Choosing a moderator / strategist for your qualitative project is a big decision, and one that can make or break your project. Talking to people is one very small part of our jobs: it’s why I dislike the title “moderator” so much - it suggests the time we spend in the room with consumers is all that we do, and devalues the true impact we make in customer intimacy programs.

To have a very impactful outcome, the research needs to be designed expertly, a discussion guide crafted brilliantly, activities and projective techniques applied deliberately, and analysis performed expansively.

So…why should you work with me?

For starters, I’ve been designing and executing qualitative research for over 20 years, attending RIVA for the first time in 2004. Prior to that, I worked in advertising on both the account service and brand planning / strategy sides, and transitioned to the research supplier side full-time when joining Sentient Decision Science in 2009, then Kantar in 2011, Morning Consult in 2022, and now Ipsos in 2023. Throughout my career I’ve tackled just about every kind of strategic challenge you can think of. All of this means when you work with me we can go from 0 to insights quickly, because experience has given me the gift of efficiency.

Here are a few elements of my personal brand that are relevant to my approach in working with clients:

I’m thoughtful, deliberate and prepared. I believe in prep, prep and more prep to ensure when we get in field we run flawless fieldwork and deliver against your investment at the highest levels. Clients have called me focused and unflappable, and I credit this to doing my homework.

I am driven to make an impact on your business. I’m collaborative and seek out contributions from brand, agency and other stakeholders, then I’ll internalize your learning objectives so when we finish fieldwork you can take immediate action. I’m not satisfied unless you leave our briefing with 3 immediate action steps you’re excited about (a colleague and dear friend calls them the “high hard ones” - high-level, but hard-hitting).

I am comfortable with discomfort, and believe this is where we learn the most about people. Discussion guides frame the conversation, but it’s in the space between pre-written questions where we find the deepest insight. What I do is part art, part science; an interview or focus group can take a sudden turn that, if not recognized by a skilled moderator, can result in a missed opportunity. My background and training in psychology, as well as yoga and meditation, helps me to lean into these opportunities without fear.

The VIA tells me my most notable character strength is Appreciation of Beauty and Excellence. This has everything to do with how passionate I am about the craft of qualitative research.

If we decide to work together, I’ll be invested in your success and make sure we are aligned throughout the research. I’ll give you my top line thoughts in a format you can share within a couple of days of research: this will be a “massive imperfect action”-type document designed to align and inspire, and I’ll follow it up with a full, detailed report. My reports focus on implications and recommendations - findings are just the means to the end. I’ll make myself available for text chats, Zoom/Team/Skypes, and phone calls with you to ensure what we learn is socialized and can be actioned.

Here’s what people have said about working with me:

“I worked with Stacy on two highly-critical projects that were related to BIOMET's long-term strategic growth strategies. Both projects were highly complex and required an in-depth knowledge of medical terminology and processes prior to facilitating the groups. Stacy did a masterful job in learning the material, creating the guide and extracting key insights that we leveraged into our strategies. Her ability to maneuver with precision and delicacy was uncanny, given the highly-distinct nature of the audience (medical professionals). She also has a very calm demeanor and never once got rattled given the fact that we constantly were making revisions/ additions up to the very last minute. She superseded expectations and her summation report was insightful and actionable. We were quite impressed with her performance and would welcome the opportunity to work with her again!” - Asim N. Kamdar, EY Entrepreneur Of The Year Nominee | Food Startup | Consumer Insights Expert 

“I can attest to Stacy's ability to apply smart thinking to brand strategy. In working with her on several big brand projects, she always brought a high degree of level-headedness and collaborative spirit to the table. Stacy's one of the few strategists out there who can consistently deliver the right combination of intuition and analytical rigor when solving tough problems.” - Dan Cabacungan, Strategy Director at Northbound

“I've worked with Stacy in Marketing Research for several years. Professionally and personally, she's one of my favorite researchers. As a Project Manager, I bring teams together and I know when Stacy is onboard she'll consistently win Clients over with her experience and collaborative nature. She's gifted, strategic, inquisitive, personable and quickly makes a connection with Clients and respondents. Her ability to remain even-keeled through the inevitable challenges of market research studies helps keep the team on track.” - Pam Carlson, Founder at PSM Research Services - Project Management Services - Market Research

Want to chat live to see if I’m the right fit for your project? Find a time that works for you on my calendar or email or call or text me.