real world.
Blue Margin helps middle-market companies turn their data into a strategic advantage. Through Power BI solutions and modern data platforms, we make data visible, reliable, and actionable—so your team can make smarter decisions and drive performance.
Learn more at https://bluemargin.com
Think you need a big BI team and a big budget to get value from your data? Think again. In this episode, Brick Thompson and Landon Ochs share how small professional services firms can start using data effectively—by focusing on one meaningful problem, starting simple, and iterating over time. Hear practical tips, common pitfalls, and a real-world success story that added millions to the bottom line.
At Blue Margin, we help middle-market companies turn their data into a competitive advantage. As a Microsoft Gold Partner specializing in Power BI, we build simple, actionable dashboards that give leaders instant visibility into their business. Our proven process and deep expertise in data strategy help organizations boost accountability, accelerate growth, and achieve their goals—without the complexity or overhead of a full data team.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon give an update on Celeste, the internal AI tool Blue Margin has been building to help data teams query, explore, and visualize client data.
They dive into what’s worked, what hasn’t, and the fork in the road between making Celeste valuable for engineers versus business users. Along the way, they share lessons about AI adoption, the limits of “wrappers,” and where emerging tools like Azure’s AI Foundry could take things next.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’s really like to build and test an AI tool inside a data company, this conversation pulls back the curtain.
Blue Margin helps middle-market companies use their data to create focus, accountability, and growth. We specialize in building modern data platforms and Power BI dashboards that turn information into a competitive advantage.
Learn more at https://bluemargin.com
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon discuss their shift in thinking on whether to build custom data connectors or use third-party tools like Fivetran. They share the pros, cons, and lessons learned from their proof-of-concept with Fivetran, and why APIs are changing the data pipeline game.
Key Moments:
1:15 – Why custom connectors made sense in the past
2:00 – The rise of APIs and the challenge of building connectors for them
2:39 – Realizing the variety of systems—and limits of pre-built connectors
4:03 – How Fivetran’s dedicated API teams save time and reduce risk
4:57 – Turnaround times and when a custom build is still needed
5:56 – Cost trade-offs: upfront development vs. subscription model
6:30 – Support considerations for in-house vs. third-party connectors
6:41 – Exploring other tools and continuing custom pipeline work
7:11 – Closing thoughts and advice for data teams
Blue Margin helps middle-market companies turn their data into a strategic asset through automated dashboards and data solutions. By simplifying the flow of information, we empower leaders to make confident, data-driven decisions that drive growth and efficiency. Learn more at bluemargin.com.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, host Brick is joined by Blue Margin account executive Greg to demystify what it really means to “prepare your data for AI.” Rather than focusing on flashy tools and hype, they dig into the foundational steps, like building a modern data lakehouse and semantic layer, that are essential for long-term ROI. You’ll also hear why many companies are pulling back on generative AI pilots and what it takes to avoid falling into the “trough of disillusionment.”
Whether you’re just starting your AI journey or looking to get real results from your investments, this episode offers a grounded, strategic perspective.
Learn more: https://bluemargin.com
Choosing between Microsoft Fabric and Snowflake? In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick Thompson and Landon Ochs break down when, why, and how to choose the right data platform for your organization. From ecosystem compatibility and AI capabilities to cost management and developer experience, we unpack the real-world trade-offs we see every day at Blue Margin.
Whether you're building from scratch or evaluating a transition, this conversation will help you make a smarter, more informed decision.
Don’t forget to subscribe for more data strategy insights!
This episode dives into the biggest theme from the 2025 Microsoft Build conference: AI agents. Brick and Landon unpack what Microsoft unveiled, from Copilot Studio to Azure AI Foundry, and what it all means for businesses adopting custom AI tools.
Whether you're curious about how AI agents can automate tasks, what it takes to build and govern them effectively, or how Microsoft is pushing this technology forward, this episode is your insider look at the future of business automation.
Landon and Brick unpack the biggest announcements about Microsoft Fabric from the 2025 Microsoft Build Conference. From long-awaited features like Power BI write-back and built-in CICD, to major shifts like Cosmos DB moving into Fabric and Copilot now available at the F2 tier, this is a must-watch for data professionals and business leaders keeping an eye on Microsoft’s data ecosystem.
Whether you're already working in Fabric or planning your move from Synapse, this breakdown will help you understand what’s here, what’s coming, and what to watch out for.
Learn more about how Blue Margin helps companies turn data into growth: https://www.bluemargin.com
Like this video if you found it helpful
Subscribe for more insights on Microsoft Fabric, Power BI, and data strategy
In this episode, Blue Margin’s Kate Eberle and Greg explore why forward-thinking private equity firms are investing in firm-level data lakehouses and how it’s transforming deal flow, operations, investor relations, and beyond.
From reducing manual reporting to enabling AI-driven insights and natural language querying, they outline real-world use cases, challenges, and the best first steps to take.
Subscribe for more insights on data strategy, business intelligence, and private equity performance.
Want to learn how Blue Margin partners with PE firms?
Visit https://bluemargin.com to demo our PE Power BI Dashboards
In this episode, Brick and Kate break down the five most impactful metrics for middle-market companies to focus on when implementing Business Intelligence (BI). These metrics help businesses not only measure performance, but also take strategic action based on real-time insights.
Whether you're in services, manufacturing, or another industry, this conversation dives into practical examples and key considerations for tracking performance across the organization.
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights on data-driven business strategies.
Rolling out a new BI system or dashboard? It's not just about the data; it's about the people.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon dive into the hidden influence of company culture on BI adoption. From Excel loyalty to leadership modeling and psychological safety, they unpack the human side of digital transformation.
Learn how to overcome resistance, build trust, and drive lasting engagement with your dashboards.
Need help getting your dashboards adopted? Visit us at https://bluemargin.com
Are you chasing metrics that look good but don’t do good?
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick Thompson and Landon Oaks dive into the common trap of vanity metrics, those flashy numbers that don’t actually move the needle. They explore how to identify the right metrics, involve the right stakeholders, and why iteration is key to building dashboards that drive real results.
Whether you’re building your first dashboard or refining a mature BI strategy, this episode will help you shift from data that decorates to data that delivers.
Learn how Blue Margin helps companies turn data into a strategic asset: bluemargin.com
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, host Landon Oaks sits down with Azure Data Architect Mark Bender to discuss Blue Margin’s first internal leap into AI: Project Celeste.
Still in its early stages, Celeste is designed to boost developer and analyst productivity by using large language models to generate SQL queries from natural language prompts, without exposing sensitive data. Landon and Mark unpack how Celeste works, what makes it different from traditional AI chatbots, and how it's poised to change the way Blue Margin teams approach unfamiliar data systems like NetSuite.
Whether you're an AI enthusiast or a data professional, this behind-the-scenes look offers insight into the future of analytics at Blue Margin.
Are you trying to decide between Microsoft Synapse and Microsoft Fabric for your data architecture? In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, we break down the key differences, pros, and cons of each platform to help you make the best decision for your data needs.
What You’ll Learn:
✅ The biggest limitations of Microsoft Fabric right now
✅ When Synapse is the better choice for large data sets
✅ How Microsoft is evolving Fabric to compete with Synapse
✅ Real-world experiences from working with both platforms
✅ Key factors to consider when choosing between Fabric and Synapse
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more data-driven insights!
Have experience with Microsoft Fabric or Synapse? Drop your thoughts in the comments! We’d love to hear from you.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect. (For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).)
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg
Revenue seems like a simple metric—just add up the sales, right? Not so fast!
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, Brick and Landon dive into the complexities of defining revenue. Every business calculates revenue differently, whether due to trade discounts, loyalty programs, rebates, or industry-specific rules.
We explore why even CEOs, CFOs, and sales leaders might have different definitions of revenue and how companies can align on a single, accurate metric. If you're dealing with financial reporting, business intelligence, or analytics, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss!
Key Takeaways:
- Why revenue is defined differently across businesses
- Common challenges in revenue calculation
- How to handle discounts, rebates, and loyalty programs
- The impact of time and adjustments on revenue reporting
Subscribe to The Dashboard Effect Podcast for more insights on data-driven decision-making!
