What does it really take to become a data-driven organization? In this episode of Let's Talk Data, host Corrie Birkeness is joined by data strategy expert Shelly McQuigg and SAP Product Marketing Director Kara Reed for a practical discussion on building a successful data strategy that delivers measurable business value. Together, they explore why effective data strategies must begin with business outcomes—not technology—and how trusted, governed data is the foundation for analytics and AI success.

Shelly and Kara share lessons from decades of experience leading enterprise data initiatives, including standardizing global KPIs, establishing executive sponsorship, and creating governance models that balance control with business agility. They explain why data professionals need both technical expertise and business knowledge to influence organizational change and drive adoption.

The conversation also examines how modern data architectures, including data fabric, enable organizations to create a single definition of the truth without physically centralizing data. Finally, the discussion turns to AI, highlighting why data quality, governance, and trusted information have become more critical than ever before. Whether you're a data leader, architect, analyst, or executive, this episode provides actionable guidance for creating a scalable data strategy that supports business growth, operational efficiency, and trusted AI initiatives.

Key Topics of Discussion:

• Building a business-first data strategy focused on corporate KPIs, measurable outcomes, and business value.

• The importance of data governance in creating trusted, standardized, and high-quality enterprise data.

• The evolving role of data professionals as business partners, strategists, and organizational influencers.

• Modern data architecture and data fabric, enabling a single definition of the truth across distributed systems.

• Preparing data for AI, emphasizing why governance, quality, and trusted data are essential for successful AI adoption.

Subscribe to The Let’s Talk Data Podcast

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

YouTube

Connect With Shelly McQuigg

LinkedIn

Connect With Kara Reed

LinkedIn

Connect With Corrie Birkeness

Linkedin

Additional Resources:

To learn more about SAP Data and AI solutions, please check out SAP Business Data Cloud at https://www.sap.com/products/data-cloud.html

To engage further, please join our Data Professionals Community on https://community.sap.com/t5/data-professionals/gh-p/data-professionals