Private Equity Data Guy

The episode of Transformed With Data podcast, Graeme Crawford talks with Michael Young, owner of an outsourced accounting firm, about the hidden patterns in small business financial data. Michael shares insights from analyzing hundreds of M&A deals at PwC and now helping small businesses navigate their finances, revealing why sophisticated data systems can actually hurt small companies and the critical indicators that predict business success. They discuss the dangers of software sprawl, why cash flow understanding matters more than perfect attribution metrics, and how private equity rollups often oversell integration benefits while underestimating the operational challenges of merging multiple businesses.

0:00 - Private equity rollup challenges

0:26 - AI marketing vs value delivery

0:41 - Perfect attribution illusion

2:33 - Small business financial patterns

3:47 - Cash balance fixation

5:53 - Software subscription creep

8:05 - Cross-selling opportunities discovered

10:36 - Three business segments explained

13:14 - Owner focus challenges

17:23 - P&L as scorecard

20:19 - Financial statement limitations

24:02 - CRM consolidation pain

26:45 - AI and accounting accuracy

29:45 - Customer acquisition complexity

32:48 - Attribution measurement challenges

35:20 - Instant gratification culture

39:00 - Government contracting focus

41:36 - Ultra-niche software emergence

44:31 - Trust yourself advice

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• HubSpot
• Salesforce
• PwC
• Bay Business Group
• Ramp

How to Scale Trust in the Age of AI: Data-Driven Marketing That Actually Works

Transformed With Data Episode 13:How to Scale Trust in the Age of AI: Data-Driven Marketing That Actually Works

On this episode of Transformed with Data, Graeme Crawford talks with Lauren Gibson, marketing professional and strategic brand consultant, about why traditional marketing metrics might be destroying the trust brands need to survive. Lauren shares how she's generated over 41,000 leads by scaling authentic relationship moments through her Connections newsletter and networking events. They discuss why only 22% of brands measure trust at board level despite those who do achieve three times stronger profits, how AI should enhance rather than replace human connections, and why Gen Z's approach to data privacy reveals what really drives business in an age of artificial intelligence.

0:00 - The Missing Link in LinkedIn

3:31 - Trust vs Traditional Metrics

7:25 - Measuring What Actually Matters

11:11 - Gen Z and Data Exchange

15:33 - Building Trust Through Referrals

19:20 - The Power of Personalized Video

23:34 - Writing Your Way to Connection

26:43 - How Travel Rewires Your Brain

31:42 - British vs American Humor

38:23 - Mental Health and Physical Connection

44:31 - Believing You're Worth It

Find Lauren here:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/linkwithlauren/

https://laurenrosegibson.com/

https://letterlaunched.com/

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Crawford McMillan
• Letter Launched
• McKinsey
• Amazon
• Netflix
• ARK
• Perplexity Comet
• Capital One
• IBM
• Accenture

The episode of Transformed with Data, Graeme Crawford talks with Allison Tallman, a registered dietitian, about how people fail at nutrition not from lack of data but from turning that data into self-judgment. Allison shares her approach to breaking the diet cycle through mindset shifts and reconnecting with natural hunger cues rather than obsessing over calorie tracking. They discuss the psychology behind sustainable weight loss, why the current protein myths are misleading, and how busy professionals can achieve their health goals without MyFitnessPal or constant food tracking. The conversation explores alternatives to Ozempic, the importance of metabolism health, and practical strategies for mindful eating that lead to lasting change.

0:00 - Ozempic weight concerns

0:24 - Protein myths debunked

0:41 - Breaking diet perfectionism

2:02 - Nutrition data struggles

2:58 - Ozempic vs sustainable methods

4:50 - Weight loss psychology

6:03 - Ozempic insurance issues

7:24 - Nutrition label confusion

9:10 - Weight compound metrics

10:10 - 3M method introduction

11:19 - Metabolism starvation mode

13:36 - Summer body mindset

15:15 - VO2 max longevity

17:17 - Protein requirements myth

19:36 - Protein quality labeling

22:26 - Reconnecting body signals

24:59 - Healing food relationships

26:44 - Intuitive eating children

28:48 - Implementation over knowledge

30:24 - All-or-nothing mentality

32:00 - Finding your why

34:21 - Visual food cues

37:36 - Sleep score pitfalls

38:37 - Ideal client profile

40:47 - Accountability importance

42:00 - Free masterclass resources

44:14 - Final calorie-free advice

Transformed With Data Episode 11:How to Build a Data-Driven Culture: From Startup to 8-Figure Exit

The episode of Transformed with Data Podcast, Graeme Crawford sits down with Dmitri Adler, Co-Founder and Chief Solution Architect at Data Society, to discuss why most companies claiming to be data-driven actually aren't. Dmitri shares his journey from automating Wall Street work to building a bootstrapped powerhouse that achieved an eight-figure exit, revealing how the real challenge isn't in doing the analysis but in empowering everyone to use data fluently. The conversation explores why dashboards won't save your culture, what kills true data adoption, and the critical difference between companies that scale with data versus those that simply store it. Dmitri offers hard-won insights on building a culture where mistakes are learning opportunities, why small teams outperform large ones, and how successful leaders can become their own worst enemy when implementing data initiatives.

