What Counts?

What Counts?

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 Info@TrailBlazer.us.com.

Episodes

Counterparty Data Reconciliation at Scale: A 350,000-Record Case Study - E133

May 4, 2026 • 21 mins
Most counterparty data reconciliation projects fail at the same assumption: that one identifier — usually a tax ID — can resolve who you're actually doing business with. In Episode 133 of What Counts, Maura Dunn walks through a real two-year project to reconcile 350,000 counterparty records across eight systems at a company built through acquisition: four contract management platforms, o...
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Your Data Is Lying To You: Why Reconciliation Has To Come Before AI - E132

April 21, 2026 • 26 mins
Episode 132 - Most organizations are being pushed to adopt AI-powered workflows before their data is anywhere close to ready. In this episode of What Counts, Maura and Lee pick up where they left off — diving deep into the concept of data reconciliation and why it must happen before AI ever touches your records. Using a real-world example built across multiple systems — a customer databa...
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Your Data Is Messy - Can AI Actually Handle It? - E131

April 6, 2026 • 19 mins
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 agreemen...
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Contract Data Governance: Why AI Alone Won't Fix Conflicting Terms - E130

March 23, 2026 • 17 mins
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...
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Solving the Growth-Governance Tension: How to Accelerate Without Losing Control - E129

March 9, 2026 • 13 mins
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. Thr...
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Growth vs Governance: The Tension Every Leader Feels - E128

February 23, 2026 • 14 mins
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 “l...
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When Workflow Fails: How Misaligned Policies Break Processes and Create Hidden Risk - E127

February 9, 2026 • 18 mins
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,...
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The Maturity Mirage: Why Organizations Think They're Well-Managed (But Aren't) - E126

January 26, 2026 • 16 mins
Episode 126 – Many organizations confidently claim they operate in a mature, well‑managed environment—until someone starts examining how work actually gets done. In this episode of What Counts, Maura and Lee unpack the “maturity mirage,” revealing why teams feel secure in their processes even as undocumented steps, inconsistent workflows, and workaround‑driven habits undermine that confi...
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CLM Fundamentals: Why Readiness Matters More Than Software - E125

January 12, 2026 • 25 mins
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 e...
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Fact or Fiction: Governance Myths Part 2 - E124

December 29, 2025 • 12 mins
Episode 124 - Fact or Fiction. Governance gets a bad rap—too rigid, too bureaucratic, too “records police.” But in reality, good Information Governance is one of the most powerful accelerators a business can have. In this episode, we bust the most persistent myths holding teams back, from the idea that governance stifles innovation to the belief that it’s only for heavily regulated indus...
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Fact or Fiction: Busting the Myths of Information Governance Part 1 - E123

December 15, 2025 • 18 mins
Episode 123 - Fact or Fiction. Welcome to What Counts by TrailBlazer Consulting, the podcast where we cut through the noise and uncover what truly matters in information governance. In Episode 123, Lee and Maura tackle the most common myths using a “Fact or Fiction” format—debunking misconceptions like “IG is just records management” or “Governance is IT’s job.” From startups to enterpri...
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From Spark to Scale: Mastering the IP Lifecycle - E122

December 1, 2025 • 20 mins
Episode 122: IP Lifecycle or Intellectual property isn’t just about filing a trademark or patent—it’s the full journey of your ideas, inventions, and creative assets. At TrailBlazer Consulting, we define the IP lifecycle as a living process: creation, documentation, protection, utilization, monitoring, and disposition. When managed strategically, IP becomes more than a legal checkbox—it ...
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Own What You Know: Turning Expertise Into IP - E121

November 17, 2025 • 13 mins
Episode 121 - Every business starts with a purpose—but sustaining it requires more than passion. It demands clarity. In this episode, we unpack why documenting your know-how isn’t just smart—it’s strategic. Your intellectual capital is the blueprint of your value, the reason clients trust you, and the asset that makes your business scalable, sellable, and defensible. Whether you're a fou...
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Business Records and Contracts: How Documentation Drives Growth, Compliance, and Strategy - E120

November 3, 2025 • 17 mins
Episode 120 - In this episode, we explore how records and contracts aren’t just administrative necessities—they’re strategic assets that shape the trajectory of a business. From articles of incorporation and bylaws to board minutes and inter-entity agreements, these documents form the governance-grade foundation TrailBlazer Consulting champions. They offer more than a compliance snapshot...
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From Press to Pixel: The Evolution of Recorded Communication - E119

October 21, 2025 • 20 mins
Episode 119 - From press to pixel. In this episode, we journey through the transformative history of recorded communication—from press to pixel. The invention of the printing press to the rise of typewriters and the proliferation of copiers. We examine how Gutenberg’s movable type democratized access to written knowledge, how typewriters standardized documentation across government and i...
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From Clay Tablets to Cloud: The Timeless Power of Records - E118

October 6, 2025 • 16 mins
Discover how recordkeeping evolved from clay tablets to cloud-based systems. Lee and Maura explore the timeless principles of governance, transparency, and accountability that shape how we document and manage information today. Episode length: 00:16:33
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Data That Drives You: How Small Businesses Can Protect, Classify, and Retain What Matters - E117

September 22, 2025 • 24 mins
Episode 117 - In this episode, we unpack the hidden backbone of every business: data. From handwritten guest books to sophisticated CRMs, we explore the many forms customer and operational data can take—and why protecting it is non-negotiable. You’ll learn how to classify data by sensitivity, navigate privacy laws, and build retention schedules that meet legal and operational needs. Whet...
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Operational Roots: Building Business Infrastructure That Powers Growth - E116

September 8, 2025 • 10 mins
Episode 116 - In this episode of TrailBlazer, Maura and Lee dive into the essential components of business infrastructure setup—the behind-the-scenes systems that shape how your business communicates, operates, and scales. From branded office supplies that silently reinforce professionalism to hardware and software that streamline operations, every element plays a strategic role. Learn h...
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Understanding Payroll and Hiring Decisions: Strategies for Your Business - E115

August 25, 2025 • 20 mins
Welcome to What Counts, the podcast where we decode the complexities of information governance and spotlight the strategies that drive operational maturity. In this episode, we’re diving into the foundational—but often overlooked—pillars of business success: payroll and human resources. From navigating payroll taxes and compliance to designing benefits that serve both your team and your ...
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Payroll & HR That Scale: Building Backbone Systems for Growth, Compliance, and Culture - E114

August 11, 2025 • 19 mins
Welcome to What Counts, the podcast where information governance meets real-world strategy. In this episode, Lee and Maura unpack the often-overlooked—but absolutely mission-critical—domains of Payroll and Human Resources. From tax compliance and structured reporting to strategic hiring and benefits that actually benefit the business, we explore how these foundational systems can drive r...
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