I’ve been wondering recently about big data and small business. No one can avoid the statistics around the importance of small business to the U.S. economy: asForbes noted not long ago, there are almost 28 million small businesses in the U.S., and more than 50% of the working population (120 million individuals) works in a small business.
But is there value for big data in a small business? Writing in Forbes earlier this month, Mike Montgomery specifically opined that small businesses shouldn’t fear big data. His advice for getting started is really no different than that big businesses should use – know the problem you’re trying to solve, start small – but small businesses may have an advantage in that they’re probably looking at a smaller universe of queries and are focusing on specific problems. But before you can be great at something, you have to be good. So starting small isn’t a drawback…
