What does it take to drive massive business growth through data? According to Robin Patra, it’s not just dashboards and KPIs—it’s aligning people, processes, and systems with real intelligence.
In this episode of Deconstructing Data, host Jessie Lizak (Fractional CMO at BDEX) and Adam Fitzgerald (Enterprise Sales Director at BDEX) sit down with Robin Patra, the Director of Data, Analytics & AI at ARCO Construction. With 20+ years of experience spanning Cisco, BlackRock, and now construction, Robin brings a uniquely human-centered lens to data strategy and digital transformation.
This episode is packed with gold for data leaders, marketers, and tech professionals who want to use data to create clarity from complexity, unlock innovation, and build cultures that scale smarter.
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🔍 In this episode, we explore:
1. Data Strategy: Turning Insight into Action
→ Robin breaks down the true purpose of data strategy—one rooted in ROI, clarity, and integration into enterprise fabric.
→ Key quote: “Data should be quantifiable, tied to business objectives, and never standalone.”
2. Managing Data & Driving Digital Transformation
→ Hear how ARCO is using data to connect the job site with leadership, automate manual workflows, and drive operational precision.
→ Robin shares a simple framework: Simplify. Automate. Optimize.
3. Data & AI: Powering Smarter Decisions
→ Learn how Robin applies AI in real-world scenarios—from estimating multimillion-dollar construction projects to preventing risks before they arise.
→ We explore the future of AI in decision-making: information augmentation, real-time recommendations, and intelligent dashboards that actually do something.
4. Change Management & Data Culture
→ Robin gets real about resistance to change: “Data transformation isn’t technical. It’s emotional. It’s people.”
→ Discover how to turn end users into advocates and create an internal culture that embraces innovation without fear.
5. Data in Construction: Use Cases You’ve Never Heard
→ From AI-powered risk assessments to AI-assisted workforce planning and vendor selection, Robin pulls back the curtain on how construction companies can use data to increase safety, reduce costs, and win business faster.
6. Tech Stack Deep Dive
→ Robin shares his go-to tools, including Databricks, Snowflake, Tableau, Power BI, Grafana, Microsoft Fabric, and a custom-built internal Analytics App Store powered by React and Python for real-time decision-making.
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🎯 Key Takeaways:
• You can’t scale with dashboards alone—data must be actionable.
• AI’s real power lies in augmenting decisions, not replacing jobs.
• Change fails when people are left out—empathy and influence are critical to any successful digital transformation.
• The secret to long-term data leadership? “Understand the business. Tell the story. Influence the people.”
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📌 Standout Quotes:
• “Every enterprise has three pillars—people, process, and systems. The common thread? Data.”
• “We’re not a cost center. Data is an enabler for the business.”
• “Make your data strategy about impact—not infrastructure.”
• “If people feel change is happening to them, it fails. Let them co-create it.”
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🔗 Connect with Robin Patra
Robin is active on LinkedIn and welcomes collaboration. You can also learn more about his work at ARCO Construction, where he’s currently scaling enterprise-wide risk management and productivity systems driven by data and AI.
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