2 min read
How a Modern Data Platform Supports Buy-and-Build in Private Equity
Understanding PE Buy-and-Build Success Factors
Reliable buy-and-build strategies that...
2 min read
How the Mid-Market is Fast-Tracking Data Integration with Data Lakes
Data warehouses have long been the standard for consolidating and storing data, but they're...
8 min read
A Middle Market Playbook for Strategic Data Management
In the competitive midmarket landscape, data emerges as a linchpin for gaining competitive...
8 min read
Private Equity Strategy: Is Your Portfolio Ready for Generative AI?
For years, Blue Margin has been highlighting the advancing role of data in business through...
8 min read
How Data Insight Improves Performance for PE-Backed Healthcare [Interview]
In this Expert Insights Series interview, Blue Margin Director of Consulting, Kate Eberle,...
15 min read
Nestell & Associates: ERP Digital Transformation for Private Equity
As the enterprise resource planning (ERP) organizational change field advances, so does...
5 min read
How to Assess and Calculate the ROI of Data Projects [A Guide]
“Data monetization is generating new, measurable value streams from available data assets.” ...
2 min read
Chronograph and Blue Margin Announce Partnership [Press Release]
We're deepening our relationships within private equity and are excited to announce our...
14 min read
How ParkerGale Supports Portfolio Growth with a Sales Metrics Playbook
In this Expert Insights Series episode, Blue Margin co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer...
14 min read
CIO Insights on Data Monetization, Data Lakes, and AI
In this podcast, Blue Margin co-founder and CEO Brick Thompson hosts CIO John Manzanares. ...
22 min read
Middle Market Methods: A Value Creation Roadmap™ for Private Equity
“The portfolio company’s leadership team must take ownership of its investment thesis and...
5 min read
In the Age of AI, You Need a Data Lake(house) in the First 100 Days
“I have a feeling we're going to see Microsoft, because of their partnership with OpenAI and...
12 min read
BI Strategies for 2023: Insights from PE and Mid-Market Executives
What is your 2023 data strategy?
If the question leaves you feeling adrift, consider this...
15 min read
Weave Growth Partners on Private Equity's Late Adoption of Data-Driven Practices
“It’s very much a human effort here. The numbers don’t lie, but we also need to transform...
2 min read
Mastering Inventory Velocity - Power BI Case Study
“Data and analytics should play a big part in monitoring your business supply chain...
7 min read
Best Practice Dashboards and KPIs for Manufacturing in Private Equity
"Despite generally high levels of economic confidence, U.S. middle market manufacturing...
10 min read
Brian T. O'Neill – Value Creation with BI Through Human Centered Design
“The gateway to achieving business value [with BI] is user adoption. You cannot circumvent...
11 min read
BI Projects That Drive Financial Transformation, Insights from a PMO Leader
“Data intelligence is the key to driving business decision-making and strategy.” – Tracy...
9 min read
Data: A Powerful Change Agent, with Anthony Algmin
What’s the purpose of data collection?
According to Anthony Algmin, a luminary in the art of...
10 min read
One Rock Capital: Top Line Growth Strategies
Gone are the days of multiples arbitrage and financial engineering to bolster exit...
9 min read
Power ON: Scenario Planning and Write-Back in Power BI
“Data is the new oil. Like oil, data is valuable. But if it’s unrefined, it can’t be used.”
8 min read
Trace3's VP of IT: Accelerate Value Creation with a Company OKR Scorecard
“Data is the new economy.” -Tania DiCostanzo, VP of IT, Strategic Initiatives and Data...
23 min read
How to Fire Your BI Vendor
“If they want to be self-sufficient, we want to help them do that.” - Brick Thompson, CEO,...
13 min read
Industrial Growth Partners: Leveraging Data Throughout the Investment Lifecycle
“If you can create and develop those systems, which is difficult to do in a short time...
21 min read
How to Get the Right Data, to the Right People, at the Right Time
What do 1950’s IBM and present-day McDonald's have in common?
They're both great examples...
