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 on LinkedIn
• 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 on LinkedIn
• 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 on LinkedIn
• 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 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

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 on LinkedIn
• 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 on LinkedIn
• 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 on LinkedIn
• Amazon Website
• Stephanie Vance on LinkedIn
• 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 on LinkedIn
• 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 on LinkedIn
• 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