Pickaxe Foundry

??Tired of data inaccuracies slipping through the cracks??? Even when data pipelines seem to be running smoothly, they can still have hidden issues that go unnoticed – until it's too late. That’s where we recommend Impossible Reports. Learn how to proactively identify and fix problems in your data before they reach your stakeholders.

Recently, we hired a new (and brilliant) data analyst. Around the same time, we began training an AI agent to do data analytics. It goes without saying that the process of training each one has been dramatically different! There are a lot of things that come naturally to our human analyst (like understanding context and the "question behind each question") that our AI agent needs some extra help to learn. So how are we teaching it? We wrote a blog post to outline the unique experience of training an AI agent, and how you can approach the process. Check it out below!

?? While we all wear a lot of hats here at Pickaxe, none of us do with as much aplomb as Roman. Meet our Lead Data Engineer! ??

No one wants to have purchased insurance—until you get into an accident. In our latest episode of Voice Notes, Eric Callahan explores strategies for implementing modern data stack solutions by highlighting their value, much like insurance, and focusing on the risks of not having them in place. With a little story-telling and by connecting these solutions to past customer pain points, you can show your clients how governance, testing, and data monitoring can help prevent negative outcomes. Check out the episode below:

Pickaxe didn't run a #superbowlad this year (Duolingo took our idea).?Instead, we found another way to tell you about the time we've spent working with #AgenticAI and training agents to do data analysis. This is the first in a series of blog posts on the current State of AI - we'll be exploring AI agents, how to AI without breaking the bank, and everything else you need to know to navigate the current landscape. Check it out in the link below! https://lnkd.in/gG6vAePB

Sharing a work-in-progress can be scary - there’s always the concern that your efforts will be judged or deemed not worthy. But we would argue that it’s actually a necessary part of the process, it just needs to be done in a way that inspires confidence, not undermines it. In our latest blog post, we look at how Pickaxe Foundry shares our WIPs throughout the process and remains fully transparent, while still inspiring confidence with our clients. https://lnkd.in/gieiqgfD

?? The Super Bowl is one of the biggest days in advertising, with millions being spent on ads, brand partnerships and social - and with that influx of marketing dollars comes an influx of data. Every brand has its own "Super Bowl" moment - a viral video, major product launch, or seasonal sale that triggers a massive data influx. In honor of the Super Bowl this weekend, we're reposting a blog from last year exploring how to prepare for and manage Super Bowl sized unexpected data spikes. Check it out in the link below! https://lnkd.in/gk6hnhyZ

Every client wants benchmarks. ?? "Can you just give us some baselines?" But the real question is—what are you benchmarking against? In our latest episode of Voice Notes, Andrew Grosso tackles why benchmarks without context can be misleading. A 15-second video and a 3-hour movie shouldn’t have the same completion rate expectations. A Cyber Monday spike doesn’t mean much unless you compare it to last Cyber Monday. And cost-per-click in the U.S. vs. Argentina? Totally different ballgame. Want to make benchmarks work for you instead of against you? Check out our latest episode below:

Check out what we've been up to in January.

When working with clients, the the idea of showing a work-in-progress can be intimidating, but we at Pickaxe feel like transparency is key, even if it's a little scary. In our latest blog post, read about how sharing our progress can build confidence in the work, rather than undermining it. Check it out in the link below! ?? Work-in-Progress Isn't Weakness – It's Strategy We at Pickaxe firmly believe that showing unfinished work can build trust, not erode it, but sometimes that can be a little scary. Our latest blog reveals how we approach sharing our WIP and turn vulnerability into collaborative success. Check it out in the link below: https://lnkd.in/gieiqgfD