Most leaders plan for market shifts, competition, or supply chain risks. Few plan for what often hurts the most: bad data.
When data is inaccurate, disconnected, or hidden across systems, even the strongest brands can stumble. One of the most expensive examples was Target’s failed expansion into Canada. A move that cost them $5.4 billion in just two years.
Why Data Matters More Than Ever
Data problems rarely appear overnight. They start small: a wrong product weight here, a mismatched inventory count there. But without a single source of truth, those small cracks quickly turn into costly blind spots.
And it’s not just large corporations at risk:
Nearly 90% of small and mid-sized businesses still run on spreadsheets
More than half lack accurate, cross-system reporting
Many leaders delay decisions simply because they don’t trust their numbers
The truth is simple: scaling on bad data is like building on quicksand.
How We Help You Work Better with Technology
Unify your systems – Make sure all departments and inventory speak the same language and inventory speak the same language.
Prioritize clean data – Standardize and fix records early before problems compound.
Build clarity – Dashboards and reports should give teams confidence, not confusion.
At Clearbridge, we help businesses take these steps before costly mistakes happen. We integrate systems, clean data, and build the dashboards leaders need to make decisions they can trust.
Learn from Target’s $5.4B Lesson
We’ve put together the full case study of Target’s collapse in Canada and the data errors that fueled it.
👉 Get your free copy and learn what went wrong, and how to make smarter data decisions for your business.