In this episode, Kate Eberle and Greg Brown discuss the challenges and strategies of portfolio monitoring in private equity. They explore the different approaches firms take, from Excel-based reporting to fully automated Power BI solutions, and discuss the pros and cons of each method.
Things we cover:
- The evolution of portfolio monitoring in private equity
- Common challenges firms face with data collection and reporting
- Comparing Excel, data warehouses, and portfolio monitoring tools like iLevel and Chronograph
- How automation is transforming private equity analytics
- Best practices for improving investor relations through better reporting
Whether you're a private equity professional, a CFO, or an analyst, this discussion will help you better understand how to optimize portfolio performance and make data-driven decisions.
Don’t forget to like and subscribe to stay updated on the latest insights in private equity and business intelligence!
Blue Margin helps private equity firms and portfolio companies leverage business intelligence to drive efficiency, improve reporting, and maximize value creation. Our automated data solutions and custom dashboards give PE firms the clarity they need to make strategic, data-driven decisions.
Want to streamline your portfolio monitoring? Learn more at https://www.bluemargin.com
PrivateEquity #PortfolioMonitoring #BusinessIntelligence #iLevel #Chronograph
Who should see your business data and who shouldn’t? In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Landon break down the essentials of role-based security and data access control.
Learn how businesses can ensure the right people have access to the right data while keeping sensitive information secure.
We cover:
- The importance of defining roles & hierarchies
- How to structure access control in ERP, HR, and security systems
- Best practices for implementing role-based access in BI reporting
- Common pitfalls (like using Excel) and how to avoid them
Whether you’re a business leader, IT professional, or data security enthusiast, this discussion will help you optimize your organization’s data visibility without overcomplicating access control.
Enjoyed the discussion? Don’t forget to like and subscribe. What challenges have you faced with managing data access in your organization?
DataSecurity #BusinessIntelligence #RoleBasedAccess #TheDashboardEffect #BI #DataManagement #AccessControl
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, host Jon sits down with Lisa Weaver Lambert, author of The AI Value Playbook. Lisa shares her deep expertise in AI, offering practical advice for non-technical leaders on how to leverage AI effectively. From addressing common pitfalls to discussing actionable strategies, Lisa’s insights are a must-hear for anyone looking to implement AI in their organization.
Lisa’s book, The AI Value Playbook, is a practical guide for non-technical leaders looking to harness the power of AI.
You can purchase it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1835461751?ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_3KZ301F8G04SBWMCJ3CA&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_3KZ301F8G04SBWMCJ3CA&social_share=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_3KZ301F8G04SBWMCJ3CA&skipTwisterOG=1
Connect with Lisa on LinkedIn here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-weaver-lambert-9568912/
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon discuss the importance of truly understanding your data before diving into report building. Whether you’re an analytics engineer or using Power BI, this conversation is packed with actionable insights for making better decisions and creating impactful dashboards.
Key Moments:
[02:15] Why understanding your data source improves report outcomes.
[05:30] How Power BI simplifies data visualization and decision-making.
[08:45] Common pitfalls in analytics and how to avoid them.
Thank you for tuning into The Dashboard Effect Podcast! Subscribe for more insights on data, BI, and analytics.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg
Knowing when to use raw data or aggregated data can make or break your analytics strategy. In this video, Brick and Landon explain the key differences between raw and aggregated data, how each affects decision-making, and the best times to use them. Whether you’re managing transactional data or scaling analytics for your business, this discussion has you covered.
Tune in to learn how these data strategies can impact your reporting, analytics, and overall business performance.
If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to hit the like button and subscribe to our channel for more insights on data analytics, business intelligence, and strategies to help your business succeed. Turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
Looking for smarter, faster ways to make data-driven decisions? At Blue Margin, we specialize in making data accessible and actionable for mid-market companies. Visit https://bluemargin.com to learn how we can help you unlock the full potential of your data.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, Brick and Landon break down the differences between schema on read and schema on write. They discuss when to use each approach, the pros and cons, and real-world applications for businesses of different sizes. If you're navigating the complexities of data lakes, data warehouses, or lakehouses, this episode will give you clarity.
Tune in to learn how these data strategies can impact your reporting, analytics, and overall business performance.
If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to hit the like button and subscribe to our channel for more insights on data analytics, business intelligence, and strategies to help your business succeed. Turn on notifications so you never miss an episode!
Looking for smarter, faster ways to make data-driven decisions? At Blue Margin, we specialize in making data accessible and actionable for mid-market companies. Visit bluemargin.com to learn how we can help you unlock the full potential of your data.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, host Brick Thompson and Blue Margin’s Director of Solutions, Landon Ochs, dive into the nuances of semantic models and the bronze, silver, and gold layers within a data lake house. They explain the roles of each layer, how data is transformed at each stage, and why collaboration with business users is essential for accurate and actionable BI reporting.
Through this episode, you'll learn why different layers serve different purposes—from storing raw data to pre-joining tables for efficiency to creating finalized data ready for reporting. They also discuss how the semantic model is designed to simplify complex data relationships, making reporting easier for non-technical users.
Thank you for tuning into The Dashboard Effect Podcast! Subscribe for more insights on data, BI, and analytics.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick chats with Landon, Director of Solutions at Blue Margin, about a surprising challenge faced while extracting data from NetSuite. Despite NetSuite’s well-developed API, handling massive datasets proved problematic. Landon shares how they solved the issue using an unexpected solution—the ODBC connector.
They discuss the limitations of the API, how ODBC outperformed it for large data sets, and the unconventional yet effective workaround using a virtual machine. If you’re working with NetSuite or other cloud-based systems and experiencing similar challenges, you’ll want to hear this episode.
Key Takeaways:
- Why NetSuite’s API struggled with millions of records
- How ODBC became the unexpected hero for pulling large data sets
- The importance of getting creative with data extraction
Listen in for tips and insights that can help with your own data pipeline challenges!
In this episode, Brick Thompson and Caleb Ochs discuss the critical role of good data models in making business intelligence tools like Power BI efficient and scalable. They cover the pitfalls of poor data models, including delayed reporting and data category issues, and offer insights into designing flexible, transactional-level data models that can grow with your business needs.
Key Moments:
- Example of a Bad Data Model
- The Benefits of Transactional-Level Data
- Why Developers Take Shortcuts
- Common Data Model Mistakes
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Caleb discuss the challenges and best practices for rolling out Business Intelligence (BI) solutions to large audiences. With a real-life example of implementing BI across 600 retail locations, they dive into how to navigate common pitfalls, ensuring user adoption and success. Whether your rollout is for a small team or a large enterprise, these insights will help you optimize your process.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Caleb explore the essential steps to building efficient and reliable data pipelines. They discuss the critical factors in moving data from transactional systems to data lakes, highlight the importance of simplifying pipelines, and share practical strategies for handling pipeline failures, API connections, and ensuring scalability. Whether you're a data professional or a business leader looking to enhance your data processes, this episode offers valuable insights to guide you.
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Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Caleb explore the pressing challenges of assembling and sustaining a robust data team in today’s volatile tech landscape. With tech turnover rates on the rise, developing strategies to attract and retain top talent is more critical than ever. They share insights on the importance of redundancy, effective documentation, and keeping solutions simple to ensure your data team stays strong. Join us to learn practical approaches to future-proofing your data team.
Subscribe to our channel for more insights on data analytics and team management.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, hosts Brick and Caleb dive into the often-overlooked advantages of outsourcing data platform management. They explore why mid-market companies should consider this option, discussing the challenges of in-house management, the importance of expertise in data integrity and security, and how outsourcing can free up your team to focus on core business analytics.
Whether you're a growing company struggling with data management or an executive looking to optimize your data strategy, this episode offers valuable insights into making your data work for you without the headaches of platform management.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg
Welcome to The Dashboard Effect Podcast! In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the world of generative AI analytics, reflecting on the initial excitement and the current state of the technology. They share their insights and personal experiences, examining the progress made since the Microsoft Build Conference 2023 and evaluating whether generative AI tools are living up to their expectations.
Visit our website https://BlueMargin.com for more insights and resources.
