Bo Bergstrom 🌎

Game Plan Tech

Driving Innovation
I specialize in driving the successful implementation and integration of cutting-edge artificial intelligence solutions to fuel business growth and innovation. At Game Plan Tech I work at the intersection of strategy, technology, and collaboration, ensuring AI technologies deliver measurable impact for large institutions such as government. If this sounds like something your organization could use, then feel free to reach out.

Key Areas of Focus:
	•	AI Strategy & Deployment: Crafting and executing strategies for integrating artificial intelligence solutions that align with organizational goals, optimize processes, and deliver measurable ROI.
	•	Cross-Functional Leadership: Partnering with stakeholders across all levels to ensure seamless integration of AI technologies into existing systems while fostering innovation and collaboration.
	•	Business Growth through Innovation: Identifying opportunities to leverage AI that solve complex business challenges, drive new efficiency, create new revenue streams, enhance customer experiences, and drive meaningful impact.

Why I’m Passionate About This Role:
The potential of AI to transform industries is already massive and the technology is moving fast.  I thrive on turning that potential into actionable solutions. As an entrepreneur I gained firsthand experience with the challenges leaders face when integrating emerging technologies into their operations. Using that experience in combination with the team’s expertise in AI technologies, I aim to create meaningful change that drives innovation where it’s needed most - in large organizations.

Even more important than the technology is the team of people deploying and supporting it.  Game Plan Tech is a mission-driven consulting and services firm with expertise helping government teams access the technologies that drive innovation. We’re committed to creating impactful solutions that push the boundaries of what’s possible.  In short, it’s a great team.

AI Deployment Strategist

Grenadier Consulting

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing industries, and Grenadier is at the forefront of this transformation. Our team of experienced AI consultants combines deep technical knowledge with a keen understanding of business strategy to deliver tailored solutions that drive innovation and growth.

Our Services:

AI Strategy and Roadmap: We help clients develop a comprehensive AI strategy aligned with their business goals. We identify key use cases, evaluate investments, and create a roadmap for implementation.

AI Product Development: We assist clients in conceiving, developing, and launching AI-powered products and services. From ideation to market launch, we provide end-to-end support for successful outcomes.

AI Integration and Implementation: We guide clients in seamlessly integrating AI technologies into their existing systems and processes, ensuring maximum value from their AI investments.

Principal

Protocol Labs

At Protocol Labs, I had the unique opportunity to serve as an Entrepreneur in Residence, where I led the creation of Mosaia, a platform transforming enterprise services through AI and Web3 technologies. My role was to identify challenges in the digital business landscape and develop innovative solutions, aligning with Protocol Labs’ mission to enhance human existence through technology.

Mosaia: Redefining Enterprise Services
Mosaia was created to streamline enterprise service procurement, historically a complex and time-consuming process. By leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs), Mosaia simplifies and automates the process, building decentralized micro-marketplaces that connect Web3 builders with verified service providers, all within a trusted environment.

Key Achievements:

	•	AI-Powered Marketplace: Developed Mosaia’s AI-driven platform, enhancing connections between service providers and Web3 innovators.
	•	Decentralized Trust: Created a marketplace emphasizing trust and efficiency.
	•	Mosaia AI Assistant: Introduced an AI tool for streamlined project management, from briefs to vendor selection.

Advancing Decentralized Marketplaces at Protocol Labs
In addition to Mosaia, I contributed to Protocol Labs’ Web3 marketplace initiative. This platform empowers users with control over their data and interactions, fostering a decentralized ecosystem where builders, innovators, and service providers thrive.

Key Contributions:

	•	User-Centric Ownership: Designed a platform ensuring user ownership and control.
	•	Bilateral Reputation System: Architected a review system promoting accountability for both service seekers and providers.
	•	Data Portability: Enabled users to control their data, ensuring flexibility within the platform.

At Protocol Labs, I focused on creating innovative solutions that intersect AI and Web3, paving the way for a future where enterprise service procurement is efficient, trustworthy, and decentralized.

Entrepreneur in Residence / Marketplace Startup Operator

Bo Insights

Helping companies launch and grow new software products by consulting on go to market strategy (GTM), product-market fit (PMF), post-sale software implementation, and user adoption.

