Uncorking a Story

Should qualitative researchers be thinking about adding mobile to their qualitative toolbox? Richard Owen, founder and CEO of Crowdlab says, without hesitation, yes!

Who is Richard Owen? Well, Richard has been in the market research business for over twenty years and has worked at prestigious firms such as Millward Brown, Copernicus, and Hall &  Partners.  Frustrated by the pace of change (or lack thereof) in the market research industry, Richard founded Crowdlab as a company designed to field high quality research empowered by bleeding edge technology to amplify the wonders of traditional research thinking and doing.  If you want to know exactly what that means then you will have to listen to this podcast!

Now I know what you may be thinking – how can this help me as a qualitative research consultant or a buyer of qualitative research? Here are a few thought starters; what if instead of walking behind a shopper on a shop-a-long you empower participants to keep a shopping diary using their mobile phone to answer questions, take pictures, or record video while on a real shopping trip and use that footage as stimuli for a one on one or group interview? What if you could get people who are in the shopping process for a new car to use their mobile phone to answer questions and capture video before, during, and after going to a car dealer?  Mobile technology can help you do that and you can learn more about these and other practical qualitative applications by listening into our conversation with Crowdlab’s Richard Owen.

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Jim Bryson is the founder and CEO of 2020 Research; a Nashville based qualitative research firm with facilities in Nashville, Charlotte, and Miami. In addition to traditional facilities, 2020 is a leading provider of online qualitative solutions including both asynchronous and real-time interviewing solutions.

In this interview, Jim talks about the irony of hating his research classes while in college while seconds later discussing how he helped to develop a very successful research business. We discuss the bet he took on online qualitative research early on, his time as a state senator in TN, and his motivations for starting a school in Haiti.

We end our conversation with a discussion on where the business is going and what qualitative research consultants must keep in mind to be successful in the future.  Listen up as there is more to Jim Bryson than meets the eye, or in this case, the ear.

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Jim Bryson is the founder and CEO of 2020 Research; a Nashville based qualitative research firm with facilities in Nashville, Charlotte, and Miami. In addition to traditional facilities, 2020 is a leading provider of online qualitative solutions including both asynchronous and real-time interviewing solutions.

In this interview, Jim talks about the irony of hating his research classes while in college while seconds later discussing how he helped to develop a very successful research business. We discuss the bet he took on online qualitative research early on, his time as a state senator in TN, and his motivations for starting a school in Haiti.

We end our conversation with a discussion on where the business is going and what qualitative research consultants must keep in mind to be successful in the future.  Listen up as there is more to Jim Bryson than meets the eye, or in this case, the ear.

When I was 21 years old I thought I knew it all and that my parents knew absolutely nothing. By the time I turned 22 and was working in my first job with real bills to pay, I was amazed at how much my parents learned in just 12 short months.  Since becoming an adult and starting a family, my appreciation for the sacrifices they made for me has only grown. One such sacrifice was giving me a Catholic education; while I did not appreciate it at the time, I have come to understand that the foundation such an education provides has made me every bit of who I am today.

I was fortunate to have been taught by many wonderful teachers during my lifetime but there is one high school teacher of mine who stands out for many reasons and his name is Ernie Bourcier; otherwise known as Mr. B.  At 70 years young, Mr. B. remains a full time teacher at Trinity Catholic High School where he has taught for the past 46 years.  This amazes me to no end because I have been unable to sit still in a job for more than 5 years at a clip and he has been in the same place for over four and a half decades.

I wanted to interview Ernie to understand what it is about Catholic High that encourages teachers to stay so long as he is not the only one with decades of experience at the school. In short, he views teaching as a true vocation; he really wants to see students become the best they can be and the community around the school has become his family. "You are married to this school, Ernie," a former librarian would remind him.

To really understand Ernie, you have to understand his upbringing in New Bedford, MA. His family was a religious one and religion had a very profound impact on his life.  Listen to this interview and you will hear about how boxing gloves were used in place of detentions, the profound impact that Ernie's sister had on his own life, and Ernie's own experiences with religious life.  Former students will recognize the story about the chickens!  Listen more and you will come to understand what it was like being a rookie teacher in 1968 and why, 46 years later, Mr. B. remains faithfully devoted to his bride; Trinity Catholic High School.

I encourage you to listen to this interview up until the very end to learn more about the local hero we have in Ernie Bourcier.

Like Columbo, there's just one more thing. I ask that you take the time in the near future to think about a teacher who has had an impact on your life.  Find some way to share your appreciation with them.  We all know that our teachers are not compensated based on what they are truly worth so take a minute to let them know how much they are valued.  In the case of Catholic High, you can always send a donation to:

Trinity Catholic High School

C/O Advancement

926 Newfield Avenue

Stamford, CT 06905

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When I was 21 years old I thought I knew it all and that my parents knew absolutely nothing. By the time I turned 22 and was working in my first job with real bills to pay, I was amazed at how much my parents learned in just 12 short months.  Since becoming an adult and starting a family, my appreciation for the sacrifices they made for me has only grown. One such sacrifice was giving me a Catholic education; while I did not appreciate it at the time, I have come to understand that the foundation such an education provides has made me every bit of who I am today.