Episode Highlights:
- Initial Excitement and High Expectations: Brick and Caleb reminisce about the excitement surrounding the Microsoft Build Conference 2023 and the potential they saw in tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft's Power BI Copilot.
- Current State of Generative AI: Despite the initial hype, Brick shares his observations on the current limitations of generative AI tools, particularly in producing reliable and accurate results.
- Data Quality and Reliability: Caleb highlights the ongoing challenge of ensuring high-quality data input to achieve meaningful outputs, emphasizing the old adage, "garbage in, garbage out."
-Machine Learning vs. LLMs: The conversation differentiates between traditional machine learning techniques and the newer large language models, exploring their respective strengths and weaknesses. - User Interface and Semantic Layer: The importance of building effective data models and semantic layers is discussed, with real-world examples of the complexities involved.
- Future of AI: Brick and Caleb speculate on the future developments in AI, including the possibility of re-architecting LLMs and the timeline for achieving truly reliable generative AI tools.
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Watch the episode here: https://youtu.be/D5_WqaI_LNo
Thanks for watching, and we'll see you in the next episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast!
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, we tackle the complex world of multi-currency reporting in Power BI. Whether you're a BI professional or a business analyst dealing with international data, this episode is packed with valuable insights to enhance your reporting capabilities.
Brick and Caleb dive deep into:
- Effective strategies for displaying different currency symbols
- The power of dynamic formatting in Power BI
- An innovative approach using a "concatenated fact table"
- Best practices for handling currency conversion rates
- Balancing data duplication and compression for optimal performance
- Real-world examples of multi-currency implementation for global businesses
The hosts share their expert knowledge on structuring data models, optimizing queries, and creating user-friendly interfaces for multi-currency reports. They also discuss the pros and cons of various approaches, helping you make informed decisions for your specific reporting needs.
By the end of this episode, you'll have a solid understanding of how to implement robust multi-currency functionality in your Power BI reports, enabling you to deliver more meaningful and flexible global business intelligence.
Tune in to level up your Power BI skills and transform the way you handle international financial data!
Watch the video on our YouTube: https://youtu.be/pcyUvGVHAY0
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, hosts Brick Thompson and Caleb Ochs discuss the pros and cons of emailing reports in business intelligence. They explore why the common practice of sending daily Excel sheets or PDFs is limiting and outdated, and offer better alternatives using modern BI tools like Power BI.
We cover in this episode...
- The limitations of static, emailed reports
- Power BI's subscription feature as an improvement
- The importance of live, interactive data
- Alternatives for users who need raw data access
- Storage concerns with emailed reports
Learn how to move beyond inbox-clogging data dumps and empower your team with real-time, interactive dashboards. Whether you're a BI professional or a business leader, this episode offers valuable insights on modernizing your reporting practices.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon (https://amzn.to/3UTvTLm).
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here: https://bit.ly/3fwNmcg
BusinessIntelligence #PowerBI #DataReporting #Analytics
In the latest episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, Brick and Caleb discuss a common challenge businesses face when trying to extend their data for reporting purposes using Excel files to categorize or group data in ways not supported by the original system.
While this approach may seem simple and straightforward, it can lead to several problems down the road, such as:
- Difficulty matching numbers between the transactional system and the reporting tool (e.g., Power BI)
- Inconsistencies in categorization when new data is added
- Maintenance overhead and potential for errors as the Excel file grows
The golden rule, as emphasized in the podcast, is to handle as much data categorization and grouping as possible within your transactional systems. While it may seem like a pain to make updates there, it will save you time and headaches in the long run.
Watch the full Youtube episode.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
For a free, downloadable copy click https://bit.ly/3RmBGWQ, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
DataReporting #TransactionalData #Excel #PowerBI #BusinessIntelligence
Brick and Caleb get technical this week with a special focus on delta loading. They break down the concept of delta loading and highlight its benefits over traditional full loading techniques in terms of speed and resource efficiency. Caleb covers the typical obstacles faced when implementing delta loading, including issues with legacy systems and API limitations. He also shares strategies for effective delta loading, with practical tips and workarounds that you can apply directly to your operations.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb share the essentials of performant Power BI reports. They discuss the ideal loading performance benchmarks, the implications of load times on user trust, and helpful strategies for debugging and optimizing data models and DAX measures.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb discuss the importance of data modeling and good DAX in Power BI, highlighting common mistakes that can lead to poor report performance. For fast and efficient reporting, you need a sound data model that contains the right level of detail, dimensions, and relationships, avoids snowflake schemas, and uses simple (and standardized) naming conventions.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
(This episode is a re-release, but the content is still just as relevant as it was the first time around!) Brick and Caleb discuss the complexities of building an in-house BI department. In addition to sharing their firsthand experience and insight from years of supporting mid-market companies, the duo discusses the potential benefits and pitfalls of moving from relying on external BI vendors to establishing internal teams. They explore why companies might want to bring these capabilities in-house despite the challenges and offer practical steps and advice for those considering this shift. Tune in to learn about the hiring hierarchy within a BI team, cost implications, and how to foster an environment where a newly formed BI team can thrive.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and guest co-host Greg Brown explore the dynamic between leading and lagging indicators in BI reporting. They share challenges and strategies for integrating these metrics to enhance operational efficiency and financial performance. Greg shares anecdotes from his operations background to emphasize the need for timely and actionable data to adjust behavior before it's too late.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
This week, Brick and Caleb get a bit technical and discuss how to improve Power BI report performance through effective semantic modeling and minimizing data transformation with Power BI. They unpack the challenges of managing data transformations directly within Power BI and highlight the advantages of using serverless SQL views instead. Their insights will help Power BI report developers avoid common pitfalls, streamline data processing, and improve Power BI report performance.
Jump to a Section:
0:40 How Blue Margin approaches semantic modeling with serverless SQL views
1:45 Power BI is not an ETL tool, so use SQL instead
2:34 How tight does governance around semantic models need to be?
5:23 What is the optimal level of complexity for a semantic model?
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb explore the balance between empowering analysts with data access and the governance required to prevent data sprawl and maintain integrity and consistency across reports. They provide strategies for enabling departments to independently use data for their own insights and how to use a centralized data team to review, refine, and distribute only the best individual reports to be used by the entire company.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In a continuation of their AI-readiness discussion, Brick and Caleb outline the importance of the human element in preparing for generative AI analytics. They share strategies for ensuring that your company's culture is ready to harness the power of AI, from how to start improving data literacy to defining clear and consistent business logic.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb explore the steps businesses must take to prepare their data for the inevitable integration of generative AI analytics. They use this episode to explain the "why" behind data consolidation and semantic layers.
What you'll learn:
- Why consolidating your data is the first step for AI-readiness
- The challenges and solutions for dealing with data from disparate sources
- The importance of a semantic layer in making data accessible for AI and business users
- Why you should take an agile approach when developing data infrastructure
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
This episode is the third installment of Brick and Caleb's series on breaking down data terminology. They cover foreign and primary keys, data lakes and data lakehouses, parquet and delta parquet files, ETL and ELT, and data pipelines, before concluding with Python, PySpark, and visualizations.
Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
This episode is the second installment of Brick and Caleb's series on breaking down data terminology. They cover Kimball data warehouse methodology, fact/dimensional tables, star vs. snowflake schemas, and data models vs. semantic layers.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
This episode is the first installment in a series of episodes that will serve as a primer on the key terms and technologies surrounding data management. Brick and Caleb begin with the fundamental differences between transactional and analytical databases, explaining concepts like OLAP, OLTP, normalization, and denormalization in an accessible way. They also clarify the essence of SQL, how it interacts with databases, and introduce the concept of Serverless SQL. Whether you're new to data or looking to deepen your understanding, this episode is a good place to start getting a handle on common data terminology.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Caleb and Kate discuss important KPIs for the manufacturing industry. While there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, they outline and provide insight on the leading and lagging KPIs that have helped our midmarket manufacturing clients improve sales operations, inventory management, labor and machine utilization, and cash flow.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb discuss Blue Margin's use of Azure Data Lake for unified data management. Using a recent client project as an example, Caleb explains how he integrated multiple data sources using serverless SQL to create a single data repository with a semantic model to enhance consistency across projects and reports. They also discuss the current performance benefits of using a serverless SQL and the Microsoft Fabric OneLake updates they're waiting on before transitioning from Azure Data Lake.
