The modern data stack is increasingly seen as a must-have, but implementing these tools still requires buy-in from the business side. Measuring the ROI of the modern data stack involves communicating costs and value to both the tools and people who run them. This includes understanding capital expenses, operating expenses, and the skills required to run the show. Many companies face challenges in attributing value due to varying needs and skill sets across small and large companies. To overcome this, it's essential to research company goals and objectives and focus on tools that make deliverables possible with minimal manual intervention. Ultimately, choosing which problems to tackle ties back to business objectives, and the elements of a modern data stack should directly connect to these goals. Borrowing from agile engineering principles can help stakeholders see the ROI by tackling specific, small goals. Investing in more managed systems can create stability in the entire data ecosystem, while onboarding time is also essential when calculating ROI.