27 min read
What to Look for When Hiring a Power BI Consultant
“Our clients ask us to interview people when they're looking to bring the visualization...
15 min read
Forbes’ “Grandfather of Gamification”: Data Creates a Culture of Growth
Charles “Chuck” Coonradt is a consultant, CEO, and 5x best-selling author. His 1984 book The...
19 min read
BI for Law Firms: Tracking WIP, Client/Matter Performance, and DEI
"There are two key questions every firm that we've worked with has wanted to answer... The...
4 min read
Distribution Turns to Data to Increase Margins and Recover Rebates
"The sky is the limit once you see what your data can do for your system." - Director of...
22 min read
How Private Equity Uses Data-Driven Insights to Generate Alpha
“A data-driven approach is a valuable built-in asset you can add to a company. Almost by...
10 min read
Tenex Capital: How Private Equity Uses Data to Improve Portfolio Operations
“Too many portfolio companies have not invested in tech for too many years and find...
5 min read
The Foundation for Digital Transformation Growth Strategies
KPMG recently released their 2022 CEO Outlook, seeking the perspectives of 1,325 global CEOs...
6 min read
Data Transformation and Change Management
“72% of high-performing organizations—those that embrace a culture that promotes constant...
6 min read
Data-Driven Change Management
Why is Data Driven Change Management Important?
If data science was a tool in a...
11 min read
Change Management and the Power of Data for Distributed Decision Making
“Despite the tools available, people still use their intuition to make people decisions....
26 min read
How to Build an Effective (Power BI) Dashboard
“An expert is a person who has made all the mistakes that can be made in a very narrow...
3 min read
How to Become a Data-Driven Organization
"Right now, the biggest challenge for organizations working on their data strategy might...
56 min read
Tecum Capital: Using Data for Higher Returns in Manufacturing, Services, and Distribution
“If you don’t have any type of dashboarding or KPI system, it’s a major deduction on the...
15 min read
Pitfalls of Manual Excel Reporting
“Implementing business intelligence and automated reporting is the ultimate low-hanging...
23 min read
Using BI to Create Accountability and a Healthy Culture
“I've seen companies go from poor transparency and not very good accountability to a culture...
24 min read
Who is Your Data Mobilizer?
“I’m looking for a company’s ‘data mobilizer’...that individual with buy-in from the top,...
14 min read
Successful Dashboards: How Wireframing Saves Time and Delivers Results
With BI reporting, you will greatly reduce project time and increase impact by spending more...
37 min read
Notch Partners: Finding Executives for the Right Deal at the Right Time
Andy Thompson is founder and CEO of Notch Partners, a boutique executive talent consultancy...
8 min read
Data and the Art of Exploiting Headwinds
"BI provides real-time visibility into current signals, so leaders can make proactive...
21 min read
When to Use an External BI Consultant
While some companies choose to manage their data strategy and BI projects internally, many...
22 min read
For the PE-Backed Executive, Data Insights are Indispensable
“When you don't have good instrumentation, you spend a lot of time worrying about what you...
5 min read
2 Essential Ingredients of Successful Data Projects
On The Dashboard Effect podcast, Brick Thompson, Blue Margin CEO, and Caleb Ochs, VP of...
11 min read
Andy Scott, CTO, on Data Driven vs. Non-Data Driven Companies
In this installment of our Expert Insights Series, Jon Thompson hosts technology and...
10 min read
Succeed with BI: Manage Data Sources, Integration, and Redundancy
In our podcast episode, How to Succeed With BI: Types of Data Sources and Data Integration,...
6 min read
The Quick Path to Winning with Data and Dashboards
In their podcast episode, How to Quickly Get BI Wins, Blue Margin CEO, Brick Thompson, and...
6 min read
Starting a BI Initiative? Choose Agile Over Waterfall
In our podcast episode, BI is Not the Same as an ERP Implementation, our VP of Delivery...
8 min read
Tactical BI for CFOs: a Blue Margin Webinar
“Visibility is the most efficient way to create a healthy culture and to move a company...
