Are You Really Using Your Business Data Right? Here’s What Most Startups and SMEs Miss!!!

By Souparnika, Founder – GEN Elevate AI Ltd

Let me ask you a quick question:
You’ve got spreadsheets, sales reports, Google Analytics, customer feedback, and maybe even a fancy-looking dashboard somewhere…

But is any of it actually helping you make decisions?

If you're like most growing businesses we speak to, the answer is often a hesitant "Sort of?" or “We’re working on it.”
And that’s okay, you’re not alone. In fact, over 70% of SMEs collect data regularly but don’t fully use it to guide strategy or growth.
(Yes, I said 70%. Let that sink in.)

🚨 The Most Common Mistakes We See (And Have Seen Across Roles)

Over the past year, we’ve spoken to many UK startups and SMEs and before starting GEN Elevate AI, our team worked across sectors like e-commerce, health, and retail.
Across all those experiences, we noticed the same recurring data pitfalls:

1. Siloed Data Chaos

Your sales team uses one system. Your website has another. Your financials are on a spreadsheet. And marketing? Somewhere else entirely.
Result? You’re never seeing the full picture.

2. Dashboards That Look Great but Say Nothing

We’ve seen dashboards with 20+ charts… but no actual insight.
Data isn’t useful unless it tells a story, one that drives action.

3. Vanity Metrics Over Valuable Ones

It’s easy to get caught up in follower counts or website visits.
But what about:

• Customer lifetime value?

• Churn rate?

• Return on marketing spend?

4. No Forecasting or “What If” Planning

Too many businesses run on what happened last month not on what’s likely to happen next.
That’s like driving while staring into the rear-view mirror.

🧭 What Using Your Data Right Looks Like?

No, you don’t need a PhD in data science or a £10K software budget.

What you do need is a smart, simple system that:

• Connects your key data sources in one place

• Shows you what’s working (and what’s not)

• Helps you forecast what’s coming next

• Gives you confident answers to questions like:

a) Who are our best customers?
  b) Where are we leaking money?
  c) Which products or services drive the most value?

This isn’t just theory, it’s the kind of thinking we’ve applied throughout our past roles.
At GEN Elevate AI Ltd, we now bring that hands-on experience to startups and SMEs, using custom dashboards, predictive models and prescriptive analytics all delivered with a human-first approach that keeps things simple, clear, and actionable.

💡 Why We Built GEN Elevate AI Ltd And What Makes Us Different?

We created GEN Elevate AI Ltd because we saw a gap.
Small and growing businesses are surrounded by data… but often can’t use it effectively.

After years of working behind the scenes building reports, tools, and strategies for larger companies, we asked ourselves:

Why shouldn’t smaller businesses have access to the same kind of insight but without the jargon or hefty costs?

That’s our mission:
To make high-impact analytics accessible to UK startups and SMEs affordably, practically, and in plain English.

We know the tools. We’ve seen what works.
And we bring all of that experience to every founder, team, or business we support.

🚀 Want to Get More Out of Your Data?

We’re offering our first 3 consultations for free no pressure, just a genuine opportunity to show you how your data could be doing more (even if you think you “don’t have much”).

It’s relaxed, friendly, and completely tailored to you.

👉 Drop us a line at info@genelevateai.co.uk
Or connect with us on LinkedIn and Instagram 

You don’t need more data. You need more clarity. Let’s build that together.

—
Souparnika Indira Chandrashekhar
Founder & CEO, GEN Elevate AI Ltd