Data-Driven Intuition:
Where "Trust Your Gut" Meets "Show Me the Numbers"
Startup culture forces impossible choices.
Startup culture forces impossible choices. When you're under pressure—tight deadlines, high stakes, conflicting opinions—suddenly you're either overthinking every decision or making gut calls without evidence.
Both approaches can leave you second-guessing everything.
I’m Denise Gosnell, and Data-Driven Intuition is my consulting methodology for helping early-stage founders cut through the chaos. Whether you're stuck on product-market fit, drowning in team debates, crafting your investor strategy, or paralyzed by too many options, DDI gives you a clear path forward.
How Data-Driven Intuition Works
Think of it like learning to surf…
It would be folly to just paddle randomly into the ocean. The best surfers read the water—watching for patterns, feeling the rhythm, understanding both the surface waves and the deeper currents.
They combine intuition (years of experience reading the ocean) with observation (current conditions, wind, tide) to know exactly when and where to position themselves.
That's exactly what DDI does with your business:
Read Market Conditions
Most teams are solving the wrong problem because they never clearly identified what wave they're actually trying to catch. We start by understanding what's really happening in your market, with your customers, and within your team.
Feel the Rhythm
You pick up on patterns—user behavior shifts, team dynamics, competitive moves—that you might not consciously recognize. DDI helps you understand what those signals mean.
Time Your Move
Leave with frameworks for knowing when to paddle hard (launch, hire, fundraise) and when to wait for a better set (pivot, pause, reassess). Plus the confidence to trust your judgment moving forward.
I bring pattern recognition from building systems at scale, plus the direct questions you probably haven't been asked yet. You bring the context only you have.
The combination makes for an epic ride.
Hi, I'm Denise.
I've always been drawn to patterns—how things connect, why certain combinations work, what makes complex systems actually function. That ability led me to spend fifteen years building systems that serve millions: Netflix recommendations, Snapchat connections, Amazon's infrastructure.
But being really good at seeing patterns becomes frustrating when you're stuck in places where the loudest ego always wins. For fifteen years, I watched brilliant teams make terrible decisions because they trusted opinions over evidence. The resulting frustration is part of what led me to burnout.
During recovery, I had a breakthrough: The same pattern recognition instinct that made me a misfit in toxic corporate culture is exactly what founders need to cut through startup chaos.
3 Ways to Get DDI in Your Life
Speaking & Workshops
For teams that need alignment — Insights and tools for making better decisions when everyone has strong opinions but limited data.
Strategy Intensives
For teams that need clarity, fast — Emergency room for startup confusion; half-day or full-day sessions to diagnose what's really happening and build your path forward.
Fractional Co-Founder
For founders who need an embedded operator — I own a core function (product strategy, go-to-market, or technical direction) and deliver outcomes, not just advice.
DDI isn't magic.
It won't turn a bad idea into a good one or make hard decisions disappear.
What it will do: Help you see clearly, decide confidently, and move forward without second-guessing every choice.
This is for you if:
- You're tired of generic startup advice that doesn't fit your situation
- You have good instincts but want to validate them with evidence
- You're stuck in analysis paralysis or team debates that go nowhere
- You want to build something meaningful without losing your sanity
This probably isn't for you if:
- You're looking for someone to make decisions for you
- You want quick fixes rather than strategic thinking
- You're not ready to challenge your own assumptions
Fair enough?