Fighting Dirty Data with Susan Walsh
"You say the podcast is 'It's Not All About the Numbers', but if the numbers are missing, that's a problem."
In this episode of It's Not All About the Numbers, Chris and Mike are joined by Susan Walsh, known as The Classification Guru, for a wide-ranging discussion on the messy realities of data quality and the hidden importance of cleaning it. Susan shares her journey from a struggling retail business owner to becoming a renowned expert in spend data classification, vendor master data cleansing, and taxonomy customization. The conversation dives into how many organizations suffer from “data ignorance,” operating with poor-quality information and failing to realize how much it affects their strategic decisions. Susan explains why effective data work often goes unrecognized, despite being fundamental to accurate forecasting, risk management, and business transformation.
The trio also explores Susan’s authorship journey—writing the second edition of her book Between the Spreadsheets and an upcoming title focused on cleaning sales and marketing data, the first of its kind. Susan discusses the challenges of explaining what she does to non-data people, the misconceptions around the value of clean data, and the surprising therapeutic joy she finds in her work. With humor, practical insights, and a few excellent analogies (including peeing in a swimming pool to explain data contamination), this episode is a must-listen for leaders who want to better understand why fixing "dirty data" should be a strategic priority.
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Author
“Chris Argent isn’t here to play by finance’s old rulebook - he’s here to rewrite it.” From challenging outdated corporate thinking to rallying finance leaders around a more connected, adaptable future, the founder of GENCFO is leading a quiet revolution in how CFOs and finance leadership work, think, and influence. Chris Argent, founder of GENCFO, is a finance leader redefining the role beyond business partnering. A self-described “reluctant accountant,” he’s built a global community for progressive accounting and finance leaders who value connection over competition and action over tradition. Chris believes the greatest risk to the profession is clinging to outdated norms, and that mindset and adaptability outpace any technological change. His work champions leaders who turn new ideas into real-world change, blending people-centred strategies with new ways of working and technology. In conversations, he challenges, provokes, and inspires - proving that the future of finance belongs to those ready to lead it together.