About Analytics Pitfalls & Principles
25 years of lived experience. One mission: help you enjoy your work a little bit more.
"The two most important days in your life are the day you are born,
and the day you find out why."
— Mark Twain
The Mission
I found my "why": helping anyone I impact—directly or indirectly—enjoy their life just a little bit more.
Analytics Pitfalls & Principles is how I expand the halo effect of that impact. These aren't academic theories—they're lessons from 25+ years transforming companies with data. When we share real stories and support each other, we prove that data and AI projects don't have to fail. We all enjoy our work a little bit more.
Meet the Founder
Midwestern guy. Loves the outdoors, cars, and—what else—data and AI.
The 25-Year Journey
Act I: Small Business (The Scrappy Years)
Started where most people don't talk about—small businesses where every dollar counted and every decision mattered. No fancy tools. No big budgets. Just figuring out how to make data work when resources were tight. Learned that simplicity beats sophistication every time.
Act II: Mid-Caps (Cutting Teeth in Consulting)
Moved into consulting, working with mid-sized companies. Different industries, different problems, same pitfalls appearing again and again. Started cataloging what worked and what didn't. Built the muscle of translating data insights into business action. Saw that the principles that mattered weren't about the technology—they were about people.
Act III: Enterprise Scale (The Healthcare Leap)
Now leading Product & Engagement for the Chief Data Office at UnitedHealth Group—the largest healthcare company in the US. The complexity is exponentially higher, but the fundamentals remain the same. The pitfalls just have bigger consequences. The principles just need to scale. And that's what I help teams do every day.
Over 25 years, I've seen the same analytics mistakes repeated across industries—from small business to retail to financial services to healthcare. Not because people aren't smart. Not because the technology is hard. But because we don't share our stories openly.
This platform changes that. Every pitfall here? I've either made it myself or watched talented teams hit it. Every principle? Battle-tested across hundreds of projects. This isn't theory—it's lived experience, distilled into something anyone can apply.
💫The Halo Effect
"When you learn from my mistakes, you avoid frustration. When you apply these principles, your projects succeed. When your projects succeed, you go home happier. That's the halo effect—and it keeps expanding with every story shared in this community. That's how I help people enjoy their lives just a little bit more."
— Brian
Why This Platform Exists
⚠️The Problem
The narrative around analytics is broken. Articles claim "70% of data projects fail." Leaders feel isolated when they hit roadblocks. Teams repeat the same mistakes because knowledge isn't shared openly. Meanwhile, the solutions are sitting in the heads of people who've been through it before.
💡The Solution
A community where analytics leaders share real stories—both successes and failures. Where we learn from each other's experiences. Where we prove, together, that following principles and avoiding pitfalls leads to success. Where the "70% fail" statistic becomes obsolete.
🌟The Impact
Every story shared makes the next analytics project easier for someone else. That's the halo effect in action. When we support each other, we all win. We're not just building a platform—we're starting a movement to change how the world thinks about data and AI.
What We Offer
15 Core Pitfalls & Principles
Digital cards covering the most common analytics mistakes and the proven principles that lead to success. Battle-tested across small business, consulting, and Fortune 10 scale.
Community Stories
Real experiences from analytics leaders across industries. Learn from their successes and failures. See yourself in their journeys.
Supportive Engagement
Four types of community support: insights, encouragement, tips, and questions. We lift each other up. That's how the halo effect expands.
Evolving Business Fable
A monthly-updated story co-created from community experiences. See your lessons reflected in narrative form. Watch wisdom compound month after month.
Join the Movement
Be part of the community proving that analytics projects succeed when we learn from each other. Expand your halo effect.