Why Marketing Data Goes WRONG (learn how to fix it) with Thierry Ngutegure | Beyond SEO® EP12

About this episode

Data isn’t the problem. The way marketing teams use it is.

👉 Read our Insights here: https://growthack.io/beyond-seo/

In EP12 of Beyond SEO, Glen sits down with Thierry Ngutegure, Head of Data Storytelling at Six Chillies, to unpack why marketing data often fails to drive decisions — and how to fix it.

From a broken reporting culture to fragmented dashboards and stakeholder misalignment, this episode explores why more data rarely leads to more clarity.

Thierry shares how he went from biological sciences to digital PR to leading insight teams, and why he calls himself a “data translator” — sitting between technical analysts and decision-makers to turn overwhelming data into clear stories that drive action.

This episode covers:

• Why most marketing reporting fails stakeholders

• The “Why → How → What” framework for data storytelling

• How large brands misuse data through fragmentation

• The confidence gap stopping teams from challenging insights

• What AI gets wrong about data (trust and taste)

• Why taste will matter more than ever in an AI-driven world

• The mindset shift required to move from implementer to strategic leader

Thierry also shares why he did stand-up comedy to overcome public speaking fear, how to build a cross-department data culture, and why “imposter syndrome” is something you should actively pursue.

If you work in SEO, paid media, analytics, insights, or marketing leadership and want your data to influence decisions, not just sit in reports — this episode is essential.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:10 Thierry’s unconventional path into data

03:48 Becoming a “data translator”

06:54 Why → How → What storytelling framework

11:03 Stop stereotyping stakeholders

18:14 Why Thierry did stand-up comedy

24:04 “Pursuit of imposter syndrome” mindset

25:24 How big brands misuse data

30:30 Removing bias from data

34:56 Fixing broken reporting in agencies

43:02 Moving from Specialist to Marketing Leader

47:00 Stakeholder storytelling and unlocking budget

51:40 Using trend data to shape product strategy

55:55 Why Six Chillies was founded

01:00:00 Buying a car entirely through ChatGPT

01:04:10 AI, trust, and the collapse of certainty

01:06:30 Why taste will outlast automation

Follow Thierry: https://www.linkedin.com/in/thierryngutegure/

Six Chillies: https://www.sixchillies.com/

#DataStorytelling

#MarketingData

#DigitalMarketing

#BeyondSEO

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