The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast

AI is transforming market research, but regulation and ethics are struggling to keep pace. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly speak with Howard Fienberg, Senior Vice President of Advocacy at the Insights Association, about how researchers can navigate growing complexity around AI, privacy laws, and participant trust. Howard shares guidance on staying responsible while the tools and expectations continue to evolve.

Cleaning is no longer just about hygiene. New research shows consumers increasingly see it as a source of control, satisfaction, and emotional reset. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie Vance and Lev Mazin speak with Oksana Sobol, Vice President of Consumer Insights at The Clorox Company. They discuss how people’s relationships with their homes are evolving. Drawing from the Home Care Redefined report, Oksana explains why emotional outcomes from cleaning are rising in importance, how “in-the-flow cleaning” is replacing traditional routines, and what these shifts signal for brands, researchers, and the future of home care innovation.

Consumers often behave very differently from what they say in surveys, creating a critical gap in how decisions are made. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Kate O’Keeffe, CEO and co-founder of Heatseeker, explains why traditional research methods struggle to predict real-world behavior. She explores how live market experiments help teams identify true buying drivers, validate decisions before launch, and generate insights that reflect actual customer actions rather than stated intent..This episode explores how live experiments reveal what actually drives decisions.

Research defines and informs food and beverage decisions. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly speak with Gloria Reardon, a brand marketing leader with deep roots in the food and beverage industry, about how consumer insights shape brand strategy, drive product innovation, and help marketers connect with consumers in meaningful ways. Gloria draws on her experience at Taco Bell, KFC, Pizza Hut, Captain D's, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, and The Fresh Market to explain why skipping the research is a risk no brand can afford.

Speed is reshaping how insights teams operate, but hearing directly from customers still matters. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly speak with Sarah Haftings, Insights Manager at Shurtape Technologies. They talk about why qualitative research remains essential even as AI accelerates insight generation. Sarah shares how her team balances qualitative and quantitative methods, evaluates new research technologies, and uses AI powered tools to scale voice of customer insights without losing the human perspective that makes research meaningful.

The people behind good research have to speak for it. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly speak with Aarti Bhaskaran, Global Head of Research and Insights at Snap Inc., about how insights professionals stay impactful as platforms, audiences, and attention spans all shift at once. Aarti shares how she leads global teams, tells research stories that cut through, measures brand health across a uniquely fragmented competitive set, and advocates for the bold, boundary-setting mindset that keeps insights functions relevant.

AI is accelerating research, but it isn’t replacing human judgment. In this episode of The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast, Molly Strawn-Carreño is joined by Lisa Wilding Brown, CEO at InnovateMR. They explore what “data quality” really means in today’s environment of AI-powered tools, hybrid methodologies, and increasing fraud risk. Lisa shares why there is no silver bullet for quality, how respondent experience directly impacts insight integrity, and where human-powered sampling still makes the difference between surface-level metrics and meaningful foresight.

Research, trends and insights do not stand still, and neither do the people who practice it. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly step away from guest interviews to reflect on five lessons from the past year of conversations with researchers, strategists, and marketers. They share what surprised them, what made them uncomfortable, where they disagree on speed versus rigor, and the open questions they are still wrestling with about influence, measurement, and the future of insights roles.

Consumers say they care about health, sustainability, and quality… but their behavior doesn’t always align. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Laurie Demeritt, CEO of The Hartman Group, explains why the aspiration–behavior gap in food and beverage is human, not irrational. She explores how integrating quantitative and qualitative research reveals emotional trade-offs, how to interpret consumer skepticism around claims, and what emerging wellness shifts including GLP-1 adoption mean for brands trying to make smarter decisions.

In this 50th episode, Shanon and Lev reflect on the journey of building a meaningful B2B podcast. They explore the lessons learned from 50 guest conversations the consistency and collaboration required behind the scenes, and the themes that continue to shape the show. Looking ahead, they reaffirm their commitment to creating thoughtful, long-term value through conversation.

Market research only works when companies actually listen to it. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly speak with Ernest Baskin, Department Chair and Associate Professor of Food Marketing at Saint Joseph’s University, about why market research still matters and why it does not have to cost an arm and a leg. Ernest explains how organizations misuse data, overlook bias, and skip context, then shows how simple, intentional research practices can lead to better decisions, fewer failed launches, and a deeper understanding of customers.

Strategic insights only matter when leaders trust them. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly speak with Christopher Khoury, Vice President of Strategic Insights at the American Medical Association, about how credibility is built over time inside complex, highly regulated organizations. Christopher shares how insights teams earn trust by saying yes early, getting close to the business, building strong team chemistry, and using market intelligence to guide leaders through uncertainty rather than chasing shiny ideas.

Enterprise research teams often produce plenty of insight but struggle to influence real decisions. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie speaks with Kylee Lessard, Group/Principal Product Marketing Manager for Insights & Strategy at LinkedIn, about how she helped build a centralized insights function that leadership actually relies on. Kylee breaks down the practical steps she used to move from scattered, ad-hoc research to a shared system for prioritization, synthesis, and decision support. The conversation covers how to design insight charters, align research to planning cycles, separate signal from noise, and use simple AI workflows to stay close to both market shifts and customer reality.

