The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño sit down with Lucio Lamberti, Full Professor at Politecnico di Milano, to explore the relationship between neuroscience, consumer behavior, marketing, and artificial intelligence. Drawing on his work across marketing, analytics, UX, and immersive technology, Lucio challenges the traditional view of the brain as a reactive system, explaining why human perception is shaped by expectations and how this changes the way researchers should think about attention, advertising, and consumer experience.

Lucio introduces the idea of the predictive brain, which continually anticipates what will happen next and checks incoming information against existing expectations. Through schema congruency theory, he explains why experiences that challenge our expectations can encourage learning and memory, provided the difference is not so great that it becomes difficult to understand. He also explores how AI could change consumer behavior through four possible scenarios: brand flattening, selective focus, hyper-personalization, and extreme “experientialization”. As consumers delegate more decisions to AI, brands may need to rethink how they differentiate themselves and create experiences that remain meaningful.

The conversation also examines what neuroscience can add to traditional self-reported research. Lucio explains how physiological measurements can capture responses over time, while cautioning that signals from EEG or skin conductance do not directly reveal a person's emotions. He challenges researchers to reconsider the say-do gap, arguing that contradictions between reported attitudes and observed behavior may reflect poorly designed questions, social desirability, or post-hoc rationalization rather than dishonesty. Finally, he explains why prediction without understanding leaves researchers unable to identify the changes that could influence behavior, adapt when circumstances change, or distinguish correlation from causation. His closing message is that as AI becomes more capable, researchers must continue observing people, asking why, and drawing inspiration from the humanities.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the human brain is predictive rather than simply reactive, and how expectations shape perception and attention
• How schema congruency theory explains why appropriately challenging expectations can encourage learning and memory
• The four scenarios Lucio identifies for consumer behavior as AI takes on more purchasing decisions
• Why brand differentiation depends on business models and customer experiences, not just product categories
• How applied neuroscience can complement self-reported research through measurements collected throughout an experience
• Why neuroscience measurements must be interpreted carefully rather than treated as direct evidence of emotions
• How ambiguous questions, social desirability, and post-hoc rationalization can contribute to the say-do gap
• Why contradictions in research can be valuable sources of insight rather than data to discard
• Why prediction alone cannot explain the causes of behavior or identify the levers needed to change it
• Why human observation, critical thinking, and insights from poetry and philosophy remain valuable in an AI-driven world

About the Guest:

Lucio Lamberti is a Scientific Director - Osservatorio XR Technologies & Immersive Experience at POLIMI School of Management. His work combines marketing analytics, consumer behavior, user experience, immersive technology, and applied neuroscience. With an engineering background, he brings an interdisciplinary perspective to understanding how people perceive, experience, and respond to products, advertising, and emerging technologies. His research explores the psychological mechanisms behind consumer decisions, the use of neuroscience to complement traditional market research, and the implications of AI for consumer behavior and brand strategy. In this conversation, Lucio explains why understanding human behavior requires more than predictive models, why researchers should approach neuroscience claims with scientific rigor, and why keeping people at the center of technological progress is essential.

Episode Resources:

• Lucio Lamberti on LinkedIn
• POLIMI School of Management Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño sit down with Kelli Rempel, Principal and Founder of Hana Worldwide, to explore the value of human understanding in market research and how researchers can navigate the growing influence of AI. With more than 30 years of experience across client-side and agency research, Kelli shares why the resurgence of qualitative research makes sense in a world where automation is making information easier to access but does not always make it easier to understand.

Kelli explains how researchers can uncover the motivations behind people's decisions by paying attention to the gap between what people say and what they do. Through interviews, observation, and group discussions, researchers can pick up on hesitation, body language, and subtle differences in how people describe their experiences. These details can reveal needs and motivations that might otherwise go unnoticed.

She also shares how moving from client-side research to running her own consultancy changed her understanding of the business, including the importance of collaboration and the administrative work that happens behind the scenes. Kelli explains how she built an AI operating system to manage tasks, organize her schedule, and reduce cognitive load, allowing her to focus more of her attention on research itself. Ultimately, she argues that while AI has improved at tracing themes and connecting information to source material, it still struggles to connect complex concepts in ways that lead to genuinely new learning and insight.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the rise of AI and automation is creating new opportunities for qualitative research
• How body language, hesitation, and observation help researchers uncover what people may not express directly
• Why researchers should stop assuming that people are rational and pay attention to unexpected findings
• How to use AI to reduce administrative work without handing over the thinking that drives research
• Why connecting complex concepts to generate new insights remains a challenge for AI
• How researchers can work with clients to ensure insights lead to meaningful business decisions
• Why healthy skepticism and source verification are essential when working with AI-generated outputs

About the Guest:

Kelli Rempel is the Principal and Founder of Hana Worldwide, a research consultancy specializing in qualitative research, user experience, and human factors strategy across healthcare technology, automotive, and other complex industries. With more than 30 years of experience spanning client-side research and agency work, including roles at Nissan and Hillman Baxter, Kelli brings extensive experience in understanding human behavior and translating research findings into meaningful business action. Her work explores the value of human-centered research, the practical use of AI in research operations, and the importance of maintaining critical thinking and human judgment as research tools continue to evolve.

