I have been very fortunate in having the opportunity to do quite a bit of speaking and guest lectures lately and a few common themes have sprouted in terms of Q&A regardless of the topic I am presenting:

1) How did I get my start in Market Research and Entrepreneurship?

2) When do I sleep?

3) What motivates me?

1) The first question is really one of my favorite questions to answer.  I pretty much love answering any type of question, as I think it is the REAL value of any presentation.  You disseminate your information and then after the audience has a chance to relate it to their own personal situation, they get a chance to ask the thing that will really have an impact on what they walk away with from the presentation.  Back to the answer..

The homepage briefly talks about my background but it was really a chain of fortunate events that led me to qualitative research….I do not think very many people REALLY set out pursuing qual research, it just sort of finds you.  Through college, I worked my way through school playing the saxophone in various jazz, rock and cover bands.  I’m in the process of writing a post about how Jazz is truly the way I honed my entrepreneurial skills but for now, just know it was a huge part of my life . 

One of the holiday gigs I got booked for was the YMCA of Arlington Chairman’s Round-table Dinner.  There, my band was fortunate enough to be seated at the same table as the Director of Marketing and I began to strike up conversation.   In conversation, she mentioned the YMCA was launching their first marketing internship program and asked me to apply.  After the traditional interviewing process I was selected for the internship, where I met a friend, Amy, who is a moderator for a large research firm.  She is the one who shed light on the world of qualitative research for me and encouraged me to take my entrepreneurial goals via the route of market research.

Amy introduced me to Jessica Josset, the President of Fieldwork Dallas, a well-known and highly regarded market research facility in Addison TX.  I was clear and up-front with Jess about my goal to become a moderator for a small firm and I saw Fieldwork Dallas as a valuable step in helping me achieve this goal.  I knew if I worked hard enough and proved myself, Fieldwork was the best place for me to meet the company I wanted to work with. 

After about 6 months, my hard work had paid off when I received a call from Jess letting me know she had just recommended me to one of our best clients, Dave Gustafson.  He was looking to expand his business and wanted to meet me!  Dave flew down from PA and the interview process began.  After a few weeks of due diligence, I had accepted an offer and made arrangements to make the move to PA.  Working with Dave at D. Gustafson & Associates, is where I really immersed myself into the world of qualitative research.  I was mentored and shown the ropes, while Dave still empowered me to help shape the direction of our business.  This was a huge point in my career and the pivotal piece of what has guided my trajectory thus far.  Getting the opportunity to work with a company that has helped over 10 of the top 20 Pharma companies in the world and sink my teeth deep into every aspect of the research process was a rare opportunity and one that I am thankful for every single day! 

As things started to shake up economically, we began to not only enhance our business within the Pharma/Healthcare market, but also look for ways to diversify our business.  Early on in joining DGA, I had posed the question about our sole focus on Pharma and to me, this was the perfect time to expand our scope and reach.  I began formalizing my previously intangible thoughts about consumer research and Spych was born.  Literally from a blue Mead spiral notebook, nothing fancy, just simple and straightforward, I drafted our business model, strategic plan and thoughts on market entry.  Over the course of a year, this plan would be molded, polished and pressure-tested for validity.  I’m now sitting on a train on my way back to my house in PA to pack up, load the moving truck and head back to TX where Spych lives as boutique research firm specializing in youth and young adult consumer segments! 

 
2) The answer to the second question, when do I sleep, is an easy one.  Generally, I sleep from about 2:30 AM to 6AM, give or take about 2 hours depending if I am “at home” or on the road for research.  Pleasantly coined at SXSWi this past year, “I’ll sleep when I’m 30.”  It’s no secret that I work long hours, but the truth is I absolutely love what I do, and running a successful business takes every second of the hours that I put in.  I think sometimes, we have this view of executives as spending the 9-5 on the phone and then Friday’s on the golf course.  The most successful businessmen/women I have met across the globe are those who put in the hours consistently.  This does not come without sacrifice, and another post will follow talking about the sacrifices of being a successful entrepreneur.

 

3) As for my motivation….well, for me there are two main faces of motivation that get my blood flowing.  I was at a DFW AMA event last week where I am participating in a mentoring partnership program as a mentor and one of the protégé participants asked me what things motivated me most.  I thought it was a great question, as I think you can tell quite a bit about a person by the things that motivate them.  One of the things that motivates me most is an honest and sincere giving, with nothing expected in return.  Having lived a small portion of my live in airports and hotels these past few years, I have found them to be great people watching spots.  If you are looking for it, you can see some amazing acts of kindness.  Whether it is helping an international visitor with directions, offering to stand on the subway to let someone more in need take the seat or even just small token conversations that make someone’s day a bit brighter, for me that is motivating for me to pursue my passion.

The other is simply music!  If you want to talk about pure drive, to me, music is the epitome of passion.  I have been blessed to meet, and in many cases, play with some absolutely phenomenal musicians.  In every case, they were some of the most passionate and motivating people I have encountered.  Nothing can change my mood and get me going like a great song.  When I am writing, whether for business or pleasure, there is always music in my ears, often jazz.  This is inspiration for the title of this post.  One thing I truly miss about the pre-itunes era is the liner notes and lyrics.  If you go back to some of your favorite CDs (Or records :) ) and read through the lyrics of some of your favorite songs, you can truly see how they are “Life’s Transcripts”.  Some sing about lost love, the best day of their life, growing up, or a new-found love interest.  I think the best musicians are the best storytellers.  Sometimes it is with words, other times it is through the saxophone, drums or guitar.  Either way, it is the one who best conveys their story that connects with the audience and causes us to dance in our car or sing out loud. 

So, sing loudly, dance like nobody’s watching, be willing to give up that extra hour of sleep and find someone that will show you the ropes while still letting you drive your own growth!

 


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