Rock n' Roll Research Podcast

On Episode #34, Priscilla McKinney from Little Bird Marketing shared her story of growing up in a family singing troupe. In this episode, we invite her back to the Rock n’ Roll Research Podcast to discuss her book, “Collaboration is the New Competition: Why the Future of Work Rewards a Cross-Pollinating Hive Mind & How Not to Get Left Behind.” Priscilla and I dig deep into this highly useful guide on what collaboration *really* is, why it is so powerful and how to make it intentionally work for you - including several concrete examples from the market research industry. Of course, we finish with a little rock n’ roll, too. You can find the book on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle formats where it currently enjoys a 4.9/5.0 rating. Enjoy!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

Mark Earls, The HERDmeister, shares his story of how he went from European tour guide to being labeled the market research industry’s “public enemy #1.”We have a wide-ranging conversation on how people really make decisions, the freedom to experiment in the insights world, predicting multiple futures, how brands grow, being clear in your terminology, making presentations into performances, how to do your own early research and the illusion of tradition.Mark also shares the story of his ska/punk band – over 30 years and still going strong – and the three records he’d want to keep him company 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

Jeffrey Porter will graduate from the UT Arlington MSMR program in December of this year. In addition to his studies, he is keeping extremely busy with an internship in financial data analysis with Lockheed Martin.But there’s more to Jeffrey than insights. He has maintained a nice side hustle of buying and selling vintage video games, timing the market perfectly by selling high during the pandemic. He’s also a shredding guitarist, crushing Jimi Hendrix and Red Hot Chili Peppers licks in his spare time.We discuss Jeffrey’s passion for insights and the discipline required to grow in all his pursuits. We also delve into a possible sci-fi future for data and consumer insights.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

Kevin Lang is a recently minted Senior Sales Representative at the mighty research media company Greenbook, home of the GRIT Report, the IIEX conference series and “The Exchange” podcast with Lenny Murphy and Karen Lynch.While he got his start in the insights industry with Civicom, many people know Kevin from his involvement in the “MR Jam,” providing the backbeat for a who’s who of research industry musicians at Quirk’s conferences in New York and Chicago over the past few years.Kevin shares his experiences in research and his journey through music, from beating on pots to pans to playing in band to the MR Jam. Along the way, he shares his take on AI in market research, the drummer who most inspired him and we swap stories about Green Day, Dave Matthews and the Rolling Stones.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

Dave McCaughan has long been a leading light on all things brand strategy, research and insights in Asia, having spent nearly 30 years in strategic planning and executive roles at McCann Worldwide all over the region. He has also long given his time back to the research industry through associations like ESOMAR and Greenbook among others.Dave shares his journey from children’s storyteller to advertising and from librarian to strategic planning leader in Australia, Japan, Hong Kong and Thailand. With characteristic wit, Dave describes the groundbreaking work he led along the way and contrasts key findings with insights, the US with Asia, The Beatles with Taylor Swift, and generations with life stages. And would you believe that AC/DC played at Dave’s high school back in the day? 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

Aryn O’Donnell is VP of Corporate Services at Fieldwork, known by many to be one of the most trustworthy and engaged qualitative research partners in the industry. But what many people don’t know about Aryn is that the first paycheck she ever drew was for a role she played in musical theater.Aryn and I discuss her theater days, the value of backroom focus group interactions and how AI frees people up do what they do best. We also discuss her recent appreciation for the world of metal music \m/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

Steve Portigal of Portigal Consulting has been doing User Research since the days our software all came in a box. He has written a seminal book on the topic, “Interviewing Users: How to Uncover Compelling Insights,” recently released in a 2nd edition available through Rosenfeld Media.Steve shares his journey from the nascent years of user research through today and his take on where user research is headed. We discuss his book and how studying creative writing has informed his approach. Steve also tells the story of building a community of Rolling Stones enthusiasts – pre-World Wide Web! - that is still alive and kicking (just like Keith Richards).[Visit rosenfeldmedia.com to find Steve’s book and use the code ‘rocknroll’ for a 20% discount \m/]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

It was in college where Travis Miller first made an impact with research by helping the city of Thousand Oaks, CA design a new mall expansion. With an introduction like that, it is no wonder Travis pursued a career in market research.Travis started his career with JD Power and today is VP, North America sales for PureSpectrum, a GRIT Top 50 insights innovator and member of the Deloitte Fast 500 since 2020.But Travis also has a fascinating story of growing up amidst his father’s metal band which led him to pick up a pair of drumsticks at a young age. We talk drums, metal and harnessing technology to make insights easier, faster and more dependable.Tune in to hear why market research is like an elephant and to hear a first on the Rock n’ Roll Research Podcast that was music to my ears.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 Zimmerman is an expert at one of the toughest roles in the research industry: prospecting and business development for research suppliers. Companies in insights really struggle with this and Brian steps in and fills that gap.The music bug bit Brian early when his grandfather introduced him to guitar at age 3. Music has been a constant passion throughout his life, and he keeps guitars throughout his house so he always has one ready for when inspiration strikes.Brian shares his philosophy on sales, the importance of continuous learning and why he approaches it as a craft. We discuss the music commerce site Reverb and why guitarists accumulate so many guitars, and we also find deep common ground on a classic Kiss album.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

Joe Emery started on the bottom rung of a political consulting firm when he was hired as a runner right out of school. He learned from some of the greats like Mark McKinnon, host of Showtime’s ‘The Circus,’ and famed political commentator, Paul Begala, before founding his own firm in 2020, Emery Research, where he focuses on insights supporting communication, branding and policy issues. And while some know Joe the communications researcher, many others know Joe as the singer and lead guitarist for 60’s-style garage rock band, The Ugly Beats, based in Austin, TX. They have 5 albums out on Pittsburgh-based, Get Hip Records, and Spotify listenership numbers to which many of us can only aspire. Joe shares his research and music journeys with characteristic modesty. We also discuss the studio vs. live performance and why the future of research is simultaneously awesome and terrifying.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