011: The Power of Metric Trees: How Omaze Mapped its Way to Business Clarity w/ Callum Ballard
Is your business drowning in dashboards but still lacking clear insight? The solution might not be more reports, but a better way to organize what you already know. In this episode of More than Numbers Live, Ollie Hughes sits down with Callum Ballard, Analytics Director at Omaze, to discuss how metric trees can transform business clarity and decision-making. Omaze, the UK-based charity prize draw platform that offers multimillion-pound houses as prizes while raising millions for charity, has mastered operational clarity through a mathematical approach to metrics. Callum shares how his team built a comprehensive metric map that allows the entire organization to understand how different KPIs connect to drive top-line results. In our conversation, Callum breaks down: Why traditional dashboard approaches often lead to metric overload and misplaced priorities How a mathematical breakdown of metrics creates a common language everyone can understand The process of building your first metric tree and proving its value to stakeholders Discover how this powerful visualization technique can cut through the noise, reveal hidden opportunities, and ensure your team focuses on the metrics that truly matter. What you'll learn [00:01:38] Inside Omaze's mission to make dreams come true while raising millions for charity. [00:04:11] Omaze's modern data stack: Snowflake, Tran, dbt, Count, and ThoughtSpot in action. [00:05:41] How Count and ThoughtSpot complement each other for different analytical needs. [00:09:57] The pain of operational confusion: metrics without context create noise. [00:12:00] Convincing the business to embrace structured metrics through real examples. [00:15:12] Why teams get fixated on low-impact KPIs without proper context. [00:17:48] Translating improvements in any metric to top-line impact for better prioritization. [00:19:23] Starting small: how to apply the metric tree approach at different business levels. [00:21:23] First steps to create your own metric tree using metrics you already have. [00:24:01] How mathematical breakdowns can surface KPIs you never thought to track. [00:29:09] Using statistics as a foundation for navigating AI hype and delivering real value. [00:31:00] Leveraging metric trees for structured brainstorming and identifying high-impact ideas. Downloads & links 👋 Connect with Callum on LinkedIn 🔗 Learn more about Omaze 😍 See Count’s metric tree example 🔥 Build your own with a free Count account 🚀 Connect with Ollie Hughes 🎙️ Subscribe to More than Numbers Live
--------
33:45
010: Insights with Impact: How Podimo's Analytics Team Solve Big Business Problems w/ Jimmy Mogrip of Podimo
The best data teams don't just provide reports—they uncover insights that drive real business value. But how do you transition from being a dashboard factory to becoming a strategic problem-solving engine? In this episode of More than Numbers Live, we dig into the answer. Ollie Hughes sits down with Jimmy Mogrip, Global Director of Insights and Analytics at Podimo, to discuss how his team focuses exclusively on generating actionable insights that move the business forward. In our conversation, Jimmy breaks down: Why Podimo separated its data functions into three specialized teams: AI, Business Intelligence, and Insights & Analytics How his insights and analytics team is able to focus solely on solving high-value business problems The workflow for identifying opportunities and turning data explorations into actionable recommendations Why soft skills like problem translation and data storytelling are more valuable than technical abilities when hiring for insights roles Want to learn how Jimmy’s team at Podimo have mastered the art and science of data-backed problem solving? Don't miss this episode! What you'll learn [01:04] Jimmy's unexpected journey from behavioral science and communications into data analytics [05:01] Inside Podimo's Google-heavy data stack: BigQuery, Looker, dbt, Python and R [06:48] How Podimo structures its 20+ person data team across three specialized functions [09:11] The origin story of the dedicated Insights & Analytics team and its focus on recommendations [11:23] Finding the balance between exploratory analysis and delivering actionable insights [16:09] Building trust through embedded analysts and early stakeholder collaboration [19:26] Creating metric trees that connect squad-level work to company-wide business objectives [22:10] The critical soft skills Jimmy looks for when hiring analytical problem-solvers [24:18] Career advice: "A great data scientist never says 'Aha, I found it!' He always says 'Hmm, that's odd.'" Downloads & links 🚀 Connect with Jimmy Mogrip 🔗 Learn more about Podimo 🚀 Connect with Ollie Hughes 🎙️ Subscribe to More than Numbers Live
--------
28:49
009: Break Free of the Service Trap: The 4 Keys to Being a Valuable, Effective Data Team w/ Ollie Hughes
Data teams are at a pivotal moment. With zero-interest rates gone and AI transforming the landscape, there's mounting pressure to prove ROI and deliver real business value. Yet many teams remain stuck in the "service trap"—churning out dashboards rather than driving strategic impact. In this special episode of More than Numbers Live, the tables are turned as Analytics on Fire podcast host Mico Yuk interviews our regular host, Ollie Hughes, about the four critical tenets that transform data teams from support functions into engines of growth. Ollie breaks down his four tenets framework for high-impact data teams, developed from hundreds of conversations with leading data practitioners. He reveals the four service traps that keep teams stuck in low-value work and the corresponding tenets that can transform them into business-critical partners. This episode is a masterclass for data leaders looking to elevate their teams beyond the dashboard factory and become true drivers of business improvement. What you'll learn [02:07] Ollie's first BI tools and how his experience with Power BI's limitations sparked the idea for Count. [05:28] Why data teams face a critical moment: proving ROI while avoiding replacement by AI. [10:25] The four service traps that keep data teams stuck in low-value work. [17:16] How to diagnose if you're caught in a service trap - Ollie's "asset test" for data teams. [22:38] The four tenets of high-impact data teams and how they address each service trap. [31:05] How operational clarity creates a virtuous cycle that transforms the quality of requests data teams receive. [39:20] Resources for implementing these tenets in your organization and joining the movement. Downloads & links 🔗 Access the 4-tenets report 😍 See Count’s metric tree example 🔥 Build your own with a free Count account 🚀 Connect with Ollie Hughes 🎙️ Subscribe to More than Numbers