Episode Resources:

• Kelli Rempel on LinkedIn
• Hana Worldwide Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño sit down with Alisa Hamilton, founder of Harvest Insights and a researcher with more than 20 years of experience across qualitative and quantitative research, to discuss what makes the current wave of AI adoption different from previous shifts in the industry.

Alisa explains that researchers are dealing with multiple changes at once, from AI-powered reporting and moderation to new ways of designing studies and analysing data. While these developments create opportunities, they also introduce challenges around quality, methodology, and knowing where AI genuinely adds value. She shares an example of competing pitch decks that looked almost identical because they had been created using the same AI tools, raising questions about how researchers can maintain the originality and strategic thinking clients expect.

The conversation explores where human expertise remains important throughout the research process. Alisa explains why choosing the right questions and methodology at the beginning of a project matters, and why researchers still need to bring nuance and curiosity to the interpretation of findings. She also discusses how AI can help make choice modelling, shelf testing, and realistic test environments more accessible, allowing more teams to conduct rigorous research without the same cost and technical barriers.

Alisa also shares her thoughts on the speed, cost, and quality trade-off, comparing AI to a high school intern who needs detailed instructions and repeated iteration to produce the desired result. As the industry continues to change, she encourages researchers to build a breadth of technical skills while developing the practical experience, critical thinking, and curiosity that make research useful. She also makes the case for moving beyond the traditional divide between qualitative and quantitative research and exploring more creative ways to use AI across methodologies.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the current AI shift feels different from previous changes in market research
• How AI-generated reports can look polished while lacking originality and distinction
• Why human judgment matters when choosing methodologies and interpreting research findings
• How AI moderation can support a broader research methodology
• Why choice modelling and realistic test environments are becoming more accessible
• Why speed, cost, and quality remain difficult to achieve together
• When training AI is worth the effort and when another approach makes more sense
• Why junior researchers should build breadth across tools while developing practical research skills
• How combining qualitative and quantitative research can lead to better answers
• Why curiosity and the willingness to ask why remain essential to good research

About the Guest:

Alisa Hamilton is the founder of Harvest Insights and a qualitative and quantitative research strategist with more than 20 years of experience in market research. Her work spans research methodology, emerging technologies, data analysis, and the application of AI to research problems. In this episode, Alisa shares her perspective on adopting AI responsibly, making advanced research methods more accessible, and helping researchers adapt to an industry undergoing multiple changes at once. She also discusses the importance of preserving human judgment, developing practical skills, and staying curious about what the data is actually telling us.

Episode Resources:

• Alisa Hamilton on LinkedIn
• Harvest Insights Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance sits down with Aksel Bedikyan, Founder and CEO of OhGee Insights, to explore how research can become more useful when teams start with the business question rather than a preferred methodology.

Aksel shares how his experience leading insights and analytics at Cirque du Soleil shaped his integrated approach to research. Working across qualitative research, quantitative research, data science, and strategy showed him the value of bringing different perspectives together before deciding how a problem should be approached. He explains why surrounding teams with people who “wear different hats” can help prevent the tendency for researchers to make every problem fit the tools they already know.

The conversation also explores how teams can make better use of existing data before spending more money on new research. Aksel explains how internal databases, third-party reports, and publicly available information can help answer some questions and uncover better questions that teams did not know they had. He also discusses the practical challenges of accessing data within large organizations, including privacy, security, and regulatory concerns.

Aksel shares his perspective on generative AI and where it genuinely adds value in research. AI can help with data processing, cleansing, tables, charts, and early drafts, freeing researchers to spend more time on stakeholder conversations, strategic thinking, storytelling, and client relationships. He argues that the human parts of the process become more important as the middle becomes increasingly automated.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why research should start with the business question rather than a preferred methodology
• How diverse research teams can prevent “hammer looking for nails” thinking
• Why existing internal and publicly available data should be explored before commissioning new research
• How hypothesis sessions can uncover better questions and help stakeholders calibrate their assumptions
• Why conflicting findings from mixed methods can reveal valuable insights
• Where generative AI can take on time-consuming research tasks
• Why human judgment, communication, storytelling, and relationships become more important as AI automates the middle of the research process
• How client ownership can become a signal of whether research has created real value

About the Guest:

Aksel Bedikyan is the Founder and CEO of OhGee Insights, bringing together quantitative research, qualitative research, data science, and AI through a methodology-agnostic approach. Before founding OhGee Insights, Aksel spent around seven years as head of insights and analytics at Cirque du Soleil, where his role brought together research, analytics, data, and strategic planning. His work focuses on understanding the business question first, selecting the right evidence and methodology for the problem, and helping clients turn research into work they can actually use and own.