4 min read
Power BI Dashboards Drive Growth for Buy-and-Build Strategy
According to Charles Coonradt, author of The
7 min read
The Tide is Changing: Use BI to Capitalize on Uncertainty
The tide is changing. Asset classes that have been teeming with possibilities for the...
8 min read
Jill Belconis on Scaling Business with Clarity and (Data) Alignment
Jill Belconis, career CEO and former YPO International Chairman, is an accomplished business...
5 min read
Carter Freeman: The Strategic CFO and Using Data to Tell the Story
"As companies grow, financial leaders are wanting more purpose-built applications that can...
3 min read
Finding Success Despite Market Force Disruptions: Managing with Data Visibility
The need to adapt to market disruption is staring us in the face. If we are brave enough to...
10 min read
How To Assess Acquisition Value Through Data Diligence
“Companies that are more sophisticated from a data perspective are also more valuable. They...
7 min read
Visibility & Manager vs Mentor Tug-of-War in Private Equity
Article summary: Discover how data helps solve the manager vs mentor tug-of-war in private...
15 min read
Leaders Who Lead: 3 Principles (enabled by data) for Successful PE Investing
Article summary: Discover insight for portco team management from leaders who lead leaders.
17 min read
Adam Coffey and The Exit Strategy Playbook [Interview Highlights]
We were fortunate to have the opportunity to sit down once again with Adam Coffey, #1...
33 min read
Interview: Adam Coffey and The Exit Strategy Playbook [Watch Now]
Jon Thompson, Cofounder and Chief Strategy Officer at Blue Margin, sits down with Adam...
31 min read
Dashboard Design to Ensure Adoption
If your business intelligence isn’t easy enough, your users will fail to adopt. Adoption is...
14 min read
Data Warehouse Essentials for Dashboard Reporting in PE-backed Companies
Article Summary: A paraphrased excerpt from The Dashboard Effect highlighting the benefits...
4 min read
Artificial Intelligence - Stop Tripping Over Dollars to Pick Up Dimes
Few would argue that companies operating across traditional industries (e.g., manufacturing,
4 min read
Power BI vs Excel
Article summary: Learn why Power BI, a cloud-based, centralized source for data insights, is...
9 min read
How Successful Private Equity Companies Leverage Data
In the quest for differentiation among buy-and-build PE firms, everyone seems to be pointing...
7 min read
The Dashboard Effect: Data Transparency
It's Time for Private Equity to Join the (4th Industrial) Revolution!
The business world is...
12 min read
6 Strategies for Supply Chain Data Management
5 min read
Private Equity Advantage: Data Intelligence Strategies You Can Steal
Article summary: See why Private Equity succeeds—and how you can use that knowledge to your...
6 min read
How Can PE Firms Differentiate Through Digital Transformation?
Article summary: Learn the data optimization strategies PE firms can use to differentiate...
8 min read
3 Business Intelligence Trends Every Manufacturer Needs To Know
Article summary: Learn how to use data optimization strategies and business intelligence to a
6 min read
Why Data Initiatives Fail at Law Firms
6 min read
How Data Optimization Increases Distribution Performance
Apparently, we should blame Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen for the offense.
A...
7 min read
3 Trends in Legal Data Intelligence
Here are three key trends we're watching in the legal industry and the data optimization...
5 min read
How to Develop New Initiatives Free From Bias or Assumptions
The Dashboard Effect is a ground-breaking book about how companies are using data to move to...
9 min read
Yes, Healthcare Employees Keep Score
Article summary: Discover the benefits of data transparency in a healthcare provider...
3 min read
3 Ways to Automate Employee Motivation & Productivity with Dashboards
Your employees want (and need) to understand the rules of the game they’re playing. While it...
3 min read
The Dashboard Effect: How to Use a Scoreboard to Drive Success
If you’re still trying to inspire employees to reach their full potential through annual...
3 min read
Why You Should Take Advantage of Power BI for Your Commercial Services Company
Data is the driving force of the most progressive and successful companies and is more...
