Rock n' Roll Research Podcast

A youth filled with travel and an extended period living in Italy formed the perfect foundation for a career in global trends and insights. Heather Prekop is currently a strategic advisor for the firm, Latana, after 16 years at Euromonitor International. Along the way, she became an elite marathon runner and a personal running coach at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Heather shares the importance of playing the long game when it comes to both marathoning and building business and companies. She also discusses why partnership is so important right now in the insights space and the music she’d want to keep her company if stranded on a desert island.

Loretta Hudelot is currently a professor of marketing research and social impact marketing at the University of Texas at Dallas. With equal parts grit, scrappiness and creativity, Loretta worked her way into the market research field and built a great career with companies like Verizon, Dr. Pepper and Brinker International. Loretta shares her journey through insights, the lessons she’s learned along the way and how green Skittles can catalyze your innovation thinking.

Oh, to be Robert McLaughlin at the dawn of the millennium – living in NYC, working in research for the super hot dot-com, DoubleClick, starting a record label and playing in an indie band sharing bills with the likes of The Strokes and Interpol. He went on to hold senior insights roles at AOL, Spin Media and Popsugar before founding the consultancy, DCDR, writing a book, and continuing to run and record solo material for Inner Noise Records. Rob shares his fascinating journey and why, as both a songwriter and an insights professional, he’s never satisfied with the first draft.

Chelsea Lee is currently Manager of Foresight & Trends at Prudential Financial. Having worked in automotive (Lexus), retail (Neiman Marcus) and now financial services, Chelsea has developed a deep, unique perspective on the affluent consumer. Chelsea shares the parallels and lessons learned from her experience as a Division I volleyball player in college. She also discusses where insights is headed, the future of high-net-worth consumers, and the music she’d want to keep her company if stranded on a deserted island.

Dan Braker started his insights career with the Angus Reid Group in Canada, later purchased by Ipsos. He moved to LA and started Breakthrough Research in 2013. In his spare time, Dan became an accomplished independent filmmaker and screenwriter, including the short film, “Peace,” starring Kurtwood Smith from “That 70’s Show.” Dan shares his career journey, his take on the future of insights and why it is easier to makes films in Canada than Los Angeles.

Ryan Fennelly’s passion and expertise in behavioral science led him to found his consultancy, Valsier, earlier this year after an insight career with Suntory, PepsiCo, Circana and Ipsos. But Ryan is also a shredding metal guitarist which led to him playing at the legendary Stone Pony in Asbury Park and meeting Sebastian Bach (Gilmore Girls era). Ryan contrasts what he learned from the supplier- and client-sides of the industry. He also shares his take on the future of insights with some rock n’ roll stories along the way.

Shawn Herbig prefers his old fashioned with a side of insights. After starting his career at Ford Motor Company, Shawn founded IQS Research in Louisville which is still going strong after 27 years. But that’s not his only venture. Shawn is also the Founder and Chief Infusion Officer at Bluegrass Bitters where they are making and shipping award-winning extracts that will make you the “hero of your home bar.” Shawn shares what he’s learned across both journeys, and how his insights background has helped make his bitters business a success.

After training in electrical engineering and finance, a split-second decision to join P&G’s Consumer Market Knowledge department in Saudi Arabia launched Yogesh Chavda’s lifelong career in global insights, marketing and strategy. Since then, he’s had his boots on the ground on nearly every continent with companies like P&G, Spotify, Pinterest and Kimberly-Clark. He is the Founder of Y2S Consulting, Co-Founder of The Yogi AI and runs the Next Frontiers in Insights podcast and the In Search of Normal newsletter. In this wide-ranging discussion, we cover: - What being a “Third Culture Kid” has meant to his life and career - The power of calculated risks - The signals we should be paying attention to (companion robots, anyone?) - Why he spends so much time on TikTok - Why we should be optimistic about the future of insights - And meeting Katy Perry + his clever dating solution as a young, single guy in Saudi Arabia

During the week, Jeff Howanek is a Sr. Director at the Langston Company, a top consumer insights firm in Denver focused on modular approaches and thoughtful use of AI. But when the weekend comes, you can find Jeff helping others make lifetime memories by laying down tasty bass lines for a wedding band. Jeff traces his career path from social media startup to the Futures Company (Kantar) to Langston. He also shares his journey through playing music, his media diet and the albums he’d choose if stranded on a desert island.

“I will never again build a strategy that is not built on consumer insights.” That is a lesson Pam Everett learned the hard way earlier in her career as a product manager at Husqvarna. She has gone on to apply that lesson in product, innovation and insights roles at S&D/Westrock Coffee, Grupo Bimbo and Electrolux. Pam shares stories and her perspective on consumer-led innovation and the uncertainty that lay ahead. But also her deep passion for the music from the famed city of Muscle Shoals, Alabama, which also happens to be where she grew up.