The story that older adults struggle with technology keeps showing up. The data says otherwise. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Molly is joined by Dr. Brittne Kakulla, Senior Consumer Insights Manager at AARP, with special guest co-host Elana Marmorstein, aytm’s Market Revenue Operations Specialist and host of Waves of Thinking. Brittne shares what over two decades of research reveal about older adults in tech, including gaming, smart devices, and AI. The conversation reframes adoption as selectivity, not reluctance, and shows why trust, usefulness, and life stage matter more than age when designing technology for the 50+ market.

Market research often rewards speed, confidence, and verbal fluency. That leaves insight behind. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Molly is joined by Garret Westlake, Vice Provost for Innovation and Strategic Design at Virginia Commonwealth University, with special guest co-host Katie Bernal, Senior Director of Learning and Enablement at aytm. Garret explains how LEGO SERIOUS PLAY can be used as a legitimate market research methodology, why embodied and visual thinking matter, and how serious play creates space for insight from people who do not thrive in verbal-first research settings. The conversation explores inclusion, storytelling, innovation, and how AI can support creative sense-making without replacing human judgment.

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly sit down with Jason Cohen, Founder and CEO of Simulacra, to explore how causal AI and scenario modeling are changing the way market research actually works. Jason explains why more rows rarely fix weak studies, how seeded synthetic data can extract insight from incomplete datasets, and why understanding cause and effect matters more than ever in modern consumer research.

Market research is losing great talent because the career path remains invisible. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly are joined by Charitie Dantis-Gayo, Corporate Vice President, Center for Consumer Insights at New York Life Insurance Company. Charitie shares her nonlinear path into market research, explains why visibility matters more than credentials, and outlines what truly attracts and develops the next generation of researchers. The conversation covers recruiting for initiative and curiosity, using AI with discipline, and why human judgment and fieldwork remain essential in modern insights work.

AI can accelerate research. It cannot replace context. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly sit down with Nancee Halpin, a researcher and insights specialist whose career spans Fuel Cycle, SurveyMonkey, Highlight, and Strella. Nancee explains why human judgment, curiosity, and lived context still sit at the center of good research, even as AI reshapes how fast teams can move. The conversation explores where AI genuinely helps, where it falls short, and why researchers remain essential interpreters between data and decision-making.

Influence does not come from more data. It comes from understanding risk, value, and timing. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly are joined by Ed Kahn, Senior Principal of CX Research and Insights at Mutual of America Financial Group. With a career spanning consumer electronics, syndicated research, and financial services, Ed shares why researchers often feel excluded from decisions and what actually changes that dynamic. He explains how fluency in business context, clarity around risk, and relevance in the moment turn research into influence. This conversation reframes the idea of a “seat at the table” and offers practical ways insights teams can earn it.

AI is transforming research, but human judgment still anchors the work. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly sit down with David Evans, Director of Market Research at Microsoft and author of Bottlenecks, to explore the realities of building AI and digital products that respect how humans think, feel, and decide. David draws on a decade of applied psychology at Microsoft to examine where AI truly accelerates research, where rigor is at risk, and why the voice of the customer must guide decisions long before any model speaks. From synthetic data to privacy, from UX bottlenecks to conversational interfaces, this episode reframes AI not as a shortcut, but as a partner that demands stronger theory, clearer ethics, and deeper accountability.

Research is evolving from reporting the past to shaping what comes next, and the most meaningful shifts begin with how we understand people. In this Greatest Hits episode of The Curiosity Current, five guests share the ideas that are redefining the insights profession. From Adam Hagerman’s view of research as a strategic engine, to Lindsey Goodman’s lived-world ethnography, to Marcus Cunha on influence and ROI, to J. Walker Smith’s return to analog life, and Ben Valenta’s work on connection and well-being, this episode brings together the human themes that turn information into impact.

UX research only matters when it changes something. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly sit down with Amberly Miller, Director of UX Research at Prudential Financial, to discuss the real work of turning insight into influence inside a heavily regulated, high-stakes enterprise. Amberly shares how she rebuilt Prudential’s approach to research, moving from a tightly gated silo to a democratized model that empowers more than a hundred practitioners and what it takes to deliver insights that land, even when the truth is uncomfortable. From stakeholder silence to C-suite pressure, from separating signal from noise to knowing where AI belongs, this conversation goes beyond theory and speaks to the reality of earning a voice at the table.

Modern CMOs are overwhelmed with data yet short on clarity. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Molly Strawn-Carreño and guest host Shanon Adams, President and COO of aytm, sit down with Steve Olenski, “The CMO Whisperer,” to unpack what CMOs really need from insights partners. Steve explains why insights must be treated as a growth engine, how the strongest teams align on trust, translation, and timing, and why storytelling and speed now matter more than volume. The conversation breaks down how to earn a real seat at the table, how to use AI responsibly, and what separates insights teams that drive decisions from those that only deliver decks.