Healthtech Startup | 2021 – 2022
I led research, ideation, user interviews, website design, contracting, and onboarding for the creation of a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO). Due to the non-technical nature of the user base I abstracted away the complexity to convey the importance of incentive alignment in an effort to disrupt and democratize behavioral healthcare services. This successfully drove community engagement and resulted in over 200 member applications in the first 30 days of soft-launch with no budget.

Freelance Consultant

Internal Revenue Service

I managed a portfolio of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products that were integral to a large-scale digital transformation program to enhance the taxpayer experience. My responsibilities included overseeing new implementations, ensuring that each deployment was on time, within scope, and fully aligned with the business objectives outlined in the project charter.

As a trusted advisor to the Wage and Investment division, which consists of over 37,000 employees, I was deeply involved in executive stakeholder management, developing detailed project plans, scheduling and coordinating multiple workstreams, tracking milestones, and providing status reports to senior leadership. My role required leading complex, multi-disciplinary projects that involved assessing organizational readiness, creating efficient workflows, and drafting solution design documents that clearly defined the project scope and goals.

One of the most significant projects under my leadership was the congressionally mandated launch of the Central Authorization File (CAF) cloud transformation. This project was a high-stakes initiative that went live in under three months, ultimately resulting in 500,000 submissions within the first year. Building on this success, I then led the expansion of the CAF system from 3 to 10 campuses nationwide, greatly enhancing its reach and operational effectiveness.

Another critical assignment involved taking over the Error Resolution System (ERS) installation, which had fallen three months behind schedule. Through proactive stakeholder engagement, identifying key decision-makers, and removing project blockers, I was able to establish a new schedule that brought the project back on track.

These experiences provided a deep understanding of senior stakeholder management, large-scale software implementations, chatbot design, cloud computing, and the broader challenges associated with digital transformation at a massive scale within a highly regulated environment.

Product Implementation Manager

Humanly

Mental health and wellness startup offering real estate as a service.

I spearheaded a dramatic turnaround for the company, moving it from the brink of insolvency and missed payroll to the verge of profitability within just 18 months. This transformation was achieved through a combination of strategic leadership, rigorous operational improvements, and a relentless focus on growth and efficiency.

One of my key initiatives was overseeing all aspects of employee and contractor hiring, personally scaling the organization’s headcount from a lean team of 2 to a robust and dynamic workforce of 19. This expansion was critical to supporting our growing customer base and ensuring the quality and consistency of our services across all locations.

During this period, we placed a strong emphasis on optimizing our existing locations, standardizing procedures, and refining our opening processes, which resulted in a 10x increase in top-line revenue. Our focus on improving the customer experience was paramount; we developed an automated marketing funnel that not only enhanced customer satisfaction but also created a powerful, scalable word-of-mouth sales engine. This strategy led to a remarkable 400% growth in sold but unopened locations, setting the stage for continued expansion.

All of this progress occurred in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, which presented significant challenges to our business model. Despite these hurdles, we successfully renegotiated vendor contracts to reduce costs, raised a crucial bridge round to maintain liquidity, and continued closing new sales, even in a climate of economic uncertainty. Fundraising during this period required proactive and transparent communication with investors, as well as the ability to make difficult, yet necessary, decisions to steer the company through turbulent times. Our ability to adapt, innovate, and persevere during these challenges laid the foundation for sustained success and positioned the company for future growth.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

SonderMind

SonderMind: Transforming Mental Healthcare Through a Digital Marketplace

In the competitive healthtech arena, SonderMind emerged as a trailblazer, reshaping mental healthcare from the heart of the Greater Denver Area. Our goal? Address the systemic inefficiencies that plague mental health services.

Revolutionizing Mental Healthcare Delivery
SonderMind's vision was clear: leverage the marketplace startup model to connect therapists and patients seamlessly. By building a two-sided marketplace, we aimed to break down traditional barriers, making mental healthcare access as streamlined as e-commerce.

The Growth Trajectory
From its inception, I was entrusted with guiding SonderMind from a nascent idea to a robust platform boasting a 5 MM run rate. Our growth strategy was multifaceted: meticulous product development, an agile operational roadmap, and fostering collaboration across diverse internal teams.

