Nashville Analytics, LLC

PENCIL had the incredible opportunity to participate in HCA Healthcare's Hack For the Community 2024! Our team collaborated with 12 incredible tech professionals to rebuild our teacher shopping app. Our team also won the competition, earning $1500 which will be used to further grow the platform and provide educators with a positive experience at the DG PENCIL Box. A huge thank you to Dr. T and the team at Nashville Analytics, LLC for making this experience a success!

Thrilled to share that I've earned the Microsoft Power Platform Functional Consultant Associate certification! A huge shoutout to my amazing team at Nashville Analytics, LLC for their continuous support and encouragement, enabling me to deepen my expertise in delivering innovative business solutions. Looking forward to leveraging these skills to drive impactful digital transformation for both our organization and its valued clients. Onward to more impactful results! #Microsoft #PowerPlatform #BusinessDevelopment #DigitalTransformation"

Are current business leaders having to face the curse of living in "interesting times"? I've likely shared this article with 30-40 friends, relatives, and coworkers when the conversation turns to the post-covid labor market, position shortages, or even larger tech trends. While its clear the way we work today often does not resemble 5 years ago, I'm often left thinking about the larger impact and meaning. The critical takeaways from the article completely align with the essential learnings this last year of marketing & growing our business and serving Nashville Analytics' clients: 1. Soft skills are essential, no matter how tech brilliant one may be or deeply technical the solution may seem. 2. Understanding business concepts are critical, no matter how appealing or marketable the offerings are. 3. Specialization remains important, especially in technology 3. Continuous learning and adaptation of the elements above are effective, proactive ways to ensure one's professional offerings don't go the way of the scribe. I think its easy to read this article and walk away with a scary feeling - it was my first reaction (as it generally seems to be with larger fundamental changes). However, the more I interact with our clients and their diverse challenges and opportunities, the more excited I am to operate in a time where "fantastic opportunities [continue to exist] for those who are prepared to adapt and continuously learn."

Leadership is a topic I'm frequently asked about, especially which books influence my perspective. While many books offer valuable insights, I’ve always believed that leadership cannot be wholly learned from a book. It’s highly contextual and personal, with no universally good or bad leaders. However, Michelle Obama's latest book, The Light We Carry, has shifted my perspective. Unlike the ego-centric leadership books focused on cults of personality, her insights provide a refreshing take on addressing today’s most significant challenges. What stood out to me is that, despite my usual skepticism of this genre of books, Michelle Obama offers universally good leadership advice. Her approach transcends typical leadership frameworks, providing guidance that resonates on a deeply human level. Although it’s not a traditional leadership book, The Light We Carry offers profound lessons on resilience, empathy, and commitment. Over the past year, my partners, Cody Goodwin, PhD and Holden Penley, and I have been intentional in applying our skills to the non-profit sector, striving to make a meaningful impact. With this context, Michelle Obama's closing remarks resonated deeply with me, providing the marching orders I needed as a former Marine Corps officer to keep fighting the good fight: "Stay vigorous and faithful, humble and empathetic. Tell the truth, do your best by others, keep perspective. Understand history and context. Stay prudent, stay tough, and stay outraged. But more than anything, don't forget to do the work." Despite my usual skepticism towards leadership books, The Light We Carry stands out. Michelle Obama offers universally good advice that reignited my dedication to leadership and reminded me of the importance of doing the work EVERY SINGLE DAY.

I’ve been thinking a lot about the disconnect I often see between business leaders and data experts. It’s something I’ve experienced firsthand, and it’s a big reason why I started Nashville Analytics. I wrote about how we can bridge this gap, especially through the role of “translators” who understand both sides. When recognized and given the opportunity, these talented individuals can really transform how we leverage data and AI to drive meaningful change in our organizations. Would love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you seen this gap in your own work? How are you addressing it? #DataAnalytics #BusinessStrategy #AIInnovation