Episode Resources:

• Aksel Bedikyan on LinkedIn
• OhGee Insights Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño sit down with David Yin to explore what it takes to build a market research and consumer insights function from the ground up.

David has repeatedly stepped into organizations where research was either brand new or still struggling to establish its value. He explains why one of the first things researchers should assess is where the demand for research is coming from and what kinds of questions leadership is asking. Senior-level sponsorship can create the access and organizational momentum needed for a research function to develop credibility and influence.

The conversation also explores how researchers can move beyond being known as the “survey person.” David explains why researchers need to understand the problems their stakeholders are actually facing, get curious about how teams work, and translate those challenges into ways research can help. He calls this early relationship-building and problem discovery “the hustle.”

David also discusses the importance of timing. Proactive research can be valuable, but researchers can move too far ahead of the organization and produce work that nobody is ready to use. The goal is to understand when teams need information and make research useful in the moment.

The episode also looks at the changing role of researchers. David argues that researchers need to develop skills in facilitation, education, stakeholder management, and communication alongside research methodology. His advice for first-time insights hires is simple: be useful.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the source of a research request can determine how successfully a research function develops
• How senior leadership sponsorship can help research become part of organizational decision-making
• How researchers can move from being the “survey person” to a trusted consumer insights partner
• Why understanding stakeholder problems is critical to making research relevant
• How to balance proactive research with the timing of business decisions
• Why research needs to be managed for quality, clarity, and actionability
• How to translate research findings into decisions and business outcomes
• Why facilitation is an increasingly important skill for market researchers
• How repetition can help research insights become part of organizational knowledge
• Why researchers should understand the fundamentals of their methodology instead of outsourcing their judgment to vendors
• How research teams can create competitive advantage through deeper customer understanding
• What first-time insights leaders should prioritize when building a research function from scratch

About the Guest:

David Yin is a fractional research and marketing leader who has built insights functions at companies including Fitbit, Ancestry, Eventbrite, and Poshmark. His work focuses on building research functions, understanding customers, translating research into business decisions, and helping organizations develop stronger research and consumer insights capabilities.

In this episode, David shares practical lessons from building research functions from scratch, including how to establish credibility, understand stakeholder needs, maintain research quality, facilitate the use of insights, and create a culture where research contributes to competitive advantage.

Episode Resources:

• David Yin on LinkedIn
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly sit down with Will Leach, founder and CEO of Mindstate Group, to explore how market researchers can move from producing insights to influencing behavioral change.

With more than 25 years of experience studying human decision-making and 15 years working inside major client organizations, Will shares what changed when he moved from the client side into consulting. He realized that research reports and recommendations were rarely the final thing clients needed. They wanted to know how behavioral science could help them make better decisions, change their marketing, and ultimately influence customer behavior.

The conversation explores the persistent say-do gap in market research and why brands still rely on asking consumers what they think about advertising despite knowing that stated preferences do not always predict real-world behavior. Will explains how the combination of behavioral science, data analytics, and AI is changing what researchers can measure and how accountable they are for business outcomes.

Will also introduces the idea of behavioral design and his Mind State Activation Blueprint, which translates behavioral insights into practical guidelines for messaging, visuals, brand positioning, personality, customer experience, and creative strategy.

Ultimately, Will argues that researchers need to move the finish line from owning insights to owning behavioral change, while building their own point of view on how human behavior works.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why research reports and recommendations are no longer enough for many organizations
• How the say-do gap continues to affect market research and advertising decisions
• Why behavioral science and data analytics need to work together
• How researchers are becoming more accountable for business and marketing outcomes
• What it means to become a behavioral designer
• How the Mind State Activation Blueprint turns behavioral research into actionable creative guidelines
• What psychological mind states and emotional processing can reveal about consumer behavior
• How behavioral science can give creatives more confidence in their instincts
• How to challenge founder intuition while respecting the experience behind it
• How AI can identify cultural patterns across multiple research studies
• Why empowerment emerged as a recurring motivation across 19 different studies
• Why researchers should build their own behavioral model and point of view
• How market researchers can future-proof their careers in an AI-driven industry

About the Guest:

Will Leach is the founder and CEO of Mindstate Group, a behavioral research and design consultancy. He has more than 25 years of experience studying human decision-making, including 15 years working inside major organizations such as PepsiCo.

Will specializes in behavioral science, consumer psychology, behavioral design, and translating research insights into actionable marketing and creative strategies. His work focuses on helping organizations understand the psychological drivers behind consumer behavior and use those insights to influence real-world decisions.

He developed the Mind State Activation Blueprint, a framework designed to connect behavioral research with creative execution across areas such as messaging, positioning, brand personality, customer experience, and campaign strategy.