In this episode:
- Introduction to Azure Data Lake: Caleb kicks off the discussion with an overview of Azure Data Lake, emphasizing its role in creating a unified data repository. The conversation highlights the significance of maintaining "one copy of your data" to eliminate redundancy and ensure consistency across various data analysis projects.
- Client Case Study: Caleb walks through a recent project of creating an Azure Data Lake for a client. Learn about the challenges of integrating multiple data sources and how serverless SQL views simplify data modeling and reporting.
- Serverless SQL Explained: Caleb outlines the benefits of serverless SQL, including its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and how it caters to users familiar with SQL Server without the need for a traditional database setup.
- Semantic Modeling for Unified Reporting: Understand the process of creating a semantic layer that merges data from disparate systems, enabling consolidated reporting across different business units without compromising data integrity.
- Performance Insights: Caleb shares his experience with the performance of serverless SQL on Azure Data Lake, busting myths about query execution times and handling large datasets efficiently.
- Looking Ahead: Brick and Caleb discuss the features they're waiting on within Microsoft's Fabric OneLake before transitioning from Azure Data Lake.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb explain the distinctions of and interdependencies between data setup/data pipelines, data modeling, and reporting, emphasizing their individual roles within an effective approach to data analytics and BI.
Starting by explaining the necessity of a solid data pipeline structure, this episode highlights how the specific requirements of a report influence the development of a corresponding data model (also known as a semantic layer) and concludes with a practical discussion on balancing the complexities of data models.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb explain how Blue Margin is using ChatGPT for generating synthetic data to populate data models in Power BI reports. Caleb shares his insights on how this approach has streamlined the process of creating sample reports with fake, yet realistic data, to demonstrate work without compromising customer data privacy. They discuss the limitations of traditional data-generating tools and highlight how ChatGPT's ability to produce specific data sets, like email addresses or location codes, significantly eases the task of generating authentic-looking fake data for reports. They also explore other practical applications, such as anonymizing sensitive data, generating test cases for row-level security issues, and training on complex data models. This conversation provides a deep dive into how emerging AI technologies like ChatGPT are revolutionizing data management and visualization in the field of business intelligence.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb call out key aspects of Microsoft's Power BI Copilot documentation related to structuring datasets for Large Language Models (LLMs) and explain how to get these best practices in place. Data structure and organization are critical for getting useful outputs from advanced analytics tools like Power BI Copilot, and useful outputs will determine, in large part, whether or not these tools will be widely adopted.
Here is the Microsoft documentation referenced: Update your data model to work well with Copilot for Power BI - Power BI | Microsoft Learn
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
While some features are not quite up to par (yet) with Azure Synapse Pipelines, Brick and Caleb discuss Microsoft Fabric's Direct Lake mode and Data Pipelines and the speed and advances they're bring to data management. Fabric's unified platform and source control integration streamline development, and Direct Lake allows organizations to operate off of a single copy of data -- providing data consistency and near real-time Power BI updates.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
For months, Brick and Caleb have been recommending that companies start preparing their data infrastructure to leverage the current and upcoming AI technologies. In this episode, however, they break down how to prepare. They emphasize the need for data consolidation (and recommend OneLake on Microsoft Fabric), a robust semantic layer for report development, data literacy development within the organization, and consistent metric definitions.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, we discuss the key takeaways from the AWS report "CDO Agenda 2024: Navigating Data and Generative AI Frontiers." According to the report, the top focus for CDOs is creating visible value and achieving business objectives while preparing company data to leverage generative AI advances. Brick and Caleb share strategies for improving data infrastructure and considerations for generative AI's growing impact. Regardless of when/whether generative AI advances materialize, companies stand to benefit from consolidating their data tools onto a single platform to improve their data quality and security.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, hosts Brick Thompson and Caleb Ochs discuss the current state of data and AI, inspired by a recent report from Salesforce. They discuss the importance of a strong data foundation (and what constitutes one) for effective use of generative AI, emphasizing the need for high-quality, consolidated, and secure data. They also cover some of the challenges of advancing data initiatives (e.g. keeping data projects aligned to business goals, differing perceptions of data quality and usefulness across business departments, etc.)
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, hosts Brick and Caleb discuss the hesitation many companies have to pursue data projects during ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) implementations. They dissect the risks of delaying these initiatives and highlight how running data projects in parallel can streamline processes, enhance data validation, and drive a faster return on investment. This discussion is helpful for leaders and executives aiming to harmonize their data strategy with ERP upgrades and ensure continuous business growth and operational efficiency.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Jon, founders of Blue Margin, talk about the advancements in data technology and its impact on mid-market businesses. They discuss how rapid developments in data technology, particularly in data lakes and data pipelines, are revolutionizing how businesses operate and strategize. Emphasized is the shift from traditional data handling methods to more agile, cost-effective approaches that enable businesses to adapt quickly. Jon also talks about the importance of being data-driven and how outdated approaches can leave companies behind in the competitive market.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
This episode of the Blue Margin's Expert Insights Series with Kison Patel, CEO of M&A Science (www.mascience.com), provides valuable insights into a scientific approach to M&A, data management, and the potential impact of generative analytics in the industry. Kison Patel's extensive experience and forward-thinking perspective make for a compelling discussion on the future of M&A.
M&A Science is a community of practitioners dedicated to improving M&A practices through virtual roundtables, an annual summit, and a popular podcast (www.mascience.com/podcast) with over 50,000 users. It offers DealRoom, an M&A lifecycle management platform, and FirmRoom, "the world's most intuitive data room".
Key insights:
- Kison's perspective on the current state of the private equity market, with variations in activity across different industries.
- Private equity approaches during slower seasons, including cost-cutting initiatives and a focus on improving integration processes.
- The role of clean and reliable data in M&A deals, facilitating smoother and more successful transactions.
- Data lakehouses and their potential to revolutionize data management, and their relevance to the M&A industry.
- The upcoming generative analytics revolution and its potential impact on M&A, including AI's slow adoption in the industry due to skepticism.
- Exploration of potential AI applications for roll-up strategies in M&A, including training AI to extract and summarize diligence reports.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Click here to read the interview highlights.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the fine line between adding value and overwhelming users with too much information when it comes to developing Power BI dashboards. They give insight into the dangers of overloading reports with excessive visualizations and the importance of maintaining simplicity and clarity in data reporting.
Key Points:
- The Risk of Overreporting: Too many reports can lead to inefficiency rather than improved performance.
- Don't Overcomplicate: Why report developers might add too many elements to a report, and the impact it has on user experience and report maintenance.
- Striking the Right Balance: How to determine the optimal number of visualizations and data on a single page.
- Focus on Intuitive Design: The importance of keeping reports simple, intuitive, and dedicated to specific topics.
- Responding to Feedback: How to effectively handle requests for additions to reports, and ensure they align with the report's primary purpose.
- User-Centric Report Design: Define the value and goal of a report for clearer, more user-friendly outcomes.
Did you know we have 100+ episodes available in our resource library? Check them all out here, and subscribe to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
(This week’s episode is a rerelease from earlier this year, and it’s just as relevant now as it was then.) Brick and Caleb highlight how constant evolution in the BI process is key to a data initiative’s success. They emphasize the need for flexibility and incorporating user feedback for continuous improvement. They discuss the inevitability of business evolution and how BI reports must be updated to meet those evolving needs. Listen to learn why an iterative approach isn't just beneficial—it's essential for keeping up with the dynamic nature of business data and decision-making.
Did you know we have 100+ episodes available in our resource library? Check them all out here.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss how to demonstrate the value and return on investment (ROI) of data initiatives. They explore practical ways to quantify ROI, from automating manual effort to improving decision-making processes. Brick and Caleb also share real-world examples including the impact of increasing employee utilization on a company's bottom line.
They discuss the importance of measuring performance before and after the implementation of data projects, the potential pitfalls of "over reporting", and the power of simplicity in data analytics.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this Expert Insights Series episode, Jon Thompson hosts Karen Posey of KP Strategies to unpack the unique challenges and opportunities CEOs face in the realm of strategic planning and execution.
