The Dashboard Effect

(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: 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 LakeClient Case StudyServerless SQL ExplainedSemantic Modeling for Unified ReportingPerformance InsightsLooking AheadClick 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.