Closer to Fine: The Paradox of Invisible Success
The work to ensure success is often invisible. From event planning to DataOps, this is a story of unsung effort that makes everything look easy.
“It was good. It will not surprise you that I ended up on stage.”
I was in Boston for work (as I’ve been many days lately) but wanted to see how my wife, Sarah, was enjoying the charity concert supporting the Pace Women’s Justice Center (PWJC). The benefit concert featured the Indigo Girls performing at the Capitol Theatre in Westchester, NY. It is the organization’s main fundraiser for the year and honors both an individual and a company that have made an impact either directly on the PWJC or in the broader fight against domestic violence. Sarah was in attendance to receive an honor as a founding member and Vice President of the ICON Foundation, the not-for profit arm of Keller Williams Realty Group. Through her community connections, Sarah facilitated the relationship between ICON and the PWJC.
Unfortunately, I was in Boston and had to miss the event. I sent a text, “How’s the concert?” but went to bed shortly after.
When I woke up in Boston the next morning, I wasn’t expecting the text to say, "It was good. It will not surprise you that I ended up on stage.” That’s not exactly an everyday occurrence… that’s an extraordinary moment—sharing a stage with the Indigo Girls at a packed Capitol Theatre to sing their iconic hit, “Closer to Fine.” It was one of those unexpected events that leaves you wondering how these moments come together.
Welcome to the Data Score newsletter, composed by DataChorus LLC. The newsletter is your go-to source for insights into the world of data-driven decision-making. Whether you're an insight seeker, a unique data company, a software-as-a-service provider, or an investor, this newsletter is for you. I'm Jason DeRise, a seasoned expert in the field of data-driven insights. As one of the first 10 members of UBS Evidence Lab, I was at the forefront of pioneering new ways to generate actionable insights from alternative data. Before that, I successfully built a sell-side equity research franchise based on proprietary data and non-consensus insights. After moving on from UBS Evidence Lab, I’ve remained active in the intersection of data, technology, and financial insights. Through my extensive experience as a purchaser and creator of data, I have gained a unique perspective, which I am sharing through the newsletter.
The Hidden Art of the Seamless: Event Planners and DataOps
Sarah’s success reminded me of another unsung group in my own professional network: Data Operations (DataOps)1 professionals. Like event planners, their job is to anticipate problems, resolve difficult situations before anyone notices, and make the complex look effortless.
Work Behind the Scene at the ICON foundation
Just a week earlier, Sarah was instrumental in organizing a masquerade gala that raised nearly $100,000 for Westchester charities. Guests danced the night away, unaware of the countless hours she spent fixing last-minute issues, managing vendors, and ensuring every detail was perfect.
Sarah plays a key role in organizing events for the ICON Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting communities in Westchester, Bronx, Putnam, and surrounding counties. As the not-for-profit arm of Keller Williams Realty Group, the ICON Foundation strives to make a profound impact on the lives of its neighbors by supporting those in need. www.iconfoundation.org
I was able to attend the masquerade ball, where everything appeared to go flawlessly and guests had a great time. But, behind the scenes, there were many last-moment issues to resolve, from unexpected guests throwing off the carefully curated seating arrangement to the raffle baskets to the audiovisuals. As a key organizer, Sarah—with clipboard in hand—actively oversaw the event’s details, solving problems in real-time.
Later this month, the charity’s efforts shifted to their annual Thanksgiving food drive. While turkeys were plentiful (great! ), there weren’t enough donations of the traditional sides and cooking ingredients to complete the meals. Sarah jumped into action to secure financial support and found a way to create the full meal for ~50 additional families (including a way to get the family involved). It was another impactful moment happening quietly behind the scenes.
Sarah is an experienced event planner, although her current career is in real estate. Sarah began her career managing corporate events for global investment banks, traveling the world to flawlessly execute large-scale gatherings that fostered knowledge sharing and relationship building.
There’s a contrast with my career at the same time in our lives. In my work as a sell-side analyst2, every decision I made was on full display—whether I was steering investors toward the right call or facing scrutiny when I got it wrong. That level of visibility felt fair, even expected, but it stands in stark contrast to roles like Sarah’s, where success means staying invisible. It’s a one-sided visibility an event planner role takes on. But, when it goes wrong, the impact is visible. The unseen nature of an event planner’s successful work—and the parallel of DataOps professionals—is something worth recognizing.
The DataOps and Event Planner Parallel
Event planners and DataOps professionals share a paradox: their success is often invisible. When everything runs flawlessly, the effort behind it goes unnoticed. But when something goes wrong, everyone notices.
Watching Sarah at the masquerade ball, clipboard in hand, solving problems on the fly, I couldn’t help but think of DataOps professionals. They’re the clipboard-wielders of the data world—anticipating issues, resolving them quietly, and ensuring everything flows seamlessly.
Just as Sarah managed gaps at the Thanksgiving food drive, DataOps teams fill gaps in data systems, working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep everything running smoothly. While analysts and data scientists take the spotlight, DataOps professionals handle the backstage challenges—triaging data issues, managing exceptions in straight-through processing (STEP)3, and refining code to deliver seamless data flow.
Their role extends beyond problem-solving. DataOps teams continuously optimize data pipelines4, fine-tuning processes to reduce errors, accelerate processing times, and maximize efficiency. They implement robust quality checks and automated testing to detect and correct inconsistencies or anomalies before these issues impact downstream decision-making. In this way, they safeguard the integrity of the entire organization’s data infrastructure.
But the work doesn’t stop there. DataOps professionals monitor the flow of information across systems, identifying and resolving bottlenecks that could disrupt operations. They maintain data lineage5, ensure proper classification, and enable organizations to trust their data for confident decision-making.
It’s a thankless job—but it doesn’t have to be.
Event planners and DataOps professionals share a paradox: their success is often invisible. When everything runs flawlessly, the effort behind it goes unnoticed. But when something goes wrong, everyone notices. Their real triumph is solving problems so seamlessly that no one ever realizes something was wrong.
Like event planners, DataOps teams shine brightest when their contributions remain behind the scenes—but it’s time to bring their work to light. Their efforts underpin seamless success, and it’s vital to actively champion their indispensable role in every organization.