Private Equity Data Guy

Shota Ishii joined me on The PE Data Guy to talk about what happens when PE-backed manufacturers cannot answer a basic question: which products are actually making money? He has spent two decades building systems that give companies a clear picture of where their cash goes, and we got into why that gap exists and what it takes to close it. We covered working capital, data architecture, and what mi...

Shawn Olds spent two decades building AI companies and advising PE firms on what actually produces returns from the technology. He went from the 82nd Airborne to West Point computer science to co-founding Boodle Box, and along the way he has worked with over 200 companies on AI adoption. The number that should make every operating partner stop: over 80% of AI programs in portfolio companies fail....

Lee McCabe joined me to talk about why private equity value creation keeps running into the same problem. The problem is messy systems, unclear metrics, and leaders making decisions without clean reporting. Lee shared how that shows up inside portfolio companies, and why the operating partner model often depends on influence, not authority. We also got into what it takes to fix the foundation. Lee...

I sat down with Paul Evangelista, Chief Data Officer at the United States Military Academy at West Point, to talk about what happens when decisions carry real weight. Paul spent 30 years in the Army, from engineer officer to operations research analyst, and now leads data strategy where leadership is forged under pressure. We talked about why decision literacy matters more than data literacy, how...

I've spent 20 years watching brilliant people build companies on gut instinct and prayer when it comes to hiring. After losing a million dollars on a single bad hire who tanked an entire engineering team for six months, I wanted to understand if there was actually a way to measure the thing everyone claims is unmeasurable: culture fit. Jacob Crockett built Higher Aligned after nearly getting fired...

I sat down with Scott Golder, Senior Director of Data Science at Home Depot, to talk about what actually works when you're building data teams. Scott has spent 20+ years fixing what others couldn't, from Capital One to running algorithms behind one of the top five e-commerce platforms in the world. He breaks down why deeper academic backgrounds don't always make better data scientists, how to make...

In this episode, I sit down with Ian Alden Russell to talk about something most leaders miss when they look at data. We dig into how cultural signals and qualitative insights can predict market shifts before they show up in your revenue reports. Ian shares his approach to helping companies, from luxury retail to AI startups, understand the human side of business decisions. We explore the concept o...

This conversation with Dr. Marquise Rivera challenged everything I thought I knew about treating chronic pain. Most of us track steps and lab panels but ignore the clearest data source we have: the body's own signals. Dr. Marquise reads what she calls the bioenergetic language of the body through applied kinesiology, muscle testing, nutrition, and trauma release. Her bar is measurable change withi...

I sat down with Jordan Mix, Operating Partner at Late Checkout and founder of Startup Empire. Jordan builds, acquires, and scales community driven Internet businesses, and he's seen hundreds of founders succeed and fail. What separates the empire builders from the serial starters? It's not the idea. It's the data loops, the reinvestment cycles, and the systems that actually compound. Jordan breaks...

Maddie Hill joins us to dive deep into the often misunderstood world of fitness and data, emphasizing that movement is indeed medicine. We explore how many of us, including Maddie, have navigated the overwhelming fitness landscape, often driven by outdated ideas about exercise and body image. She candidly shares her own journey from performance arts into the fitness realm, revealing how personal e...

Elliot Blacklist joins us to share his remarkable journey in scaling a CBD brand through innovative digital marketing strategies, despite fierce competition from well-funded players. We dive into how he leveraged data-driven insights to navigate the complexities of the industry, emphasizing the importance of understanding customer acquisition costs and lifetime value. Elliot’s story is not just ab...

Today, we dive into the fascinating intersection of art and artificial intelligence, exploring how AI is reshaping the creative landscape. We chat with Ellery, the CEO of Voight AI, who reveals the complexities of navigating AI compliance in entertainment while advocating for the irreplaceable human touch in creativity. As we discuss the impact of AI on artists, Ellery shares her insights on why t...

In a world where sales tactics often resemble a high-pressure game of “sell me this pen,” we challenge the notion that success hinges on pushing products onto disinterested buyers. Instead, we advocate for a sales philosophy rooted in genuine relationships and mutual benefit. Our compelling discussion with Assad Ali, a veteran in leveraging behavioral psychology for sales success, reveals how unde...

How to Master Public Speaking with Data: Transform Your Communication Skills Chuck Garcia, Columbia University professor and communication expert, joins Graeme Crawford to reveal how data transforms public speaking and leadership communication. They explore the 55-38-7 formula for first impressions, proven techniques to eliminate verbal filler words, and how treating soft skills as measurable data...

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...

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...

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 psycholo...

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 bootst...

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...

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 con...

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 focusin...

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...

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 Vi...

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...

The episode of Scale Your Business with Data, Josh Greene, CEO and founder of The Mather Group, discusses why Wikipedia is one of the internet's most trusted data sources and its growing importance in the AI era. Josh explains how Wikipedia's human-curated content has become a key source for large language models, making it increasingly valuable for businesses to ensure their Wikipedia presence is...