FinTalk

Data and data strategy in finance, with Indu G

In this episode of FinTalk, Ivan Jesus, Founder and CEO of Finalytics, sits down with Indu G, Co-Founder of Jea and Director at Abra. Together, they explore building a reliable data strategy for finance and the wider business.

Key takeaways

Start with useful requirements

Gather requirements before choosing systems or starting an implementation, because each business has its own data needs. Indu cautions against adopting a tool simply because it is popular elsewhere.

Build finance credibility with data

Accurate, reliable data helps finance act as a business partner rather than a team seen as processing paperwork. Poor reporting can undermine trust and lead to decisions based on the wrong picture.

Review what you collect

Indu recommends regularly checking whether the data being collected is still useful and connected to business goals. Removing data that nobody uses can reduce reporting effort and help teams focus on what matters.

Make questioning part of the culture

Leaders can encourage better analysis by welcoming questions, checking assumptions and looking beyond the loudest concern in the room. Predictive analytics may also help with forecasting, though Indu notes that relevant data can be difficult to find.

“There's no such thing as too much data, but there is a thing as useless data.” Indu G

Why it matters for founders

For an owner-led SME, reliable data can help you make decisions with greater confidence and direct time and money towards the right priorities. Start by agreeing what information you need, collecting it consistently and reviewing whether it is useful.

Our take

More data rarely fixes a reporting problem. Fewer numbers that reconcile every month, and arrive while there's still time to act, build more trust than any dashboard.

See it in practice: Restoring trust in the numbers (logistics case)