Kahren Kersten is a highly trusted strategic advisor and consultant through both Cambiar and her own firm, Experience Insights. She is an Insight250 member and passionate industry advocate through her involvement in the Market Research Council and the Insights Career Network among others. Kahren traces her unique trajectory - with creativity as a throughline - from art to insight to design and strategic advisory. She also shares why she’s optimistic about the future of insights and the jams she’d want to keep her company if stranded on a desert island.

A behavioral economist, a BBC quiz show winner and a 14-yr old college student walk into a bar . . . and they realize they are all Leigh Caldwell, founder of Irrational Agency. Leigh traces his intellectual, social and career path including his book, “The Psychology of Price,” and his experience on the BBC show, Only Connect. More importantly, he shares his ideas around “System 3” thinking, the power of narrative research and what it all means for marketers and researchers.

Brian Peterson is currently Digital Marketing Director at the top tier sample company, EMI Research Solutions, where he has been for the past 9 years. He’s also the long-time host of the Intellicast podcast. We talk synthetic data, digital twins and training data. But we also discuss our respective experiences with the Yellow Pages, the Dallas Stars and what it’s like to be a Canadian raising a family in the US, eh?

Alisa Hamilton is the founder of Harvest Insights in Atlanta. She made waves recently by announcing that every proposal she delivers will now come with two prices: with and without AI. That’s the kind of transparency that is sorely lacking at the moment! Alisa and I discuss her career trajectory, her passion for gardening, AI research applications and her dad’s band who charted a song in Buffalo, NY back in 1970!

“It’s my job to figure out what does the future of research look like and how do I help us get there as Eli Lilly.” How does one get a really cool role like that? Andrew Embry shares his unique journey at Eli Lilly and his thoughts on where insights is headed. But also his passion for the spoken word which has included slam poetry open mics, national competitions and corporate performances. And in a first for this podcast, Andrew shares his art on-the-spot by performing his spoken word piece, “The Making of a Market Researcher.” Prepare to be inspired!

Arry Tanusondjaja is currently Sr. Marketing Scientist at the Ehrenberg-Bass Institute where he’s been for the past 16 years. As accomplished as he is in the field of marketing science, it is neither his first career nor the sole area of expertise for which he is currently known. Arry shares his unique career journey and his take on the future of the Laws of Growth. He also explains his passion for baking and the music he’d choose if stranded on a deserted island.

From growing up on a West Texas farm to starting her career in the energy sector, April Bell has had a fascinating path to and through the world of insights. With her company, Made with Empathy, April has helped spur innovation for a who’s-who of the world’s great consumer brands. Her approach, supported by both personal and client examples, can be found in her book, “Firestarter: Igniting Innovation with Empathy.” April shares stories from her unique journey, discusses what’s next for her and picks the music she’d want to keep her company on a deserted island.

Chad Nicholson is the EVP of Strategic Intelligence at the independent advertising powerhouse, BarkleyOKRP. You’re familiar with their iconic work like the Burger King “You Rule” campaign. They also work with other great brands llke AMC Theatres, Winnebago, Frontier Airlines, Planet Fitness and many others. I first met Chad while at Anheuser-Busch where he started his career as an intern and climbed the ranks as a Brand Manager on Budweiser and Director of Consumer Strategy & Insights. And just in time for the World Cup Round of 16 . . . as a former D1 college soccer player, Chad is watching closely! Chad shares his career path, his philosophy on insights and the lessons he’s applied from his college days as an athlete with the Marshall Thundering Herd.

From his home on the Spanish coast, Bernice Klaassen has been a leading thinker and contributor to the global dialogue on the future of insights and analytics. Once you know his journey, it is easy to understand why. Bernice’s professional journey has taken him all over the world with companies like Kantar, Ipsos, Citibank and now RSB Insights, and it spans several disciplines including design, music, research and sustainability. Bernice traces his unique path, shares his refreshingly optimistic view of the industry’s future and chooses some surprisingly awesome records to keep him company on a desert island.

Gabe McElwaine is currently a Sales Director at the super innovative insights firm, i-Genie, who is meeting the moment and addressing timeless business and marketing questions for brands in new and clever ways. Gabe’s journey is a really cool one – from working at record labels as an underground DJ in NYC, to encountering Napster and discovering Nielsen Soundscan, he helped build and grow the media and entertainment business at NPD and has been in the insights industry ever since. Bonus points for his involvement in the Insights Career Network. Gabe shares his unique story, his take on the future of insights and the music that lights his fire. Big ups to InsightSutras for sponsoring this episode!