The Data Rich Show A.J. Yager & Meaghan Connell

Last year, when the world of e-commerce experienced an unprecedented boom, SEO became more important than ever. For small and medium-sized companies, getting noticed online is not easy, and today’s guest, John Vuong, is passionate about helping these businesses shine and thrive. John is at the helm of Local SEO Search, a full-service SEO company that has done the work to understand what it takes to help small enterprises succeed in today’s business environment. In this episode, John talks about making the transition from traditional sales to SEO despite not having the technical knowledge. He brought his passion for people, work, and small businesses and learned as he went. The result has been his very successful company. We talk about the value of clarifying your vision and connecting with your customers and the patience that these processes require. In the age of hustle and comparison, it is easy as a business owner to feel like you are falling behind, but as John highlights, life, like business, requires equal parts patience and dedication. We also touch on John's learning journey, what SEO data business owners should focus on, and some salient advice for entrepreneurs about enjoying the journey. If you are a small to medium-sized business owner and curious about how SEO could help you, this episode is perfect for you!


Key Points From This Episode:
Get to know John, his background, and insights into his company; Local SEO Search. Unique lessons John learned during his time in traditional advertising sales. The importance of entrepreneurs learning sales techniques. John’s passion for small businesses and what he wanted to help these owners to do. What John learned early on about hiring the right people; it’s okay to make mistakes. The importance of finding people you look up to. Being vulnerable and sharing yourself helps people relate to you and makes you more authentic. How John managed to spend so much time building his business. How John handled so many accounts at once during the early stages of his business. SEO versus PPC: John’s insights and the cases in which each is suitable. The types of companies John believes should be doing SEO. What John believes companies should know about SEO. The SEO data that matters for business owners; it’s not all equally important. How to reach out to John online.John’s advice for entrepreneurs; think about what, other than your business, is important to you.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Data Rich Show
AJ Yager
Praxis Metrics
John Vuong
Local SEO Search
Local SEO Search on Twitter
Dave Asprey: Books

There is often a chasm that arises between IT and business leaders because of the way they communicate with one another. This happens when people do not speak the same language and understand the business from a fundamentally different vantage point. The Narrative Group, led by today’s guest, Bruce Fairley, looks to change that. Their mission is to go beyond technology and enable holistic change within organizations. In this episode, Bruce sheds light on his career and shares the impetus for founding The Narrative Group. We talk about his passion for leveraging enterprise value through technology. While big corporations are using data to scale and make more of an impact, small and medium-sized businesses are getting left behind. Bruce works with these companies to create solutions that help them be competitive. Our conversation also touches on using software, rather than people, to implement and maintain your backend infrastructure, using data to inform behavioral changes, and why tech people need to be looking at the bottom line. Bruce’s unique message is timelier than ever, given the pandemic-related shifts. Tune in to hear it all.


Key Points From This Episode:
Get to know Bruce, his background, and how he came to found The Narrative Group.The common theme throughout Bruce’s career so far.Redefining enterprise value for small and medium-sized businesses.Many small and medium-sized businesses are not leveraging IT to enhance their business.Some of the reasons Bruce believes technology is such a sticking point for businesses.Technology requires growth and innovation, which leads to new insights and data.An example of a client Bruce worked with where they made the data insights actionable.As a data person, you need to give business leaders information they don’t already know.What we have learned about technological commodities during the pandemic.Bruce’s insights on how tech people should be communicating with executives.The role of culture in business and how it ties into a company’s ability to evolve.How small and medium-sized businesses need to think about their IT and data teams.Why Bruce believes that you do not need personnel to run your backend infrastructure.The three commonalities when it comes to measuring success.Bruce’s final words for us to think about.The Narrative Group’s “financial first” methodology and how it helps their clients achieve their desired outcomes.

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Bruce Fairley on LinkedIn
The Narrative Group
iSecurity
QuickBooks
Data Rich Show
AJ Yager
Praxis Metrics

Applying the power of data to the sales game cannot be underestimated and here on the show today to unpack this subject is a great friend and expert! Rudy Rodriguez has a strong message for sales teams and the people who build and hire them, and we guarantee that it can help you too! A generous, sincere, smart, and caring individual, Rudy offers a huge amount of value for today's show, talking about bringing in a sales team, and why preparation for others doing your sales for you, from the beginning, is essential. We then turn to Rudy's thoughts on the hiring process and he drops a whole selection of pearls on this part of his work! He talks about the framework he has adopted and adapted for making the best hires, why building company culture and finding 'A' players are so vitally important on all levels, and gives us the powerful questions he asks at specific points of the process. To finish off our amazing chat, Rudy offers some great resource recommendations, talking about the books and thinkers that have impacted him and his business the most. Make sure to tune in to hear it all!