Operational Mastery in Healthtech
As SonderMind's footprint expanded, my focus shifted towards operational nuances. This involved spearheading key processes, cultivating teams, and mentoring leads. From product innovation to customer support and billing (Revenue Cycle Management or RCM), we grew exponentially. Our dedicated teams, totaling over 25 professionals, served a community of 500+ therapists and catered to the diverse needs of 20,000 clients.

Guided by Data and Goals
In the fast-paced world of marketplace startups, metrics are pivotal. Through rigorous OKRs (Objectives and Key Results), we ensured each team was goal-oriented and adaptive, enabling SonderMind to stay at the forefront of mental healthcare innovation.

SonderMind's Legacy
Marrying healthtech innovation with the crucial domain of mental healthcare, SonderMind stands as a testament to what's achievable when technology meets compassion.

Head of Product and Operations to Chief Experience Officer (CXO)

Uvize

A SaaS Startup's Evolution: From Innovation to Enterprise Success

SaaS startups often lie at the intersection of innovation and enterprise demand. Backed by renowned investors like Techstars and the Foundry Group Angel Syndicate, our company embarked on a journey to carve out a unique space in this competitive sector.

Guiding a Diverse Team
At our core was a team of engineers, designers, SDRs, and account executives. As the lead for sales operations, product, and support, I wore multiple hats, ensuring that our software solution resonated with clients while also overseeing the team's daily operations.

Meeting Real-World Scalability
Our engagement with over 30 universities, notably a 10K student SUNY campus, showcased our platform's adaptability. These implementations were more than just software rollouts; they required understanding each institution's specific needs and ensuring our solutions aligned.

Refining Sales and Market Strategy
Enterprise sales in the SaaS realm go beyond pitching software features. Our Go-to-Market strategies were tailored to address institutional needs, ensuring our pitches and demos resonated. Furthermore, pinpointing the right product-market-fit was crucial. My role often involved delving into various business areas, leading to strategic shifts in our target market and pricing, which subsequently fueled our year-over-year revenue growth.

Valuable Experience
Our startup's growth journey underscores the importance of agility in the SaaS sector. For SaaS companies looking to succeed, it's vital to balance software innovation with strategic market positioning while also realizing that early-stage SaaS sales is one of the truest implementations of Boyd’s OODA loop.  The goal is to iterate as fast as possible to find product-market-fit in a vertical you can scale into.  That is no small task, especially while fighting against very limited runway.

VP of Product and Operations

Northwood Investment Partners LLC

Regional sales representative for a registered investment advisor managing accounts with a value oriented strategy.  We use our financial and operational expertise to identify undervalued companies and special situations to invest in utilizing equities, options and above average cash balances in a concentrated portfolio that offers an asymmetric risk/reward profile.

I developed marketing strategy, sales operations and branding/messaging.

Regional Associate

Occipital

Pioneering the Future of Computer Vision: A Business Development Odyssey

In the rapidly evolving landscape of technology startups, it's the blend of cutting-edge innovation and astute business acumen that sets industry leaders apart. Our venture, backed by the formidable Foundry Group during its Series A funding round, is an embodiment of this synergy. Positioned at the vanguard of computer vision, our company sought to bridge the realms of mobile software and hardware, crafting products that would redefine user interactions in the digital age.

The 0 to 1 Leap
Rooted in extensive market research, our vision materialized into a tangible physical product, evidenced by our successful Kickstarter campaign that garnered $1.3 MM in a month. This wasn't just about a product but a testament to a well-executed business development strategy that resonated with our target audience.  Credit to Adam for his media connections and Jeff for extremely high production standards.

Operational Excellence & Team Growth
Transitioning from Series A to Series B brought operational challenges and opportunities. As our revenue surged 10x and the team expanded 4x, a meticulous hiring process was crucial. Every interview was an exercise in ensuring a match with our startup culture, emphasizing adaptability and passion for computer vision.

Streamlining Hardware Operations
Our journey also involved mastering the supply chain and distribution logistics for our B2C hardware offering. This operational challenge meant optimizing everything from production lines to support systems, ensuring our product reached users seamlessly.

Forging Sales Pathways
Despite being a newcomer without strong brand recognition, our strategic approach to channel partner sales paid off, yielding contracts exceeding $5 MM. This was my primary focus and showed the undeniable innovation and value our product brought to the table.