Karen shares insights from her extensive experience leading companies and advising CEOs on the best-practices for building strategic plans that are aligned to yearly operations and budgets, and the importance of organizational alignment for successful leadership, healthy culture, and business growth.
KP Strategies is a Denver-based CEO consultancy offering a 6-month CEO Accelerator program that gives business leaders the tools they need to lead with confidence. Visit their website for more information: www.kpstrategies.net
Read the interview highlights here: Bridging Data & Leadership: Advice on Bold Execution for Midmarket CEOs
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the intricacies of role-level and row-level security in the context of data lakes. They explain the differences between the two and how each works within the Microsoft Azure environment. The conversation also touches on the importance of understanding who has access to what data, the flexibility of row-level security in Power BI, and the challenges of managing access in the data lake.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Kate Eberle, Director of Consulting at Blue Margin, discusses mid-market growth challenges with Richard Byrd, Fractional CMO and President of BlueByrd Strategic Sales and Marketing. Their conversation highlights the shift in private equity towards organic growth and the importance of foundational marketing strategies, expanding outreach, and leveraging AI tools. Listen in for BlueByrd's strategic marketing execution process and Richard's insights into overcoming marketing challenges in the mid-market landscape.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this milestone 100th episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Caleb discuss the challenges and best practices around managing data talent. From hiring and retention to continuous learning and meaningful work, they share insights from years of experience. Tune in for strategies on keeping your data talent engaged and contributing to your company’s goals.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect podcast, Brick Thompson and Caleb Ochs discuss the concept of data silos, exploring their implications and the challenges they present in today's data landscape. They touch on the evolution of data storage, from traditional data warehouses to the more modern and efficient data lakes and lakehouses. As businesses continue to generate vast amounts of data, the need to break down silos and integrate data sources becomes paramount. This episode emphasizes the importance of consolidating data, ensuring security, and the tools that evolved to no longer be prohibitive.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb revisit the world of generative AI in analytics. They revisit their experience with Microsoft's Power BI Copilot and discuss the current state of AI in generating SQL queries, dashboards, and even predictive analytics with machine learning. Tune in to get their take on the hype vs. reality of AI within data analytics (and other applications like video, voice, biomedical, etc.) and what to watch for in the near future!
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
"Let's say you hire two people, and they build a bunch of stuff. And then they decide to quit or find a better job, and then all of that knowledge goes with them. You have to have continuity. Otherwise, you're just on a treadmill." - Caleb Ochs
In this episode of the Dashboard Effect Podcast, Brick and Caleb discuss the evolving challenges companies face in building and maintaining a data analytics team. They emphasize the importance of continuity and skill diversity, particularly in middle-market companies, and delve into why many businesses are increasingly looking to outsource these specialized skillsets. The conversation reveals the gaps that can form when companies rely solely on internal teams and makes the case for partnering with a fraction data team which offers both expertise and continuity in data strategy.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb explore the distinction between implementing software solutions and actually driving business results. They discuss the limitations of canned reporting in various systems like CRM, ERP, and fleet management software, emphasizing the need for a consolidated data environment, or a "data lakehouse," to truly unlock the power of your data. Whether you're a Private Equity Operating Partner or a C-Suite executive, you'll gain valuable insights into maximizing the ROI on your software investments and preparing your data infrastructure for the future of AI and machine learning.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by serving as their fractional data team. We advise on, build, and manage data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 300 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, hosts Brick and Caleb discuss the phenomenon of "BI Paralysis," a common roadblock that hinders companies from fully implementing their Business Intelligence (BI) initiatives. They discuss the pitfalls of striving for perfection in BI reporting, emphasizing the importance of iterative development and stakeholder education. The episode is a must-listen for executives looking to optimize their data strategy and avoid the paralysis that comes from overthinking BI projects.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb delve into the speed-to-insight benefits of data lakes over traditional data warehouses. They discuss how advances in technology have drastically reduced the time required to build data pipelines, making it easier for mid-market companies, especially those backed by private equity, to integrate and analyze data from multiple sources. Tune in to learn how you can leverage these innovations to make data-driven decisions faster, even if you're in the midst of a buy-and-build strategy.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, hosts Brick and Caleb discuss the unique challenges and opportunities of implementing data and analytics in the mid-market sector. Drawing on their experience from 1000+ projects, they discuss why traditional big data approaches don't fit the mid-market and offer actionable insights on cost-effective, ongoing data management. This episode provides valuable perspectives on optimizing your data strategy without having to build an in-house team.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb orient us to Microsoft's new data platform, Fabric, which was launched into public preview earlier this year. They discuss its key components, including its relationship with Data Engineering, Data Factory, Data Science, and Power BI. Additionally, they explore the future implications of integrating AI into data management.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Caleb, discuss the road to data maturity within companies. They outline the three stages of data maturity - data constrained, data aware, and data driven - and provide practical guidance on recognizing where your company stands and when/how to advance. They also share data maturity's impact on business efficiency, decision-making, and competitiveness.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode of the Dashboard Effect Podcast, Brick and Caleb delve into the intricacies of Power BI, a powerful visual analytics tool. They discuss the two primary components of Power BI: the Desktop version and the Service version, and how they interact with each other. They also touch on the concept of Power BI Embedded, which allows Power BI reports to be surfaced in applications. They then explain the role of Power BI data gateway in maintaining a secure connection between local databases and the cloud-based Power BI service, and the use of Power BI report server for those who prefer to keep their reports within their network.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode of the Expert Insights Series, Blue Margin Director of Consulting, Kate Eberle, hosts Pedro Renteria, the VP of Financial Planning and Analysis at SimonMed. Pedro works closely with operations and leans on business intelligence (BI) and analytics to drive company performance.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Key Points:
- SimonMed's BI Journey: A Healthcare Case Study
- How SimonMed Uses Data Analytics to Increase Patient Volume and Employee Engagement
- SimonMed's Data-Driven, Human-Centered Approach to Performance Improvements
- Pedro's perspective on ROI and his observations of SimonMed's progress
Before joining SimonMed, Pedro served as VP of FP&A at Frontier Communications, Sr. Director of FP&A at financial services company Early Warning, Finance Controller at Amazon, and Finance Director at American Airlines and U.S. Airways.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb discuss the different degrees of 'bad data' and its implications on business processes and decision-making. Using real-world examples, they share an approach to identify and address issues of data quality. They highlight the role of tools like Power BI (which is more than just a reporting tool) in identifying, cleaning, and maintaining data quality, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb delve into the reasons why businesses might want to access and analyze data from systems like CRMs or ERPs, going beyond the system's built-in reporting capabilities. Listeners will learn about the types of data that can be extracted, how it can be used to provide valuable business insights, and the various methods to access this data, including APIs. This episode is for anyone looking to leverage their source system data for more efficient reporting and broader data access.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb lay out the fundamentals of databases. They provide a clear understanding of how data is structured, stored, and related in a database, using relatable examples like Excel sheets. This discussion lays the groundwork for AI and advanced data technologies because a grasp of these basics empowers us to leverage more complex tools and concepts.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb discuss the impact and implications of Microsoft's new data stack, Fabric. Can it completely replace the myriad of tools needed for data operations? How well will it integrate into a business workflow? Despite some concern about vendor lock-in, the hosts lean towards seeing Microsoft's comprehensive tool set as an advantage, particularly in terms of business productivity, cost savings, and ease of integration with other Microsoft applications.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
Brick and Caleb delve into the latest announcements from the Microsoft Build Conference, specifically focusing on Power BI and its upcoming Copilot feature. They share some of the capabilities of the Copilot's natural language querying and the potential impact on report building and data infrastructure, prompting the question: what role will data visualization experts play in the future?
Power BI Copilots will become generally available in ~6 months, and companies need to start preparing their data now to leverage these revolutionary tools.
