
Learn business skills to transform your data into stories.
Every Tuesday, get one actionable tip teaching you how to craft impactful data stories, master visual communication, and drive outcomes for your business.
3 Reasons Your Charts Are Failing
Read Time – 5 minutes
If you’re presenting charts that get glazed-over looks, constant clarification questions, or zero follow-up… your charts aren’t working.
And it’s not because the data is wrong.It’s because the way it’s being shown is failing your audience.
Here are 3 reasons your ch...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Apr 23, 2025
business storytelling
chart design
data communication
data visualization
effective charts
simplify charts
Overcoming Executive Skepticism
Read Time – 5 minutes
You’ve got the data. You’ve built the charts. You’ve prepared the presentation.
But the moment you share your forecast or recommendation, an executive raises a skeptical eyebrow and asks, “Where did this number come from?”
Suddenly, you’re no longer presenting, you’re defend...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Apr 16, 2025
business presentations
data storytelling
executive communication
handling skepticism
stakeholder buy-in
Stop Decorating, Start Communicating.
Read Time – 5 minutes
We’ve all seen dashboards, slides, and spreadsheets that look like a confetti explosion. Multiple colors fighting for attention, but none telling us what we need to know.
It may seem harmless, but poor color choices can do real damage.
They confuse your audience.They bury yo...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Apr 09, 2025
business communication
chart color usage
color psychology
data presentation tips
data visualization
storytelling with data
10 Fixes for Awkward Virtual Presentations
Read Time – 3 minutes
Let’s face it, virtual presentations are here to stay. But while your data might be brilliant, none of it will land if your delivery looks like you're dialing in from a basement at midnight.
The truth is, many professionals spend hours perfecting their slides but overlook th...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Mar 30, 2025
presentation checklist
presentation tips
professional presence
public speaking
remote meetings
virtual presentations
Why People Stop Listening To You
Read Time – 3 minutes
You have 30 seconds.That’s how long it takes for most people to decide whether they’ll keep listening, or tune out.
In meetings, presentations, and leadership briefings, attention is your first and most important currency. If you don’t earn it right away, your best insights ...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Mar 25, 2025
audience attention
business speaking skills
communication strategy
engagement techniques
presentation openers
storytelling in business
The Smartest Way To Make Your Audience Care
Read Time – 4 minutes
We’ve all been there, spending hours crafting a dashboard, slide deck, or report packed with insights.
But when we share it, we’re met with blank stares, confusion, or a flood of follow-up questions.
The problem? We focus on what we find interesting instead of what our audie...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Mar 18, 2025
chart design
dashboard clarity
data storytelling
data visualization best practices
stakeholder communication
Your Charts Are Confusing. Here’s How to Fix Them.
Read Time – 4 minutes
We’ve all seen them.
Dashboards overflowing with colorful charts. Reports packed with complex visuals. Slides that feel like a data dump.
The problem? Most charts don’t make insights clear—they make them harder to find.
If your audience has to decode your visual before they ...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Mar 12, 2025
chart design
dashboard design
data storytelling
data visualization
effective charts
report clarity
Your Data Is Missing Something Important, Your Voice.
Read Time – 4 minutes
We send out reports, dashboards, and slide decks expecting our audience to instantly grasp the insights.
But here’s the reality: They don’t.
Without the right context, numbers don’t mean much. Without narrative, key insights get lost. Without you, your data isn’t as valuable...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Mar 04, 2025
business reporting
data presentation
data storytelling
executive communication
narrated data
report clarity
Why No One Remembers Your Presentation
Read Time – 5 minutes
We’ve all seen it (or done it ourselves).
A presenter puts up a slide packed with text, multiple charts, and paragraphs of analysis.
And what happens next?
The audience stops listening and starts reading. Some squint at the screen, others check out entirely. By the time the ...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Feb 25, 2025
business presentations
executive communication
presentation design
public speaking
slide design
Stop Answering The Same Data Questions.
Read Time – 6 minutes
The Problem: Endless Follow-Up Questions
You present a dashboard or slide deck, and the moment you stop talking, the hands go up.
“Can we see this by region?”“Which sales reps contributed the most?”“What’s the trend over time?”
The cycle repeats in every meeting. You answer ...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Feb 18, 2025
business intelligence
data storytelling
executive reporting
interactive dashboards
self-service analytics
When A Table Is Your Only Option. Do this.
Read time: 5 minutes
Let’s be honest—tables are boring.
They’re dense.They’re overwhelming.And worst of all, they hide the real story in the data.
But sometimes, tables are the only option.
So instead of fighting them, enhance them.
Here’s how to transform any wall of numbers into a clear, engagi...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Feb 11, 2025
business reporting
data presentation
data storytelling
executive insights
report clarity
table design
Don't Give Stakeholders What They Ask For, Do This Instead.
Read time: 3 minutes
Stakeholders often think they know how they want data presented.
They request raw spreadsheets, giant pivot tables, and long lists of numbers, believing that more data means more control.
But here’s the problem: What they ask for isn’t always what actually helps them make bet...
by Zack Mazzoncini —
Feb 04, 2025
business reporting
dashboard design
data clarity
decision-making
executive insights
stakeholder communication