Director Of Business Operations

I help companies identify, launch, and scale new products.  While the technology itself plays a big role in any new product, I focus on the human factors as much as the technology.

In my previous and current roles, I've taken products and even whole companies from nothing to 2 to 5 million in ARR four separate times now.  In some ways I guess you could say my specialty is 0 to 1, go to market (GTM), greenfield opportunities, or new ventures.  Whether it's an early-stage company that needs that kind of growth, a later stage company looking to launch new products, or an incubator/studio, then I am interested in having a conversation.  

I love quotes - in case you haven't noticed - and equate them to concentrated shots of wisdom.  I also write about life lessons, startups, and whatever it is I'm learning about.  I enjoy learning, especially the early part where the learning curve is steep. So I often write a series of 3, 5, or 10 posts about the same topic.  Then, I move on to the next one so if you subscribe, you better love to learn about new topics!

If you remember one thing, know that I believe no matter what obstacle we may face we can overcome it.  That if we work together, then we can make the world a better place.  It may sound trite, but it's a necessary belief when the media around you is yelling that the world is continually ending!

Simple BI

Let’s get to the point: you’ve got data problems, and I’m here to solve them.

As Simple BI's Principal Consultant, I help companies like yours turn data into actionable insights. Here’s a look at some of my recent work:

Westlake Chemical
-Designed a self-service Power BI architecture, integrating Snowflake and SAP, led the adoption initiative across North America. 
Results: Unified data access, reduced report creation time, and empowered teams to make data-driven decisions.

MSA Safety
-Built Power BI dashboards to standardize KPIs and track productivity across global plants. 
-Developed Power Apps for data capture at the plants and centralized data in Dataverse. 
Results: Consolidated reporting, identified efficiency improvements, and eliminated manual data entry, boosting productivity.

Wisconsin Department of Military Affairs
-Replaced a paper-based process with a fully automated, cloud system with Power Apps, Power Pages, Power Automate, Dataverse. 
Results: Cut application processing time by 3 weeks, saving over $35k+ annually, drastically improving service.

Microsoft
-Streamlined report development by refining the Business Analysis process and optimizing Power BI with Dataflows and Data Marts. 
Results: Reduced development cycles by 2 weeks, enhanced self-service analytics and User Experience.

Waste Management
-Modernized legacy reports into dynamic, user-friendly Power BI dashboards, simplified 120+ semantic models, consolidated 180+ dashboards to improve governance and security. 
Results: Enhanced report usability, empowered teams with real-time insights, and reduced report redundancy, saving storage and improving data governance.

I’ve also worked with Smile Sonrisa Dental, Dan’s Management, My Everything Store, Transdev Canada, and Sera Tech, helping them harness the full potential of their data. 

If you’re ready to turn your data into your greatest asset, let’s connect. Shoot me a message, and let’s get started on solving your toughest challenges.

Power Platform & Fabric Principal Consultant

Core BTS

Looking back at my time with Core BTS, one project really tested my skills: Kroger Pharmacy. They needed two data marts—one for CDC Controlled Substances and another for The Little Clinic. The project was behind schedule, with potential penalties looming if we missed the deadline. And strict HIPAA compliance requirements added an extra layer of complexity.

Kroger had recently shifted from Data Vault to Dimensional Modeling, so we had to rethink the architecture fast and develop strong logical and physical data models. Using the Azure Data Platform, we built a new structure from the ground up: Azure Data Factory, and Databricks to move and transform data from the Data Lake into Azure Synapse Analytics. It was all about precision, security, and speed. 

In the end, we delivered on time, avoiding penalties and giving Kroger a scalable, efficient solution. This experience taught me the critical importance of data modeling, project management under pressure, and clear communication with stakeholders.

Later, I tackled a project with Subzero Group, migrating six legacy Crystal Reports to Power BI. Their reporting was clunky and outdated. By leveraging Power BI’s Dataflows and Datamarts, I turned these reports into scalable, real-time analytics tools that gave Subzero’s team the insights they needed, when they needed them.

Fast forward to today, whether I’m working with Microsoft, MSA, Westlake Chemical or Waste Management, I’m not just delivering projects; I’m crafting data solutions that scale, adapt, and drive lasting value. I know what’s at stake with data accuracy, deadlines, and compliance—and I draw on my past experiences to ensure my clients aren’t just keeping up; they’re staying ahead.

