Data Gurus

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Ania Rodriguez, CEO and Founder of JourneyTrack and Chairwoman of the Board at Key Lime Interactive. Ania shares her founder journey from launching a UX consulting firm to building a venture-backed SaaS company in the emerging category of journey management. With a clear-eyed view of the differences between UX and CX, she explains how aligning with executive-level metrics creates staying power — and why data integration, category creation and capital strategy all matter when shifting from services to product. Key Takeaways: (02:12) Ania's background combines engineering, people and systems for innovation. (08:09) UX focuses on micro journeys while CX strategy operates at higher levels. (09:36) CX covers the full customer relationship, from awareness to advocacy. (11:15) C-suite now cares about CX, tying it to business outcomes and metrics. (12:36) CXPA is more strategic than most UX organizations. (15:30) Journey management tools connect insights to actions using integrations. (17:42) Journey management surfaces insights faster. (19:03) Time to first value is a crucial metric for SaaS adoption and success. (22:03) Knowing your financials and finding a niche are vital for entrepreneurs. Resources Mentioned: JourneyTrack | Website Key Lime Interactive | Website Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Greg Silverman, Global Director of Brand Economics at Interbrand. Greg shares how Interbrand quantifies the financial impact of brand and aligns marketing insights with shareholder value. Drawing from decades of brand valuation work, he explains how research, including discrete choice modeling, bridges the language gap between CMOs and CFOs. He also discusses the power of fast, data-driven solutions in transforming client strategy. Key Takeaways: (02:13) Greg's career journey blends retail, franchising, consulting, branding and tech innovation.(04:31) Metrics like awareness must connect to growth, EBIT, and share price.(07:58) Smaller, focused partnerships can deliver faster, more cost-effective solutions.(09:43) ​​Brand can account for far more value than leaders initially expect.(11:57) Understanding brand potential unlocks new revenue within specific market segments.(14:19) Research helps CMOs and CFOs align on brand investment decisions.(16:00) Traditional marketing metrics no longer justify brand investment alone.(17:54) Insights must bridge the gap to measurable business impact. Resources Mentioned: Interbrand Website Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Cynthia Harris, Founder, Managing Director and Lead Operator of 8:28 Insights, about building a human-centered insights agency, the value of lived experience in leadership and the role AI can and can't play in research. Cynthia shares her career path from launching products at Bath & Body Works to working at Procter & Gamble to starting her own firm — offering practical guidance for founders and vendors alike. Key Takeaways: (02:25) Early career roles shaped passion for consumer-business connections.(10:16) Vendors should go beyond briefs and collaborate with clients.(12:03) Traveling globally inspired objectivity and cultural intelligence in work.(14:06) The pandemic catalyzed the transition from freelancing to entrepreneurship.(16:12) Client-side experience drives more strategic, downstream thinking.(18:10) Unique perspectives stem from lived experiences and diversity.(22:03) AI supports creativity but cannot replicate human-centered strategies. Resources Mentioned: 8:28 Insights Homepage Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Daniel Gaynor, Co-Founder of Kelp and SVP of Strategy at Signal AI, about how reputation is becoming a quantifiable, strategic asset — and how AI is making that possible. Daniel shares his career journey from public policy to launching Kelp, how Signal AI is building agentic tools for the enterprise and why the next evolution of reputation intelligence will come from collaboration between humans and AI. Key Takeaways: (03:33) Reputation is emerging as a measurable performance indicator, not just a brand attribute.(05:50) Experience across public, private and policy sectors brings new perspectives to AI strategy.(09:48) Businesses must amplify authentic proof points to shape their narrative.(11:30) Strategy, licensing and technology serve as core AI frameworks.(15:18) Most companies say they're AI-powered, but they often aren't.(17:25) Companies face pressure to stay consistent despite political shifts.(22:03) Risk aversion is rising in marketing and communications teams.(26:04) Reputation began with surveys and evolved to media monitoring.(28:05) Digital coworkers will reshape talent and collaboration in organizations.(31:55) AI is ultimately just flexible, talking software. Resources Mentioned: Signal AI Ask AIQ by Signal AI Kelp Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Ian Ash, Co-Founder of Dig Insights, about the intersection of AI and market research, the evolution of Restech, and the importance of balancing technology with human expertise. With over a decade's experience leading Dig Insights, Ian shares his perspective on how AI reshapes research processes and why human oversight remains critical. He reflects on the parallels between storytelling in comedy and storytelling in research, emphasizing that whether it's data or humor, connection and clarity are the keys. Key Takeaways: (02:09) Dig Insights' journey from startup to private equity-backed growth. (05:35) The importance of maintaining research rigor despite industry pressures. (08:10) Large scales don't guarantee better insights, just higher correlations. (12:22) Swiping-based surveys introduced choice and engagement. (15:46) Research needs exist along a flexible service continuum. (18:40) Effective AI requires context and customization. (20:22) Synthetic data performs better in sentiment analysis than research. (25:22) AI accelerates research by automating data interpretation. (28:08) Ian's passion for stand-up comedy and life beyond market research. Resources Mentioned: Upsiide by Dig Insights Scott Galloway's Website Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Steve Phillips, Founder, Chair and Chief Innovation Officer, and Ryan Barry, former President, both of Zappi.  They discuss the evolution of consumer insights, the role of AI in research and how businesses can maximize the value of their data. Key Takeaways: (02:05) “The Consumer Insights Revolution” encapsulates a decade of transformation at Zappi. (03:35) Pepsi's consumer insights evolution shifted insights managers into strategic business partners. (05:53) Stephan Gans' vision at Pepsi focused on democratizing learning and insights-driven decision-making. (09:48) The development of ADA, Pepsi's internal platform for integrating data sources. (10:28) Different data streams complement rather than contradict insights. (13:57) Insights professionals must evolve into strategic business consultants. (16:54) Business acumen is becoming essential for future consumer insights roles. (20:58) AI is reshaping consumer insights by automating processes and enhancing decision-making. Resources Mentioned: Zappi “The Consumer Insights Revolution” by Steve Phillips, Ryan Barry and Stephan Gans Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to James Turner, Founder and CEO of Delineate, about redefining data collection and insight generation in today's fast-paced market research landscape. James shares his journey from mining engineer to data mining expert and explains how Delineate bridges the gap between traditional research practices and agile, technology-driven approaches. Key Takeaways: (02:22) Started as a mining engineer before transitioning to data mining. (07:47) Industry disruption in the 2010s drove significant changes. (10:02) Speed, quality and cost efficiency reshape client research. (12:16) Successful disruptors reshape categories with innovative, lasting ideas. (14:31) Scaling innovation is tricky, even for large companies. (16:57) Old survey designs create noise and reduce data quality. (20:44) Human touch remains vital in interpreting client reporting. (23:17) Situational research helps with product innovation and demand space. (26:28) AI co-pilots are creating significant momentum in the research industry. (29:56) Research now stands at the forefront of the data ecosystem. Resources Mentioned: Delineate Website Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to George London, Chief Technology Officer of Upwave. George shares insights into the complexities of the advertising ecosystem, the role of data in campaign optimization and the parallels between financial and ad markets. Key Takeaways: (02:14) From philosophy to data leadership.(05:34) Persistence and adaptability shaped George's path to CTO.(08:15) Causal inference helps Upwave provide reliable insights for large media investments.(11:32) Rigorous measurement turns $10M in ad spend into $20M in value.(13:10) Daily insights from Upwave simplify complex national ad campaigns.(15:12) Actionable insights drive Upwave's mission to optimize brand investments.(16:23) Targeted surveys reveal brand impact across specific ad campaigns.(17:59) The ad ecosystem spans brands, publishers and a complex chain of intermediaries.(20:36) Generative AI powers Upwave's automated ad reporting with Trade Desk.(22:47) Advertising shares dynamics with financial markets, including bidding and price discovery. Resources Mentioned: UpWaveTrade Desk Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks with J. Walker Smith, Knowledge Lead at Kantar. They discuss shifting consumer sentiments, the paradox of strong spending amid uncertainty and changes in market insights. Key Takeaways: (02:14) Experience in trends and futures at Kantar aids in predicting consumer values. (04:37) Consumer spending is strong, but sentiment is recessionary amid uncertainty. (07:57) Consumers seek familiarity and reassurance from brands over novelty. (10:55) Consumers prefer brands focused on well-being and personalization. (13:55) Gen Z prioritizes mental health and values digital convenience. (17:20) Gen Z's tech-driven shopping requires marketing to algorithms. (19:33) Curating market data to refine key insights and filter noise. (21:48) AI will automate research tasks, shifting insights to focus on growth. (25:36) Future insights roles will prioritize strategic growth over pure research. Resources Mentioned: Kantar Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa speaks with Darrell Bricker, Chief Executive Officer, Public Affairs at Ipsos. They discuss the evolving landscape of public opinion research, the role of emotional connection in politics, and the shifting global demographics shaping our future. Key Takeaways: (02:30) Mentorship and opportunity shape a meaningful career in polling. (05:01) Public affairs research centers on understanding citizens, not consumers. (06:58) Global polling now offers real-time insights into worldwide issues. (08:43) Mobile phones enable global polling access, even in remote areas. (10:28) Decline in deference empowers citizens to challenge authority. (12:56) Political volatility rises as traditional party loyalty declines. (15:04) Constant skepticism in research strengthens accuracy and reliability. (16:29) Emotional connection now outweighs rationality in political appeal. (19:21) A public affairs career thrives on social science and global curiosity. (22:13) Global population is set to peak mid-century, then decline rapidly. (25:42) Urbanization and women's evolving roles contribute to lower birth rates. Resources Mentioned: Ipsos Empty Planet: The Shock of Global Population Decline Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech #publicopinion

