In this engaging conversation, Mico Yuk interviews Ollie Hughes, a data expert and the founder of Count, who focuses on empowering data teams. They discuss the urgent need for data teams to evolve from simple support roles into strategic contributors within businesses. Ollie outlines four critical tenets that help teams break free from the 'service trap' and enhance their impact. He also shares insights on diagnosing service traps and emphasizes the importance of operational clarity and effective resource allocation to maximize business value.
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Oli Hughes' BI Tool Journey
Oli Hughes' first data tool experience was with Tesco's on-prem Teradata warehouse, inspiring his love for data.
Power BI's limitations with DAX motivated him to co-found Count, seeking a better BI solution.
insights INSIGHT
Critical Moment for Data Teams
Data teams face pressure to prove ROI amid shrinking budgets and new AI challenges.
Many get stuck in a service trap, building dashboards rather than driving business growth.
insights INSIGHT
Avoid Commoditization by AI
Data teams commoditized by answering all questions risk being replaced by AI.
Shifting from transactional roles to value-driven problem solving is essential for survival.
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Data teams are at a pivotal moment. With zero-interest rates gone and AI transforming the landscape, there's mounting pressure to prove ROI and deliver real business value.
Yet many teams remain stuck in the "service trap"—churning out dashboards rather than driving strategic impact.
In this special episode of More than Numbers Live, the tables are turned as Analytics on Fire podcast host Mico Yuk interviews our regular host, Ollie Hughes, about the four critical tenets that transform data teams from support functions into engines of growth.
Ollie breaks down his four tenets framework for high-impact data teams, developed from hundreds of conversations with leading data practitioners. He reveals the four service traps that keep teams stuck in low-value work and the corresponding tenets that can transform them into business-critical partners.
This episode is a masterclass for data leaders looking to elevate their teams beyond the dashboard factory and become true drivers of business improvement.
What you'll learn
[02:07] Ollie's first BI tools and how his experience with Power BI's limitations sparked the idea for Count.
[05:28] Why data teams face a critical moment: proving ROI while avoiding replacement by AI.
[10:25] The four service traps that keep data teams stuck in low-value work.
[17:16] How to diagnose if you're caught in a service trap - Ollie's "asset test" for data teams.
[22:38] The four tenets of high-impact data teams and how they address each service trap.
[31:05] How operational clarity creates a virtuous cycle that transforms the quality of requests data teams receive.
[39:20] Resources for implementing these tenets in your organization and joining the movement.
More than Numbers 