9 min read
The Hidden Bazinga of Dirty Data
Article summary: What can you do when the hidden Bazinga of dirty data plays tricks on your...
9 min read
3 Unexpected KPIs that Drive Manufacturing Success
Article summary: Looking for new ideas for tracking real progress at your company? Check out...
7 min read
3 Mistakes Good Leaders Make
Article summary: Can you avoid the top 3 data mistakes good leaders make? Read on to find...
2 min read
Jon Thompson Guests on: The Manufacturing Executive [Watch Now]
Watch the Video Now
{% video_player "embed_player" overrideable=False, type='scriptV4',...9 min read
Healthcare HQ™ Trendwatch [Doctor Demand, Telehealth, and Ransomware]
Article summary: Healthcare HQ™ Trendwatch spotlights trending developments in the medical...
6 min read
Adam Coffey and The Private Equity Playbook [Cover Story]
Article summary: Adam Coffey, CEO of CoolSys, shares business intelligence secrets from his...
5 min read
Data Wins Championships [The Mahomes Factor]
Article summary: Data helps your company compete to win. Those that understand how data wins...
4 min read
Moneyball for Business: How Dashboards Transform Companies
Let’s recap.
In our last article, we talked about how “dashboards” (displaying...
3 min read
Why Data Intelligence is THE Critical Path to Growth for Business
For many private equity firms, managing a portfolio of companies can feel more like...
4 min read
Power BI And Google Analytics: A Match Made In Big Data Heaven
Near the end of March, Microsoft announced that Power BI would now be able to...
5 min read
The Latest from Harvard: Motivate Employees with Your Data
At Blue Margin, we’ve experimented with various tactics to motivate our employees and...
3 min read
Why BI for Small Businesses?
Why does the average small company need business intelligence? Almost without exception,...
3 min read
Two Big Data And Dashboard Mistakes Private Equity Firms Make
Data is trending, and while private equity deal teams increasingly give lip service to the...
6 min read
The Dirt on Big Data
There are always some phrases we use without really knowing what they mean - think "The...
2 min read
The 2nd Cause of the IN-Visible Enterprise
Information Silos. It can be argued that information is the life-blood of any company and...
2 min read
The #1 Flaw of the IN-Visible Enterprise
First, let’s consider the preeminent responsibility in running a business: defining the...
1 min read
Streaming Data Sets in Power BI Just Got Easier
Microsoft just made streaming datasets a whole lot easier in Power BI. For the past year,...
2 min read
Reaching New Business Heights with The Dashboard Effect
What is The Dashboard Effect?
In its purest form, The Dashboard Effect is a company that...
3 min read
Is Excel the Next Killer App for Business Intelligence?
While companies use a variety of different business intelligence (BI) tools and...
4 min read
Private Equity Turns to Business Intelligence to Maximize Investments
Private Equity investors make investment decisions based on balance sheets and P&L...
2 min read
Power BI, Microsoft's Outlier on the 2017 Gartner Magic Quadrant
Power BI now outranks Tableau, Qlik, Domo, Cognos . . . heck, everyone.
For the tenth...
3 min read
Power BI Solves Seattle Bar's Operating Inefficiencies, Saves $30k/yr
What could your business do with an extra $30,000 a year? By implementing Microsoft Power BI...
9 min read
Power BI Dashboard Case Studies for Private Equity Companies
Business intelligence is one of the hottest topics among industry leaders Private equity...
4 min read
Power BI and Gartner's "Magic Quadrant"
There's BIG news in the BI world, of the magical sort.
Gartner just released their Magic...
1 min read
Power BI & Sharepoint: Quite Possibly the Best Integration Yet
Folks, we’ve been waiting for this feature release!
Microsoft just announced Power BI’s...
3 min read
Our Hometown of Fort Collins: Beer, Bikes, Bands, and Adventures
Why is Blue Margin headquartered in Fort Collins instead of Denver (since one of our...
4 min read
Our "Secret Sauce" for Creating Power BI Dashboards that GET ADOPTED
Fact: The difference between dashboards that just "look good," and those that get adopted...
