Data Renegades Ep. #5, The Identity Crisis of BI with Benn Stancil
Dec 23, 2025
Benn Stancil, Co-founder of Mode and an insightful commentator on data and AI, dives into the evolving identity of data tools. He discusses the importance of maintaining a clear product vision and the perils of 'identity bloat' when catering to diverse user requests. Benn reflects on the challenges in data analysis and the need for better storytelling as AI influences data interpretation. He also touches on the potential for large language models to shift how executives access insights, emphasizing that meaningful data successes remain rare.
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From Internal Tool To Mode
- Benn built Mode from an internal SQL query editor used at Yammer and Microsoft.
- The product let analysts write SQL, chart results, and share via URL which inspired Mode's launch.
Build An Opinionated Product
- Build an opinionated product for a specific group instead of averaging many customer requests.
- Find one customer who 'gets it' and scale that exact vision rather than making a product by committee.
Identity Bloat Dilutes Products
- Expanding to serve everyone creates identity bloat and dilutes product character.
- Losing a clear identity turns a focused product into a generic department-store offering.