Liana Ahrens Teixeira:
Unlocking the hidden value of data
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Audio Title: Liana Ahrens Teixeira: Unlocking the hidden value of data
Description: How small businesses can turn everyday information into powerful decision-making tools.
In an age where every business produces data, few small business owners realise they’re sitting on an untapped goldmine.
Liana Ahrens Teixeira, CEO of LPJ Financial Services, has spent more than two decades helping entrepreneurs transform raw numbers into strategy.
Her mission: to make data less intimidating and more useful for real-world business growth.
“I like to think of data as a GPS,” Liana says. “It tells you where you are, shows where you can go, and highlights the obstacles in your way. But you still need to decide how to drive.”
For many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), learning to interpret that map could be the difference between survival and success.
1. Don’t Just Track
Most entrepreneurs already collect data through their sales figures, supplier invoices, or even social media engagement. The challenge, says Liana, is turning that data into insight.
“Many businesses underestimate the value of their own information. Politics, economics, even demographics influence your numbers — and understanding those patterns helps you make better decisions.”
– Liana Ahrens Teixeira
Her advice is to start small.
- Identify which clients pay late, and how that affects cash flow.
- Track which products or services deliver the highest profit margin.
- Monitor how external changes impact your bottom line.
Once you start seeing patterns, you can act on them.
2. Let Data Drive the Hard Decisions
Liana is quick to point out that data removes emotional bias.
“If the numbers show a client or supplier isn’t profitable, you need to make that hard call,” she says. “Data gives you the confidence to make objective decisions.”
That clarity helps business owners focus their resources where they matter most, whether that’s letting go of under-performing contracts or doubling down on what’s working.
3. Invest in Data Literacy
Data doesn’t have to be a specialist skill. Liana believes every entrepreneur can (and should) learn how to read their own business data.
That’s why she developed courses like Data Literacy Fundamentals and Data Analytics in Excel, and is now working on an eBook to help SMEs gain independence.
“If I only give them the data, they’ll always rely on me. But if I teach them how to analyse it themselves, they can keep growing sustainably.”
– Liana Ahrens Teixeira
Cash flow remains one of the biggest challenges for small businesses, often because clients pay late or not at all.
Data literacy can help spot these trends early, giving entrepreneurs the chance to act before it’s too late.
4. Combine Data with Human Insight
Numbers tell a story, but not the whole story.
“If I only use traditional financial planning, I miss the context,” Liana says. “What about politics? The environment? The demographics of your clients? When you add those factors, you enrich the plan and make it future-proof.”
For her, the most powerful strategies merge hard data with intuition and experience, creating plans that adapt as the business landscape shifts.
5. Build with Purpose, Not Just Profit
Beyond analytics and spreadsheets, Liana is passionate about the values that shape entrepreneurship. She worries that many modern businesses have lost their sense of community.
“In the old days, communities looked after each other. Now we see complacency and entitlement,” she reflects. “If I can help rebuild that learning mindset through my work, that’s success to me.”
Her message to entrepreneurs is simple: use data not just to grow, but to create stability, collaboration, and long-term impact.
Takeaway for Entrepreneurs
You don’t need advanced software or a data scientist to get started. Begin by asking better questions about the information you already have:
- Where am I losing money or time?
- Which clients or products bring the most value?
- What external factors are influencing my results?
Once you understand your own data, you can plan more strategically — and make decisions that align with both your goals and your values.
“Once you know how to read your business data, you can see opportunities that were hidden in plain sight.”
– Liana Ahrens Teixeira
Teagan specialises in Copywriting, Public Relations, Social Media Marketing and Blogging. Teagan uncovers the deeper “why” behind every venture. She believes that every person and project has a unique story, and nothing excites her more than transforming these narratives into compelling content that demands to be shared with the world.
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