Meet the Founder

Dr. Marcus Ellis

I help small businesses and towns turn data into clear decisions, not dashboards for the sake of dashboards.

Before founding Blue Nalu Analytics, I led data initiatives across organizations like Lowe’s, Staples, Krispy Kreme, Red Ventures, and TIAA, helping teams streamline operations, improve decision-making, and replace guesswork with insight. I’ve also spent years working with and teaching data analytics at universities including  Wake Forest, UNC, High Point, Northeastern, SMU, and Pepperdine.

Here’s the truth: better charts don’t solve real problems. If you’re a business owner or a town leader, you don’t need a full-time analytics team or another vendor dropping off a dashboard and an invoice. You need a trusted partner who listens, asks the right questions, and helps you act.

At Blue Nalu Analytics, we focus on decisions that actually matter, and the data needed to support them. No hype. No black boxes. Just clear, practical insight you can use.

The Data Analytics Life Cycle

How we work is simple, practical, and grounded in real decisions. No jargon, no overcomplication.

1. Start with the Decision -  We begin with what you’re trying to decide. What’s unclear? What feels like a guess? What would change if you had confidence?

2. Use the Data You Already Have - We look at what exists today, POS systems, vendor data, spreadsheets, operational files, and figure out what’s usable, what’s missing, and what actually matters.

3. Get the Data Ready - Messy data leads to bad decisions. We clean it, organize it, and validate it so you can trust what you’re looking at.

4. Find the Signal - We analyze patterns, trends, and relationships to answer real questions. Forecasts, segmentation, comparisons, whatever helps move the decision forward.

5. Pressure-Test the Results - Nothing gets delivered without checking it against reality. No black boxes. No mystery math. Just work that holds up.

6. Make It Clear and Actionable - You’ll see what’s happening, why it matters, and what to do next, explained in plain language with visuals that support decisions, not distract from them.