For startups looking to gain insights from their data, beginning with a data warehouse might not be the best initial step; instead, it is recommended to start by querying the production database using accessible business intelligence tools. These tools, such as Metabase or Superset, allow companies to visualize and understand their data, helping them to prototype their data models in a practical, low-cost manner. This approach enables organizations to identify the kind of data they possess, the data that interests them, and any additional data they might need to collect, ultimately preparing them for a more informed transition to a dedicated data warehouse when necessary. As the business grows and accumulates more data, especially from various tools used in day-to-day operations, the need for a data warehouse becomes more apparent to establish a single source of truth and efficiently handle larger analytical queries.