How much does your data actually cost you? Most organizations focus on the price of the contract, but the real expense lies in the complexity of integration, workflow disruption, and manual support.

In this episode of Data Product Mindset, Anthony Cosgrove sits down with Mike Salk, a seasoned commercial data executive with decades of experience managing data products at scale. Mike shares hard-won insights from his career — ranging from the high-stakes world of stock data at the Associated Press to the modern challenges of cloud-based AI.

In this episode, we explore:

• The Utility Trap: Why the best-built data product in the world is worthless if it doesn’t solve a specific “job-to-be-done” for the end user.

• The Hidden P&L Killer: Why a single customer phone call reporting an error is the most expensive part of your data operation and how to prevent it with built-in quality checks.

• Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): Mike explains his unique philosophy of obsessing over the customer’s TCO to build long-term trust and “free up wallet” for future growth.

• Archaic Tech in Modern Markets: Why much of the financial world is still running on mid-1980s FTP standards and the massive opportunity this presents for modernization.

• The Generative AI Shift: How AI is acting as the “new calculator,” enabling non-technical users to build their own solutions and forcing data product owners to “unlock” their assets.

Whether you are a product manager, a data engineer, or a business leader, this conversation offers a masterclass in thinking about data not just as a file, but as a deeply integrated business tool.

About Our Guest: Mike Salk is a commercial data executive focused on optimizing P&L and managing data products across diverse functions and industries. He has led major data initiatives at organizations like the Associated Press, Moody’s, and now Inveniam, focusing on mass customization and customer-centric delivery.