Most mid-market companies struggle with fragmented data across dozens of systems. This article explores why unified data foundations deliver the fastest path to ROI—and how to build one without boiling the ocean.
The Hidden Cost of Data Fragmentation
Every mid-market company I've worked with shares the same problem: data lives in silos. Sales uses one system, finance another, marketing a third. Reports don't match. Decisions get delayed.
The cost isn't just inefficiency—it's missed opportunities. When your CFO asks 'what's our customer lifetime value?' and gets three different answers from three teams, trust erodes.
Why Data Foundations Matter More Than AI
Here's a counterintuitive truth: the companies getting the most from AI aren't the ones rushing to implement ChatGPT. They're the ones who first built reliable data foundations.
AI is only as good as the data feeding it. Garbage in, garbage out—at scale.
The Modern Data Stack Approach
At Clarivant, we recommend a pragmatic stack:
This isn't about buying the fanciest tools. It's about building a foundation that scales.
Starting Small, Thinking Big
You don't need to unify everything at once. Start with your highest-value use case—usually financial reporting or customer analytics. Prove ROI in months, then expand.
The companies that win aren't the ones with the most data. They're the ones who can actually use it.