That’s the power of hands-on experience. I’ve seen how smart data solutions can transform businesses, and now I’m excited to help my clients turn their data challenges into opportunities for growth and success.

Sr Data Analytics Engineer

Insight

Working with Insight Enterprises —a leader in digital solutions— gave me hands-on experience with transformative tech projects. 

One of the biggest challenges was migrating TruGreen from Tableau and ThoughtSpot to Power BI. I began by assessing their needs, gathering requirements, and developing a roadmap for each migration. I optimized SQL scripts, adopted star schemas, and reusable semantic models ensuring the new Power BI systems were both robust and user-friendly.

One project that stands out was building a forecasting app that integrated Power BI with Power Apps for Tricorbraun. This tool allowed their global sales team to create forecast scenarios and write them back to an Azure SQL Database in real time from the Power BI interface. Seeing users build and adjust forecasts on the go—and with such ease—showed me the power of combining services of the Power Platform.

Another rewarding experience was with the LA City Fire Department. I designed geo-location maps in Power BI that displayed each unit’s real-time location and status, using Azure Databricks’ streaming capabilities. I also implemented Tabular models in Azure Analysis Services, enabling the fire department to analyze data more effectively, enhancing both speed and accuracy in critical decisions.

The result? I delivered scalable solutions that improved data insights, cut down on reporting time, and allowed clients to operate more efficiently. These projects at Insight Enterprises strengthened my consulting skills, data modeling expertise, and gave me experience managing complex stakeholder relationships—skills I now bring to every Simple BI project.

Today, as Principal Consultant, I bring this knowledge to clients like Westlake and Waste Management. I help them transition from outdated systems to scalable, cloud-based analytics that transform how they operate, make decisions, and grow. It’s all about leveraging experience to build future-ready solutions that help clients stay ahead of the curve.

BI Data Analytics Engineer

SMILE SONRISA DENTAL CENTER, P.C.

As a part-time Sr Business Intelligence Consultant in Smile Sonrisa Dental, one of the largest dental practices in Houston, I led, designed and implemented a custom business intelligence solution, enabling the management team to better understand their main KPIs and their drivers; in addition, I improved/automated several administrative tasks that saved a good amount of hours to this practice. Some of my more important achievements are:

• Designed and developed several Power BI reports showcasing the practice's main KPIs, providing the management team with a modern and efficient platform to understand their business and make informed decisions.
• Increased sales efficiency rate from 25% to 42% by identifying the dependence between treatment value and acceptance through regression models in Power BI and thus, adjusting the treatment proposal process.
• Slashed $3,000 per month by automating manual processes through Macros implementation in Excel (VBA).
• Trained the management team in the use and management of the dashboards and reports and, more importantly, helped them understand the importance and meaning of each KPI (from the business point of view) and the importance of the data being collected by the different business functions; through collective workshops and individual trainings.

Senior Business Intelligence Consultant

• Enabled management to make information-backed decisions by developing a BI platform in Power BI.

Business Intelligence Intern

Robert Half Management Resources

Working with Brock Group Texas as a consultant for Robert Half was a crash course in both technical skills and cultural adjustment. Coming from a Latin background, I found American office culture surprisingly distant. At Brock’s office, I rarely saw my supervisor, who was often visiting plants across the Gulf region. Feedback was hard to come by, which forced me to be resourceful and make decisions independently.

The project itself, however, was an opportunity to make a meaningful impact. Brock was using paper timesheets. I led the development of an electronic timesheet solution in Power Apps, which automated time tracking, saving over 800 hours of work in 2019—amounting to $12,000 in savings. 

At the same time, I worked on another critical project: analyzing cost drivers in maintenance projects executed at LyondellBasell's plats. Using Power BI and Excel, I built cost models that helped project managers optimize productivity and keep costs down. This was my first deep dive into data analytics on a large scale, and it taught me the value of connecting digital tools with practical, on-the-ground insights.

These projects came with their share of challenges. Navigating cultural differences, learning U.S. business practices, and managing stakeholder expectations stretched my skills and strengthened my resilience. I learned to collaborate with both field workers and office staff.