Episode Resources:

• William Leach on LinkedIn
• Mindstate Group Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Jonathan sit down with Karine Pepin to unpack what’s actually broken in data quality and why the problem is bigger than any individual survey.

Karine explains why researchers need to look beyond fraud detection tools and think about the wider ecosystem that produces their data. She shares how creating a “ground truth” can help researchers evaluate the quality of their sample, why fraud signals need to be interpreted in context, and what incidence rates can reveal before a project is complete.

The conversation also challenges some of the assumptions researchers make about online sampling, from impressive panel-size claims to the idea that every audience can be reached online.

Ultimately, the episode comes back to one bigger question: how do we move from securing our own “house” to fixing the “neighborhood” around it? For Karine, that means changing an ecosystem where volume is often rewarded more than quality.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why data quality is an ecosystem problem, not just a survey problem
• How to create a “ground truth” for evaluating your research data
• Why fraud detection tools alone can’t tell you whether a respondent is trustworthy
• How to interpret false positives and false negatives in context
• What incidence rates can reveal about the quality of your sample
• Why panel size doesn’t necessarily tell you anything about sample quality
• Why researchers need more transparency around where their sample comes from
• When low-incidence and niche audiences may not be realistic targets for online research
• How incentives around volume can contribute to ongoing data quality problems
• What researchers can do to improve the quality of their own work while the wider ecosystem changes

About the Guest:
Karine Pepin is a co-founder of The Research Heads and an advocate for better data quality and participant experiences in market research. With more than two decades of experience in research, Karine has worked across the industry with a particular focus on data quality, sampling, fraud, and the systems that shape the quality of research data.

Her work looks beyond individual tools and processes to examine the broader ecosystem around online research and how the industry can create better incentives for quality, transparency, and more reliable data.

Episode Resources:

• Karine Pepin on LinkedIn
• The Research Heads Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Jonathan on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño sit down with strategic foresight practitioner Mina McBride to explore why valuable research often fails to translate into action. Mina explains how researchers can build credibility, understand their clients’ realities, and recognize resistance as a potential signal rather than a setback.

From taking calculated career risks to using small experiments and staying curious, Mina shares practical ways to create impact while continuing to grow in an evolving research industry. Ultimately, she encourages researchers to ask themselves a simple question: do you still love the work?

What You’ll Learn:

• How to make your research more likely to influence real decisions
• How to build trust and credibility with clients before presenting your insights
• How to navigate client resistance and uncover what it may be telling you
• How to use foresight to make better decisions when the future is uncertain
• How to filter industry trends and new technologies based on your priorities and strengths
• How to take meaningful career risks without having to bet everything at once
• How to stay motivated and keep learning by reconnecting with the work you genuinely enjoy

About the Guest:

Mina McBride is a strategic foresight practitioner, consultant, speaker, and facilitator who specializes in helping organizations and individuals bridge the critical gap between insight and action. With expertise in foresight methodology and organizational decision-making, Mina has worked extensively with leaders to translate complex signals and research findings into practical, implementable strategies. Her work has helped countless organizations and professionals move beyond analysis paralysis to make decisive, forward-thinking decisions that create real business value.

Episode Resources:

• Mina Mcbride on LinkedIn
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño sit down with Preeti Talwai to dive into the world of human-led anticipatory research. Being an advisor to technology development companies, Preeti’s love for research has contributed to the humanization of tools like Google Gemini. She shares how her architecture background drives her natural understanding of human needs.

Preeti emphasizes the importance of focusing on fundamental human needs rather than reactions to existing products. Humans have existed and had needs long before AI emerged. So, rather than develop AI as a technical achievement, tools should feel more human-driven, with thought and intentionality even before the prototypes exist. Preeti shares why we should think about AI as a material and not a solution to every problem.

She simplifies the practical framework for research on new technology, suggesting small digestible insights beginning with low-confidence deliverables before building up to workshops and activation playbooks. She calls this the ‘Sushi Conveyor Belt’ model for delivering insights. Ultimately, Preeti’s view is clear, research should be done in bite-size pieces and depth should be prioritized over speed.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to anchor research when the product does not exist yet
• Why human needs should drive research and development of new AI
• How to break down research processes into small bite-sized chunks using the ‘Sushi Conveyor Belt’ method
• How the impact of a new product can be measured even before it is launched
• Why depth in research should be prioritized over the length of time it takes to release a product
• How AI can be better harnessed when it is seen as a material and not a tool

About the Guest:

Preeti Talwai is a UX Research Leader and Product Strategy Advisor specializing in human-centered AI, emerging technology, and early-stage product development. During more than nine years at Google, she led research across AI-driven products, including Search, Shopping Ads, YouTube Ads, and Gemini-related work. Today, she advises organizations on product strategy and helps teams connect new technological capabilities with enduring human needs.