On this episode, host Sima Vasa welcomes Michael Winnick, Founder and CEO of dscout. They discuss his journey in the worlds of product, design and technology. Michael shares insights on how patience and persistence shaped his entrepreneurial journey and how dscout helps companies conduct innovative, real-time research. Key Takeaways: (02:45) Michael's journey from startups to founding dscout. (07:16) Democratizing research with new technology. (10:32) How UX and design align with research. (14:24) Adapting products to market shifts. (17:51) Managing the balance between ambition and patience. (21:15) The challenge of bringing products to market. (23:44) The importance of building a great team. (26:02) Success comes from customer impact. Resources Mentioned: The Nielsen Norman Group IDEO Stanford d.school Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Matt Celuszak, Co-Founder and CEO of Element Human, about the intersection of AI and human behavior. Together they explore how data can drive better brand engagement. Matt shares his insights on understanding human emotions and reactions, focusing on attention data and using behavioral understanding to create memorable, impactful campaigns. Key Takeaways: (03:39) AI-driven insights help marketers understand how human emotions affect engagement. (07:15) Attention and stopping power are crucial for creating lasting brand impressions. (11:03) Combining human behavior with data drives personalized marketing strategies. (14:24) Emotional response correlates with memorability and purchase intent. (19:00) Real-world behavioral responses provide complementary data to standard metrics. (23:15) Balancing creators' authenticity with brand messaging is key to successful influencer marketing. (28:10) The staying power of content is as critical as initial engagement in brand building. (31:30) Understanding the emotional impact of content helps brands connect more effectively with consumers. Resources Mentioned: Element Human homepage Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Tim Hoskins, President of Quester, and Brett Townsend, Senior Vice President of Strategy at Quester, about the future of insights and how to drive meaningful change in the industry. Brett and Tim share revelations from their book, “Insights on the Brink,” and discuss how empathy, emotion and storytelling play critical roles in creating impactful business decisions. Key Takeaways: (03:45) Empathy and emotion are vital for creating successful consumer insights. (07:22) It's not just about data — turning it into actionable insights is where the magic happens. (10:15) Business strategy should go hand in hand with insights to drive meaningful results. (13:55) Consumer conflict is what drives great storytelling and effective solutions. (17:05) Data-driven decision-making requires a shift in mindset and processes. (21:30) Asking challenging questions can push companies to innovate and break from the status quo. (24:12) High-end consultative insights are critical to providing value in a fast-evolving market. (27:45) The future of insights is in combining talent, empathy and technology to deliver impactful stories. Resources Mentioned: “Insights on the Brink” on Amazon Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Kai Stübane, Solution Chief Revenue Officer for SAP CX for Middle and Eastern Europe, about the evolving role of customer experience (CX) in driving business success. Key Takeaways: (00:06) Kai's journey from PwC to SAP. (01:21) CX covers all customer touchpoints. (03:33) SAP uses data to improve CX. (05:48) CX boosts top-line revenue. (09:00) Global shift toward automation and self-service. (13:03) Personalization is critical to customer satisfaction. (16:48) AI's growing role in customer experience. (17:45) Focus on CX leads to market growth. (21:00) Clean data is crucial for AI and automation. Resources Mentioned: SAP CX Solutions FlixBus Greyhound Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Eugene Murphy, Founder and CEO of Indeemo, who shares insights on how Indeemo is revolutionizing digital ethnography and qualitative research through innovative video solutions. Key Takeaways: (00:06) Eugene's journey from engineering to founding Indeemo. (02:03) Creating a seamless user experience for all ages. (04:12) Pivoting Indeemo from a social app to a research tool. (08:01) The power of mobile ethnography in market research. (14:07) The importance of capturing authentic customer moments via video. (18:15) Video is more impactful than traditional research methods. (20:06) A seamless user experience is crucial for respondent engagement. (24:15) Generative AI enhances the scalability of video research. (27:00) Teaching clients to create effective, consistent prompts for research. Resources Mentioned: Indeemo Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks with Vittorio Raimondi, CEO and Founder/Managing Partner of Foresight Strategy, about the intricacies of leadership, data analytics and the power of creativity and curiosity in driving business success. Key Takeaways: (04:30) Using system dynamics to effectively model complex business environments. (06:45) Mapping consumer journeys to uncover key opportunities for growth. (09:00) How holistic insights are leveraged by big brands such as Hewlett Packard and Coca-Cola.  (12:15) The importance of being data-agnostic and tailoring solutions to meet client needs. (16:00) Creativity and curiosity are crucial elements for delivering innovative solutions. (18:45) The challenge of hiring talent that combines both analytical and creative problem-solving skills. (22:30) AI as a tool to enhance efficiency while ensuring human-driven insights remain integral. (24:00) The need for leadership evolution in supporting a skilled and growing team. Resources Mentioned: Foresight Strategy System Dynamics Society McKinsey & Company Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa is joined by Priscilla McKinney, CEO and Founder of Little Bird Marketing, to discuss the evolving landscape of market research, the importance of digital transformation and the value of strong client relationships. Key Takeaways: (03:10) Pivoting to new verticals drives success. (03:28) Deepening relationships with existing clients is key. (04:39) CEOs must confront and manage their fears. (05:09) Entrepreneurs need to overcome fear and seize opportunities. (06:09) Branding in market research is evolving rapidly. (07:48) Demonstrating value in terms of revenue is essential. (10:09) Upskilling is crucial for staying relevant. (12:24) Digital transformation enhances team collaboration and engagement. (14:30) Visibility and relationships are vital for success. (16:42) Emotional intelligence plays a key role in business relationships. (19:54) Small favors can have a big impact in business. (20:24) Collaboration doesn't always have to be a big deal. Resources Mentioned: Little Bird MarketingSuzyDigital Transformation Success Podcast Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa welcomes Andrew Moffatt, CEO and Co-Founder of Qrious Insight, to explore the evolution of data analytics, the impact of AI and the future of market research. Andrew discusses how the integration of behavioral data with advanced analytics is transforming the way businesses understand and engage with their audiences.  Key Takeaways: (01:19) Andrew reflects on 25 years in market research.(03:07) Founding Qrious Insight and its evolution.(06:20) The importance of behavioral data for accurate insights.(12:53) Informing ad placement with behavioral data.(18:25) High retention rates in behavioral data tracking.(27:31) Generational differences in data privacy and acceptance.(34:30) AI's transformative role in data analytics.(36:00) The future potential of synthetic data models.(37:00) Bridging insights and marketing with behavioral data. Resources Mentioned: Paradigm SampleSima VasaQrious Insight website Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Steve Bagdasarian, Chief Commercial Officer of Comscore, Inc., to explore the evolution of ad measurement and the convergence of traditional and digital media. Key Takeaways: (02:00) Measurement data offers competitive advantages.(02:05) Media strategy is now driven by actionable data.(04:00) The importance of continual curiosity and adaptation in the media industry.(06:51) Ad formats are evolving, with short-form video and creator-led content gaining traction.(08:07) The shift toward outcome-oriented advertising.(09:19) The role of data regulation and consumer privacy.(10:23) The impact of signal loss on advertising strategies.(15:04) Cross-platform measurement is crucial for optimizing media mix.(18:00) Real-time data processing enhances programmatic advertising efficiency.(20:03) AI's future role in ad and media measurement. Resources Mentioned: Comscore Publishers Clearing House Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa welcomes Holland Martini, Chief Insights Officer of GOODQUES, who shares her journey and insights on revolutionizing market research through creativity and human-centric methods. Key Takeaways: (00:00) Holland emphasizes the importance of being comfortable with discomfort. (03:31) The role of data at GOODQUES is not just to validate but to inspire.  (04:53) Luck and timing played a significant role in GOODQUES' early success.  (07:00) Considering every individual involved in the research process is crucial.  (07:42) The foundation of human-centricity at GOODQUES, from brief to delivery.  (14:30) Crafting questions in colloquial language leads to better responses.  (22:42) Casting moderators who resonate with respondents improves insights.  (26:13) Understanding different disciplines while being an expert in one is key. (30:00) Saying no to projects that don't fit maintains focus and quality. Resources mentioned: GOODQUES Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Alex Hunt, CEO of Behaviorally, about the transformative role of technology in the market research industry and how Behaviorally leverages AI and digital tools to innovate data insights. Key Takeaways: (00:54) Technology's inevitable impact on industries. (03:16) Alex's shift to pioneering behavioral sciences. (05:36) Enhancing decision-making through packaging insights. (07:59) Digital methodologies boost efficiency and cut costs. (09:00) AI's role in improving predictive accuracy. (10:27) The importance of ethical standards during change. (13:25) Developing predictive models with feedback data. (15:20) Handling organizational resistance to change. (17:32) AI's future role in market research transformation. (19:50) Leadership aligned with technological advancements. Resources Mentioned: Behaviorally Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks with Georgina Nelson, CEO and Founder of TruRating. They delve into the transformative role of consumer feedback in retail and how Georgina's varied career path contributed to her innovative approach to business. Key Takeaways: (01:39) Georgina's journey from psychology to law. (03:00) Reliable consumer data is vital. (04:07) Career twists and following intuition. (06:46) Greetings in retail boost sales. (07:26) Integrating feedback with payment terminals. (09:24) Impact of store greetings on loyalty. (12:00) Ethical data use and supporting charities. (14:10) The challenges of tech in traditional retail. (17:49) TruRating's growth and scalability. (19:48) Purpose-driven ethics in business. Resources Mentioned: TruRating Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa welcomes Rick West, Co-Founder and CEO of Field Agent. They delve into Rick's journey from a significant tenure at Procter & Gamble to establishing Field Agent, a company at the forefront of retail and consumer data innovation. The discussion uncovers how Rick's strategic use of corporate severance as seed money laid the foundation for Field Agent's success, the company's growth through acquisitions and the pivotal role of technology in reshaping retail analytics. Rick's insights provide a comprehensive look at the evolution of consumer data collection and its impact on retail strategies. Key Takeaways: (02:15) Rick West reflects on the leap from Procter & Gamble to entrepreneurship. (05:40) Insight into FieldAgent's innovative start and market impact. (11:20) Rick discusses using severance as seed money for business ventures. (15:30) Expansion of FieldAgent through strategic acquisitions and technology. (20:45) The crucial role of consumer engagement in data collection. (25:50) Adaptation of retail to technological advancements and consumer expectations. (30:10) The importance of mobile tech in enhancing retail experiences. (33:25) Rick emphasizes the value of real-time data in retail decision-making. (35:40) Looking ahead: The future of retail analytics and consumer data. Resources Mentioned: Field Agent Procter & Gamble Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa sits down with Chris Havemann, CEO of RealityMine, to explore the evolution of data collection and its impact on market research. Chris shares experiences gained from his journey in the insights industry, highlighting the shift from survey data to behavioral data collection. Key Takeaways: (01:18) The beginnings of Chris Havemann's entrepreneurial journey. (02:12) Chris transitioned from a corporate career to starting his own business and pivoted from the mobile channel to Research Now. (03:09) The growth and success of Research Now and Chris's personal break before joining RealityMine. (08:27) RealityMine's focus is on revealing real-life behaviors through passive metering technology. (10:04) The significant role mobile device usage plays in understanding consumer behavior. (14:05) Discussion on the insights industry's approach to respondent experience and the potential for AI to transform data analysis. (17:25) RealityMine appoints a chief AI officer and the impact of AI on the insights industry. (21:04) Scenario planning for the future use of AI and synthetic data in market research. (23:01) Chris Havemann's perspective on the future of advertising and the concentration of media power. Resources Mentioned: RealityMine Website Research Now Website Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #Restech

