Why Startups Need a Self‑Service Data Platform Earlier Than They Think

Startups postpone self-service data platforms because early data work feels lightweight, but the hidden cost shows up fast: duplicated SQL, inconsistent metrics, tribal knowledge, and decisions stuck waiting on a few “data people.” A minimal self-service setup (owned/versioned data assets, queries as reviewed artifacts, validation + dry runs + guardrails, and simple interfaces over raw tables) prevents trust erosion and keeps teams moving as the org scales—cheaper to build early than to retrofit later.