Today, as Principal Consultant at Simple BI, these experiences shape my approach with clients like Waste Management, Westlake Chemical and MSA. I bring a focus on efficiency, scalable solutions, and the ability to adapt quickly to different business environments. I know firsthand how the right digital tools can transform processes, save resources, and empower teams—whether they’re in the office or out in the field. 

My journey with Brock Group laid the foundation for the work I do now: helping businesses leverage data and technology to overcome challenges and drive meaningful change.

Business Intelligence Consultant

Tory Technologies, Inc.

Delivered data-backed recommendations which led to enhanced user’s experience, reduced clicks per transaction, leaner interfaces, shortlisted alternatives, and auto-filling capabilities, by means of multivariate quantitative analysis, decision trees models using R, Python.

Data Analytics Intern 

Agregados Rio Negro Cundinamarca SAS

In Agregados Rio Negro Cundinamarca SAS, a construction materials producer, it was my goal to optimize the production process, increase the quality of the materials produced, all this while decreasing the unit cost of production. During this time, my most important achievement was:
• Optimized and re-designed the hauling, stocking, re-loading operations through a detailed data analytics and methods engineering study, eliminating inefficient steps in the process, leading to an increased output of 8% per year and a reduction in cost of 3% of the total cost of production.

Optimization & Business Intelligence Manager

Various Companies

Contract Administrator, 9/2011 to 3/2013
SNC-Lavalin International – Coal Mining - Colombia

Procurement Coordinator, 2/2010 to 5/2011 
Frontera Energy Corp. (Pacific Stratus Energy) – Oil & Gas - Colombia

Various Positions

The Power BI Whisperer | Power BI, Fabric Principal Consultant @Simple BI Inc

Let’s get to the point: you’ve got data problems, and I’m here to solve them. 
 
Imagine running an operation where every decision is backed by clear, actionable insights.  

No more guesswork.  
No more surprises.  

Just a seamless flow of information that drives your company forward. 

I'm David Giraldo, Principal Consultant of Data Analytics at Simple BI.  

In every corner of the manufacturing world, I’ve seen: 
 
• Unreliable demand forecasts 
• Constant stockouts that leave customers frustrated 
• Capacity constraints bottlenecking your production, eating into your profits  

Over the past few years, I've helped companies like Microsoft*, Westlake Chemical*, Waste Management*, MSA The Safety Co*, Sub-Zero Group*, Tricorbraun*, and Kroger Pharmacy* not just navigate these issues but turn them into strengths. 
 
Here’s how I solved them: 
 
1. We start with your data.  
 
Whether it’s buried in SAP, outdated systems or siloed in 1,000 Excel files across your organization, we dig in and bring it all together.   

From there, we design advanced analytics solutions using Azure Data Platform, Microsoft Fabric to give you a 360-degree view of your operations. 
  
2. We build clarity.  

We create reports in Power BI that deliver the exact insights you need to: 
 
• Optimize your supply chain 
• Predict demand more accurately 
• Manage your inventory in real time 
 
3. We drive action.  

We work with your team to automate processes and simplify operations so you can focus on what matters:  

Growing your business without the operational headaches. 
 
My goal is simple:  

I help manufacturing leaders turn data into decisions that don't just keep businesses running, but position them to thrive in an increasingly competitive market. 
 
Ready to see how your data can work as hard as you do? 

Let's chat. Send me a message here on LinkedIn or visit www.simplebi.net. 
  
*Through third-party

David Giraldo

Here’s my 4-stage root cause checklist that shows you why your dashboards keep failing: 

Most teams think “root cause” means fixing a DAX formula or tweaking a refresh. 

That’s why the same bugs keep haunting your dashboards quarter after quarter. 

Here’s how I break it down for clients who are tired of firefighting: 
 
1️⃣ Symptom level: 

What’s visibly broken? 

• Reports are late 
• Cards are blank 
• Numbers don’t match  

Too many BI teams stop here and patch the output (“just refresh it again!”). 

2️⃣ Data/model level: 
 
Break the KPI down. Ask: 

• Did the source system change a column name or data type? 

• Are new relationships or filters skewing results? 

• Is a calculated measure failing silently in the background? 

This is where you find things like schema drift, orphaned joins, or stealthy model bloat. 