Episode Resources:

• Preeti Talwai on LinkedIn
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Sasha Mitts joins Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño to explore how AI is changing research and why researchers need to be careful about what they hand over to machines. As an independent researcher, Sasha has seen firsthand how AI can accelerate analysis while quietly introducing errors, confirmation bias, and generic conclusions.

The conversation examines practical ways to build more rigorous AI-assisted research workflows. Sasha explains why researchers should document their assumptions before using AI, validate AI-generated coding across multiple models, and break complex analysis into discrete, repeatable steps. Rather than asking AI to interpret an entire dataset and deliver a conclusion, researchers can use it for tasks such as data cleaning, pattern recognition, coding, and statistical analysis while retaining responsibility for the bigger picture.

The episode also explores what AI cannot replace: storytelling, contextual awareness, emotional intelligence, and relationships with stakeholders. Ultimately, Sasha argues that the future of research belongs to those who use AI to amplify their perspective, not replace it.

What You Will Learn:

• How to prevent AI from becoming your default hypothesis
• The interrater reliability test for AI validation
• Why reproducibility and transparency are non-negotiable in AI-assisted research
• The dangerous seduction of persuasive AI output
• How to slot AI into workflows where it actually excels
• The irreplaceable human skill for an AI-driven future

About the Guest:
Sasha Mitts is an independent researcher, formerly a UX researcher at Meta, focused on the intersection of AI and human-centered research. His work explores how to evaluate AI based on how people actually experience it, uncover where technology falls short, and turn powerful capabilities into meaningful value. He approaches AI as a stewardship challenge, emphasizing thoughtful design, critical questioning, and long-term human benefit.

Episode Resources:

• Sasha Mitts on LinkedIn
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño sit down with David Glaza to nerd out on the rapid rise of retail media. David is the founder and CEO of Digits Agency and he has been right at the center of this evolution since his days at Target. He shares some great stories from the early days of launching Target Cartwheel, including a time when a digital coupon performed so well it actually scared the merchants. It was an early sign that digital tools could influence the physical purchase journey in just a few hours.

David explains why retailers are basically turning into media businesses by using first party data to close the loop on sales. Marketers are moving away from the black box of traditional advertising because they can finally track a customer from a digital ad all the way to a physical register. The group also talks about the challenges of fragmentation as more regional grocers launch their own networks.

David shares why it is so important for brands to stick to their guns on ad relevance to keep the customer experience high quality. To wrap up, he gives some advice on why brands need to move fast and prioritize putting content out there rather than waiting for everything to be perfect.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why retail media has evolved from traditional in store slotting fees to digital tactics
• How first party data is the key to measuring actual sales outcomes from digital ads
• What the success of Target Cartwheel revealed about consumer willingness to engage with brands
• The impact of first party audiences on tracking omnichannel shopping journeys
• How new channels like in store audio are developing specific attribution models
• The challenges brands face when managing multiple fragmented retail media networks
• Why technology integrations and APIs are necessary for regional grocers to compete
• How to balance promotional needs with a high quality user experience
• Why brands should prioritize consistent content production over perfection

About the Guest:
David Glaza is the founder and CEO of Digits Agency and he has spent years at the center of the evolution of retail media. David previously worked at Target where he was part of the team that launched Target Cartwheel. He has extensive experience in merchandising, media loyalty, ecommerce, and personalization. Today he leads Digits Agency in helping regional grocers and brands build and manage retail media strategies.

Episode Resources:

• David Glaza on LinkedIn
• DIGITS Agency, DIGITS LLC Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Tom Rich has spent nearly thirty years conducting thousands of focus groups and interviews. In this conversation with Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño, he shares his view on how technology is impacting knowledge workers and why he calls himself a carbon-based researcher in an automated world.

Tom explains that machines excel at finding patterns in large data sets but struggle to connect seemingly unrelated ideas. He details his methods for finding real meaning through intentional disruption and unconventional influences like moral philosophy and the interrogation tactics of psychics. Tom describes how moral mindsets like self-sufficiency or responsibility act as lenses for consumer decision-making. He also demonstrates how calibrated vagueness can lead to more honest participant responses.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the pace of technological change is a differentiator in the current market
• How to distinguish between probabilistic analysis and human meaning-making
• Why the research journey provides more value to a brand than the final report alone
• How playing games with data visualization can spark unexpected insights
• Why morality functions as the most powerful mindset in consumer behavior
• What researchers can learn from the questioning techniques used by psychics
• Why ranking questions often fail to capture how people actually feel
• How research objectives serve as a North Star for successful projects

About the Guest:
Tom Rich is the President of the Qualitative Research Consultants Association and the founder of Thomas M. Rich & Associates. Since 1996, he has led thousands of focus groups, interviews, and shop-along studies across various industries like food and technology. His approach combines brand management experience with insights from psychology and behavioral economics. Tom is an expert in retail strategy and uses creative techniques to help clients understand complex marketing challenges.

