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The problem with being too data-driven

Niki Torres
Niki Torres
— 1 min read

Are you data-driven or data-informed?

Most founders aim to be data-driven.

I get the appeal. It sounds rigorous, logical, and objective. But being too data-driven can be a trap.

In business, especially startups, you rarely have perfect data. If you are waiting for a complete dataset before making a move, you are already behind.

The best founders? They are data-informed. They use data as a guide but take a hypothesis-driven approach to decision-making.

Hypothesis-driven decision-making means starting with an assumption, using data to guide you, and running small experiments to test and iterate.

📊 Data-driven: “The numbers say this, so we’ll do exactly that.”

🧠 Data-informed: “The numbers point us here, but let’s factor in a real-world context.”

This mindset shift helps startups:

  • Move faster instead of waiting for perfect data
  • Stay adaptable when conditions change
  • Focus on actionable insights, not just numbers

Data is powerful, but only if you use it right. Being data-informed helps founders move faster and make smarter decisions.

Which camp are you in?

Scaling without perfect data is possible with the right systems. Get insights, frameworks, and resources to scale.

BlogEntrepreneurship
Niki Torres

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