Big data is everywhere. It's one of the hottest topics in business, healthcare, government, you name it. Lots of companies have it, and those who don't have it, want it. But what would big data mean for your company? Do you really need it? Do you really want it? Are you ready for the changes it could bring? Even if you're ready and willing, can you afford it? Done properly, big data can profoundly change your company's business. Done half-heartedly or improperly, it can bring more harm than good.

YPO member Asha Saxena is a big data mythbuster. No one believes in the power of big data more than she does, but she also knows it takes the right circumstances for data to have a lasting positive impact. For 20 years, Saxena was the CEO, and today remains Chairman of the Board, of Future Technologies, Inc., a consulting firm focused on the analysis and management of big data for private companies and the government. Saxena is also the Founder and Chief Innovation Officer of Aculyst, an analytics firm that helps healthcare providers improve clinical, financial, and operational outcomes. She served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Columbia University, and is now an adjunct professor at Columbia Business School and the Mailman School of Public Health.

Saxena shared the biggest myths about the big data industry, and what the truth means for your company, as published by an Inc. article.