3️⃣ Pipeline/process level: 
 
Go one step upstream: 

• Are refreshes colliding with end-of-month crunch? 
• Did someone change the dataflow schedule? 
• Was a gateway or API throttled? 

This layer exposes hidden operational failures that the dashboard UI will never tell you. 

4️⃣ System level: 

Ask the hard questions: 

• Who owns this metric? Is there a clear definition? 
• How are changes communicated – if at all? 
• If the report lead is out, can anyone else fix it? 
• Is there a runbook or just tribal knowledge? 

This is where most outages repeat – because processes, not tech, are usually the root. 

If you only dig 1 or 2 layers deep, you’ll keep firefighting. 

If you make it to step 4, you solve problems so they don’t come back.

PS. Save this post and share it with your team.

Saved over $500k for clients with 25+ reporting and data analytics solutions | Azure, Power Platform & Fabric Consultant

Last month, a client DM’d me after his third H-1B candidate timed out. 

The backlog: 

• 37 reports 
• 6 weeks of revenue data frozen. 

And it wasn’t just about the money – legal fees or day rates were nothing compared to the risk:  

CFOs making moves in the dark and teams losing trust in BI. 

There are only three ways teams try to fix it: 

Wait another quarter for an FTE (and pray they don’t churn in six months). 

Gamble on more visa applications (and watch your team stall, again). 
 
Plug in nearshore engineers who ramp in 10 days, with full time-zone overlap – so the backlog shrinks and data flows now, not next year. 

Most leaders compare costs on spreadsheets. 

Smart leaders ask: what does a month of lost reporting really cost me? 

Because in every team I’ve seen, it’s never just numbers.  

It's lost deals, lost credibility, and months you can’t get back. 

That’s why we developed a special program for BI teams that got stuck because of the visa limbo.  

It starts with a free 15-min chat about your current situation + clear next steps your team can take.  

DM me and I’ll let you know how to book this session with my team.

I'm writing an in-depth ebook for BI teams to navigate team building post the H-1B mess. 

Over the last year, hiring plans shredded.  

Projects paused.  

And cost per dashboard went up – all because your best candidates got stuck in visa limbo. 

I want real stories, failures, and workarounds from the field. 

If you: 

• Lost talent to the lottery 

• Had to rip up your hiring plan mid-year 

• Turned to nearshore, automation, or internal upskilling to survive 

…I want your war stories and numbers. 

Comment if you’d like to contribute and I’ll reach out. Or DM me directly.  

Contributors shape the playbook everyone else will be reading (and yes, happy to keep it anonymous if needed). 

Tag a BI leader or hiring manager who’s lived through this. 
 
The more brutal and specific, the better. 

PS. Repost this to help me spread the word.

Last quarter, a client’s lead analyst resigned. 

Next business review, nobody could agree if “Gross Margin” included rebates, freight, or both. 

Operations went one way, finance another, and the metrics war started – all because the logic wasn’t written anywhere practical. 
 
It doesn’t matter what stack you use. Your BI is only as resilient as your KPI definitions. 

Here’s how I stop this from wrecking teams: 

---

PS. Found this helpful? Save this post for later 💾

The Silent Killer of BI Projects

I’ve lost count of the times I’ve walked into companies flush with new data tools and found… nothing really changed. 
 
The dashboards are pretty. The invoices are huge. 
 
Nobody’s making better decisions. 
 
Most “data strategies” are just expensive shopping lists. 
 
I’ve watched teams switch tools three times in two years, chasing the next shiny platform while the same old mess sizzled below the surface. 
 
Every time, the real problems are buried: 
 
•	No clear business problem to solve 
•	No line between “data products” and real outcomes 
•	Org chart chaos – bottlenecks everywhere 
•	Data people treated as dashboard order-takers 
•	Governance policies written for the auditor, ignored by users 
No tool can fix this.  
 
But the playbook below can:

Build Your Data Strategy in 5 Steps

Every BI leader I talk to has the same dirty secret this year: 

They’re waiting for a visa, and losing six figures to delay while spreadsheets take over. 

H‑1B approvals are now a nine-month gamble.  

In the meantime, critical business decisions are starved of answers – and shadow systems creep in, fast. 

