What do you wish you knew before starting data mesh implementation?

As a consultant I led an early attempt to implement Data Mesh 2 years ago. The biggest surprise was how much this was really a cultural transformation, not just a technical project. I thought we could implement data mesh by simply changing infrastructure, but it was so much more than that. We had to completely rewire how different teams thought about data ownership and collaboration.
Our initial approach was too ambitious. We tried to transform everything at once, which was a massive mistake. What worked best was starting with one domain, learning from that experience, and then gradually expanding. It was like building a muscle - you can't lift the heaviest weight on day one.

Understand the cultural shift, data governance, technical complexity, and start small with clear goals and stakeholder buy-in.