0:00 - Introduction and Data Like Water

3:02 - Why Data Initiatives Fail

7:02 - Creating a Culture of Transparency

11:23 - Measuring What Matters

14:37 - Getting Leadership Buy-In

17:41 - The Frozen Middle Problem

20:00 - Small Teams Win Big

24:04 - Delegating Decision Authority

27:00 - Technology vs Business Case

31:01 - AI and Over-Engineering

35:12 - Scaling Without Breaking

38:41 - Market-Driven Decision Making

42:13 - Embracing Being Wrong

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Data Society
• Crawford McMillan
• Capital One
• IBM
• Accenture
• JP Morgan
• Air Force
• Amazon
• Whole Foods
• Tesla

Transformed With Data Episode 10:How to Drive 600% Data Engagement: AI Strategy Lessons from the White House

The episode of Transformed with Data podcast, Graeme Crawford talks with Dia Adams, best-selling author of "Winning With AI: A Blueprint for Corporate Leaders" and former enterprise data strategist for the White House. Dia shares how she increased engagement in the SEC's data catalog by 600% through strategic storytelling and reveals why most AI initiatives fail before they start - not because the technology isn't ready, but because organizations aren't. Drawing from her unique experience steering data transformations at Bank of America, Johnson & Johnson, and within federal government, she explains how to secure real buy-in for AI projects, navigate the psychological pressures of high-stakes data decisions, and why successful data leadership is 50% technical and 50% psychological.

0:00 - Introduction and data therapy concept

3:30 - Government data decision-making challenges

7:30 - Coping with high-stakes pressure

11:30 - Mentorship under General Colin Powell

17:30 - Listening and leadership lessons

21:30 - The power of optimism

24:30 - 600% engagement increase at SEC

30:30 - Data visualization best practices

33:30 - Common patterns across industries

37:30 - Chief Data Officer challenges

40:30 - AI implementation red flags

44:30 - Business first, AI second

46:30 - Contact information and closing

The episode of Transformed With Data podcast, Graeme Crawford talks about data transparency and civic engagement with Chris Piper, former Virginia Elections Commissioner. Chris discusses his role as Executive Director of Virginia's Public Access Project (VPAP), a nonpartisan organization that makes campaign finance data, election results, and legislative information accessible to citizens. The conversation explores how VPAP transforms complex government data into actionable insights, the importance of state and local politics in daily life, and how informed citizens can effectively engage with their representatives. Chris emphasizes that while federal politics gets most attention, state and local governments handle issues like education, transportation, and public safety that directly impact people's lives. He shares insights about election integrity, the role of data in democracy, and how Virginia legislators agree unanimously on over 75% of votes despite perceived political divisions.

0:00 - Introduction and Chris Piper Background

3:00 - Origins of VPAP in 1996

6:00 - Evolution to VA News Service

9:00 - Civic Navigator Education Program

12:00 - State vs Federal Government Impact

15:00 - Data Shows Unity in Virginia

18:00 - Open Data Challenges

21:00 - Maintaining Nonpartisan Balance

24:00 - News Curation Process

27:00 - Data Maturity Assessment Ad

30:00 - Trust in Media Discussion

33:00 - Education Data Example

36:00 - Elections and Data-Driven Decisions

39:00 - Early Voting Analysis

42:00 - Informed Citizens Impact Policy

45:00 - VPAP as Virginia Unicorn

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Crawford McMillan
• Virginia Public Access Project (VPAP)

The episode of Transformed with Data podcast, Graeme Crawford talks with Dylan Anderson, head data strategist at Profusion and creator of the Data Ecosystem newsletter, about why most data strategies fail and how to build systems that actually deliver business outcomes. Dylan shares insights from his recent study of 25-30 data leaders, revealing that successful data transformation requires focusing on business value over technology choices, and that most organizations are more excited about using AI to improve data quality and existing infrastructure than pursuing cutting-edge agentic AI. The conversation explores the critical gap between data architecture and action, emphasizing how data teams must connect their work directly to business strategy and develop strong stakeholder relationships to succeed.

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 - AI knowledge and marketing strategy

4:30 - Data leaders research study overview

7:45 - AI adoption in enterprise reality

11:50 - Using Claude for newsletter writing

16:20 - Visual frameworks and Excalidraw tools

19:45 - Business strategy temple framework

23:30 - Shared definition of business success

27:00 - Data maturity assessment introduction

29:15 - Learning to leverage team expertise

33:20 - Poor data infrastructure costs

37:10 - CRM implementation challenges

41:25 - Growing newsletter to 7500 subscribers

45:30 - LinkedIn algorithm and content strategy

48:00 - Future hopes for data industry

The episode of Transformed With Data Podcast, Graeme Crawford talks with executive coach Glen Hellman about why smart people often make terrible business decisions and how to avoid decision paralysis. Glen, recently recognized as a top executive coach by Inc. Magazine, shares insights on how too much data can actually hinder decision-making, why our brains are wired for simple choices rather than complex analysis, and practical strategies for making better choices in business. They discuss the importance of simplifying decisions, understanding your ideal clients, embracing failure as a learning tool, and recognizing the role luck plays in entrepreneurship.