I was fortunate to have been taught by many wonderful teachers during my lifetime but there is one high school teacher of mine who stands out for many reasons and his name is Ernie Bourcier; otherwise known as Mr. B.  At 70 years young, Mr. B. remains a full time teacher at Trinity Catholic High School where he has taught for the past 46 years.  This amazes me to no end because I have been unable to sit still in a job for more than 5 years at a clip and he has been in the same place for over four and a half decades.

I wanted to interview Ernie to understand what it is about Catholic High that encourages teachers to stay so long as he is not the only one with decades of experience at the school. In short, he views teaching as a true vocation; he really wants to see students become the best they can be and the community around the school has become his family. "You are married to this school, Ernie," a former librarian would remind him.

To really understand Ernie, you have to understand his upbringing in New Bedford, MA. His family was a religious one and religion had a very profound impact on his life.  Listen to this interview and you will hear about how boxing gloves were used in place of detentions, the profound impact that Ernie's sister had on his own life, and Ernie's own experiences with religious life.  Former students will recognize the story about the chickens!  Listen more and you will come to understand what it was like being a rookie teacher in 1968 and why, 46 years later, Mr. B. remains faithfully devoted to his bride; Trinity Catholic High School.

I encourage you to listen to this interview up until the very end to learn more about the local hero we have in Ernie Bourcier.

Like Columbo, there's just one more thing. I ask that you take the time in the near future to think about a teacher who has had an impact on your life.  Find some way to share your appreciation with them.  We all know that our teachers are not compensated based on what they are truly worth so take a minute to let them know how much they are valued.  In the case of Catholic High, you can always send a donation to:

Trinity Catholic High School

C/O Advancement

926 Newfield Avenue

Stamford, CT 06905

In 1996 I was barely 22 years old when I started my career in advertising.  I worked for a company called FCB direct, which was owned by a holding company known as True North Communications.  No offense to Brian Rafferty, my boss at the time, but the job kind of sucked.  I was estimating call volume for a large telecommunications client who was using long format commercials to advertise their One Rate calling plan.  My primary task was to calculate the estimated number of calls the client's telemarketing center could expect to receive after one of these commercials aired. We had to know the gross rating points of each program that the commercial was aired during and then provide estimates back to our client so they could staff up their telemarking center with the optimal number of representatives.  I was commuting into NY and still living at home with my parents and barely making enough money to get to and from Manhattan.

Then one day in late 1996, a memo came across my desk announcing that True North "did a deal" with a digital agency in Westport, CT called Modem Media.  I went to their website and knew that I needed to work there.  In early 1997 my wish became a reality and I was hired into Modem's Research Department.

The years I spent at Modem were the best of my career. I worked hard, I played harder, and I was fortunate enough to meet some really great people.  Recently, there was a party held in Westport to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Modem Media.  A great time was had by all! At that party I caught up with one of Modem's co-founders, GM O'Connell, and asked if he would be a guest on this podcast.  He said yes and we met the following week at his home in Connecticut.  

We chatted about what led up to the start of Modem Media and what the early days were like. We discuss growing pains, lessons learned, and life post Modem.  I enjoyed our chat and hope you do as well.  

One apology to make up front, we did the interview outside as it was too nice a day to stay inside. As such, from time to time, the wind makes an appearance on this recording (I have since purchased a wind guard for my recording unit).  We had this conversation over a bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet and I suggest you uncork a bottle of the same as you listen to this; it will take your mind off the wind!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In 1996 I was barely 22 years old when I started my career in advertising.  I worked for a company called FCB direct, which was owned by a holding company known as True North Communications.  No offense to Brian Rafferty, my boss at the time, but the job kind of sucked.  I was estimating call volume for a large telecommunications client who was using long format commercials to advertise their One Rate calling plan.  My primary task was to calculate the estimated number of calls the client's telemarketing center could expect to receive after one of these commercials aired. We had to know the gross rating points of each program that the commercial was aired during and then provide estimates back to our client so they could staff up their telemarking center with the optimal number of representatives.  I was commuting into NY and still living at home with my parents and barely making enough money to get to and from Manhattan.

Then one day in late 1996, a memo came across my desk announcing that True North "did a deal" with a digital agency in Westport, CT called Modem Media.  I went to their website and knew that I needed to work there.  In early 1997 my wish became a reality and I was hired into Modem's Research Department.

The years I spent at Modem were the best of my career. I worked hard, I played harder, and I was fortunate enough to meet some really great people.  Recently, there was a party held in Westport to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Modem Media.  A great time was had by all! At that party I caught up with one of Modem's co-founders, GM O'Connell, and asked if he would be a guest on this podcast.  He said yes and we met the following week at his home in Connecticut.  

