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A Business Fable for Data Leaders
The book every analytics leader wishes existed ten years ago.
The Auction Block is a business fable about transforming a broken analytics org — told through the story of Sarah Chen. Think The Phoenix Project, but for data teams.
“We built a system. Not a strategy deck. Not a vision statement. A system. You can see it. You can measure it. You can improve it. And it works whether I’m standing here or not.”
— Sarah Chen, The Auction Block
Free · 5 minutes · No account required
Where do you invest your leadership energy?
This isn’t a maturity model. There’s no score to chase. It’s a mirror — 20 questions that reveal your pattern across Adaptive and Technical leadership.
Every analytics leader has a shape. The Factory Builder who runs a visible operation but might have built a machine without soul. The Demo Magician who opens every door but can’t answer “who uses this on a Tuesday?” The Translator who tells great stories AND checks the receipt. What’s yours?
Sample Result
“The Connector”
Sound familiar?
Does this sound like your team?
If you checked more than two, you’re not alone. Every one of these is a chapter in the book.
See how Sarah fixed all six →A Business Fable · 15 Chapters
Every chapter title will make you wince
Because you’ve lived them. Sarah Chen just had the courage to fix them.
Amazon Reviews
They saw their battle scars in these pages
“I'm sad because I feel like I've been living in many of the analytics pain points for so long — but I remain really hopeful that we can pull it off. This reading has helped me re-center, right on time.”
Dean Furness
30 years in data & analytics teams
Kindle
“The stories feel real because they are real. If you've been in the game long enough, you'll see your own battle scars reflected in these pages — and you might even catch yourself wishing you had a 'Sarah' in your corner.”
Jackie Rondo
Paperback · Verified Purchase
“Refreshingly effective at naming the traps that derail even the most data-savvy teams. The narrative format makes it a surprisingly fast and easy read — without sacrificing any of the substance.”
Nate
Master Black Belt & Chief of Staff
Kindle · Verified Purchase
Brian Cariveau
25+ years leading data & analytics — small business to Fortune 5
I’ve spent my career watching analytics teams build the wrong things for the right reasons — from small businesses to Fortune 5. Every level of maturity. Every flavor of dysfunction.
I’ve seen brilliant data scientists fail because nobody taught them to read a room. I’ve watched million-dollar platforms get unplugged because teams optimized for completeness instead of decisions. The Phoenix Project changed how I think — it made me see data work the way a manufacturing floor operates. Physical. Observable. With bottlenecks and waste you can point at.
The Auction Block is the book I wish someone had handed me on day one.
“Most of what actually matters in analytics leadership was never taught in a class.”
No purchase required
Start with the free stuff
Six principle cards, Chapter 1 of the fable, an essay preview, and a 5-minute self-assessment that maps your analytics leadership profile.
6 Free Cards
Pitfalls & principles with real examples and action steps
Chapter 1
"The Dashboard That Broke Everything" — read the opening
Essay Preview
The Manufacturing Mindset — how factory thinking fixes data teams
Self-Assessment
20 questions, 6 dimensions — discover your leadership profile
For Teams & Organizations
Running a data team?
Bring the book to your next offsite.
The best analytics leaders don’t just read — they build shared language across their teams. Use The Auction Block as the foundation for your next team conversation about how you work.
Learn More →Virtual Book Club
Guided 4-week reading program with discussion questions for each chapter arc
Author Hour
Book Brian for a 60-minute session with your team — Q&A, principles workshop, real talk
Bulk Orders
Outfit your entire team with paperbacks — volume pricing for 10+ copies