I wrote my new ebook – “BI After H‑1B” – for teams who can’t hire, can’t wait, and can’t afford another quarter of rot. 

Not theory. Not thought leadership. Field-tested fixes I’m shipping with clients, right now. 

You’ll get: 

👉🏻 The 30-day triage plan for teams stuck in “immigration limbo”  

👉🏻 Real-world case studies: see how teams cut refresh times from 42 to 9 minutes and saved hundreds of thousands after hiring stalled 

👉🏻 A nearshore delivery playbook: how to ramp up skilled BI support within two weeks – even if headcount is frozen and visas are in limbo 

👉🏻 Pricing, setup time, and retention risk – crunched: use the included breakdowns to make a credible business case for getting BI moving, not stuck in red tape 

If your BI team is waiting for the next H‑1B, you’re already behind. 

If you want the PDF, comment “EBOOK” or DM me.

The number your CFO actually cares about: cost of delay. 

And with the recent visa mess caused by H-1B, it’s even more important: 

Every time your new BI hire is stuck in “visa purgatory,” your CFO’s budget quietly bleeds out the side.  

Most teams brag about getting a great deal on day rates, but nobody wants to tally up the real price: four weeks of frozen reporting, blocked decisions, execs yelling for answers. 

Here’s what nobody puts in the RFP:

👉 Six months of stalled hires = $1M+ in lost margin, missed opportunities, and yet another shadow spreadsheet. 

👉 “Just wait for the visa” – meanwhile, your most valuable KPIs rot. The business loses trust, and by the time your new analyst finally arrives – the backlog doubled.  

No one remembers what “monthly revenue” even means. 

There’s a smarter math. Here’s what I use: 

• Count the decisions blocked this month (not tasks – calls that move dollars). 
• Estimate $ impact per week, per decision. 
• Multiply it out: blocked × $/week × 4 = cost of waiting. 

The fix is faster than you think. Nearshore pods ship in 10 days, not 2 quarters. They pay for themselves before HR gets a visa update. 

So: Are you still comparing vendors on day rate – or are you ready to put a dollar sign on waiting?

H‑1B hiring now takes 6–9 months and up to $100K before a single KPI ships. 

Meanwhile your backlog grows, execs bypass BI, and shadow spreadsheets take over.  

Visa approvals aren’t a delivery plan.  
 
They’re a hope strategy.  

The real cost is the quarter you lose while nothing ships. 

Do this instead: 

1. Start a 10‑day nearshore ramp with full time‑zone overlap. 

Day 1–3:  

↳ Triage the backlog 
↳ Pick the 10 decisions that are blocked 
↳ Run a health check on models and refresh 
 
Day 4–10:  

↳ Clean the model 
↳ Fix refresh windows 
↳ Kill dead columns 
↳ Separate exec scan from analyst views 

Ship version 1 by day 10. 

2. Run a 30‑day BI triage. 

Week 2–4:  

↳ Publish KPI contracts (owner, calc, freshness SLA, change window) 
↳ Add “What changed this week” to every exec page 
↳ Set alerts on failures, and bus‑test your team so one vacation doesn’t stall reporting. 

Expect 20–40% compute savings from basic hygiene. 

Simple BI Inc plugs senior Power BI and Fabric engineers into your stack in 10 business days. 

We stabilize models, publish KPI contracts, and get blocked dashboards live fast – so you can hire on your timeline, not the visa office’s. 

Sounds interesting? DM me for a free 15-min session about your current BI challenges with my team.

If one person holds your model in their head, the H-1B hiring freeze just turned them into a single point of failure. You know the pattern:  
 
Refresh fails at 6:05, a schema shifts, a KPI drifts 2–3%, and only one person knows the fix.  

They’re on PTO. Or in another meeting. Or they left. 
 
Here’s how I de‑risk this without adding headcount. 
 
Run the quarterly bus test and role swap: 
 
• One day per quarter, your hero is hands off. A second analyst runs the show. 

• They must ship one change and recover one failure using docs only. 

• Track where they get stuck past 15 minutes. Those are your documentation gaps for the next sprint. 
 
Also, bake resilience into your Definition of Done. More in the playbook below: 
 
––– 
PS. If your hero took two weeks off tomorrow, what would break first?

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David Giraldo

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