Rock n' Roll Research Podcast

Where in the world is Samiyyah Williams today? She’s right here on the Rock n’ Roll Research Podcast! Spend a few minutes living vicariously through Samiyyah as she shares how her 18-month sabbatical from Ipsos, backpacking and motorbiking throughout Asia, transformed her lifestyle and awakened her soul.Follow Samiyyah’s continuing adventures on Instagram at @thewanderessadventureTry the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT

Based in Chicago, Sarah Kotva has spent most of her career at Fieldwork, Inc. where she has risen to the role of EVP.  She is a highly organized and meticulous leader who loves to collaborate and interact with people.So perhaps it is not surprising that, inspired by Colin Cowie on Oprah, she originally set out to be a planner of fabulous parties. Fate eventually found her under the big tent of the market research industry where she discovered these two worlds are not so different as they may seem.Sarah shares her journey on today's podcast and discusses the enduring value of face-to-face consumer interaction, which snacks are most popular at focus groups and which hair metal record she'd listen to for all of eternity.Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT

Brian Baecker doesn’t need 6 strings to shred, he can do it with 4. As a go-to innovation expert, Brian leads the Innovation and Market Strategy service line for Ipsos North America on the West Coast. His combination of intuition and disciplined thinking has fueled his 13-year rise at Ipsos from entry-level to Senior Vice President.As a cellist-turned-bass player, Brian has been composing, performing and recording music with family, friends, colleagues and even people he’s plucked off the sidewalk since he was a wee lad. He made the most of the pandemic by collaborating with other musicians to write and release a new album called, "Social Mixstancing.”Brian discusses his parallel journeys in insights and music and the increasing importance of collaboration in research. He also offers some intriguing choices for the music he’d want if stranded on a desert island.Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT

A basement poker game in Corona, Queens led to Josh Kamowitz’s first career as a professional poker player. What’s surprising is how well that experience translated to a career in insights with BrainJuicer (now System1) and in media with Roku.Josh’s story was one of the foundational inspirations for this podcast. In this episode, he shares how he approached the game and managed through the stress, and what he learned about the importance of research in both poker and in business.Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT

Diane Hessan is a successful entrepreneur, board member, researcher and best-selling author of two books, including the June 2021 release, “Our Common Ground: Insights from Four Years of Listening to American Voters.”She is the founder and Chairman of C Space, formerly Communispace, which was the first company to build online communities for market research and was ultimately sold to Omnicom.Many people are familiar with Diane’s career. Far fewer know her passion for music, and that she founded an a capella singing group, The Sound Bytes, which has done large-scale custom performances at corporate conferences.Diane discusses her origin story with C Space, her upcoming book and why she’s “always found there’s so much room for music in business.”Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT

Measuring shopper behavior by day and diving into hairpin turns by night, Sam Albert balances a life of research and racing motorcycles with precision and dedication.Sam is the Chief Digital Office of Behaviorally, formerly PRS INVIVO, where he has grown his career from the entry-level to the c-suite.Behaviorally are pioneering experts at defining and diagnosing the behaviors that drive shopper growth. Adding a product to the shopping cart is only the tip of the iceberg. So many factors influence which product is chosen, the key is to isolate and act upon what matters.Sam applies the same discipline to racing. Success on the track depends on what you can learn and apply while off the track - data, knowledge, insight and, finally, implementing the right changes. Smart, incremental improvements can be the difference between first and second place.Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT

Isaac Rogers is the Chief Innovation Officer at Schlesinger Group, a global leader in data collection and research services and one of the industry's most respected firms.Isaac originally came from outside the research industry. Inspired by Jim Bryson’s vision to disrupt the industry through new technology, Isaac joined 20/20 Research as a newly minted MBA with limited exposure to research. He worked his way to CEO in under 8 years and served in that capacity for 5 more when 20/20 was acquired by Schlesinger.As comfortable as he has become in this industry as a sought after innovator and thought leader, he is just as comfortable at home tending to his bee colonies. Yes, Isaac is an avid beekeeper.In this episode, Isaac shares insights on his career, the importance of speaking the language of business and what can be learned by studying the unheralded life of bees.Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT

Who better to lead a conversational journey through the rich history of market research than Steve Cohen, co-founder of In4mation Insights? From Buck Weaver’s automobile surveys at General Motors in the 1930’s to Paul E. Green at Wharton to the modern day, Steve covers it all with distinctive insight and wit.But Steve also opens the closet, so to speak, and shares his attachment to his shoe collection, including his favorite pair of Chelsea boots, too long sitting idle through the pandemic!Steve has had a Hall of Fame career in market research with many firsts: first commercial MRer to do CBCA, first menu-based conjoint model, first paper for latent class CBCA and he introduced MaxDiff to the market.He has been awarded several of the most prestigious awards in the field for innovation, lifetime achievement and courage, yet he remains on the vanguard delivering world-class, aspirational analytics to solve his clients’ business challenges.Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT

Priscilla McKinney is the CEO and “Momma Bird” of Little Bird Marketing, helping clients soar by creating and executing highly effective marketing plans. She is also a tireless advocate for research industry collaboration and produces an outstanding podcast, Ponderings from the Perch.If you know Priscilla, you know she is relentlessly positive, energetic and curious. But what you didn’t know is that her curiosity was seeded early while traveling throughout Spain in a childhood singing troupe with her four sisters (in matching dresses, no less!).Priscilla shares her story and offers sage advice to research firms looking to tell their own stories.Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT

You probably know Joel Rubinson as one of the great independent thinkers in marketing and market research. His ideas on digital data and attribution, in particular, helped shape my own thinking long before we met.But do you know the Joel Rubinson who:Sings and plays harmonica and guitar in bands on the side?Threw a mean fastball as a pitcher for NYU?Ran his own sabermetric analyses long before Bill James and Moneyball?With characteristic wit, Joel shares those experiences along with his take on the power of good marketing strategy+targeting and how he spent the pandemic hitting the books. Stick around to the end for his joke about economists!While Joel has already contributed so much to the profession, the data say his best work is ahead of him. Try the Magic Mind mental performance shot! You have a limited offer you can use now, that gets you up to 48% off your first subscription or 20% off one time purchases with code RNRLT at checkout You can claim it at: https://www.magicmind.com/RNRLT