On this episode of Data Gurus, Sima Vasa and Patrick Comer, Co-Founders of restecher, delve into the intricacies of the Restech industry. They discuss how it's reshaping market research, integrating new technologies and influencing business strategies. Their conversation highlights the impact of the Restech landscape on traditional research methods and the emerging role of AI in decision-making processes, offering a unique perspective on the intersection of technology and market insights. Key Takeaways: (01:24) Highlighting the growing importance of Restech in market research. (02:14) Recent developments in mergers, acquisitions and funding in the Restech arena. (03:05) Restech has played a significant role in redefining the market research industry. (06:09) Company roles and identities within the Restech space continue to evolve. (07:59) Reinforcing the value of traditional market research in the face of technological advancements. (10:01) AI exhibits potential — but also challenges — in market research and insights generation. (12:37) What impact has AI had on brand and research agency relationships? (14:26) How veteran research agencies can adapt and utilize historical data in the AI age. (17:33) Continuous technological advancements and their implications in market research. (19:13) Precise decision-making is critical in an AI-influenced research environment. Resources Mentioned: Restech Landscape Restech Website Post your thoughts, using hashtag #restech. Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX #restech

On this episode, host Sima Vasa sits down with Arman Eshraghi, CEO and Founder of Qrvey, for an in-depth conversation about revolutionizing data analytics through seamless integration of collection, analysis and automation processes. Arman unveils the unique capabilities of Qrvey, highlighting its role in enhancing SaaS applications with advanced embedded business analytics. Key Takeaways: (01:15) Sima Vasa introduces Qrvey's transformative role in data analytics. (05:20) The pivotal role embedded analytics plays in SaaS application insights. (10:30) The advantages of Qrvey's OEM model for external analytics. (15:45) Overcoming in-house development challenges with Qrvey. (20:55) Tailoring analytics solutions to industry-specific needs. (25:40) Analytics as a strategic tool in SaaS decision-making. (30:50) Success stories from businesses that have adopted Qrvey. (35:30) Qrvey's vision for the future of data analytics. Resources Mentioned: Qrvey Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Steve Phillips, Founder and CEO of Zappi, about pioneering automation and artificial intelligence in market research to enhance consumer insight efficiency and quality. Key Takeaways: (01:10) The origin of Zappi for efficient consumer insights. (02:22) Zappi's evolution toward quality and meta analytics. (03:24) Strategy shifts addressing early challenges. (06:24) The transition to technology-driven solutions. (08:54) Their future as a SAS company with AI integration. (11:18) Managing innovation in a rapidly evolving industry. (13:32) Shifting to a data company for richer insights. (15:49) The future of primary research and consumer behavior understanding. (17:57) Broadening the definition of market research. Resources Mentioned: Zappi Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks with Amishi Takalkar, Co-Founder and CEO of NAILBITER, exploring the transformative role of video in capturing authentic shopper behaviors and insights. Key Takeaways: (01:30) Amishi journeyed from an aspiring VJ at MTV India to the CEO of NAILBITER. (02:17) Amishi's career evolution, specifically her roles at Frito Lay and AOL, and how experiencing both client and supplier sides of the industry affected her. (06:03) The inception of NAILBITER, aimed at observing consumers' decision-making processes in real-time. (08:14) Utilizing video as a primary tool for gathering unfiltered shopper insights. (10:06) NAILBITER's unique approach in tagging and quantifying vast consumer data from videos. (14:00) Product placement and retail strategies significantly impact sales and consumer choices. (17:19) The shift in retailer dynamics and the increasing significance of shopper insights. (20:27) The evolving nature of consumer behavior in an omnichannel shopping environment. (24:31) The impact of COVID-19 on shopper behavior and the need for adaptable strategies. (26:19) The integration and challenges of AI in market research. Resources Mentioned: NAILBITER Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX

On this episode, host Sima Vasa welcomes Panayotis Gezerlis, Founder and President of Convert Group, to delve into the evolution of retail and e-commerce through data analytics and transparency. Key Takeaways: (02:25) The shift from consulting to data-driven retail strategies. (06:32) The importance of tactical decision-making in marketing and sales. (06:59) Budget redirection towards e-commerce in leading companies. (11:15) Retail media's influence on consumer behavior. (13:48) Utilizing retail media and basket information for customer targeting. (14:14) The critical role of sales decomposition in retail. (16:56) The future of retail with AI chatbot technology. (17:19) Launching user-friendly text advice platforms for retail decisions. Resources Mentioned: Convert Group Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX

On this episode, host Sima Vasa welcomes Ben Hookway, CEO of Relative Insight, who delves into the intricacies of leveraging language analytics and unstructured text data to drive business insights. Key Takeaways: (07:54) Exploring the innovation behind comparative linguistic analysis and its practical applications in various industries. (13:49) Comparing age groups uncovers critical differences in language. (17:25) Understanding the relevance of context in language and how it influences consumer interactions and behaviors. (21:45) The importance of guiding clients through integrating new technology and ensuring they derive value from data and solutions. (35:48) As technology becomes mainstream, there's a need to balance cutting-edge solutions with basic, user-friendly applications to accommodate varying customer needs. Resources Mentioned: Relative Insight Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX

On this episode, host Sima Vasa is joined by Matt Britton, Founder and CEO of Suzy, for an enlightening conversation about the direction the market-research industry is headed and how leaders evolve with it. Sima and Matt discuss: - The lagging adoption of new technologies, and how resulting inefficiencies get passed on to the consumer. - Generational changes that signal a greater willingness to implement digital tools.  - How failure to evolve is often the result of current leaders' resistance to change. - How AI will continue to shape the industry in new ways as technology improves. - How to maintain research integrity and methodological fundamentals while also allowing space for industry evolution. Matt's startup experience demonstrates the delicate balancing act that current industry leaders must perform, avoiding the bleeding edge of innovation without being perceived as falling behind. Resources - Suzy - Infinity Squared - Infinity Squared - LinkedIn Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions

In this episode, Francesco Guglielmino, CEO of Cuebiq, joins host, Sima Vasa, to discuss the evolution of location data and prioritizing consumer privacy. Key Takeaways: (03:49) Implementing a privacy framework with consent tracking and a withdrawal option, despite challenges. (12:22) How younger generations show greater willingness to use digital tools. (13:25) Doing the right thing and why it means making tough decisions without reward. (15:21) When products are free, users' data is the product. (20:01) Why weaknesses in the anonymity of location data require solutions. (24:32) Deploying a system to remove all data of users potentially underage. (27:06) Why Francesco's platform allows clients to customize analytics while protecting privacy. (30:04) Handling location data remains challenging and expensive. Resources Mentioned: Spectus Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation  #Acquisitions #MRX

On this episode, host Sima Vasa welcomes Basel Fakhoury, CEO and Co-Founder of User Interviews, for an enlightening conversation about Basel's work in improving data acquisition specificity. During their conversation, Basel and Sima discuss: - Using data to uncover needs in the market to better cater products and services to a particular niche. - The lessons Basel and his team learned from their first failed startup, and how that experience helped build User Interviews. - How finding the right survey respondents, rather than using a random sample, can provide more substantive and relevant data. - Why AI is an aid to finding human respondents rather than a threat to human-centric data. - The potential for growth in the data research industry. Basel and his team's journey is an excellent case study of both the power of data in the present as well as the industry's future trajectory. Resources Mentioned: - User Interviews - Infinity Squared - Infinity Squared - LinkedIn Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions #MRX

On this episode, host Sima Vasa is joined by Dr. Loubna Bouarfa, CEO and Founder of OKRA.ai and Member of the Board of Advisors of the Oxford Internet Institute, who shares her unique perspective on the ethical questions around the increasing capabilities of AI technology. Sima and Dr. Bouarfa discuss the following: - How different business models can leverage new technologies to either improve or harm society. - Why transparency in AI development and implementation is essential to maintaining consumer protections. - How aligning the incentives of regulatory bodies and technology developers can create natural safeguards against harmful business models.  - The neutral nature of technology and the potential it holds for both positive and negative implementation. Dr. Bouarfa's work puts her on the frontier of technological development and gives her a unique insight into the future of data acquisition and consumer privacy as new AI tools are rolled out. - OKRA.ai - Oxford Internet Institute - Sima Vasa - Infinity Squared - Infinity Squared - LinkedIn Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions

On this episode, host Sima Vasa is joined by Thomas Zoëga Ramsøy, Founder and CEO of Neurons, to hear how he and his team are using large data sets to build AI models that can predict human behavior. In their conversation, Thomas and Sima discuss: - How a public methodology can build consumer trust in the data acquisition industry. - The intersection of data science and neuroscience in building predictive AI models. - The differences between a predictive AI model and a generative AI model. - Divergences between data sets collected in a lab setting and data sets gathered in real-world situations. - Limits on what current AI technology is capable of, and the possible limits of future AI tools. - Ideal use cases for designers and marketers using different kinds of AI tools. Although the technology is still evolving, the methodology Thomas' organization is using to push predictive AI forward holds a world of possibilities for data scientists and digital marketers. - Neurons  - Sima Vasa - Infinity Squared - Infinity Squared - LinkedIn Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Rob Pace, Founder and CEO of HundredX, about using data in a mission-driven organization to drive positive outcomes for both the business and the community. Rob and Sima discuss the following: - A business has to be profitable to provide the resources needed to pursue goals aligned with its mission. - Outcomes-based systems are often more effective than product-based systems of organization. - Prioritizing short-term success will inevitably affect the ability to find long-term success. - Aligning the needs of the community with the incentives of the business provides common interests that drive organizational success. - In an environment of mistrust around data and privacy, community collaboration builds relationships between consumers and data organizations that benefit both parties. - Data collection businesses should work with their community partners, not against them. - HundredX - Sima Vasa - Infinity Squared - Infinity Squared - LinkedIn Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions

On this episode, host Sima Vasa is joined by Chris Barry, CEO of HumanListening™ at The Evolved Group, who discusses the role of AI tools, specifically large language learning models, in data research. Chris and Sima discussed the following in relation to AI and data acquisition: - The ability of AI to elicit better responses from consumers than human surveyors. - Why feedback of extremes is easier to come by than more measured feedback. - How conversational AI can be used to explore the drivers behind customer responses. - Adaptive AI personas that can be rolled out to better engage with specific demographics. - The non-judgemental nature of AI chatbots that provokes better feedback on sensitive topics. - The relationship between AI research tools and the expertise and skill of human researchers. In the evolving digital landscape, the best researchers marry human expertise with digital efficiency. - The Evolved Group - HumanListening™ - Sima Vasa - Infinity Squared - Infinity Squared - LinkedIn Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #MA #Data #Strategy #Innovation #Acquisitions