Episode Resources:

• Tom Rich on LinkedIn
• Thomas M. Rich & Associates Website
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Andrew Embry, Senior Director of Insights Innovation and Capabilities at Eli Lilly, brings a storyteller’s perspective to the complex world of pharmaceutical research. He describes himself as a poetry spitting nerd who uses his creative background to find new ways of working within strict regulatory bounds. This conversation covers how Eli Lilly implements enterprise level AI initiatives by treating change management like an internal brand campaign.

He details the use of synthetic respondents to answer qualitative questions in thirty minutes and help teams do smarter primary research. He argues that the future of the industry depends on researchers evolving from reactive order takers into proactive business partners. By automating repetitive tasks like screener creation and secondary research, teams can focus on higher level strategy. Even so, Andrew emphasizes that judgment and discernment are the skills that matter most when reviewing AI outputs.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why regulatory walls can make creativity and innovation more exciting
• How to treat change management as a methodical internal brand campaign
• The benefit of using synthetic respondents to narrow down concept ideas quickly
• Why secondary research should be the starting point for every business question
• How a tool belt approach helps teams match specific tools to business problems
• The importance of being objectively skeptical about every output from AI
• Why judgment and discernment are the most critical skills for future researchers
• How agents in an agentic ecosystem will handle repeat tasks to free up time
• Why researchers should stop being order takers and get in the mud with business teams

About the Guest:

Andrew Embry is the Senior Director of Insights Innovation and Capabilities for Global Core Market Research at Eli Lilly and Company. He leads enterprise initiatives that help teams rethink workflows and adopt new technologies in a responsible way. Andrew blends creative storytelling with strategic thinking to solve problems in the heavily regulated pharmaceutical industry. His career at Eli Lilly spans roles in marketing, communications, and sales. He is also a spoken word poet and an obstacle course racer who believes in embracing challenges with confidence.

Episode Resources:

• Andrew Embry on LinkedIn
• Eli Lilly and Company Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Martin Eichholz and Katie Buckley join Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño to share their perspectives on the role of custom research in an AI-heavy world. As Managing Partners of the US consumer practice at Basis Research, they represent a yin and yang partnership of quantitative and qualitative expertise. They explain why clients still value a strategic brain trust over standardized platforms, emphasizing that you cannot automate how people change, learn, or make choices.

The group examines the age of distrust where consumers no longer take brand narratives at face value. Martin and Katie suggest that brands must work harder to earn relevance by getting out of the office and into real-world environments. They challenge traditional views on linear consumer journeys, arguing that modern behavior is more like a swirl of touchpoints. Finally, they address the risks to the apprenticeship model in research suggesting that as AI takes over technical tasks, junior researchers must focus on developing business acumen and building strong stakeholder relationships to secure their future in the industry.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why standardized AI platforms cannot replace a strategic brain trust
• The reason real life and human decision-making remain impossible to automate
• How custom research acts as the fuel for automation engines
• Ways brands can navigate the rising age of consumer distrust
• Why getting executives in front of real people changes decision outcomes
• The change from linear consumer journeys to a swirl of touchpoints
• How junior researchers can adapt as AI absorbs entry-level work
• The vital role of mentoring in protecting the future of strategic insights

About the Guests:
Martin Eichholz is a Managing Partner for the US consumer practice at Basis Research. He brings a quantitative and segmentation-driven background to his work, combining business thinking with data expertise. He focuses on translating the challenges of a changing industry into strategic opportunities.

Katie Buckley is a Managing Partner for the US consumer practice at Basis Research with a background in qualitative strategy and cultural understanding. She specializes in building genuine connections and uncovering why people act the way they do. Her goal is to help clients care about their consumers through immersive research.

Episode Resources:

• Martin Eichholz on LinkedIn
• Katie Buckley on LinkedIn
• Basis Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Sarah Kling recounts her first encounter with internal AI tools that transformed days of analysis into seconds of work. She says this efficiency allows her team to scale research across international markets like Fire TV and tablets at a fraction of traditional costs. However, Sarah cautions that speed should not come at the expense of quality. She emphasizes the concept of the thinking cave where researchers give data space to breathe to avoid producing flattened insights.

The conversation covers the risks of AI hallucinations and explains why researchers must act as stewards of truth by verifying every output. Sarah also addresses the unique privacy challenges of generative AI compared to social media. She describes it as a black box where consumers feel a loss of control. Looking toward the future, she anticipates a move toward interlinked workflows where bespoke tools integrate securely with internal data. A progression that requires a beginner’s mind and a commitment to the craft of discernment that machines cannot replicate.

