My name is Peter Gascoyne.  I’m proud to say I’ve been a consultant and analyst for more than 30 years.  The analyses I’ve done range from sales and marketing to pricing and forecasting — and much more.  My professional life has been dedicated to one simple yet elusive goal: Seeking the Truth in Numbers.  

“Seeking” because you never do get to the ultimate truth in the data.  There’s always another layer of the onion to peel off; there are always limitations in the data, or in the time and resources at hand, which can prevent getting to the ultimate truth.

“Truth” because somebody along the way has to be committed to trying to get at what the numbers are actually saying, rather than what someone wants them to say.  Inevitably, managers and executives may distort the numbers and pull and push to tell the story they want shared with the world.  There’s little the analyst can do to prevent this.  But the need always remains for the truth to be told through the data.  And though managers may not want to hear the truth, it is incumbent on the analyst to share it, as best they can, given the data, the time and the resources.

“Numbers” because they matter — because they profoundly impact our lives.  Almost any major issue confronting the world, a nation, an organization, or even a family, often revolves around what numbers say.  From the economy and climate change to profitability and retirement, numbers figure prominently.  And numbers, too, because they’re fascinating.  Numbers tell stories, and it is the job of the analyst to reveal those stories.  If you beat up on numbers enough, they’ll tell you whatever you want to hear.  It is the job of the analyst to let the numbers speak for themselves.

Please contact me at: PeterG@MakingApples.com