Ask Why, Not Just What: The Ops Mindset Every Fund Needs

In this episode of Preferred Return, we’re joined by Lauren Schirle, Senior Manager - Strategic Initiatives at VIRIDIS Fund Solutions, where she reveals how to maximize the true potential of data. With a career that bridges the worlds of archival sciences, technology, and finance, Lauren explains how organizing and presenting data is essential for both business decision-making and making historical stories accessible. She talks about her journey from working with archival data to helping companies manage financial information better, showing how well-structured data can tell powerful stories. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to Turn Raw Data Into Actionable Insights: Lauren explains the key steps for organizing data, allowing businesses to make informed decisions. Why Data Quality Matters More Than You Think: Learn why accurate and clean data is essential for generating reliable analytics. The Critical Skills You Need to Maximize Data Access: Teaching people to ask the right questions can empower teams to use data more effectively. Things to listen for: (00:00) Introduction to Lauren Schirle (02:33) From history and economics to managing $30 billion (05:16) Data as storytelling: Making historical information accessible (06:49) Building systems for accessible data in business contexts (12:50) Information literacy: Asking better questions in business (17:12) User interaction as a series of questions (18:45) Lessons from operational roles and historical data work (37:16) The evolving role of information literacy across industries (48:20) Advice for GPs: Ensuring data quality and understanding data tools (52:57) Trends in portal technology and future directions (55:27) Personal growth through questioning and diverse perspectives Resources: More from Altvia: https://altvia.com/ Connect with Lauren Schirle💡 LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-schirle/