4 min read
News Flash: BI is Essential For Business
Countless articles have been written about the growth of data analytics and business...
2 min read
Microsoft Buys Mobile BI Leader Datazen
In a move that backs up its promise to be "mobile first, cloud first," Microsoft announced...
3 min read
Just Turn It On!
I recently stumbled across a site called notalwaysright.com, which is dedicated to...
1 min read
Insights to Your Inbox, Thanks to Power BI
As part of Power BI’s latest release, you can now subscribe to your most critical dashboards...
8 min read
How To Implement Portfolio Analytics To Manage Your PE Portfolio
In the race to increase portfolio company value through add-ons, improved gross margins, and...
4 min read
How To Compare Business Intelligence Software
In recent years, there is no business discipline that has moved to the forefront of the...
3 min read
How To Align Deal Teams and Executive Teams Using Company Scorecards
"Transparency is not just a buzzword; it may be a necessity for business survival in the...
6 min read
How Manufacturing Uses Dashboards To Increase Profitability
Deloitte provides a clear and simple answer to this question in their “Analytics for...
2 min read
How Private Equity Firms Keep Data Chaos From Depleting Portco Value
Middle market private equity firms share a common denominator: their portfolio companies...
4 min read
How Manufacturers Use Data Intelligence To Increase Accountability
“If you always do what you always did, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” – Henry...
5 min read
Forrester Report: Expert Insights on the BI Industry
What J.D. Power reports are to consumer products, Forrester Wave(tm) reports are to...
5 min read
Effective BI Is Like A Veggie Burger... (5 Key Characteristics)
Business Intelligence (BI) technology is quickly becoming commonplace in companies of every...
3 min read
Do You Really Need a Data Warehouse? (Part 2)
In case you need to get caught up . . .
In our last data warehouse post, we talked about how...
3 min read
Do You Really Need a Data Warehouse? (Part 1)
Data warehouses sound like a pain. And if you don't have a data architect on staff (who has...
6 min read
Do BI Dashboards Really Work?
If you’ve read a few of my articles, you know that I love to talk about business...
3 min read
Cutting Through the Noise with Power BI Data Visualizations
"Our ability to make sense of the 'signals' from all the 'noise' in our data is paramount...
4 min read
Business Intelligence Won't Help Your Business, unless . . .
We are at an exciting time in the world of business technology. People are becoming more and...
3 min read
Business Intelligence Software: A Quick Comparison
As “Business Intelligence”(i.e., data analytics and dashboards) plays an ever-increasing...
3 min read
Business Intelligence for SMB's? C'mon man!
While we all have our challenges with MS products, (Just image search “Windows 8 memes” if...
2 min read
Blue Margin Releases VSTS Solution Template for Power BI
Blue Margin, Inc., Microsoft Gold Partner in Data Analytics and Data Platform just released...
3 min read
Blue Margin Named Colorado Companies to Watch Award Winner
The Blue Margin team is excited to announce that we have been named a "50Colorado Company...
4 min read
BI For Everyone
Business intelligence is now a profit generating tool for Small to Medium Size Businesses...
1 min read
Are You Missing the Data Train? HBR Thinks So
That’s right. Unless you work in the retail sector (which has used data analytics to capture
5 min read
7 ½ Reasons a Data Warehouse is Worth the Investment
Chances are, if you're reading this article, you're thinking about investing in a data...
3 min read
5 Ways Leading Manufacturers Use Data to Improve Culture and Operations
Complex logistics, multiple data sources, tight order-to-cash timelines . . . for virtually...
2 min read
4 Ways Microsoft Power BI Supercharges Your Business
1.You can’t change what you can’t see.
Power BI takes your vital business data and...
8 min read
4 Key Benefits of Business Intelligence Available to Midsize Businesses
Business intelligence is a term that has been widely used, but it generally describes a...
3 min read
The Ostrich Problem Applied to Business Performance
I recently read an awesome article by Dr. Christian Jarrett called “The Ostrich Problem” and...