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The Balboa Insights blog

Real outcomes, measured.

Case studies, comparison guides, and decision frameworks for nonprofits and SMBs working with AI and data. Every post tied to work a senior principal built and a client still uses.

Written by Joe Perone, Senior Principal 4 posts Last updated

+23%

marketing efficiency lift after one pilot

60%

reduction in manual reporting time

6 wks

idea to validated, production-ready prototype

Featured
Comparison · Data Leadership

Fractional CDAO vs full-time Chief Data Officer: when each one wins.

A side-by-side breakdown of annual cost ($60K–$120K vs $250K–$400K fully loaded), scope, time-to-impact, and the conditions under which each model is the right call for nonprofits and SMBs.

By Joe Perone, Senior Principal 8-minute read

Read the comparison →

Fractional

$60K–$120K

per year

Full-time

$250K–$400K

fully loaded

Time to impact

Weeks vs 4–9 months
Browse

Pick your shape of post.

Three categories, all written from real engagements — no thought-leadership filler.

Case studies

What we shipped, what changed, and what the numbers actually moved.

3 posts →

Comparisons

Decision frameworks with real cost ranges and clear "when each wins" rules.

1 post →

Guides

Plain-English answers to the questions clients ask before they sign.

See the FAQ →
Case studies
Case Study · Retail +23%

Marketing mix overhaul for a high-growth retail brand

A six-week Rapid AI Pilot replaced gut-feel paid-media decisions with a marketing mix model and weekly self-serve dashboard. 23% efficiency lift across paid channels.

By Joe Perone 7-min read

Read full case study →
Case Study · Nonprofit 60% saved

A regional nonprofit got their week back

Manual reporting cut from ~10 hr/wk to ~4 hr/wk. One source of truth across program, finance, and grant teams. Funder reporting compressed from days to hours.

By Joe Perone 6-min read

Read full case study →
Case Study · SaaS 5 segments

Five live segments, six weeks, no 80-page deck

Behavior-based segments live in CRM, segment-specific expansion plays for sales and CS, and a 90-day roadmap to layer in churn prediction.

By Joe Perone 6-min read

Read full case study →
Comparisons
Comparison Decision guide

Fractional CDAO vs full-time Chief Data Officer

Annual cost ($60K–$120K vs $250K–$400K fully loaded), scope, time-to-impact, hiring risk, governance — and the specific conditions under which each model wins.

By Joe Perone 8-min read

Read the comparison →
Coming soon

AI Readiness Audit vs Data Strategy Assessment

When you need each, what they produce, and how to brief your board on the choice.

Guides
Reference

How working with Balboa Insights actually works

Pricing, timelines, scope, BAA/DPA policy, generative AI tool use, and what happens after the pilot ends. Straight answers to the 16 questions we get asked most.

Read the FAQ →

Questions

16

Topics

6
What clients say

Senior partnership, plain English, real shipped work.

"The level of strategic thinking was exceptional. Clear ROI in six weeks. Exactly what we needed to defend the next phase of investment."
VP of Analytics High-Growth Retail Brand
"Our team got their week back. The senior principal made data work feel possible, not overwhelming."
Executive Director Regional Nonprofit
"Six weeks in, we were running real plays off real segments. No 80-page deck, no junior team. Just shipped work."
Head of Growth Growth-Stage SaaS

Want a number like these on your dashboard?

Pick a use case. We'll ship it in six weeks.

Book a Strategy Call See how pilots work
Last updated