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 - Walking away from bad-fit customers

0:29 - Scale your business with data intro

1:04 - Why smart people make bad decisions

2:04 - Glenn Hellman introduction and credentials

2:29 - Decision making and data obsession

4:33 - Inc. Magazine recognition discussion

4:41 - Smart people and too much data

5:02 - Satisficers versus optimizers explained

6:45 - Rating cities decision example

8:21 - Restaurant app rating system

9:05 - Cerebellum versus reptilian brain

11:05 - Processing information for decisions

11:37 - House buying decision framework

14:27 - Alternative house hunting strategy

15:23 - Perfect client scoring system

16:10 - Walking away from customers

17:12 - Coaches are like gloves

19:13 - Three bucket customer system

21:13 - Grant's tomb burial story

22:46 - Coaching failure and risk

24:32 - Flight simulator failure analogy

25:11 - 80% solution versus perfection

25:24 - LinkedIn ads testing example

27:16 - Decision making frameworks discussed

29:09 - Self-limiting beliefs from childhood

32:09 - Rebelling against management story

33:20 - School system and curiosity

35:44 - Academic team advisory experience

37:23 - Context in corporate environments

38:48 - Gathering data for decisions

39:51 - Perfect decision possibility discussion

40:25 - Correlation versus causation examples

41:25 - iPhone and WWII veterans

42:26 - Nicolas Cage drowning correlation

43:26 - Too much data finding correlations

44:36 - Data Maturity Assessment advertisement

47:53 - Glitter traction versus real traction

48:47 - Conversion rates and rate of change

50:30 - Intelligence as behavior change

51:31 - AI and outdated skills

52:54 - Cursive writing value today

54:34 - Pattern interrupt marketing strategy

55:34 - Lumpy mail and Whoop Ass

58:35 - Sarcastic LinkedIn comments strategy

59:35 - Teaching outdated skills discussion

61:37 - Business success dice analogy

63:37 - Luck versus intelligence discussion

65:40 - Snake eyes and learning

66:40 - Accountability for outcomes

67:44 - Best leaders take team failures

68:41 - Fault and responsibility discussion

69:41 - Summary of key learnings

70:42 - Contact information for Glen

71:43 - Closing remarks

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• Crawford macmillan
• National Science Foundation
• Inc. Magazine
• Capital One
• IBM
• Accenture
• Belly

Scale Your Business With Data Episode 6:Why Measuring the Wrong Thing Can Destroy Your Business: Data Lessons from Vietnam to Modern Analytics.

On this episode of Scale Your Business With Data podcast, Graeme Crawford talks with Gurwinder Bhogal about the critical importance of measuring what truly matters in business and life. Drawing from historical examples like the McNamara Fallacy from the Vietnam War, they explore how focusing on easily quantifiable metrics while ignoring qualitative data can lead to catastrophic outcomes. The conversation delves into modern applications of data measurement, from social media metrics and sentiment analysis to health tracking devices, emphasizing the dangers of compound metrics like "sleep scores" and the value of specific, high-resolution measurements. Bhogal shares insights on Goodhart's Law, the importance of data storytelling, and why our brains are wired for narratives rather than raw numbers, making this essential listening for anyone using data to drive decision-making.

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 - Sleep tracking critique

2:12 - Introduction to Gurwinder Bhogal

2:42 - The McNamara Fallacy explained

7:00 - Measuring sentiment in wartime

11:00 - Modern sentiment analysis evolution

14:00 - Stated vs revealed preferences

17:00 - Goodhart's Law discussion

18:00 - The Cobra Effect story

20:00 - Social media metrics gaming

23:00 - Twitter's influence paradox

28:00 - Health tracking compound metrics

31:00 - Exercise without metrics

33:00 - Identifiable victim effect

35:00 - Stories vs data retention

The episode of Transformed With Data, Graeme Crawford sits down with Sukhi Sahni, a senior corporate executive with 20 years of experience in data-driven storytelling and brand communication. They explore how the battle for attention has shifted beyond simple views to meaningful engagement metrics, discussing how authentic human connection combined with strategic data insights drives real business outcomes in today's fragmented digital landscape. The conversation covers the evolution of marketing metrics, the impact of AI on content creation and customer journeys, and why data should be directional rather than definitive in making multi-million dollar decisions.

Chapter Timestamps:

0:00 - Meeting Customers Where They Are

3:15 - Views vs Engagement Metrics

7:00 - Multi-Touch Attribution Challenges

11:00 - Customer Journey Mapping

14:00 - The Creepy Line

17:00 - Domain Authority and AI

21:00 - Testing at Scale

24:00 - Entry-Level Jobs and AI

28:00 - Authenticity in Content

32:00 - Speed to Market

35:00 - Future of Print Media

39:00 - Local Journalism's Role

42:00 - Immigrant Perspectives

46:00 - Cultural Context in Marketing

49:00 - Closing Thoughts