--------
41:26
008: What Most Data Leaders Get Wrong: Lessons from a Top Data Coach w/ Tristan Burns
What causes most data leaders to fail? And how would one of the top coaches around go about putting these things right? That’s exactly what we address in this episode of More than Numbers Live as Ollie Hughes sits down with top data leadership coach, Tristan Burns. They’ll discuss the most common data leader challenges Tristan sees among his clients—and how to go about solving them. Drawing on his years in banking, startups, and scale-ups, Tristan unpacks the structural challenges facing modern data teams, from unclear roles to a lack of strategic visibility, and why business acumen, not just technical skills, is the new superpower for data leaders. In our conversation, Tristan breaks down: 1. Why understanding company strategy is non-negotiable for data leaders 2. How becoming more business-minded empowers data specialists 3. What shadow data teams reveal about unmet demand, and why they need to be unified, not siloed off If you’re a data leader looking to make a bigger impact, then this episode is for you. Tune in for insights to help you align your team with your company’s strategy and drive real business value! What you'll learn [01:32] The tool that made Tristan realise data was the industry he wanted to be in. [04:02] Specific problems that he has repeatedly seen among data teams and leaders. [06:27] Ollie’s approach for helping data leaders move out of being a support function. [08:58] Why it’s essential to have a strategic vision for data teams in an organisation. [10:00] Solving the lack of clarity around the role of data teams in the industry. [11:03] Contextualising data’s relatively short legacy compared to other departments. [13:58] The pros and cons of shadow data teams and why they are so common. [17:36] How Tristan coaches data leaders on overcoming industry challenges. [18:28] Why every data leader need to understand their organisation’s strategy. [21:36] Observations on how data leaders feel about AI in the short and long term. [23:15] Advice to those starting their data career: avoid corporates. [24:21] Tristan answers our anonymous data leadership question! Downloads & links 👋 Connect with Tristan on LinkedIn 👋 Find Tristan’s coaching and consulting at Tris J Burns 🔗 Check out Tristan’s Blog 🔗 Learn how to create a data-centric culture with Tristan’s Data Leadership Playbook 🚀 Connect with Ollie Hughes 🎙️ Subscribe to More than Numbers
--------
27:24
007: Metrics Not Dashboards: How Voi Mastered Self-Serve Analytics w/ Magnus Dahlbäck
How do you get your stakeholders involved in data without endless tasks and dashboard overload? Answer: A well-governed, easily accessible metric catalog. In this episode of More than Numbers Live, Ollie Hughes sits down with Magnus Dahlbäck, Senior Director of Data and Platform at Voi, to discuss why his team prioritizes metrics over dashboard building—and how this has transformed the way data is used across the organization. Voi is one of Europe’s leading micro-mobility companies and has already removed over 40 million car trips from the road. Magnus brings a background in IT consulting and a deep passion for data, which he’s leveraged to lead Voi’s shift from dashboards to a metrics-first approach. In our conversation, Magnus breaks down: Why self-serve analytics is about more than just dashboards and how Voi built a single, well-governed metric catalog instead Voi’s approach to reducing reliance on dashboards and enhancing problem-solving abilities within the data team How transitioning from data analysts to embedded problem-solvers has increased business impact Don't miss this conversation with another exceptional data leader. Listen now! What you'll learn [01:16] Magnus’ first BI tool and how ClickView sparked his love for data. [02:22] Voi’s data stack and why they chose to work with Nordic startups. [04:54] Insight into Voi’s data team and how it is structured across the company. [07:08] A focus on metrics rather than dashboards and Voi’s single metric catalog. [10:44] How Voi defines key performance metrics and the idea of metric ownership. [12:52] Benefits of moving away from dashboards and the shift to proactive collaboration. [17:46] Why Voi embraces the full-stack analyst model and how it finds the right talent. [19:56] Advice for aspiring analysts and the power of embedded, metrics-driven data. [23:55] Final takeaways and what Voi’s data team has planned for the future. Downloads & links 👋 Connect with Magnus Dahlbäck LinkedIn 🔗 Learn more about Voi 🚖 Claim your free ride – Use promo code “MTNVOI” for 50 minutes of free travel in the Voi app! 📖 Don’t forget to check out the The Trusted Advisor 🚀 Connect with Ollie Hughes 🎙️ Subscribe to More than Numbers
More than Numbers LIVE - a show for current and future data leaders, analysts, and technicians. Join Ollie Hughes (Co-Founder & CEO at Count, the canvas-based BI tool) as he interviews some of the best minds in data and analytics about making the transition from support function to becoming engines of growth and an invaluable asset to the business they operate in.
Netherlands