Needle in the Haystack | Bolaji Oyejide, Head of Community at dbt Labs

Having survived a unicorn‑math pipeline target, Bolaji Oyejide preaches bottom‑up forecasting for sanity. He explains how 4× pipeline demands erode confidence, the red flags hidden in CPL trends, and diplomatic scripts to push back on delusional boards.

Key Takeaways
• Bottom‑up forecasts anchor credibility and calm.
• T2D3 hype often morphs into tyrannical OKRs.
• Watch CPL‑to‑CPBD trends—the canary in the coal mine.
• Data‑backed dissent keeps your badge and your brain.
• Small, early wins rebuild team confidence after carnage.

Timestamps
00:02 – Intro: fairy‑tale pipeline scars
05:48 – Top‑down vs. bottom‑up models
11:40 – T2D3’s dark side explained
15:30 – Cost metrics as smoke alarms
21:03 – Scripts for polite dissent
26:21 – Quarterly re‑forecast cadence
30:45 – Storytelling to reset morale
35:57 – Confidence‑building quick wins
40:55 – Pipeline stress antidotes
47:14 – Closing wisdom drop

Links
Learn more about Bolaji
Learn more about Jolie
Learn more about Revenue Mind