KPIs for Midmarket Manufacturers

KPIs for Midmarket Manufacturers

Author: Brick Thompson, Jon Thompson, Caleb Ochs, Landon Ochs March 23, 2023 Duration: 14:31
In this episode, Caleb and Kate discuss important KPIs for the manufacturing industry. While there are no one-size-fits-all solutions, they outline and provide insight on the leading and lagging KPIs that have helped our midmarket manufacturing clients improve sales operations, inventory management, labor and machine utilization, and cash flow. Click here to watch this episode on our YouTube channel. Blue Margin helps private equity owned and mid-market companies organize their data into d...

Every other Thursday, The Dashboard Effect cuts through the noise around business data. Host Brick Thompson of Blue Margin sits down with operators and leaders who are actually using analytics to steer their companies, moving beyond theory to the tangible realities of implementation. This isn't about abstract concepts; it's a focused discussion on building clarity and accountability through dashboards and reporting that people actually use. You'll hear specific stories about the hurdles mid-market and private equity-backed firms face when trying to make data-driven decisions a daily habit, not just an aspiration. The conversations in this podcast are built for leaders who need practical frameworks, whether it's about selecting the right metrics, fostering a data culture, or justifying the investment in business intelligence tools. Each episode aims to simplify a complex landscape, providing listeners with a clearer path to turning their information into a strategic advantage. Tune in for grounded advice that translates data from a potential asset into a genuine driver of business performance.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 100

The Dashboard Effect
Podcast Episodes
The Hidden Complexity Behind Simple Dashboards [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:22
Designing a dashboard might seem straightforward, just add charts, metrics, and a few visualizations. But the dashboards that actually help businesses make decisions often look surprisingly simple. In this episode of The…
Should You Build a Data Team or Borrow One? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:05
Many companies assume the best way to build a data capability is to hire an internal team. But is that always the right move? In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon break down one of the most common qu…
How a PE-Backed Rollup Escaped Excel Chaos [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:59
Pulling financial data together sounds simple, until you’re dealing with 20+ acquired companies, multiple ERPs, and a reporting process held together by massive Excel files. In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick…
Your Finance Stack Is Broken: Stop Trusting the Magic Spreadsheet [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:46
Most finance and ops teams aren’t short on data, they’re short on trust in the numbers. This podcast digs into why reporting breaks down, why Excel becomes a crutch, and what actually changes when companies move to clean…
Antidote for Failed Data Projects [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:58
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, hosts Brick and Landon break down why so many data projects fail and how to fix them. Instead of “boiling the ocean” with massive, months-long BI initiatives that never gain tract…
ROI for AI: Why Most Projects Fail (and How to Get Yours Right) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:14
AI adoption is booming but most initiatives still fail to deliver real ROI. In this episode, Brick and Landon unpack why 60–95% of AI projects miss the mark and what companies can do differently. From the importance of a…
The Data Governance Behind Trusted AI [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:40
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon unpack why so many AI projects fail and how the right data foundation can make all the difference. From breaking down what a semantic model actually is to explori…
Making Data Work for Small Firms Without a Big Budget [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:40
Think you need a big BI team and a big budget to get value from your data? Think again. In this episode, Brick Thompson and Landon Ochs share how small professional services firms can start using data effectively—by focu…
Beyond the Wrapper: Making AI Work for Data Teams [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:14
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon give an update on Celeste, the internal AI tool Blue Margin has been building to help data teams query, explore, and visualize client data. They dive into what’s…
From Custom Builds to Fivetran: Evolving Our Data Pipeline Strategy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:34
In this episode of The Dashboard Effect, Brick and Landon discuss their shift in thinking on whether to build custom data connectors or use third-party tools like Fivetran. They share the pros, cons, and lessons learned…