As referenced in the episode, here is a link to watch the Microsoft Power BI Copilot demo: (4) Copilot in Power BI Demo - YouTube
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss Microsoft's upcoming AI tools ("Copilots"), and their new data management system, Microsoft Fabric, and how it fundamentally differs from its predecessor, Azure Synapse. They explain OneLake's innovative concept, where all data is centrally stored in Delta Parquet files. They also preview some pricing for the Fabric service and advice for those embarking on data projects ahead of its general release.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this episode of the Expert Insights Series, Blue Margin consultant Greg Brown hosts Jack Nestell, Managing Partner of Nestell & Associates.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Nestell & Associates is an ERP consulting firm that partners with private equity firms to drive ERP optimization and digital transformation projects.
With a background in business and IT leadership across multiple industries, Jack is an ERP practitioner, researcher, speaker, and academic with 30 years of experience in helping companies optimize their business processes and systems. He authored the book Successful ERP Systems: A Guide for Businesses and Executives.
In this episode, Jack shares his insights and best practices on:
- How to assess for data and ERP gaps during diligence
- How to assess your organizational culture and readiness for ERP implementation and digital transformation
- A six-step process for ERP migration and integration projects
- How to define, measure, and improve change success factors in an ERP project
- The impacts of AI and Industry 4.0 in ERP strategy
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Subscribe here to get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources.
In this Expert Insights Series episode, Blue Margin co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer Jon Thompson hosts Paul Stansik, Operating Partner at ParkerGale Capital. Paul works with management teams to drive organic growth through improved sales, marketing, and leadership effectiveness.
Paul and Jon discuss:
- How to use vulnerability to build trust and improve team performance
- Why he chooses to show "Less Data, More Often" to portfolio executives
- How to improve portfolio companies with data-driven dialogue and a weekly Sales Metric Playbook
Prior to joining the firm in 2019, Paul served as a senior manager at Bain & Company in private equity, and VP of Sales at financial research firm ITG. With an MBA from Wharton, Paul is a prolific business writer and popular expert guest.
Check out Paul's writing (https://pstansik.medium.com/) and ParkerGale's podcast, PE Funcast (https://www.parkergale.com/podcasts).
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
Brick and Caleb outline the importance (and complexities) of actively managing a data lake to meet ever-changing business needs and user requirements.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Download your copy here and subscribe to weekly insights on our podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
datalake #BI #ETL
In this episode, Brick and Caleb outline the three pillars of a BI system framework: data lakes, data modeling, and data visualization.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin increases enterprise value for PE-backed, mid-market companies by building and managing their data platforms. Our strategy, proven with over 250 companies to-date, expands multiples through data transformation, as presented in our book, The Dashboard Effect.
Download your copy here and subscribe to weekly insights on our podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
AI #datastrategy #datalake #BI
In this episode, Brick Thompson hosts CIO John Manzanares, a seasoned IT leader and a board member for PE-backed field services, construction, transportation, and logistics companies, as well as the Society for Information Management.
John shares insight into:
- How a Midmarket Commercial Services Company Monetized Their Data
- Why Data Lakes are Key to the Buy-and-Build Strategy
- How Microsoft’s 365 Copilot Will Likely Change Data Reporting
- How to Wrangle ChatGPT in the Wild West Days of AI
- How to Minimize BI Project Delays
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
AI #datastrategy #datalake #BI
In this episode, Blue Margin consultant Greg Brown interviews John A. Lanier, CEO of Middle Market Methods. John shares insights into his approach to value creation road-mapping as well as his strategies for identifying areas for operational improvements and addressing the misalignment that commonly occurs between PE sponsors and portfolio company executives.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
AI #datastrategy #datalake #BI
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the importance of preparing your data environment for the arrival of AI tools. They highlight the advantages of a data lake, a flexible repository for storing and integrating data, making it easier to analyze and report on. By having an established data lake, organizations can seamlessly leverage upcoming AI tools without having to scramble to access data in their transactional systems.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
AI #datastrategy #datalake #BI
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss ChatGPT - its current capabilities, shortcomings, and anticipated impact on BI. They offer some advice about preparing your company data to leverage these advancing technologies.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
AI #datastrategy #datalake #BI
In this episode, Kate Eberle and Brick Thompson discuss the benefits of using a data lake instead of a traditional data warehouse during the first 100 days of a company's acquisition by a private equity firm, citing its ability to speed up insights, offer a consolidated view of data from different add-ons, and act as a sandbox for determining operational key performance indicators (KPIs). Data lakes can provide fast, updated information, enable better natural language querying, and allow companies to quickly adapt to evolving business needs, making them a both a foundational and scalable solution.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
datalake #datastrategy #privateequity #1st100Days
In this episode, Brick and Will, Solutions Architect at Blue Margin, discuss the four areas of questioning he uses when interviewing SMEs or stakeholders for building a report. It's important to understand the context first before choosing the right metrics and slicers to ensure that the report is actionable and meets stakeholders' needs.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
dashboarddesign #datastrategy #BI
In today’s podcast, Blue Margin consultant Greg Brown hosts Vishy Venugopalan, Managing Partner of Weave Growth Partners. Vishy brings the Silicon Valley playbook to lower midmarket deals by melding his knowledge of tech startups, investing, and both descriptive and prescriptive analytics. The interview explores the ‘why’ behind private equity’s slower adoption of data driven practices, correlates a company’s data adoption practices to evolutionary biology, and discusses the human aspects of advancing data science.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
privateequity #datadriven #businessintelligence
In this episode, Caleb and Kate discuss important KPIs for the manufacturing industry. While there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, they outline and provide insight on the leading and lagging KPIs that have helped our midmarket manufacturing clients improve sales operations, inventory management, labor and machine utilization, and cash flow.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #manufacturing #KPIs
In this episode, Brick and Caleb talk about the importance of making sure business users of BI understand the underlying data sources and their capabilities and limitations. It'll help maximize the value of your BI efforts.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #data #datasources
In this episode, Brick and Caleb share Blue Margin's journey of transitioning to a culture of data transparency and the widespread benefits of tracking and sharing individual metrics across the company.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #transparency #companyculture
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss how to get internal buy-in for BI by making a clear connection between your BI projects and the anticipated ROI.
Mentioned in this episode: Elgin Fasteners case study
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #adoption
In this episode of Expert Insights Series, hosted by BI Consultant Greg Brown, we feature Brian T. O’Neill of the company Designing for Analytics. Brian shares his deep experience in how to create value from data projects and the impact of human-centered design on business outcomes.
Designing for Analytics website: https://designingforanalytics.com/
Experiencing Data podcast: https://designingforanalytics.com/experiencing-data-podcast/
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss different causes of untrustworthy data, and how to expose and address it to avoid flawed decision-making and improve adoption of your BI efforts.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #adoption #PowerBI
In this episode, Brick and Caleb tackle some of the misconceptions around making your organization data-driven, and some of the steps you can take to do it successfully.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #adoption #PowerBI
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
This episode of Expert Insights Series, hosted by Jon Thompson, features Tracy Hockenberry Senior Program Manager at Eaton (85,000 employees worldwide) and former Director of Enterprise PMO at New Story Schools, an Audax portfolio company that worked with Blue Margin to focus the team on the critical value creation metrics. She offers perspective on the vital role that project management plays in BI development, and by extension, financial transformation.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at bit.ly/404WBmQ.
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the likelihood and value of iterating your BI solutions. You should expect and embrace it.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #adoption #PowerBI #Azure #Synapse
Click here to watch the episode on our YouTube channel.
In this Expert Insights interview, Greg Brown, BI Consultant for Blue Margin, hosts Anthony Algmin of Algmin Data Leadership, host of podcast Data Leadership Lessons, instructor at DATAVERSITY (dataversity.net), and author of Data Leadership: Stop Talking About Data and Start Making an Impact!
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
PowerBI
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss four simple things you can do to improve BI adoption in your company.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #adoption #PowerBI #Azure #Synapse
Click here to watch the episode on our YouTube channel.
Click here to read the companion article.
This episode of Expert Insights Series, hosted by Jon Thompson, features operating partner Brian Potts of One Rock Capital. During diligence, Brian assesses investment growth potential, and post-acquisition, he sets and executes portfolio companies’ sales and marketing strategies. He has 25 years of experience building and improving businesses; holding leadership positions in manufacturing at Cintas and Clarus, in media at The Nielsen Company, in consumer products at Blue Triton Brands, and in PE at GE Capital, Antares Capital, and The Riverside Company.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this interview belong to Brian and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of One Rock Capital.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
Get more episodes of The Dashboard Effect podcast on your favorite podcast app or at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com/
privateequity #growthstrategies
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss self-service BI, what it is, and some of the considerations for making it happen in your company.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #selfservice #PowerBI #Azure #Synapse
Click here to watch the episode on our YouTube channel.
