Peter Walker: How to build an Insights Function & Add 130K Linkedin Followers w/ Carta’s Head of Insights

Peter Walker is the Senior Director of Insights at Carta, the leading cap table platform with over 45,000 customers and one of the most followed B2B voices on LinkedIn.

In this episode, Peter breaks down how he built Carta’s insights function from scratch and how it's become one of the most effective brand-building machines in SaaS. He shares how data storytelling fuels their content engine, what makes a great graphic, and why every B2B company should have a voice in the public conversation.

Topics we cover in this episode:

- How Carta turned data into a brand moat

- The 3 core skills behind a great insights team

- Peter’s system for publishing daily, high-impact LinkedIn content

- What makes a great data visualization (and what doesn’t)

- How to test and scale content ideas through comments and reposts

- The CTA and chart format that drives thousands of subscribers

- Carta’s long-term approach to insights: not leads, just value

- Why most B2B brands should stop gating data and start storytelling

- Peter’s LinkedIn growth from 2K → 137K and the flywheel behind it

Perfect for:

- B2B marketers building thought leadership around data

- SaaS founders exploring brand-led growth

- Operators looking to create LinkedIn-native content systems

- Anyone wondering how to turn usage data into viral insights

Connect with Peter:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peterjameswalker/

- Carta: https://carta.com/

- Data Desk Newsletter: https://carta.com/data/

- How to create engaging data graphics: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/peterjameswalker_the-5-step-guide-to-building-data-graphics-activity-7341517849120731136-aTKA/

Connect with me:

- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/

- Website: https://www.project33.io/

- Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH

Chapters:

00:00 Building the Insights Function at Carta

02:10 How Carta Uses Data to Fuel Daily Content

05:00 Carta’s Distribution Flywheel: LinkedIn → Email → Events

08:45 Who Should Build an Insights Function

12:30 What Makes Data “Interesting” Enough to Publish

14:40 Usage Data vs. Market Data (and What You Can Do With It)

17:10 Privacy, Contracts, and How to Handle Sensitive Data

19:30 Measuring Success: The 6-Month Rule

21:00 Who Should Be the Public Face of Insights?

22:40 The Rise of Embedded Creators in B2B

24:50 The Equity Insight That Blew Peter’s Mind

27:00 LinkedIn Growth: 2K to 137K and the Tipping Point

30:10 Text + Image vs. Video: What Works on LinkedIn

33:00 How to Use Comments to Supercharge Distribution

35:40 The Right Way to Follow Up with Creators

36:40 The Three Kinds of Data Stories That Work

38:45 Newsjacking, Press Coverage, and Ecosystem Relevance

42:50 Visual Design: What Makes a Chart Work

46:10 The Tableau → Figma Workflow Explained

49:20 Use One Chart for One Story—Then Scale It

52:00 The Importance of Staying Curious (and Consistent)

54:00 Peter’s Final Advice for SaaS Brands and Creators

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/03CXzsZp7wdqIRVDcqPTFH

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/finnthormeier/

Website: https://www.project33.io/

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