Key Points From This Episode:
Rudy's mission in life, career history, entrance into the entrepreneurial space, and more! The types and sizes of companies that Rudy and his team typically work with. Avoiding and getting out of the doldrums; applying lessons from the navy to sales.Planning the model for your business, so that others can do your sales for you.Staying in touch with your customer base as a business grows. Better measurement of sales success using critical drivers and KPIs. The million-dollar question that Rudy asks about improving on a bad month. Implementation of the critical drivers; using 'thinking time' to find a way forward.Rudy's thoughts on the hiring process and why the culture you create is so important. The four critical components of hiring 'A' players and how these can safeguard against missteps.  Avoiding common pitfalls of hiring sales professionals by identifying a natural affinity.The Harvard study that exemplifies a good lead qualification process.  Better practices for lead collection and the most important information to gather. Some great book recommendations from Rudy that everybody should check out! How to find Rudy and his team online and set up a call today!   

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Data Rich Show
Virtual Event Sales Team
Topgrading 
Taking Flight
Harvard Business Review
Measure What Matters
Who
The Dream Manager
AJ Yager
Praxis Metrics

All organizations need a data evangelist. This person does not necessarily have to be a data scientist or a data analyst, but it should be someone who champions data as a fundamental piece of the growth equation. Ethan Garr trains, coaches, and hold workshops to help companies accelerate their growth and has seen firsthand the power of data in driving decision-making, experimenting, and scaling. In this episode, Ethan distinguishes between being data-driven and data-led decision-making. While he always embraced data, there was an inflection point when he started building his data team that championed data throughout his organization. Ethan walks us through some of what he did right and wrong when he built this team and highlights the value in continually working on being a data-driven organization. We also get into what it means to have a North Star metric, why it is crucial to use data from the outset, and the fact that data is not simply about numbers but about the insights you draw. As data becomes an increasingly hot commodity, companies must budget properly, and Ethan suggests how to plan financially for this investment in your business. While, as a leader, you do not have to know everything, there is value in having a broad understanding of concepts, and as the show wraps up, Ethan shares details about GoPractice, a simulator course that offers hands-on data experience for those wanting to know more. Data cannot be done in a vacuum, and your data evangelist is a crucial piece in helping your company shape a culture that leverages data to its maximum potential.


Key Points From This Episode:
Get to know Ethan, his background, and his passion for helping companies grow.Ethan’s relationship with data and how it has evolved over time.The most important thing Ethan got right when he started hiring data people.Advice on how to go about hiring data experts if you feel your company is ready for it.Data is not only quantitative; the magic happens when it’s combined with qualitative analysis.Although there is no universal approach for where your data person should go, someone has to lead data in the company.Why your only goal when you are pre-product-market fit should be to get to product-market fit.The importance of data from day one: how to use data right at the get-go.North Star metric: Ethan’s take on what it is and the two components it’s comprised of.All of your metrics should ultimately align with your North Star metric.Data needs to be planned effectively; it cannot be done in a vacuum.The major mistakes that Ethan made when he hired his data team.Setting a budget for your data team: talent costs serious money.Details about GoPractice, a simulator course to help you get familiar with data.Final advice around data for growth-oriented people. 
Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Data Rich Show
AJ Yager
Praxis Metrics
Ethan Garr on Twitter
Ethan Garr on LinkedIn
Breakout Growth
Breakout Growth Podcast
Sean Ellis on LinkedIn
‎RoboKiller
ProfitWell
GoPractice
Measure What Matters
Amplitude