In this Expert Insights interview, Jon Thompson hosts Vice Presidents Eric Weiss and Mike Marotta of Power ON. Founded in 2015, Power ON has 50 employees across the globe, and over 20 Fortune 100 customers. The company’s toolset extends Microsoft Power BI features, enabling real-time write-back and collaboration for planning, variance analysis, forecasting, budgeting, and workflows. Where Power BI is traditionally a one-way street, ingesting and presenting data, Power ON provides a two-way street, enabling users to input data in Power BI which writes back to the data model.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
PowerBI
Click here to watch the episode on our YouTube channel.
In this episode of our Expert Insights Series, Blue Margin's CSO, Jon Thompson, interviews Tania DiCostanzo, VP of IT, Strategic Initiatives and Data Analytics for Trace3, a $2bn IT and managed services company. Tania is at the forefront of using data visualizations to ignite business growth. Listen to her insights on the power of data and how to be successful as a "data mobilizer", an increasingly critical role in business.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #datawarehouse #datafederation
In this episode, Brick and David Dimmen discuss a high-level overview of Blue Margin's approach to ETL and data warehouse architecture. Warning: This one is a bit on the technical side. Consider viewing the YouTube version of this episode here so you can see the diagrams David refers to during the discussion.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #ETL #DataWarehouse
Click here to watch the video on YouTube.
In today's podcast, Jon interviews John Parent of Industrial Growth Partners (IGP Equity) as part of our ongoing Expert Insight Series. John shares IGP's approach to working with their portfolio companies to maximize alpha.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #reporting #PE #privateequity #portco
Click here to watch the episode on our YouTube channel.
In this installment of our ongoing Expert Insight Series, Jon interviews Chuck Coonradt, 5x best-selling author, CEO, and Fortune 500 consultant. Chuck wrote The Game of Work which has been foundational in Blue Margin's philosophy on the importance of #datavisibility for job ownership and accountability. Listen to them discuss how gamifying work transforms the workplace through employee engagement and job ownership
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
gameofwork #scorecard #employeeengagement
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
In this episode, Brick and Greg Brown discuss some of the ways BI can be used to improve hiring processes and effectiveness. Having an applicant tracking system as a data source is not a prerequisite.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #hiring #HR
Click here to watch the video on YouTube.
In today's podcast, Jon interviews Marty Moore of Tenex Capital Management (private equity) as part of our ongoing Expert Insight Series. They discuss private equity's use of advanced data analytics to improve portfolio company operations.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse #PE #portco
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube.
In this fourth episode of our series on BI project management, Brick and Jennie discuss the project execution phase. They touch on the main components of this phase, including project integration management, quality management, resource management, communication management, and risk management.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
projectmanagement #PM #BI #projectexecution #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the differences between a data warehouse and a data lake and what each is best suited for. For mid-market companies, in many cases both could have an important role in an overall BI strategy and implementation.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #datawarehouse #datalake
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the Snowflake data warehouse service. They describe what it is and some of the pros and cons to consider when deciding if it might be the right solution for you.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse #Azure #AzureSynapse #Synapse #AWS #RedShift
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube.
In the third episode of our series on BI project management, Brick and Anne discuss the project initiation phase. When this is done well, all project participants are well aligned from the start which minimizes project risk and optimizes the outcome.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
projectmanagement #PM #BI #projectinitiation #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
Click here to read the companion article.
In today's podcast, Jon interviews Sean Edmonson of Tecum Capital Partners (private equity) as part of our ongoing Expert Insight Series. They discuss the value of data and the premium Tecum puts on having good BI to drive portfolio company success. They also discuss Tecum's approach to investing and what the current climate might mean for them and others in PE.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse #PE #portco
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the risks of trying to design and build everything you think you might ever need in a data warehouse in one single project. A faster, less expensive, and higher success rate approach is to start with smaller, high-value scope to start with, and then add on to it over time as reporting needs present themselves. This is the classic "waterfall" versus "agile" problem.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
BI #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube.
In the second episode of our series on BI project management, Brick interviews Jennie Swenson, Director of the PMO for Blue Margin, to discuss resource planning during a BI project. They discuss the factors to consider in initially assigning work to engineers, and the things that might cause the need for changes during project execution.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
projectmanagement #PM #BI #resourceplanning #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse
Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel.
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss a potential approach for companies using an outside vendor for BI, to bring that function in house. It comes down to hiring the right resources at the right intervals, and giving them critical support and training while they ramp up.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
hiring #PM #BI #scoping #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse #visualizationengineer #dataarchitect
Click here to watch this episode on YouTube.
In this first episode in a series on BI project management, Brick interviews Anne Eisenach, Senior Project Manager, to discuss the first critical steps in a BI project, strategic and tactical scoping. If you get these right, you set yourself up for a smooth BI project, delivering on the desired ROI and goals, and staying in sync with the key stakeholders.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
PE #privateequity #alpha #BI #valuation #multiples #irr #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse #datalake
In today's podcast, Jon interviews Sean Edmonson of Tecum Capital Partners (private equity) as part of our ongoing Expert Insight Series. They discuss the value of data and the premium Tecum puts on having good BI to drive portfolio company success. They also discuss Tecum's approach to investing and what the current climate might mean for them and others in PE.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
PE #privateequity #expertinsightseries #valuation #multiples #BI #businessintelligence #reporting #KPI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Brick and Caleb discuss considerations for when you're hiring a BI visualization engineer. It can be tricky to hire the right one, and they offer some tips on things to look (and look out) for.
Here are some of the tools we use to drive discussions and assess technical ability for potential visualization engineer hires:
- Client Facing Requirements Gathering
- Wide World Importers Requirements
- Viz Assessment Questions
- Viz Assessment - Potential Answers
- Sample pbix file to assign tasks and assess technical skill with Power BI
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
visualization #biengineer #bideveloper #hiring #powerbi #ETL #businessintelligence #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Brick and Greg discuss how good BI can help private equity firms to find and generate alpha in their portfolio company investments.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
PE #privateequity #alpha #BI #valuation #multiples #irr #businessintelligence #reporting #dashboard #datawarehouse #datalake
Brick and Caleb discuss the Microsoft Azure Synapse Analytics service. They cover the parts of it most likely to be used for doing good BI, and touch on why it's a good choice over patching together several unrelated tools.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
Microsoft #Synapse #Azure #datalake #ETL #businessintelligence #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Brick and Caleb discuss the challenge of consolidated reporting, especially from recent mergers or acquisitions, and how using a data lake can bring quick reporting and analysis wins. They also discuss how using a data lake can ease the process of merging subsidiaries onto a central ERP (or CRM, etc.) system.
Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to execute on strategy and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
datalake #datalakehouse #ETL #consolidation #integration #businessintelligence #datamodeling #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse #ETL
Brick, Blue Margin's founder and CEO, and Sarah Martinez, one of Blue Margin's Lead Data Visualization Consultants, discuss time intelligence in BI. They talk about the importance of constructing and using a date dimension, and some of the tricks to create reports for different time periods (e.g., yesterday, month-to-date, user-defined time period, etc.) without having to write scores of different measure formulas.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
timeintelligence #businessintelligence #visualization #DAX #calculationgroup #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Jon Thompson hosts founder and CEO of Notch Partners, Andy Thompson, to discuss matching deals to executives (and vice versa) in the PE world. Notch Partners is a boutique executive talent consultancy retained by leading private equity firms such as Advent, Charlesbank, Blackstone, and AEA. Notch Partners creates competitive advantage for PE firms by “cultivating high-impact relationships that result in superior returns for investors and transformative career opportunities for executives.” They source industry-specific CEO-level talent as well as executive-led investment theses. Founded in 2002, the firm maintains a network of 40,000 executives and works with later stage investors purchasing control positions in mature companies.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#DataDriven #PrivateEquity #PE #dealflow #businessintelligence #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse #azure #powerbi
In addition to Jon's theory of the Brontosaurus, Brick and Jon discuss their view that the root of all business problems is lack of clear visibility.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#businessintelligence #accountability #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse #strategy
Brick sits down with Greg Brown, one of Blue Margin's consultants, to discuss the critical question in BI. How do you get the right information, to the right person, at the right time, in order to best drive good outcomes. Greg has a very early automated BI example from IBM in the 1950's, and also explains a more recent example of how McDonald's uses up-to-the-minute BI to reinforce brand loyalty.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#businessintelligence #accountability #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse #strategy #timeliness
Brick, Blue Margin's founder and CEO, and Kate, Director of Consulting, discuss discuss BI in the legal field. They've worked with several large law firms and point out some of the key considerations in terms of metrics and reporting.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#legal #businessintelligence #accountability #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Brick and Caleb discuss the best practice of understanding likely reporting needs before architecting a data warehouse, versus just pulling all of the data into the data warehouse. It's OK to have all of the data pulled into a Persisted Staging area, or into a data lake, but overengineering the data warehouse and reporting views and cubes lengthens the time to get to reports and can result in rework.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
ETL #businessintelligence #datamodeling #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Brick and Caleb discuss low-code data connectors and when and why to use, or not use them.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
Alteryx #DellBoomi #ETL #businessintelligence #datamodeling #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Jon Thompson hosts technology and operations leader, Andy Scott, to discuss the role of data in business. Andy has 35 years of experience across multiple industries and organizations holding positions that include Chief Technology Officer, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Chief Information Officer, VP of Digital Product Management, and Board Director. He is known for his track record of delivering growth and empowering leadership through digital transformation.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#DataDriven #PrivateEquity #PE #businessintelligence #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse #azure #powerbi
Brick, Blue Margin's founder and CEO, and Courtney, Blue Margin's Quality Systems Manager, discuss the things you should focus on to make sure you're delivering high-quality BI, both from the data side and from the visualization side.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
quality #adoption #businessintelligence #accountability #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Brick and Caleb discuss the unique data needs of mid-market companies in the approximately $50M to $2B revenue range.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#businessintelligence #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse #azure #powerbi
Brick and Caleb discuss the topic of Master Data Management (MDM) for analytical data. It's conceptually simpler than it might at first seem, but takes commitment to implement and maintain.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#masterdatamanagement #MDM #businessintelligence #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse #azure #powerbi
Brick and Caleb discuss a BI project that had an unexpected, but very welcome payoff.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#ERP #businessintelligence #accountability #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse #powerbi
Brick, Blue Margin's founder and CEO, and Bryan, a Blue Margin Consultant, discuss the downsides of manual reporting and the upsides of automated reporting. They also discuss how to get going on automated reporting without breaking the bank.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#businessintelligence #accountability #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Brick and Caleb discuss some of the many ways that Power BI and the Microsoft Azure platform work together so well. Power BI can do reporting well from most data systems, but when it is paired with the services in Azure, a lot of additional capabilities are made easy to do.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
Azure #PowerBI #businessintelligence #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss some of the things to avoid when building a dashboard, whether for yourself or for a business. They cover approximately ten important items to consider. (It sounded like they could have kept going, so we may need to get them to do a sequel!)
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#budgeting #businessintelligence #accountability #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard
Brick and Caleb discuss low and no code ETL tools, sometimes referred to as "enterprise service bus" or ESB or eBus. They point out some of the common pros and cons to think about when considering using one of these tools.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
ESB #enterpriseservicebus #ebus #businessintelligence #datawarehouse #reporting #BI #dashboard
Brick, Blue Margin's founder and CEO, and Caleb, Vice President of Delivery Operations, discuss some of the most common situations where it makes sense to skip the data warehouse and instead do your analysis and reporting without it.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
businessintelligence #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Brick, Blue Margin's founder and CEO, and Kate, Director of Consulting, discuss how to think about what an appropriate budget might be for BI projects. They get into considerations around ROI and business impact, and also whether to do the work internally or potentially an outside partner.
Blue Margin helps private equity and mid-market companies organize their data into dashboards, to support strategy execution and create a culture of accountability. We call it The Dashboard Effect, the title of our book and podcast.
Visit Blue Margin's library of additional BI resources here.
For a free, downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
#budgeting #businessintelligence #accountability #transparency #reporting #BI #dashboard #datawarehouse
Brick sits down with Greg Brown, one of Blue Margin's consultants, to discuss accountability in business and how BI can play a big role in creating it.
Brick references the book, The Game of Work, by Charles Coonradt. Here's the link to its Amazon listing. And here's the link to the author's business website.
Visit Blue Margin's website here and our library of additional BI resources here.
For a downloadable copy of our book, The Dashboard Effect, click here, or buy a hardcopy or Kindle version on Amazon.
accountability #transparency #visibility #reporting #BI
Brick sits down with Jennie Swenson, Blue Margin's Director of the PMO, to discuss the project management approach she and her PMs take to delivering successful BI projects.
Visit our podcast website at https://podcast.thedashboardeffect.com
Brick and Caleb discuss Blue Margin's shift from time-and-materials to fixed-price billing. The change has materially improved the outcomes of their projects for clients and for Blue Margin. Some of the benefits are not intuitively obvious but will make sense to most billing professionals.
For a great resource on fixed-price billing, check out Jonathan Stark. His focus is more on "value pricing" rather than simply fixed-pricing, but most of the concepts apply to both.
Brick and Caleb discuss the different types of data sources you might run into when building reports or a data warehouse. They also talk about approaches for combining data from different systems and dealing with data redundancy. This one gets a little bit technical.
Jon Thompson, Cofounder and Chief Strategy Officer at Blue Margin, sits down with Jill Belconis, career CEO at Shelter Mortgage turned strategic business coach. They discuss taking an offensive stance during cyclical economic downturns, focusing on your “one thing,” using a job scorecard (BI) for accountability, not going it alone, and overcoming resistance when creating a data-driven culture.
Podcast Links (in order of appearance):
www.jillbelconis.com
Young President’s Organization (YPO)
Carver Peterson
National Bureau of Economic Research – Business Cycles Since 1940s
Jim Collins’ Flywheel Concept
Jill’s Blog Article – Focusing on the One Thing
Jill’s Blog Article – The Job Scorecard
Scaling Up
Patrick Lencioni’s New Book – The Working Genius
Patrick Lencioni’s Five Dysfunctions of a Team
Jill’s TED Talk
Brick and Caleb discuss how an organization can quickly start doing real BI. Getting going is easier than you might think, but there are a few key things to keep in mind.
Brick and Caleb discuss why a BI project can and should be much more agile than something like an ERP implementation, delivering results and value quickly.
Brick and Will discuss the significant benefits of spending time up front on report design before jumping into the reporting tool to do the actual build.
Brick and Caleb discuss the importance of aligning on the definition of metrics. It seems obvious, but can be tricky if you're not careful.
Brick and Caleb discuss making how to get to what impact a BI effort is expected to deliver so you can decide whether it is worth the effort or can be achieved in a simpler way.
Brick and Kate discuss the different roles within a company that typically own the BI function and some of the potential pros and cons of each.
Brick and Caleb discuss the "modern data warehouse" and what distinguishes it from the traditional data warehouse.
Brick and Caleb discuss the reasons they feel Power BI is almost always the right choice for your BI tool.
Brick and Caleb discuss performing diligence around data maturity of an organization prior to purchase.
Jon and Brick discuss their experiences with BI in business and specifically as VC-backed and then PE-owned business managers.
Jon Thompson, Cofounder and Chief Strategy Officer at Blue Margin, sits down with Adam Coffey, #1 bestselling author of The Private Equity Playbook and The Exit Strategy Playbook, to discuss the state of private equity investments, strategies for reinvestment at the time of exit, and how data analytics supports executives in operations and diligence.
Brick and Caleb discuss a recent change at Blue Margin that made their reporting no longer useful, and how they fixed it.
Brick and Caleb discuss the merits of building a data warehouse versus connecting directly to a data source (such as an ERP system) for creating reports in Power BI and other reporting tools.