This episode features a conversation between Sima Vasa, CEO and Founder of Infinity Squared Ventures, and John Bremer, President of Phantom 4 Solutions, at a virtual event hosted by Numerator and moderated by Bob Fawson. John and Sima provide insights into the evolution of data collection and analytics in a rapidly-changing consumer landscape. They discuss: - How the real applications of new technologies often outpace their intended use cases, overextending these tech assets. - Human expertise can't effectively be replaced by digital tools. - Shifting consumer preferences and behaviors continuously alter which data collection methods are most effective, and which ones are losing their usefulness. In an environment where technologies and standard practices are in constant flux, leaders in the data acquisitions space have to stay adaptable to find continued success. - Bob Fawson - Infinity Squared - Numerator - Numerator - LinkedIn Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #M&A #Data #Strategy #Innovation

In this episode, host Sima Vasa is pleased to welcome Michalis Michael, CEO at DMR Group, who shares the work his organization is doing with AI to be more efficient in both gathering and analyzing market data. Michalis shared some important insights on the evolution of AI: - AI can be categorized into different types: Narrow AI and Strong AI. - Narrow AI includes machine learning models and is a useful data analytics tool. - Machine learning models are most effective when they're trained from human inputs, which still leaves some room for subjectivity in the final results. - AI is not a silver bullet but a time-saving tool that more efficiently aggregates and categorizes massive amounts of data. As Michalis tells it, the best AI tools still require a human touch to implement them in a meaningful use case. - DMR - Sima Vasa - Infinity Squared - Infinity Squared - LinkedIn Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #M&A #Data #Strategy #Innovation

On this episode, Sima is joined by Anouar El Haji, Founder and CEO at Veylinx, a behavioral insights platform for answering critical business questions during all stages of product innovation. Topics discussed include: - Anouar's background and career path. - The evolution of economics from being strictly theoretical to being scientifically tested. - The inherent bias in conducting hypothetical surveys as market research. - Measuring demand by studying subjects with a financial stake tied to their answers. - Why the good nature of humans is detrimental to conducting scientific research studies. - The ways AI could completely change the market research space without the industry proactively adding safeguards. Resources:  https://veylinx.com/ Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to subscribe so you never miss another insightful conversation. #Analytics #M&A #Data #Strategy #Innovation #MRX 

Sima is delighted to talk with Gordon Allott today! Gordon is the President and CEO of BroadPeak Partners LLC, the company that developed the K3 software. Today's discussion takes a slightly different turn as we introduce Gordon, who is working on various aspects of data. The work done at BroadPeak brings a fresh perspective on the use of data in today's digital age. So, join us as we delve into Gordon's journey and learn about BroadPeak's unique approach to data integration and analysis! Gordon's bio Gordon Allott is the president and CEO of BroadPeak Partners, developer of the K3. K3 is software that takes data from anywhere, allows users to transform, filter, and unify through an intuitive UI, and send it anywhere. Before founding BroadPeak, Gordon was a consultant and attorney in the financial sector. That included advising a wide variety of bulge-bracket banks and hedge funds on derivatives trading. Gordon led the energy trading and risk groups for Sapient, delivering trading projects for Duke, Constellation, JPMorgan, Chevron, and others. Prior to Sapient, he was part of a startup (KWI), leading the USA as VP of Business Development and VP then Asia Pac (now Alstom). Gordon practiced as a derivatives attorney, has a JD from the University of Denver, and a BA from Drake University. About BroadPeak BroadPeak is a data integration consultancy that started in 2007. They specialize in extracting data from different systems, merging and blending data, and creating data pipelines. In 2013-2014, they created a data pipeline platform called K3, which allows employees to use a low-code approach to create connections to various data sources, merge, blend, and clean the data to make it analytically ready. K3 is now commercially available and used by 70 Fortune 500 companies.  BroadPeak's area of focus Broadpeak focuses on helping large corporations extract data from old and painful systems to make it meaningful. They are continuing to move forward in the new data era. Their primary target Their primary target is operational people with real operational goals and the need to get things done for the enterprise. They offer low-code tools that democratize the data integration process enabling non-coders to connect to APIs and extract data from different systems. BroadPeak has a secret value proposition BroadPeak aims to solve the problem of IT teams building their own tools by putting the power in the hands of the people who need it most. They offer a solution through their K3 data pipeline platform, which allows companies to extract data without needing a developer. The platform is a secret value proposition for Broadpeak, as they aim to enable businesses to extract data quickly and efficiently without relying on IT teams. Examples of the various dimensions of work being done at BroadPeak One example is creating daily or hourly P&L reports, with explanations of changes, instead of waiting until the end of the month. Another example is marrying two sets or three sets of data together, which often runs into data quality issues. Their goal is to create an analytical or data control framework that can handle unknown challenges, such as cleaning up data or stitching it together. BroadPeak helps customers assess their challenges Gordon believes that many companies want to sell software without providing any ongoing support to achieve business outcomes. However, the pressure is on for teams to get answers quickly, and delays can result in missed opportunities. BroadPeak helps its customers assess their challenges and develop viable solutions using their platform, teaching them how to use it effectively. Once the customer learns how to use the platform, it becomes easy to move forward. A streaming rules engine BroadPeak has a streaming rules engine that creates case statements using WHEN THEN ELSE statements. That helps with edge cases that take up time,

Sima is happy to have Venkat Venkataramani joining her for today's episode of Data Gurus! Venkat is the CEO and Co-founder of Rockset.  Venkat shares his background, dives into the benefits of real-time data analytics and cloud-based infrastructure, and discusses the interesting work they are doing at Rockset. Biography Venkat Venkataramani is CEO and Co-founder of Rockset. In his role, Venkat helps organizations build, grow, and compete with data by making real-time analytics accessible to developers and data teams everywhere. Before he founded Rockset, he was an Engineering Director for the Facebook infrastructure team managing online data services for 1.5 billion users. These systems scaled 1000x during his eight years at Facebook, serving five billion queries per second at single-digit millisecond latency and five 9s of reliability. Before joining Facebook, Venkat worked on tools to make the Oracle database easier to manage. Venkat's background Before he founded Rockset, Venkat managed online data infrastructure for Facebook between 2007 and 2015. He was fortunate to work with some amazing people and learned a lot from them. His team was responsible for building, scaling, and maintaining a set of services on which Facebook's online products had been built. When he started, Facebook had around thirty or forty million monthly active users, and when he left, there were about a billion-and-a-half active users.  What makes Venkat the proudest What Venkat feels proudest of, having been part of the Facebook online data infrastructure, are all their product launches, and their transition from web to mobile.  Facebook's Like button The load and demand on Facebook's data infrastructure were completely different before and after the installation of the Like button. So they had to keep on innovating and pushing the envelope. The Facebook Newsfeed Most people are surprised to hear that before 2008, the Facebook Newsfeed only got updated once a day! How real-time data has transformed business Real-time data allows people to know what is happening in the present moment. Before the advent of real-time data, strategic decisions were all intuition or experience-based rather than data-driven, and that caused many problems.  Facebook's shift to real-time data During the eight years Venkat spent with Facebook, he saw the shift to real-time data happening across every aspect of the back end of Facebook. The benefits of the cloud The cloud allows everyone to have accessibility without having any specific kind of software or infrastructure within an organization. That enables every company to be a potential client.  Rockset's orientation Rockset's orientation is cloud, whereas other companies are still transitioning and moving toward the cloud. The benefits of cloud-only infrastructure Cloud-only infrastructure allows businesses to access fast and fresh real-time data analytics. The storage separation of the cloud makes it possible to build massively scalable and very efficient real-time databases and platforms that can be easily and cost-effectively scaled up or down, depending on the demand. About Rockset Rockset is cloud-only, so it requires neither downloads nor installation. All their customers have to do is create an account and explain where their data sources are, and Rockset will automatically transform their data into fast sequel tables.  Why do businesses prefer real-time data? Working with cloud-based real-time data streams makes it much quicker and simpler for businesses to scale, monitor their business metrics, eliminate risk, build better products for their customers, and save revenue that could potentially have been lost. Links: Email me your thoughts Sima@Infinity-2.com LinkedIn Twitter Infinity-2.com Venkat Venkataramani on LinkedIn Rockset

