Summoning the Data Whisperer: From Analytics+ to (data) puppet domination

Published: March 2, 2026

Our latest guest brings a voice – and I do mean a voice – that you don’t often hear in the data world. He’s bold, he’s sharp, and he’s not afraid to call out the fluff that can cloud today’s analytics conversations. Scott Taylor, also known as The Data Whisperer, is a global advocate for strategic data management, the author of Telling Your Data Story, and one of the most honest, and most likeable, truth-tellers in the data space.

Whether he’s breaking down metadata metaphors or championing the case for master data as the foundation of all things analytics, Scott’s mission is crystal clear: No matter how fancy your AI is, it’s worthless without the right data underneath.

Scott is a keynote speaker at the upcoming 2026 INFORMS Analytics+ Conference, where he’ll be shaking things up with his signature style.

Analytics is sexy. Data management is not. Analytics is in front of the business. Data management is not. Analytics is about the meaning you get from data. But I believe data management is about the truth you must determine in your data and that boils my, can boil my entire data. I can boil me entire data philosophy down to three words: truth before meaning. You need to determine the truth in your data before you derive meaning out of it. It's not chicken or egg here. It is egg and omelet. If you don't have the truth in your data, you're not going to get the wonderful analytics and the meaning that you're hoping for.

Interviewed this episode:

Scott Taylor

The Data Whisperer

Scott Taylor, The Data Whisperer, is a leading voice in data storytelling for data management, championing the “strategic WHY” over the technical “HOW.” After decades in enterprise data, he is now a full-time content creator who shares his expertise across events, videos, podcasts, and even puppet shows. Known for his “fear of NOT public speaking,” he is a sought-after keynoter and has been recognized by DataIQ, CDO Magazine, and Dataversity as one of the industry’s most dynamic, inspiring, and engaging communicators.

His book, TELLING YOUR DATA STORY, provides a practical framework for crafting a business-accessible narrative that secures executive sponsorship, stakeholder support, and ongoing funding for data initiatives. Scott lives in Black Rock, CT, where he enjoys kayaking, juggling pins, and blowing square bubbles.