The Dashboard Effect
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The Dashboard Effect Podcast: Simplifying Data for Smarter Business Decisions
Welcome to The Dashboard Effect, the go-to podcast for mid-market businesses and private equity-backed companies looking to harness the power of data.
Hosted by Brick Thompson from Blue Margin, we demystify data analytics and business intelligence, offering practical insights and actionable strategies that drive accountability, performance, and growth.
From breaking down complex data concepts to sharing real-world success stories, we cover topics like Power BI, data lakes, dashboards, automation, and the latest trends shaping the future of business intelligence. Whether you're a CEO, operator, or BI professional, we’ll help you unlock the potential of your data for smarter, faster decisions.
Tune in to The Dashboard Effect and discover how the right data, at the right time, can transform your business.
Subscribe now and take the first step toward becoming a data-driven organization!
Learn More: BlueMargin.com
Episodes
149 episodes
The Future of Microsoft Fabric: Will It Replace Synapse?
Are you trying to decide between Microsoft Synapse and Microsoft Fabric for your data architecture? In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, we break down the key differences, pros, and cons of each platform to help you make the best de...
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Episode 149
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9:04
Revenue Reporting: It's Not as Simple as It Seems
Revenue seems like a simple metric—just add up the sales, right? Not so fast! In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, Brick and Landon dive into the complexities of defining revenue. Every business calculates reven...
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Episode 148
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5:55
Breaking Down Portfolio Monitoring Solutions
In this episode, Kate Eberle and Greg Brown discuss the challenges and strategies of portfolio monitoring in private equity. They explore the different approaches firms take, from Excel-based reporting to fully automated Power BI solutions, and...
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Episode 147
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20:31
Role Based Security: Keeping Data in the Right Hands
Who should see your business data and who shouldn’t? In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Landon break down the essentials of role-based security and data access control.Learn how businesses can...
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Episode 146
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8:47
From Theory to Practice: Making AI Work in the Real World
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, host Jon sits down with Lisa Weaver Lambert, author of The AI Value Playbook. Lisa shares her deep expertise in AI, offering practical advice for non-technical leaders on how to leverage AI effectively. ...
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Episode 145
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40:37
How to Build Smarter Reports with Power BI
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon discuss the importance of truly understanding your data before diving into report building. Whether you’re an analytics engineer or using Power BI, this conversation is packed with actio...
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Episode 144
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9:48
Is Raw or Aggregated Data Better for Analytics Decisions?
Knowing when to use raw data or aggregated data can make or break your analytics strategy. In this video, Brick and Landon explain the key differences between raw and aggregated data, how each affects decision-making, and the best times to use ...
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Episode 143
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7:57
Schema on Write vs. Schema on Read: What’s Faster for Your Business?
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, Brick and Landon break down the differences between schema on read and schema on write. They discuss when to use each approach, the pros and cons, and real-world applications for busines...
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Episode 142
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6:57
Understanding Semantic Models and Data Lake House Layers
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, host Brick Thompson and Blue Margin’s Director of Solutions, Landon Ochs, dive into the nuances of semantic models and the bronze, silver, and gold layers within a data lake house. They explain t...
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Episode 141
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10:25
NetSuite Data Pipeline: Surprising API Challenges & ODBC Solution
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick chats with Landon, Director of Solutions at Blue Margin, about a surprising challenge faced while extracting data from NetSuite. Despite NetSuite’s well-developed API, handling massive datasets pro...
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Episode 140
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7:22
How Bad Data Models Can Sabotage Your Reports
In this episode, Brick Thompson and Caleb Ochs discuss the critical role of good data models in making business intelligence tools like Power BI efficient and scalable. They cover the pitfalls of poor data models, including delayed reporting an...
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Episode 139
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10:51
The Blueprint for Rolling Out BI to Hundreds of Users
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Caleb discuss the challenges and best practices for rolling out Business Intelligence (BI) solutions to large audiences. With a real-life example of implementing BI across 600 retail loca...
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Episode 138
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10:06
Simplifying Your Data Pipeline for Maximum Performance
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Caleb explore the essential steps to building efficient and reliable data pipelines. They discuss the critical factors in moving data from transactional systems to data lakes, highlight t...
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Episode 137
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16:31
The Data Team Dilemma: Strategies for Surviving High Turnover
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Caleb explore the pressing challenges of assembling and sustaining a robust data team in today’s volatile tech landscape. With tech turnover rates on the rise, developing strategies to attract ...
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Episode 136
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8:48
The Strategic Edge of Outsourcing Your Data Platform
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, hosts Brick and Caleb dive into the often-overlooked advantages of outsourcing data platform management. They explore why mid-market companies should consider this option, discussing the challeng...
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Episode 135
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13:27
Generative AI Analytics: Hype vs. Reality
Welcome to The Dashboard Effect Podcast! In this episode, Brick and Caleb discuss the world of generative AI analytics, reflecting on the initial excitement and the current state of the technology. They share their insights and personal experie...
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Episode 134
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11:18
Handling Multiple Currencies in Power BI
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, we tackle the complex world of multi-currency reporting in Power BI. Whether you're a BI professional or a business analyst dealing with international data, this episode is packed with valuable i...
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Episode 133
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8:57
Modern Reporting with Power BI: Moving Beyond Email Reports
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, hosts Brick Thompson and Caleb Ochs discuss the pros and cons of emailing reports in business intelligence. They explore why the common practice of sending daily Excel sheets or PDFs is limiting ...
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Episode 132
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8:47
The Pitfalls of Augmenting Transactional Data with Excel for Reporting
In the latest episode of The Dashboard Effect Podcast, Brick and Caleb discuss a common challenge businesses face when trying to extend their data for reporting purposes using Excel files to categorize or group data in ways not supported by...
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9:19
Mastering Delta Loads: Caleb's Best Practices, Tips, and Workarounds
Brick and Caleb get technical this week with a special focus on delta loading. They break down the concept of delta loading and highlight its benefits over traditional full loading techniques in terms of speed and resource efficiency. Caleb cov...
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Episode 130
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8:58
A Speed-Trust Equation: Fast Power BI Reports Increase End User Confidence
Brick and Caleb share the essentials of performant Power BI reports. They discuss the ideal loading performance benchmarks, the implications of load times on user trust, and helpful strategies for debugging and optimizing data models and DAX me...
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Episode 129
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9:17
Watch Out for These Data Model Red Flags
Brick and Caleb discuss the importance of data modeling and good DAX in Power BI, highlighting common mistakes that can lead to poor report performance. For fast and efficient reporting, you need a sound data model that contains the right level...
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Episode 128
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9:12
Blueprints for Building an Internal BI Team
(This episode is a re-release, but the content is still just as relevant as it was the first time around!) Brick and Caleb discuss the complexities of building an in-house BI department. In addition to sharing their firsthand experience and ins...
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Episode 127
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15:58
How to Use Leading and Lagging Metrics for Better Business Agility
Brick and guest co-host Greg Brown explore the dynamic between leading and lagging indicators in BI reporting. They share challenges and strategies for integrating these metrics to enhance operational efficiency and financial performance. Greg ...
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Episode 126
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12:06
Behind the Scenes in Power BI: Tips to Streamline Data Modeling
This week, Brick and Caleb get a bit technical and discuss how to improve Power BI report performance through effective semantic modeling and minimizing data transformation with Power BI. They unpack the challenges of managing data transformati...
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Episode 125
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8:55