Alistair Croll

Alistair Croll is an entrepreneur, author, and one of the leading voices in the fields of business innovation and analytics. His book, Lean Analytics: Use Data to Build a Better Startup Faster, has been highly praised as a definitive guide for companies looking to start their own businesses.

Born in Canada and raised in Toronto, Croll graduated from the New York University School of Engineering and Applied Science in 1995. Since then, he has dedicated his life to exploring the intersection of business and technology, a mission which has seen him take on a number of roles. Most notably, he co-founded the influential O’Reilly Velocity conference, advised the Microsoft Ventures Accelerator, and created the Office of the CTO at Microsoft.

As a respected thought leader on data-driven business practices, Croll has written several books on the subject. His 2013 book, Lean Analytics, is the flagship publication on the topic. The book delves into the best practices for using data to make smarter business decisions, delivering real-world examples on how to transform data into actionable knowledge.

Among the topics tackled in the book include the “build-measure-learn” framework for effective experimentation, the ABCs of analytical accounting, and the secrets to gaining customer insights. According to Croll, the goal is to make analytics more accessible for companies by providing a blueprint for how to use data-driven decision making.

Croll's other books include The Lean Enterprise, in which he investigates how to manage organizational change and the impact of emerging technologies, and the 2017 book, The Lean Series. This book is an expansion on the concept of Lean Analytics, focusing on the how of analytics rather than the what (what data to collect, what analysis to do, and what insights to use).

Aside from his work on data-driven businesses, Croll is a prolific speaker and active contributor in the tech community. He has spoken at countless conferences and events, including TEDx, and co-founded WordCamp. He is also involved in charitable causes, such as the Orbit Podcast Network, which helps raise money for organizations such as Code for America and the Grace Hopper Celebration.

To this day, Alistair Croll remains at the forefront of the data and analytics movements. Companies would be remiss not to consult his books and network of experts for advice on how to use data to build more competitive, resilient businesses. His work provides entrepreneurs with a valuable resource in understanding the intersection of business and data, and demonstrates the power data can have on building the next generation of companies.