Sima is delighted to have Henry Hays joining her on the podcast today! Henry is the energetic and inspiring Co-founder and Disruptor at Henry Hays Consulting. In this episode of Data Gurus, Henry dives into the concept of disruptive innovation. Biography Henry spent most of his adult life in sales and sales leadership- mainly in pharmaceuticals and biotech. He started in the late 1990s and had the good fortune to get promoted to several different roles where he gained a good sense of the business. His break came when he was recruited away from a comfortable job by his professional mentor, and he literally said “yes” before even learning what he was supposed to sell! Within five years, they had grown the company (Avanir Pharmaceuticals) to the point where it was acquired. That gave Henry resources and choice, so he chose that point to step away from the hamster wheel pace. It happened at the time when the first few Blockbuster Video stores began closing, which was crazy for Henry. So he dove head-first into disruptive innovation and has remained in that space since then. Henry's background Henry describes himself as a lifelong sales guy. He has always been extroverted, so he loves interacting with others. After spending 22 years in the pharmaceutical and biotech industry, he had the opportunity in 2008 to help start a company in the Southern California area. After running the company for almost five years, it got purchased. Soon after, Henry's intellectual curiosity led him to find Clayton Christiansen, the Harvard teacher who came up with the concept of disruptive innovation. Henry was fascinated with Christiansen's ideas and decided to dedicate a good portion of his time to evangelizing about disruptive innovation.  Tremendous opportunity Society has been experiencing some radical shifts lately. As a result, disruptive innovation has taken on a different and more urgent tone, which provides a tremendous opportunity for business owners. Disrupting businesses Henry believes that if people are not disrupting their own businesses, someone else will do it for them. He feels that disruption is much easier for smaller businesses because they are more agile and less challenging to transform. A moment of doubt It is not unusual for disruptors to experience a moment of doubt and wonder if they have done the right thing.  Processing innovation and change  Henry has found that the further we get from our years of schooling, the harder it becomes for us to process new things that do not work for us immediately. Now, when he does not want to opt for some change, he seeks to understand the forces driving the change, why it is happening, who stands to lose, and when. That helps him detach from the emotion of the situation and look at it objectively. Disrupt Ready  Henry and two other partners recently started a company called Disrupt Ready. They provide simple, face-to-face technical education for legacy executives on how the blockchain works and help them facilitate a connection to the third-party tech players that match what they want. They designed Disrupt Ready with adult principles in mind. The Disruption Innovation Index Henry and his partners at Disrupt Connect came up with what they have called the Disruptive Innovation Index to help executives by giving them a sense of where they are as a company and as an individual. Links: Email me your thoughts Sima@Infinity-2.com LinkedIn Twitter Infinity-2.com Henry Hays Consulting Henry Hays on LinkedIn

Alon Chen, the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Tastewise, joins Sima today to share his career journey and dive into what they are doing at Tastewise. Biography: Alon Chen is a Co-Founder and serves as Chief Executive Officer at Tastewise. He is the developer of an artificial intelligence-based food intelligence platform designed to assist food and beverage businesses and brands. The company's platform works with food brands, manufacturers, ingredient companies, and flavor houses, including Nestlé, PepsiCo, Givaudan, Campbell's, and Kraft Heinz, to enhance new product development, build marketing strategies, and accelerate sales in retail and restaurants, enabling restaurants, hospitality groups, and food brands to make smarter decisions for a healthy, sustainable, and delicious future. Alon's journey Alon was born and raised in Israel. He started his first business at fifteen, building and selling computers. His first real job was at Google, looking after the search quality for Hebrew and then working with their marketing team. He was the Founder of Google Partners, the Google partner program for their advertising business. He soon realized he loved working with technology and facing business and marketing challenges. So that is what he does today with Tastewise. People Alon can program, develop code, and write code. But he prefers working with people. Technology Alon is passionate about technology! Current developments with AI keep him awake all night long, thinking of ways to use AI to improve the food system. What is Tastewise? Alon founded Tastewise in 2018. It is an enterprise solution to help the world's largest food brands digitize and transform their slow and tedious methods of understanding consumers and their consumption preferences and become more efficient with their product innovation lines. So Tastewise is essentially a data platform that collects data points from every single food delivery app and recipe app across the web to allow organizations to find out what consumers eat and drink, to help them move their new product launches from a 90% failure rate to a 100% success rate. Alon's idea for Tastewise Alon's idea for Tastewise started with his family members sending messages to his mom each week on their family Whatsapp group, telling her about their constantly-changing dietary preferences for their Shabbat dinners on Friday nights so that she did not have to prepare dishes no one would eat. He realized that the same thing was happening in the food industry too, with people's diets changing constantly. The food industry is slow to adapt and change, so he saw a great business opportunity to help brands understand the trends related to consumers' constantly changing food preferences and get to know which dishes consumers are making with the products they buy. The most difficult part The most difficult part of Alon's work is applying artificial intelligence to the subtle nuances of a given situation to get to know what consumers actually want. The technology One part of Tastewise's technology involves collecting vast amounts of data. Another is making sense of all the data. The last part is visualizing and conveying the findings to users and helping organizations move in the right direction.  The biggest challenge The biggest challenge to getting more acceptance, acceleration, and use of their new methodology has been explaining to end users why their data set is the right one. Service Tastewise is here to change the industry. So they do whatever it takes to drive value and help their customers.  Links: Email me your thoughts Sima@Infinity-2.com LinkedIn Twitter Infinity-2.com Tastewise Alon Chen on LinkedIn

Today, Pedro Almeida, the CEO and Co-founder of MindProber, joins Sima on the podcast to share his background and discuss the innovative work they are doing at MindProber.  Pedro's background Pedro studied social psychology with a strong emphasis on market research. As an undergrad, he worked as a research assistant at a small cognitive neuroscience lab and he later did an internship in social psychology. After graduating, he became a market research consultant while also pursuing his research on electrophysiology. His field of interest was effective processes, emotion, and populations with emotional impairment. Pedro did his Master's in experimental social psychology. He has always combined his two passions of applied psychology on the one hand and the business side of things on the other. Social psychology Social psychology is an experimental field. It looks at social cognition and processes, and how people make social inferences and process social information. That sometimes has to do with social identity- with how people build their social identity and interact with the social identity of others. Social psychology also provides a toolkit for those who want to go into market research and understand data.  Cognitive neuroscience Cognitive neuroscience is a field that looks at the neurobiological implementation of cognitive processes. In other words, what happens in the brain when we think. Even though people tend to make a distinction between cold cognition and hot emotion, all of those processes are still mental processes. MindProber Pedro and his business partner founded MindProber with the idea of taking the principles of consumer neuroscience (also known as neuromarketing) and applying them in business settings to understand whether or not certain messages were effective. They took the opportunity to start a consumer neuroscience company in Portugal back in 2010-2011 because there were none there at the time. Scaling consumer neuroscience There were hurdles to overcome because consumer neuroscience studies were expensive and non-scalable. So Pedro began thinking of ways to scale consumer neuroscience and make it faster and more agile.  Getting more input In 2012- 2013, Pedro came up with the idea of taking consumer neuroscience out of the lab and making it remote to make it more agile. He and his partner also started thinking of ways to get more physiological and behavioral input from people while they were on the floor, and came up with the idea of building a platform to allow them to get and distribute data, and centralize and synchronize it with something. Pedro was fortunate to know someone who could build a sensor to capture people's physical responses while they were in their homes. The platform The MindProbe platform has crystalized into becoming a way to access electro-dermal activity in scale, collected from whatever people get exposed to in their homes. The data The data provided by the MindProbe platform gives an objective, quantifiable, and valuable metric for understanding the quality of the impressions people are getting exposed to, and also the quality of people's involvement with that content. The sensor MindProbe rewards people for wearing a sensor while they watch television. The sensor is a small device that gets held in the hand while watching something, and people sometimes even forget that they are holding it. Sports tend to produce the highest emotional responses. Links: Email me your thoughts Sima@Infinity-2.com LinkedIn Twitter Infinity-2.com MindProber Pedro Almeida on LinkedIn   Pedro Almeida on Twitter (@Pedro_R_Almeida)