The pandemic has resulted in unprecedented e-commerce growth, and it is harder than ever to stand out online. Although AI is a great way for businesses to differentiate themselves, there is still confusion about what artificial intelligence actually is. Steve Meier is a creative technologist and is the Co-Founder and Head of Growth at KUNGFU.AI, an artificial intelligence consultancy that helps companies start and accelerate AI programs by providing strategy and development services. In this episode, Steve talks about AI and why it is not what most people think it is. AI seems daunting, but is, in fact, most beneficial when applied in small, practical ways to solve problems businesses face. When these small wins compound, that's when the magic of AI truly happens. Steve explains the services that KUNGFU.AI offers, why there is no such thing as perfect data, and the importance of education when it comes to AI. Many businesses are afraid of failing, but it is possible to fail your way to success, and AI is key in connecting the dots that data provides. We also discuss the importance of strategy when it comes to AI and related decision-making, the role that non-tech team members can play in the AI landscape, why businesses should be prepared to spend money on AI, and Steve's recommendations for resources to learn more on the topic. To hear more be sure to tune in today!  


Key Points From This Episode:
Get to know Steve, his background, and the impetus for starting KUNGFU.AI. Some of the services that KUNGFU.AI, as an AI service agency, provides clients. What made Steve realize the business solution power of AI. Common fears that Steve sees around AI and how he helps people overcome them. Where clients who are looking to use AI in their companies should start. The importance of having the right kind of data for AI to be effective. Adapting to the post-COVID world: what AI and ML's role in e-commerce has become. How AI works with existing tools to enhance the customer experience. Some of the types of data that are important for companies to collect. Debunking the myth that data has to be perfect to be used for AI.  When companies should start collecting data to use for AI. The team member who should be learning more about AI and its application for the business. Advice on how to leverage data better in life and business. Hear more about the forecasting module KUNGFU.AI has built. Final words from Steve: there is still room for you to stand out!

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Data Rich Show
AJ Yager
Praxis Metrics
Steve Meier on LinkedIn
Steve Meier Email — steve@kungfu.ai
KUNGFU.AI
Elon Musk
Gary Keller
Competing in the Age of AI
Prediction Machines
Artificial Intelligence: Implications for Business Strategy
Coursera
Machine Learning for Humans

One of the reasons that data is so exciting is because of its wide-ranging use cases and applicability. Taylor Holiday was on his way to law school after leaving a career in baseball. He never envisioned being in his current position as Managing Partner of Common Thread Collective, an e-commerce growth agency that draws on data to help consumer product e-commerce businesses scale from 0 - $20M. However, now that he uses data every day to help guide his decision-making, he would not have it any other way. In this episode, after hearing about Taylor’s incredible career trajectory, where he had opportunities in startups to learn and grow, he shares why he and his partners decided to build Common Thread. Having more operational knowledge than typical marketing agencies, Taylor knew they would stand out from the crowd because they would be partners in making decisions with their clients. This skin in the game has not only helped them flourish but has seen their clients grow to extraordinary heights. Our conversation also touches on why marketing by itself does not grow a company, the democratization of data across a business, the importance of rallying around a North Star to ensure unified action, and the ability that data gives you to ground concepts that may seem whimsical. Taylor's passion is palpable and tuning in, you are sure to feel as excited as he is about data.


Key Points From This Episode: 
The different kinds of connections that have been possible during the pandemic. From baseball to business: hear more about Taylor’s fascinating career trajectory. Taylor’s drive to learn and the lightbulb moment he had about the importance of data. Why Taylor and his partners moved from consulting to founding Common Thread. The freedom that comes with running your own company and the fuel it has given Taylor. What differentiates Common Thread from its counterparts. Taylor’s relationship with data and his affinity for it from a young age. Insights into Common Thread’s growth equation and what it offers clients.  How Common Thread and Taylor view LTV differently from most. An LTV success story where they did not change marketing but used data to make different decisions. A look at measures of central tendency and a case for drawing on all of them rather than only the mean. Taylor’s take on how to properly incentivize media buyers. The benefit of having a growth mindset and knowing that you can learn any skill you need. Details of four-quarter counting, a fundamental tool at Common Thread. How Common Thread used data to make sure they were actualizing their vision of helping entrepreneurs' dreams come true. The best way to try to unify behavior and decision-making within an organization. A final piece of advice about data and how it can help you achieve freedom.  

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:
Common Thread Collective
Taylor Holiday on Twitter
Taylor Holiday on LinkedIn
Admission
Zubin Mowlavi
Jordan Palmer
How Finance Works
Measure What Matters
Data Rich Show
AJ Yager
Praxis Metrics