JP Conte: How To Effectively Leverage Data To Make Better Business Decisions

The private equity industry has undergone a fundamental shift in how firms evaluate opportunities and manage portfolios. Where gut instinct and traditional financial analysis once dominated, sophisticated analytics now inform decisions at every stage of the investment lifecycle. Yet the most successful investors recognize that data, however powerful, cannot replace human judgment—it can only enhance it.

JP Conte, managing partner of a San Francisco-based private equity firm and founder of family office Lupine Crest Capital, has spent decades refining this balance. His career offers a window into how seasoned investors integrate quantitative analysis with qualitative assessment. According to Gartner research, by 2025, more than 75% of early-stage investor research will be informed by artificial intelligence and data analytics. The question is not whether to use data, but how to use it effectively.

Data as Foundation, Not Replacement

Private equity firms increasingly rely on data analytics to identify investment opportunities, with research demonstrating that firms using external information and advanced analysis capabilities discover potential deals more efficiently than competitors depending solely on internal networks and traditional methods. JP Conte’s approach acknowledges this advantage while maintaining that numbers alone cannot capture the full picture of a business opportunity.

His investment philosophy centers on sector specialization—healthcare, software, financial services, and industrial technology—where deep domain expertise allows for more nuanced interpretation of data. “To be a businessperson, you need to be optimistic,” Conte has said. “To be a business builder, you need to be optimistic about the future, and you need to know you can have an impact on things by sheer hard work or thinking about things differently.” This perspective shapes how he evaluates quantitative findings—data reveals patterns, but experienced judgment determines which patterns matter.

Due Diligence in a Data-Rich Environment

The due diligence process has transformed dramatically over recent years. Today’s analytical tools allow investors to examine business performance at highly detailed levels—tracking individual customer behaviors, geographic variations, and specific product performance rather than relying solely on aggregated financial statements, while publicly available information offers perspective through market research and competitive benchmarking. According to Wall Street Journal reporting, 77% of private equity executives now conduct due diligence data analytics, while 68% utilize it during negotiations.

JP Conte’s decades managing investments across multiple sectors have demonstrated how data quality affects decision accuracy. When companies operate with incomplete or inconsistent information, they risk making flawed choices about which customers to pursue, how to set prices, and where to reduce expenses. However, comprehensive data collection means little without the framework to interpret it correctly.

Private equity firms applying data-driven insight into integration planning show higher average portfolio company EBITDA growth compared to those relying on experience alone. Yet JP Conte’s investment approach suggests that the most valuable analyses combine quantitative rigor with qualitative understanding. Financial models can project returns, but assessing management teams, organizational culture, and competitive positioning requires judgment that cannot be automated.

Portfolio Monitoring and Operational Value Creation

Once an investment is made, data becomes essential for tracking performance and identifying opportunities for improvement. Continuous data analysis enables firms to monitor key performance indicators, compare benchmarks, and stay informed about market trends. This real-time visibility allows rapid identification of and response to issues before they become critical.

Conte’s focus on operational transformation reflects an understanding that superior returns increasingly come from value creation rather than financial engineering. Advanced analytics improves accuracy in due diligence compared to traditional methods, thereby reducing risk and bolstering profits. However, implementing improvements at portfolio companies requires more than identifying inefficiencies through data—it demands the ability to execute change through people and processes.

The Human Element in Data-Driven Decisions

Research shows that companies embracing data-driven decision making can see revenue increases of 10-30%. However, achieving these results requires more than sophisticated analytics platforms. Organizations must balance quantitative insights with qualitative factors that data cannot easily capture.

JP Conte’s mentorship philosophy demonstrates this principle. Through programs supporting first-generation college students and initiatives like Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, he has emphasized the importance of human judgment in identifying potential. “Every year, I go to New York and give a presentation about private equity, the industry, and how these students can get into this sector,” he has said. This commitment to developing talent reflects an understanding that successful investing depends on people as much as processes.

The challenge for private equity firms lies in integrating analytical capabilities without losing the judgment that experience provides. According to a Harvard Business Review analysis, leaders often go to extremes—believing data is infallible or dismissing it outright. Neither approach produces optimal outcomes. Effective decision making requires interrogating data, understanding its limitations, and combining it with domain expertise.

JP Conte’s career managing investments through multiple economic cycles illustrates how seasoned investors navigate this tension. Data reveals market trends, competitive dynamics, and operational metrics. But determining which opportunities align with a firm’s capabilities, which management teams can execute a transformation plan, and which market shifts represent lasting changes versus temporary fluctuations—these assessments require experience that complements analytical findings.

Private equity firms face obstacles adopting technology they perceive as unproven, and many lack the skills necessary to transition from legacy systems. However, firms that successfully integrate data analytics while maintaining disciplined human judgment position themselves to identify opportunities others miss and execute operational improvements that drive returns.

The approach that JP Conte has refined across his career suggests that the future of investment management lies not in choosing between data and experience, but in combining both. Analytics provides the foundation for informed decisions, while judgment determines how to act on those insights. Organizations that master this balance will create sustainable advantages in an increasingly competitive market.