There's so much advice out there about building a million-dollar business but none of it really captures this.
I'm writing this because I was almost a victim. Sadly, one who saw many other businesses become victims. Because in the world of business, everything goes.
Every book, every newsletter, every podcast and TV show says their content will help you grow but they preach the old testament and gospel in conflicting ways.
It's Sunday so I don't plan on wasting your time. Your business matters and I write to share the story that helped save mine as what happened to my online business becomes increasing excessive, but business gurus seem to conceal too much of this.
Photo of Microsoft's early employees from Business Insider
Photo of Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, 1976, Computer History Museum
Photo of Charles Geschke and John Warnock, Adobe founders, Hyperbate
See, when some of these companies started out, no one could’ve guessed just how big they’d get, and even more surprising, they ended up challenging the business norms and culture of their time.
Today, however, they lead the charge in modern technology, with products that define today’s standards.
This is where my business stumbled, into a trap society unknowingly sets for entrepreneurs. I followed all the conventional advice, and my first venture paid the price. The second time, I was determined to be successful and I adopted a strict, proven approach modeled after industry leaders.
But that business failed too. I later came across a quote that captured the experience perfectly:
“The problem with a lot of advice is that it’s too much about success, and not enough about why the failure happens.”
In the research world, this is known as survivorship bias, a tendency to focus solely on success stories while ignoring the thousands that followed the same advice but still failed.
But that isn't the end of my story. If it was, this post wouldn’t exist. The turning point came for me when I realised my business didn’t have to live and die by what others said.
I could still listen to advice, but I needed to back it with insight. And more than anything, I discovered the power of data. My business needed data. I had to know what was working, what wasn’t, and be willing to change course. A progressive model that would be the perfect fit for my business.
Along the way, I also got tired of depending on people who claimed to be data analysts but were really just winging it. So, I committed to learning the craft myself. And then I took all the lessons from my business and started applying them—everywhere I could. In internships, with friends, in new projects.
What came next was beyond what I imagined. These results? They’re only a small part of the full picture:
Much of my business consisted of sending emails and deploying email marketing strategies. Most of my email marketing campaigns were conducted using Mailchimp, but when backed by data-driven marketing strategies while employing learned copywriting techniques, my open rate increased by a 50%+ open rate.
Using these new skills, I went on LinkedIn, revamped my page and shared my work for a month plus, and my post engagement skyrocketed compared to the 10 menial likes it used to get. I started creating a professional brand.
I applied this to the professional communities I was managing and launched a few feedback loops, I sat as learner satisfaction ratings improved by over 15%.
If this were where it ended, I would be satisfied, I went on to train aspiring analysts through a fully live, project-based bootcamp where they gained hands-on experience with Excel, Power BI, and MSSQL, helping over 60% of them complete their first solo data project by the end of the cohort.
I'm not promising magic. Magic didn't help my business experience a turn-around. I'm promising my skills, experience, knowledge and the toolkit I use (Excel, SQL, Power BI, and sometimes, Python) to help your business succeed.
Whether you're looking for a freelancer to work on a 3–6-month contract or a marketing data analyst or even a consultant and coach for your business, I'm here to help your business excel.
You don't need to force. Schedule a 30mins call with me to discuss your business, and if it doesn't fit, I'll be the first to inform and even recommend tools or places you can go to in order to receive the service you need.
Copyright © Christiana Churchill 2025. All rights reserved.
