What Counts?
Asset Information Management, Information Governance, Asset Data Management, Records Management, Information Challenges and Solutions
TrailBlazer Consulting, LLC
Show overview
What Counts? has been publishing since 2021, and across the 5 years since has built a catalogue of 144 episodes. That works out to roughly 40 hours of audio in total. Releases follow a fortnightly cadence.
Episodes typically run ten to twenty minutes — most land between 13 min and 18 min — and the run-time is fairly consistent across the catalogue. None of the episodes are flagged explicit by the publisher. It is catalogued as a EN-language Business show.
The show is actively publishing — the most recent episode landed 4 days ago, with 20 episodes already out so far this year. Published by TrailBlazer Consulting, LLC.
From the publisher
Welcome to What Counts? by TrailBlazer Consulting. The hosts, Maura Dunn and Lee Karas bring over 30 years of experience consulting with public and private organizations across industries including energy, biotech, manufacturing, and technology. We discuss proven solutions developed working with companies to solve their information and data management challenges. The typical What Counts? episode is around 15 minutes long, and each episode focuses on one aspect of information, data, or records management. We provide insight into practical ways to assess, evaluate, recommend, implement, and monitor records and information management programs – and we illustrate our ideas with anecdotes and case studies drawn from our clients. Look us up on the web at www.TrailBlazer.us.com. Or, send us an email at [email protected].
Latest Episodes
View all 144 episodesTraining vs Automation in Information Governance
Information Governance Policies: The Three That Matter Most
Information Governance Risk: Breach vs Access Loss
Records vs Non-Records: What Counts as Evidence
Records Findability: Why Metadata Beats Keyword Search – E140
Why Capture Records at the Source? Provenance and Proof – E139
Your AI is Only as Reliable as Your Worst Copy: Data Provenance, Version Control, and the Six-Resume Problem – E138
Corporate Data Capture Risk: Stop Audit Chaos – Episode 137
Stop Making Copies: 3 Information Governance Principles for Reliable Data – E136
Records Management vs. Information Governance: Cutting Through the Data Noise – E135
Stop Counterparty Data Sprawl: Centralize & Control Vendor Information Before Contracts Begin – E134
Counterparty Data Reconciliation at Scale: A 350,000-Record Case Study – E133
Your Data Is Lying To You: Why Reconciliation Has To Come Before AI – E132
Your Data Is Messy – Can AI Actually Handle It? – E131
Episode 131 - Data governance and AI readiness go hand in hand — and most organizations aren't as ready as they think. In this episode, Maura and Lee take a hard look at what an AI-powered customer support escalation workflow actually requires to function. Spoiler: it's not just a smart model. It's clean, connected, versioned data — customer records, contract terms, and executed agreement instances all properly linked. Using a real-world cable company scenario, they unpack how disconnected systems, outdated identifiers, and missing metadata cause AI to hallucinate answers instead of finding them. The episode closes with an introduction to data objects and metadata mapping — and a preview of the counterparty reconciliation work that has to happen before AI can deliver on its promises. Episode length: 00:19:21 Learn more by visiting our website, or by sending TrailBlazer an email at [email protected].
Contract Data Governance: Why AI Alone Won’t Fix Conflicting Terms – E130
Episode 130 - When a company acquires another business, it inherits a tangled web of contracts — each with its own payment terms, clauses, and conditions. Contract one says 30 days, contract two says 45, and contract three says you never have to pay. So what happens when you point AI at this mess? In this episode of What Counts, we explore why contract data governance must come before AI deployment. AI is a powerful governance accelerator, but only when organizations harmonize their terms, configure their systems, and maintain human oversight every step of the way. Episode length: 00:17:12 Learn more by visiting our website, or by sending TrailBlazer an email at [email protected].
Solving the Growth-Governance Tension: How to Accelerate Without Losing Control – E129
In this episode of What Counts, Lee and Maura move beyond diagnosing the tension between growth and governance and dive into what real solutions look like. From the “records police” stereotype to the engineering metaphor of an ungoverned engine ready to blow, they unpack why organizations struggle to balance speed with safety—and how cross‑functional coalitions can change everything. Through stories about generators, pencils, rogue sales promises, and the realities of legal, IT, compliance, and business teams working in silos, they reveal how governance becomes a true accelerator when everyone solves the problem together instead of alone. Episode length: 00:13:12 To find out more about TrailBlazer Consulting, LLC, please visit our website at www.TrailBlazer.us.com.
Growth vs Governance: The Tension Every Leader Feels – E128
Episode 128 - In this episode of What Counts, Lee and Maura dive into one of the most universal challenges leaders face: balancing the urgency of growth with the discipline of governance. From chasing new markets to managing real‑world information chaos—yes, even inside an information governance firm—they unpack why governance always feels like something you’ll “get to later,” and why “later” is exactly when the problems show up. Through candid stories and practical examples, they reveal how founders, operators, and executives can build sustainable growth without sacrificing control. Episode length: 00:14:26 Learn more by visiting our website, or by sending TrailBlazer an email at [email protected].
When Workflow Fails: How Misaligned Policies Break Processes and Create Hidden Risk – E127
Episode 127 - This episode of What Counts unpacks a problem every organization faces but few diagnose correctly: workflows fail when they don’t reflect the reality of how work actually gets done. Through real‑world examples—from delegated invoice approvals to storage and construction contracts—we explore how policy changes, unclear roles, and poorly analyzed workflows create bottlenecks, late payments, workarounds, and operational risk. The conversation highlights why modern workflow design must be grounded in process analysis, role clarity, and meaningful controls that support—not obstruct—the accomplishment of work. Episode length: 00:18:39 Learn more by visiting our website, or by sending TrailBlazer an email at [email protected].
The Maturity Mirage: Why Organizations Think They’re Well-Managed (But Aren’t) – E126
Episode 126 – Many organizations confidently claim they operate in a mature, well‑managed environment—until someone starts examining how work actually...
CLM Fundamentals: Why Readiness Matters More Than Software – E125
Episode 125 - Contract Lifecycle Management touches every corner of an organization—finance, legal, procurement, operations, compliance, and the business itself. But despite the promise of modern CLM platforms, most implementations fail for one simple reason: the organization wasn’t ready for the software. In this episode of What Counts, Lee and Maura revisit a conversation recorded in early 2024, long before TrailBlazer Learning Academy and its governance accelerator templates were publicly available. With the Academy now live and widely adopted, the discussion is more relevant than ever. They explore why readiness, alignment, and governance‑ready templates are the true drivers of CLM success, and how TrailBlazer’s tools help organizations build clarity and confidence long before implementation begins. Episode Length: 00:25:32