We chatted about what led up to the start of Modem Media and what the early days were like. We discuss growing pains, lessons learned, and life post Modem.  I enjoyed our chat and hope you do as well.  

One apology to make up front, we did the interview outside as it was too nice a day to stay inside. As such, from time to time, the wind makes an appearance on this recording (I have since purchased a wind guard for my recording unit).  We had this conversation over a bottle of Silver Oak Cabernet and I suggest you uncork a bottle of the same as you listen to this; it will take your mind off the wind!

When I woke up this morning, I never could have predicted that one of my elementary school teachers, a Catholic nun named Dorothy Collins, would be introducing me to a post-op transexual named Cynthia.  Let me explain.

There are people in our lives who have a profound impact on us.  Sr. Dorothy was one of those people for me.  My family moved to Connecticut when I was 9 years old which meant my twin brother Jimmy and I would be starting the 1983-1984 school year in a new school.  I was entering 4th grade and I was nervous.  My nervousness turned to fear when I found out a nun would be my teacher because my prior experiences with nuns was not so good.  My first grade teacher, Sr. Peter Marie, made Joe Pesci's Tommy Devito character from Goodfellas seem like a nice guy.  Luckily for me, Sr Dorothy was nothing like I expected; she had a big smile and an even bigger heart (and she never asked if she was there to amuse me).

We re-connected recently at a reunion and I asked to interview her for my podcast. She accepted on the condition that I help her serve guests at the Soup Kitchen where she works a few days a week.  Our interview picks up right after we served hot meals to approximately 1,200 homeless people in New York.  Listen to this interview and your assumptions of just what a nun is may be challenged.  Listen to the end and you will hear me drop the tagline, "looks like a pump but feels like a sneaker."

I feel strongly that we should say thank you to the people in our lives who have had an impact on us. However, reflecting on this makes me realize that as people have an impact on me, I also have an impact on others.  This is something we should all remember whenever we are in the presence of someone whose life we may be touching.

As always, I hope you enjoy this podcast and feel free to join the conversation at www.uncorkingastory.com

As always, I hope you enjoy this podcast and feel free to join the conversation at www.uncorkingastory.com

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When I woke up this morning, I never could have predicted that one of my elementary school teachers, a Catholic nun named Dorothy Collins, would be introducing me to a post-op transexual named Cynthia.  Let me explain.

There are people in our lives who have a profound impact on us.  Sr. Dorothy was one of those people for me.  My family moved to Connecticut when I was 9 years old which meant my twin brother Jimmy and I would be starting the 1983-1984 school year in a new school.  I was entering 4th grade and I was nervous.  My nervousness turned to fear when I found out a nun would be my teacher because my prior experiences with nuns was not so good.  My first grade teacher, Sr. Peter Marie, made Joe Pesci's Tommy Devito character from Goodfellas seem like a nice guy.  Luckily for me, Sr Dorothy was nothing like I expected; she had a big smile and an even bigger heart (and she never asked if she was there to amuse me).

We re-connected recently at a reunion and I asked to interview her for my podcast. She accepted on the condition that I help her serve guests at the Soup Kitchen where she works a few days a week.  Our interview picks up right after we served hot meals to approximately 1,200 homeless people in New York.  Listen to this interview and your assumptions of just what a nun is may be challenged.  Listen to the end and you will hear me drop the tagline, "looks like a pump but feels like a sneaker."

I feel strongly that we should say thank you to the people in our lives who have had an impact on us. However, reflecting on this makes me realize that as people have an impact on me, I also have an impact on others.  This is something we should all remember whenever we are in the presence of someone whose life we may be touching.

As always, I hope you enjoy this podcast and feel free to join the conversation at www.uncorkingastory.com

As always, I hope you enjoy this podcast and feel free to join the conversation at www.uncorkingastory.com

I first met Shelley Zalis when I was working for Unilever and she was invited to speak at an offsite meeting.  She broke two rules during her presentation; 1.  She divulged her age and 2. She quoted Yoda.  Most women don’t do those kinds of things; then again, most women aren’t Shelley Zalis.

I was excited to catch up with Shelley in the private lounge of the Ritz Carlton hotel overlooking Central Park. Today she is the CEO of Ipsos Open Thinking Exchange; a product of Ipsos' 2010 acquisition of her former company OTX Research (listen to the podcast to learn how this came full circle for Shelley).

If I could use only one word to summarize Shelley, it would have to be passionate.  When Shelley has an idea stuck in her head, she pursues it until it becomes a reality. If someone tells her it can’t be done, that only motivates her more to make it happen.  Listen up as Shelley discusses her career path and the lessons she has learned along the way (like how to speak EBITDA).

I will forewarn you that there is a lot of industry talk in this podcast (and a few F-Bombs).  If you stick with it though you will get a glimpse at the softer side of Shelley Zalis.

Given that it is Spring, this episode pairs well with a nice New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc; might I recommend Kim Crawford?

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.