Why Your Data Team Must Think Like a Business Team

For mid-market and emerging businesses, data is no longer a luxury. It's a necessity. But having a data team isn't enough. To truly unlock value, your data team must adopt a business-focused approach.

The Disconnect: Data Teams vs. Business Needs

In many mid-sized companies, data teams operate in isolation. They focus on technical metrics, build complex models, and generate reports that don't align with business objectives. This siloed approach leads to:

• Misaligned priorities: Data projects that don't address pressing business challenges.

• Wasted resources: Time and money spent on analyses that don't drive decisions.

• Frustration: Business leaders receive insights that are too late or irrelevant.

If you've ever wondered why you're spending big money on data platforms and analytics tools without seeing a tangible return, you're not alone. The problem is rarely the technology. It's the disconnect between your data team and your commercial priorities.

Your data team might be answering questions that nobody asked. Or worse, they might be spending all their time cleaning data for a dashboard that’s rarely used. That’s not a data strategy. That’s a maintenance plan.

What a Business-Focused Data Team Looks Like

A business-focused data team works differently. Instead of thinking in terms of rows and columns, they think in terms of revenue, margin, growth, and risk.

They ask:

• What decisions are being made in the business right now?

• What information is needed to make those decisions with confidence?

• How can we deliver that information in time to make a difference?

This team doesn’t just deliver reports. They deliver clarity.

They attend sales meetings. They understand supply chain delays. They know how your CFO thinks about working capital. They treat data as a business asset, not just an IT function.

Why Mid-Market and Emerging Businesses Need This Now

When you're scaling fast, every decision matters. A wrong turn can mean missed targets, lost customers, or wasted capital. And yet, many growing businesses are still flying blind. They rely on gut feel because their data isn’t ready or relevant.

Here's the truth: your competitors are already investing in data. The only question is whether they’re using it better than you are.

If your data team is focused purely on technical output: dashboards, data pipelines, automated reports. They’re likely missing the bigger picture. That’s where a business-first mindset changes everything.

The Benefits: What You Gain by Making the Shift

1. Better, Faster Decisions

When your data team understands what’s at stake, they can provide insights that matter. That means your exec team isn’t waiting two weeks for a revenue report — they have it every morning, tailored to their needs.

2. Higher ROI on Data Investment

You’re already spending on platforms, tools, and people. But are you getting value from that spend? A business-focused approach ensures every data project has a commercial return.

3. Alignment Across the Business

A good data team can act as the connective tissue across finance, operations, sales, and marketing. They help everyone see the same picture — and act on it.

4. Agility When You Need It

Markets change. Costs rise. Customers churn. When your data team is in sync with business goals, they can quickly pivot and support real-time decisions.

How to Make It Happen: A Practical Playbook

This isn’t about replacing your data team. It’s about evolving how they work. Here’s how to start:

Step 1: Change the Metrics

Stop measuring your data team on how many dashboards they deliver. Start measuring them on how many business problems they solve.

That means shifting from output metrics (number of reports built) to outcome metrics (cost savings delivered, revenue opportunities identified).

Step 2: Embed Them in the Business

Physically or virtually, your data team needs to be closer to the action. That might mean joining daily stand-ups with operations. Sitting in on customer feedback calls. Or working side-by-side with finance to understand budgeting pain points.

Step 3: Start With Use Cases

Ask business leaders: What’s a recurring decision you wish you had better data for? Then build from there. One strong use case — like forecasting stock levels more accurately — can show the value of a business-aligned approach.

Step 4: Invest in Communication

Technical brilliance is useless if it can’t be understood. Train your data team to present insights in a way that resonates with non-technical stakeholders. That includes storytelling, visualisation, and business writing.

Step 5: Build Trust First, Then Scale

Don’t try to boil the ocean. Pick one high-impact area. Deliver value quickly. Build credibility. Then expand.

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Even with the best intentions, many businesses trip up. Here’s what to watch for:

• Overengineering: Don’t build a perfect data warehouse for a problem that needs a simple report.

• Tech for Tech’s Sake: Avoid getting locked into tools that don’t align with your business goals.

• Ignoring the End User: If your dashboards are built for analysts, not decision-makers, they won’t get used.

• Treating Data as a Side Project: Your data team should be part of the business strategy, not an afterthought.

Real-World Examples That Prove the Point

We’ve seen mid-sized retailers cut supply chain costs by 12% just by integrating purchase orders and inventory data. We’ve seen finance teams reduce monthly reporting cycles from 9 days to 2. We’ve seen CEOs shift pricing strategies because their data team flagged changes in customer buying patterns.

None of these wins required fancy AI. They required a business-first mindset.

What To Do If You Don’t Have a Data Team

Not every business can afford a full-time team. That doesn’t mean you can’t act.

• Start with a single analyst who has business acumen.

• Use fractional data partners like Pentify Insights who can work with your existing team.

• Outsource non-core tasks like data engineering or dashboard builds, so you can focus on strategic insight.

The key is to stay focused on outcomes, not output.

Final Word: Data Teams Are Business Teams

If you’re a founder, CEO, COO or GM, ask yourself this: Is your data team solving your biggest business problems?

If not, it’s time to change the brief.

Because in a world where every decision counts, data is either your best ally or your biggest blind spot. The companies that win are the ones where data is embedded into decision-making. Not because they have more tools. But because they’ve made the mindset shift. They know that good data is good business. And they’ve built their teams accordingly.

So stop asking your data team to build reports. Start asking them to grow the business.