What You’ll Learn:

• How Sarah realized AI would change research forever
• How to scale global studies across multiple countries with reduced costs
• Why the human brain remains essential for contextual interpretation
• Strategies for verifying AI outputs to catch subtle hallucinations
• The importance of the thinking cave for maintaining insight quality
• How to avoid the phenomenon of flattened insights during acceleration
• Why consumer privacy concerns are escalating in the generative AI era
• The difference between trust in devices like Alexa and individual AI tools
• What the next 18 months of interlinked enterprise workflows may look like
• Why learning the craft of research is more important than ever for students

About the Guest:

Sarah Kling is a Senior UX Researcher and Global Insights Lead for Amazon Devices. She has spent two decades building research programs for startups and global technology leaders. At Amazon, she leads apps and games research for Fire TV and tablets, reaching hundreds of millions of users. Her current focus involves the strategic implementation of AI to accelerate global insights while maintaining human judgment.

Episode Resources:

• Sarah Kling onLinkedIn
• Amazon Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Every research vendor claims their data is clean, but few can actually measure it. Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño have a host-only conversation about the real business issues behind data quality. Bad data leads to more than just a cleaning bill; it creates a cycle where wrong decisions erode trust and slow the entire organization. The conversation moves past standard screening to a holistic discipline that begins before a survey ever goes live.

Stephanie and Molly walk through a four-layer framework to evaluate and improve data integrity. This model covers everything from survey instrument design to the final proof layer where performance is measured and benchmarked. The traditional filter-first mindset is no longer sufficient in an environment filled with AI-generated responses and sophisticated fraud.

By focusing on design and transparency, insights professionals can better defend their numbers and earn a permanent seat at the decision-making table. This talk is a call for the industry to stop relying on trust and start requiring auditable evidence for data quality claims.

What You’ll Learn:

• The four costs of bad data that never show up on an invoice
• How the erosion of stakeholder trust creates a data quality loop of hell
• The difference between a filter-first mindset and a discipline-first approach
• Why 70 percent of fraud slips through standard industry screening criteria
• The four p framework for evaluating data quality: prevent, protect, purify, and prove
• How survey length and device type contribute to respondent fatigue
• Why the proof layer is the most defensible part of the research process
• The red flags to watch for when evaluating a research vendor
• Why transparency is becoming the ultimate buying criterion for insights teams

Episode Resources:

• Stephanie Vance on LinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• aytm Website
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Molly Strawn-Carreño and Stephanie Vance are joined by Bill Salokar, Director of Business Development at Gazelle Global. With a career spanning both the technical side of statistics and the interpersonal side of business development, Bill offers a unique perspective on the evolution of the market research industry. He discusses his personal transition from working behind a computer screen to building partnerships that drive strategic outcomes for researchers and clients alike.

The discussion delves into why human judgment is vital when navigating a world saturated with data. Bill explains the importance of active listening throughout the research supply chain and how building genuine trust can prevent researchers from becoming simple order takers. He also shares stories about the value of contextual learning, illustrating how firsthand observation can reveal insights that surveys might miss.

Finally, the episode addresses the current state of the industry, including the widespread anxiety surrounding AI. Bill emphasizes the enduring importance of research wisdom, which is the ability to assess findings through the lens of experience and originality. This conversation serves as a reminder that behind every data point is a human being, and keeping that connection is essential for meaningful work.

What You’ll Learn:

• How to transition from a technical research role into relationship building
• Why active listening is the most overlooked skill in the research supply chain
• The difference between having information and achieving true understanding
• How contextual learning and firsthand observation improve insight quality
• Why building personal trust is essential for job security and business impact
• The role of intentionality when participating in industry organizations
• How to move beyond being an order taker to becoming a strategic partner
• Why research wisdom and originality remain uniquely human contributions
• How to maintain a respectful relationship with survey respondents at scale

About the Guest:

Bill Salokar is the Director of Business Development at Gazelle Global. He began his career with a master’s degree in statistics, focusing on data analysis and SPSS coding. Over time, he transitioned into marketing research and business development roles at organizations such as the Florida Lottery, Georgia Lottery, and CMI. Bill is also a prominent figure in the research community, having served as president of Intellus and actively participating in the Insights Association and MRX Pros.

Episode Resources:

• Bill Salokar on LinkedIn
• Gazelle Global Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

In this episode of the Curiosity Current, hosts Molly Strawn-Carreño and Stephanie Vance welcome Elle Park, the research and CI lead at Arcutis Biotherapeutics. Elle describes herself as a Swiss army knife of data. She built a career across business intelligence, analytics, and primary research. This broad expertise allows her to approach complex problems with a systems thinking mindset. The discussion centers on how AI is reshaping the landscape for researchers. This is particularly relevant in highly regulated fields like pharma.

