We've worked at successful startups. So we can speak first-hand about what worked and why.
We've also worked at failed startups (several). So we also understand how hard it is to succeed and we've learned many lessons along the way.
We've lived through the heady days of the Internet. But more importantly, we've been through major, long-lasting economic downturns. So we know things can go wrong (and they do), and how to find the light at the end of the tunnel.
We've worked as consultants, so we've seen the inner workings of many industries, first-hand.
We've also worked inside public Fortune 100 companies, so we know what the end goal looks like, warts and all. More importantly, we know how to execute strategies and launch products.
We're expert story tellers. That is important--whether you want to sell a product or a business. We can explain how your company will solve a customer's problem, and why they should buy from you.
We know how to develop a sales strategy, because we've had to execute many of them ourselves.
For the past 20 years, I've been solving problems for Fortune 500 companies. I specialize in market research, brand strategy and customer experience. My job is to figure out what makes companies stand out from the crowd, how they can be more competitive, and why their customers think, believe and behave in the ways that they do. I also spend my time making things look or function better-whether it's the design of a Smartphone app, the creative treatment in a television ad or the workflow on a factory floor.
My goal is to help my clients make smarter decisions, so they're better at what they do. I help them think differently. I also help them figure out what makes them different, so they can improve their competitive edge as well as the experiences that their employees, customers and partners have with their brands.
The partners, colleagues and clients who have worked with me will tell you that I'm insatiably curious. I work hard at my craft, but I've also spent several years developing new research tools and methodologies-for those times when the old ones could be improved. I enjoy taking something complex and making it simple. I've conducted research across the globe, fascinated and humbled by how diverse and complex people can be, as well as how much they share in common.
My career has been spent both in-house and supply-side, for companies across multiple industries: high-tech, financial services, brand consulting, transportation and logistics, health and web/software development. I've presented my work at conferences domestically and abroad. I've also taught at NYU and UC Berkeley, and guest lectured at Parsons School of Design and SFSU.
Answered maintains a partner network of nearly 20 researchers, strategists, translators and videographers. These individuals have proven, long-standing relationships with our team. Over the years, we've worked alongside each of these individuals at some of the most established companies, research and brand agencies in the world. What does that mean for our clients? A virtual network translates into lower overhead. We focus on a select number of client engagements. We aren't spread across five projects at a time, nor are we pressured to maximize our time in order to meet profit margins. We're nimble and can readily scale to meet the requirements of different engagements, hand-picking our team based upon their skills, industry and regional expertise. All of our partners have at least 15 years of experience in their respective fields. Most are published, teach at universities and are recognized thought leaders. The people you meet are the exact same practitioners who will be working on your project every day---we don't resort to a "bait and switch".
A Sociologist and Ethnographer by training, Alicia specializes in Hispanic and GM market research. Prior to joining the Answered network, Alicia was the Director of Consumer Insights at two advertising agencies, including a leading Hispanic Agency in Houston. She also worked at IPSOS, Greenfield and Ideas to Go.
Alicia specializes in several verticals: financial services, pharmaceutical and health, food and beverage and consumer packaged goods. Proctor & Gamble, Avon, Coca-Cola, Pfizer, Visa, Wal-Mart and Yahoo have worked with Alicia to create culturally relevant marketing for Latinos in the U.S. and in South America. Alicia is fully bilingual and bicultural (Chilean/American). She speaks and has conducted focus groups in Spanish, French, Portuguese and German. Her research expertise includes branding, messaging, segmentation, product ideation, online moderation, usability and ethnography. Alicia has 17 years' experience.
Laura focuses on global trends analysis, qualitative and quantitative research. She is a degreed Psychologist specializing in Strategic Marketing, with a Master's degree in Market Research and Consumer Behavior from IE Business School (Madrid). Formerly Head of Market Research at Quala S.A. (Ecuador and Columbia), and Millward, Brown (Columbia), she specializes in consumer packaged goods, pharmaceutical and financial services. Her clients include: Disney, Unilever, Wells Fargo, Shell, Merck and Novartis.
Laura has conducted research in research in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. She is bilingual (English/Spanish) and has studied and lived in five different countries.
Tari is a senior account manager and qualitative researcher. She was born and raised in Indonesia, but spent more than a decade working in Tokyo before moving to New York in 2016. Before joining the Answered network, Tari spent 10 years leading the qualitative practice at Sugata Research in Tokyo and then built Hall & Partners' research team in Japan.
While Tari is an expert moderator, she enjoys managing complex global projects. Her skill set is wide ranging, from food & beverage, to travel, to luxury brands, to entertainment, to beauty & wellness, to technology. Tari is trained in semiotics, projective techniques and ethnography. Her past clients include: L'Oreal, Dior Perfumes, Tiffany & Co., Philip Morris, Heineken, Guinness, Reebok, Delta, Disney, Sony Pictures, Netflix, 20th Century Fox, Apple, Microsoft, Youtube, Google, Facebook, Samsung, Adobe, IBM, American Express, Alliance-Bernstein, Eli Lilly, GSK and Bristol-Myers Squibb. Tari has 16 years of experience in the market research.