Reed Cundiff, the newly-appointed CEO of Sago (formerly the Schlesinger Group), joins Sima to talk about how he got to where he is in his career and the exciting journey ahead of him. Reed's story Reed cut his teeth as a marketing analyst. He spent about ten years tracking the enterprise resource planning industry and then moved to Microsoft, where he ran global insights for almost twelve years. After that, he had the opportunity at Kantar to head an integrated team that initially ran the North American business and later all of the Americas.  Becoming the CEO of Sago After managing the insights team at Kantar for a long time, learning a lot, and going through multiple business cycles, Reed jumped at the opportunity of becoming CEO of the Schlesinger Group, now known as Sago.  What attracted Reed to Schlesinger? Three things attracted Reed to the idea of running Schlesinger. The first was that he felt there was a lot he could learn from his role as a stand-alone CEO and from looking at the industry from a different angle. He liked the family-oriented culture of the business and was also fascinated with the opportunities that a business with that much breadth could offer. A challenge Ramping up on understanding what a complex business is was challenging for Reed. The macroeconomic headwinds in the market also made it hard for him to go in as a CEO in mid-November of 2022 and help his clients be as proactive as possible. Fortunately, Steve Schlesinger, the former CEO, did a great job of staying connected to the business and educating Reed rapidly while also giving him the space to step into the opportunity of his new role. Finding balance On an ideal day, Reed strives to balance three things:  Engaging internally and ensuring his teams have whatever they need to be successful and operate at peak performance.  Engaging with clients and ensuring he does not lose touch with any of them. Making sure he has the time to do his work and fit in some exercise. The changing landscape Reed finds this an exciting time to be an insights professional! He has found it interesting to see how technology has transformed how people do their work. He believes that the digital transformation of the industry will change the way the industry evolves. He feels that the volume and variety of raw materials that insights professionals take into their work will expand to include financial data, behavioral data, cultural data, location data, and more. So essentially, the raw materials and organizations are changing, and Reed hopes the way insights get delivered is also changing. Data science versus market research Reed neither favors data science over market research, nor vice versa, because he feels they are both needed to gain momentum in the market. Diversity, equity, and inclusion Reed feels that the industry, as a whole, is not yet where it needs to be in terms of diversity, equity, and inclusion. So the entire industry should commit to improving every day. What he intends to do at Sago is begin promoting from within and proactively ensuring that they have as diverse an applicant pool as possible. He also wants to support his employee research groups and make sure they facilitate open dialogues around gender equality, social inclusivity, mental health awareness, and other topics to ensure that all their employees can show up for work every day without being distracted. Links: Email me your thoughts! Sima@Infinity-2.com LinkedIn Twitter Infinity-2.com Sago Reed Cundiff on LinkedIn

Sima is happy to have Tim Clover, the CEO and Founder of Glow, and Sherry Frey, the VP of Wellness at Nielsen IQ, joining her on the show to dive into how consumers think about the planet, sustainability, and societal responsibility. About Tim Tim left management consulting almost ten years ago to start Glow, his research technology business. He started Glow to make it easy to get the consumer mindset into the boardroom, remove the layers of complexity using some automation throughout the process, and tie everything together. Tim has had a wonderful journey over the last few years and is very happy to work with Nielsen! What Sherry is doing at Nielsen IQ At Nielsen IQ, they refer to total wellness because consumers think about wellness in terms of their personal health and wellness, the health of the environment, and social responsibility. So they built a team at Nielsen that focuses on helping clients better understand the opportunities in the sustainability and social responsibility space, how to think about the business case, and where brands are regarding moving past business as usual toward sustainability. They also look at regeneration, improving the world, and providing a lot of measurement in that space. They are thrilled to have partners like Glow in their network to help them round out their client offering, give them a 360 view of what is happening in the store, and understand consumer perceptions.  Business people are also consumers Clients are business people, but they are also consumers. So they are also considering how to better care for themselves, their families, and the planet.  The pandemic The pandemic awakened many people to climate change and knowing there is a disparity around health and wellness. A growing consumer movement The consumer movement has been growing. More and more consumers are discussing the importance of sustainability and social responsibility. As a result, more brands and retailers are bringing offerings to consumers, which further elevates that awareness. Taking a leap As the Founder and CEO of Glow, Tim decided to take a leap and talk about the importance of sustainability and social responsibility. He decided to become an active player in measuring what consumers think about the social responsibility of different brands. As a CEO, he ensures that he builds a sustainable business from the inside out.  An increase in awareness There has been more awareness of sustainability and social responsibility from a consumer perspective. Sherry believes that the FMCG space is at the forefront in many cases. Brands are starting to see a business case for sustainability. So they understand they can do good for the planet and people while making a profit.  How Glow and Nielsen formed a partnership Several years ago, Glow met with Nielsen in Australia. Nielsen introduced Glow to colleagues in the US who had a technology outfit that could run product and market-related tests that they felt could be useful for Glow's customers. That ultimately led to Tim meeting with Sherry's team to pick it up and see if they could take it to market.  Nielsen was impressed with Glow for many reasons, including their approach. They appreciated getting a full view of whether or not consumers are actually doing what they say and understanding the gap if there is one. Sustainability has been driving results There is a secondary value that comes with sustainability that makes a brand more appealing. That has been driving results for many brands and retailers. Focusing on sustainability Focusing on sustainability can make businesses more sustainable from a financial standpoint.  Food and Grocery Report Glow tracks the measurement of more than 600 brands in various countries. They also take a comparative look at the performance of different industries. The recently-released Food and Grocery report provides context for food and groceries versus other ind...

Cliff Courtney, the President and CEO of Courtney180, joins Sima on the show today.  Cliff's journey Cliff comes from a marketing-driven background. He believes marketing is a good background for all companies. Specifically for him because he has worked predominantly in chief strategy officer roles in Omnicom agencies and then in chief marketing roles, also for Omnicom agencies. As a result, he had good scope for go-to-market plans and how to execute and sell them. Challenges The biggest challenges Cliff ever faced were how to de-commoditize the commoditized brands. (In other words, how to differentiate certain commonly-found items from other, similar items.) Another challenge he faces is that most brands are challenger brands that are competing with companies with bigger budgets and footprints and more impact. So to win these days, he has to be cagey and very smart when optimizing his media messaging.  The expanding sphere of influence of the CMO The sphere of influence of the CMO has expanded. Cliff believes that as that has happened, the view of the typical CMO has become too narrow because they regard performance marketing (data) as the be-all and end-all. He believes that all mediums of media performance should have a specified standard, and CMOs should focus more on their relationships with consumers. A disconnect in the data world Cliff sees a big disconnect in the world of data. On the one hand, we live in a world that is quantifiable, and big companies are crunching a lot of data. On the other hand, consumers are complex, messy, and emotional, so their decisions cannot always be quantified. Two things to consider when dealing with data There are two things Cliff advises people to be aware of when dealing with data. One is that data is one thing, but it is not the only thing. The other is not to get caught up in the “numbers do not lie” fallacy because even though data has a lot of value, numbers lie all the time. That is why Cliff advises people to ensure that data is only part of the mix rather than the whole thing. Looking backward Due to independent variables, data cannot be relied on to know what will happen next. That is why Cliff believes that data works best when looking backward.  Predictive analytics Cliff feels that predictive analytics is flawed because it is a forecast conclusion- not a foregone conclusion. Independent variables Independent variables cannot be controlled. Unexpected events may happen, and they could affect people's decisions. Data Cliff believes that data is valuable. However, it must only be a part of the puzzle instead of the whole puzzle. CEOs must have a feel for the market Steve Jobs based his decisions on his understanding of his brand, his read of the market, and his instincts, and his success rate was mostly flawless. So, even though data is necessary, CEOs must also know their customer and have a feel for the market.  The key to working with data The key to how to work with data lies in how you look at it and how you interpret it. So those who work with data need to be both intuitive and smart. Links: Email me your thoughts Sima@Infinity-2.com LinkedIn Twitter Infinity-2.com Courtney 180 Cliff Courtney on LinkedIn Cliff Courtney on Twitter