Elle shares her perspective on how AI reveals existing weaknesses in insights work. She explains that it does more than just provide faster results. She emphasizes that tools can handle junior level tasks, but the real value lies in human judgment. Researchers must interpret data within a broader strategic context. The conversation dives into the concept of the human in the decision loop. In this model, researchers act as essential sense checks for AI generated outputs. Listeners will hear about the importance of maintaining a strong foundation in research basics. They will also learn how to navigate the challenges of talent development and vendor partnerships in an automated world.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why a broad research identity is more valuable than specialization in the age of AI
• How systems thinking helps researchers connect disparate data points for better strategy
• The difference between having a human in the loop and a human in the decision loop
• Why AI might be exposing weaknesses in research teams rather than fixing them
• How to navigate AI adoption and change management in regulated industries like pharma
• Why foundational research methods are becoming a new competitive advantage
• Strategies for junior researchers to stay relevant by becoming AI proficient
• What a success rubric looks like for onboarding new research technology vendors
• The long-term risks of replacing junior talent layers with automated agents

About the Guest:

Elle Park is the research and CI lead at Arcutis Biotherapeutics. She intentionally built a broad career spanning business intelligence, commercial strategy, analytics, and primary research. This diverse background has shaped her into a systems thinker who specializes in integrating complex insights into business decisions. Elle is an advocate for maintaining strong research foundations and developing the next generation of research talent in a rapidly changing technological environment.

Episode Resources:

• Elle Park on LinkedIn
• Arcutis Biotherapeutics Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Vladimer Botsvadze, a global digital transformation and marketing thought leader with over fifteen years of experience, joins this episode. The conversation centers on the radical shift in how consumers interact with social platforms. Vladimer Botsvadze describes how search has evolved from an intentional, keyword driven act into an emotional and contextual search for signals. He argues that social media is no longer just a touchpoint in a funnel but a compressed journey where trust and attention are earned simultaneously through authenticity and human presence.

The discussion covers the distinction between high-growth brands and legacy organizations, highlighting why agility and cultural relevance are essential for modern survival. Vladimer Botsvadze shares insights on building an always on content engine that prioritizes usefulness over production quality.

He also examines the role of AI in mapping non-linear consumer behaviors and the necessity of measuring success through engagement quality rather than vanity metrics. By the end of the episode, listeners will understand how to navigate the social ecosystem by treating it as a living relationship rather than a megaphone for promotions.

What You’ll Learn:

• How the traditional linear consumer journey has evolved into a compressed social loop
• Why consumers are searching for emotional signals rather than objective answers
• The reason overproduced content often fails to build trust on social platforms
• How high-growth brands use social listening to outpace legacy organizations
• The specific role human presence plays in establishing brand credibility
• Practical steps for building a participatory always on content engine
• How to use AI to detect emerging trends and micro communities
• New success metrics that focus on engagement quality instead of reach

About the Guest:

Vladimer Botsvadze is a global digital transformation and marketing thought leader, keynote speaker, and startup mentor. With more than fifteen years of experience, he helps brands and executives navigate the complexities of AI, social media, and customer experience. His work focuses on the intersection of technology and consumer behavior to drive brand growth.

Episode Resources:

• Vladimer Botsvadze on LinkedIn
• Vladimer Botsvadze Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so

Byron Reeves joins Stephanie Vance and Molly Strawn-Carreño to discuss the infinite complexity of studying humans in a digital world. As a chaired professor at Stanford University, Byron has spent his career at the intersection of media psychology and technology. This episode examines findings from the Screenome Project. This research captures moment-by-moment digital behavior through thousands of screenshots. Byron explains that simply having more data does not always lead to better understanding. The discussion pivots to the rise of AI simulations and synthetic personas.

Byron shares his perspective on the difference between prediction and true explanation in scientific research. He argues that AI can replicate certain patterns. The human ability to ask the right questions remains the core value for any insights team. Leaders will learn to navigate the tension between automation and intuition. The episode offers a practical mindset for researchers who feel both excited and uncertain about the future of their industry.

What You’ll Learn:

• Why the digital transition over the last thirty years has made research harder to corral
• The reason traditional survey questions about screen time produce nearly useless data
• What the Screenome Project reveals about the rapid fragmentation of our daily attention
• How ancient survival instincts continue to drive our modern engagement with technology
• The specific types of research questions that AI simulations are best suited to answer
• Why prediction is often enough to drive business decisions without a full neurological explanation
• How business leaders can foster experimentation with AI without triggering job anxiety
• What it means to become a connoisseur of scientific beauty and excellence

About the Guest:

Byron Reeves is a Chaired Professor at Stanford University with appointments in Communication, Symbolic Systems, and the Graduate School of Education. He is a pioneer in media psychology and has spent decades studying human responses to media and technology. He authored landmark works like The Media Equation and Total Engagement. His research spans academia and industry, including work with Microsoft Research and global brands. Most recently, he has explored AI simulations and synthetic personas as tools for understanding human behavior.

Episode Resources:

• Byron Reeves on LinkedIn
• Stanford University Website
• Stephanie Vance onLinkedIn
• Molly Strawn-Carreño on LinkedIn
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Apple Podcasts
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on Spotify
• The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast on YouTube

The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast is handcrafted by our friends over at: fame.so