Today, Stephen Hahn-Griffiths, the Global Executive Vice President of Enterprise Growth for the RepTrak Company, joins Sima to discuss the history and measurement of reputation. They dive into what reputation is, what shapes it, how to measure it, and its consequences. Stephen's background Stephen was born and raised in the UK, and he has been living in the US since the end of the 1990s. He trained in science for many years and geared himself toward becoming a doctor. But just before he was about to go to medical school, he changed his mind for personal reasons and moved into the realm of branding and reputation.  He spent his formative years in the agency world. He joined the RepTrak Company eight years ago. He applies many of the skills he used in the agency world to what he does now at RepTrak.  Stephen's current focus Stephen currently focuses on the premise of reputation, what it is, what drives it, and how it can help elevate the success trajectory of companies. Reputation The concept of reputation, how to measure it, harness it, and capture it as a tangible life force, is only about 25 years old. However, conversations about branding have been happening for around a hundred years. The first written evidence of reputation The first written evidence of what is now known as reputation existed about 4,000 years ago, in ancient China.   The definition of reputation A reputation exists in the eye of the beholder. Your reputation is how people perceive you. That gets informed by everything you do and say.  Something interesting about reputation Something interesting about reputation is that it ultimately drives behavior. It lies at the heart of the decision-making process when people compare one company with another. Brand versus reputation Your brand is the promise you intend to keep, whereas your reputation is your assessment of whether or not that promise has been fulfilled. A disconnect A disconnect happens when a company has a high-powered brand story but falls short of people's expectations. That results in a decline in reputation.  Three simple parts Reputation can be broken down into three simple parts: How you feel Creating a rational foundation for your emotional belief How you feel and what you think drives your intended behavior Products and services For most companies, products and services are typically the most important driver of their reputation. Conduct and citizenship A company's conduct and citizenship often become the second most important driver of its reputation. Reputation can be an inhibitor or accelerator A physicist connected the dots and created a measurable outcome to help people understand and appreciate that reputation can either be an inhibitor or an accelerator for a business. A trigger point Whether they decide to do something about it or not, all companies care about their reputations because they understand that reputation is a trigger point for their accelerated success.  Fortune companies Fortune companies tend to fixate on their reputations because the stakes and consequences are much higher. Why reputation counts A company's reputation counts because people are looking to support and work for companies that operate fairly and make a concerted effort to make this world a better place to live. Reputation has become a full-contact sport Power has shifted from corporate and corporate brands to consumers. Stephen feels that that power shift has turned reputation into a full-contact sport because all companies are just one negative Tweet away from a potential crisis. So they now have to constantly focus on managing their reputations. Balancing purpose with profits Companies that balance being purposeful in the way they operate with being profitable tend to do much better in terms of their reputations.  The future of reputation management

Today, Sima joins Gary Laben, the former CEO of Dynata, and Jason Sobel, Head of U.S. Advisory, Evercore Partners, for a panel discussion hosted by Dynata on reinventing and reinvesting.  Sima's background Sima is a research practitioner. She worked on the supplier side early in her career and had some experience on the client side at IBM, understanding how people use information. Then she worked at the NPD Group before becoming an entrepreneur. She currently does advisory services and investment banking through Oberon Securities and has a podcast. Jason's background  For the last 25 years, Jason has been doing investment banking, mergers, and acquisitions in information media and marketing. Before that, he was a singer and songwriter.  Common threads that exist amongst companies that thrive in the current environment and any rapidly-changing environment. Sima feels that leadership and employee experience are critical to activate, motivate, and inspire people to produce good quality work. Since Covid, it has also become necessary to account for the mental component and look at the entire person and their life to inspire them to do good work. For companies to thrive in challenging times, Jason feels they must laser-focus on talent development. He also believes that companies must challenge their employees to innovate, be fearless, and go forth unafraid.  Leadership Leadership is no longer about command and control. It is about understanding where people are, meeting them there, and motivating them to do better.  Investors and buyers Now more than ever, investors and buyers look for focused teams that deliver value for shareholders or buyers. There is currently a lot more concern about risk and uncertainty. Sima feels that investors are asking for way too much right now.  What companies that are thriving in the information services world are doing In addition to employees, thriving data companies in the information services world are incorporating more and more AI, analytics, and technology to move up the value chain from descriptive to prescriptive data. That requires more data of all types to be fused, aggregated, synthesized, and integrated in real-time to form an accurate picture. Those companies are also being empathetic about what their clients are going through. So instead of just selling their world of data, they are being more consultative and understanding which other data assets they can infuse into their prescriptive recommendations and insights. Democratizing data Some companies are now looking at a layer of software that allows them to democratize a lot of data within an organization.  A tech-enabled services layer Companies and clients require customer service and help. Yet, Jason has found that many data and technology companies resist the tech-enabled service layer, even though it is a critical component. He feels that it is essential for companies to have a services layer to thrive. The four components that make for a good business in information services: Data Technology Domain expertise Services How do companies deliver value to investors? Investors are looking to drive long-term shareholder values. A long-term shareholder value is sustainable and has terminal value. That is a moat, which is what investors try to assess. So companies can deliver value to investors by looking for different sources of moats. Other things investors look for in information companies are barriers to entry and the sustainable shareholder value they can create.  Some other critical components that may be overlooked that investors look for in a business  Investors look for the value created in a business. They often look at the worst-case scenario and see there is something of value they can ultimately use to recoup their investment. Investors may also look at the agility of a business and its ability to respond.  Complacency Sometimes,

Today, Sima joins Mike Delaney, the Managing Partner of Court Square Capital Partners, and Gary Laben, the Former CEO of Dynata, on a panel discussion to discuss various issues related to the insights and marketing industry. What is the biggest obstacle and gaps you see for the insights and marketing industry moving forward? Sima thinks that the biggest challenges are getting used to all the change and managing all the available data. One of the biggest changes Gary has seen is how talent has been disrupted over the last few years. That has created an entirely different environment for acquisition, retention, growth, and development.  How are best practice companies dealing with how to work from home and culture? Gary believes that the values of a company define its culture. Mike believes that culture is singularly the most important thing that defines who will win in the marketplace. He has dealt with many leaders who feel that being in the office is essential for building a culture. However, many workers prefer to work from home. So the companies that tried to mandate going back into the office had to back off and opt for a more virtual environment because they had very high resignation rates. What should industry leaders focus on to ensure their success and help move the industry forward? Mike has seen marketing come a long way in terms of its importance to value creation within the enterprise. He feels that marketing has become a differentiator in how businesses can grow. However, there is so much data available now that typical marketing executives get overwhelmed by it, making it hard for them to take full advantage of it and consume it in a way that adds value to their businesses. So, industry leaders need to focus on making data more easily consumable for marketing executives and more tangible for them in terms of how it translates into actions.  Gary thinks leaders must determine the most important KPIs and use them in a disciplined way. How should leaders use various data sources to help them make better decisions? Sima thinks that all the data within an organization should exist culturally as part of that organization. She also thinks leaders need to consider the decisions they need to make and be disciplined in pulling in the right data sets to inform their decisions. What is Dynata doing to transform itself by connecting the insights and marketing industry to grow its addressable market? Dynata is on a journey to use its data in more places than originally intended. In creating more products and services, they have had to retool many technologies to make them fit for a broader application. They have to secure additional permissions to use that application and offer additional training to ensure their people understand where the business is going. They must also create an ecosystem that acknowledges where they are headed and extend their value proposition. Which skill sets are most critical for our industry? People need to take risks, be willing to fail, and be prepared to learn from failing. They also need to learn how to be comfortable outside their comfort zones and be prepared to do things that are data-driven and informed, even when those things are done in an entirely different way from how they were programmed to think about them. Coping with the current economic turbulence Everyone is always looking for higher rates of return. Many marketing departments and people running businesses are thinking about paying off some debts and ways to drive more earnings. Mike thinks we will see a re-rating of how much risk will cost, and people will be more willing to put capital into those investments. He believes that that will impact marketing. Fortunately, marketing budgets are getting more respect than they used to because the return on capital can now be proven.  Top predictions for the industry Gary thinks the industry will continue to expand and extend dat...