Every plate, product, and policy starts with research. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Molly and Stephanie talk with Steve Markenson, Vice President of Research & Insights at FMI – The Food Industry Association and longtime President & Consultant at WBA Research. They explore how industry-wide research shapes the food retail ecosystem, how consumer behavior is evolving, and how emerging technologies and analytics are transforming the way decisions are made across a $1 trillion grocery landscape. From defining value beyond price to balancing speed and rigor in research, Steve reveals how FMI brings data, advocacy, and collaboration together to serve an entire industry.

Speed gets the headlines. Consistency drives the decision. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Molly and co-host Stephanie sit down with Charlie Grossman, Owner of CG Research & Consulting and former VP at BASES and Burke, to unpack what makes research trustworthy and actionable. Charlie explains why context and consistency beat one-off metrics, how to avoid the novelty trap of high purchase intent, and where AI helps and hurts interpretation. He shares practical rules for parallel testing, targeting true decision makers, and managing promise so launches create repeat, not just trial.

Change gets the headlines. Fundamentals drive the business. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie and co-host Andrew Kawalek sit down with J. Walker Smith, Knowledge Lead for Strategy & Consulting at Kantar, to unpack what truly shapes consumer behavior. Walker explains why convenience remains the strongest driver of choice, how pricing tells a brand’s story, and why storytelling, not dashboards, still persuades. He shares his practical mantra, “one thing” for clarity in communication, a measured view on AI’s role in research, and a compelling argument for using technology to give people back their time.

Every brand has a voice but few realise their loudest one sits quietly on the shelf. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie speaks with Matt Salem, SVP of Customer Success at Behaviorally and co-author of unPACKED: Predict Packaging That Sells. Matt explains how the Four-S framework: Seen, Shoppable, Seductive, Selected, helps brands design packaging that drives decisions at the shelf and online. He shares how behavioral science, real shopper observation, and AI-powered tools like Pack.AI are transforming packaging into a measurable growth engine for brands that want their design to sell.

We’re revisiting one of the most grounded and inspiring conversations from The Curiosity Current featuring Raina Rusnak, Head of Market Research and Business Intelligence at StarKist and CEO of 750 Research. In this Greatest Hits episode, Raina shares the lessons that connect mountaineering, leadership, and mental health, from knowing when to lean on your team to the science of taking just ten minutes outdoors each day. If you’ve ever struggled to find balance in a high-pressure career, this episode is a thoughtful reminder that resilience is built, not found and that leading well begins with being human first.

We’re bringing back one of the most insightful conversations from The Curiosity Current, featuring Lindsey Goodman, Consumer Insights Leader at Wolverine Worldwide. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Lindsey shares how ethnography brings human truth back into research, turning observation into innovation and data into action. From trail runners who run for donuts to a framework that connects Hindsight, Insight, and Foresight, she shows how empathy and curiosity can reshape products, messaging, and the culture of research itself. If you missed it the first time, now’s your chance to rediscover why this episode became a listener favorite.

Insights do more than just analyse what happened; they guide what to do next. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Brianna Boyer sit down with Leena Doshi, Senior Manager of Research at Electronic Arts (EA). Leena shares how she built and scaled research functions at EA and uShip, why trust and context are the real drivers of influence, and how framing problems as a puzzle (one answer) versus a mystery (ambiguous, multi-answer) can change the way organisations use insights.

The role of research is shifting from reactive validation to a proactive strategy. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Elana Marmorstein sit down with Adam Hagerman, whose career spans Apple, GLG, and Indeed, to explore how research can move beyond usability into usefulness, why Jobs-to-Be-Done reframes product growth, and what the next generation of insights professionals must master to connect strategy with real user needs.

How do subconscious drivers shape the way we shop for groceries? In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Julie Myers sit down with Dr. Hassan Aleem, Senior Consumer Insights Partner at Amazon, to explore how behavioral science and neuroscience help brands measure behavior in complex retail settings. From intercepts and shop-alongs to basket analysis and packaging cues, Hassan explains how to capture what people really do, not just what they say.

Consumer behavior is being reshaped by agentic AI, shifting economic realities, and the rise of non-traditional workforces. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Glenn Fleischman, sit down with Michael Nevski, Director of Global Insights at Visa, to explore how AI, affluent consumers, and the gig economy are influencing payment trends and brand strategy, his career journey, his approach to blending transactional and behavioral data, and what leaders can do to turn insights teams into strategic partners.

How do you prepare researchers not just to analyze data but to shape strategy and deliver ROI? In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Tiffany sit down with Marcus Cunha Jr., Professor of Marketing at the University of Georgia and Director of the MMR Program, to explore how graduate education is evolving in an era of AI, automation, and rapidly shifting consumer behavior.

The future of consumer insights hinges on striking a balance between innovation and respect for the individuals behind the data. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie sits down with Lev Mazin, CEO and Co-Founder of aytm, to explore how design thinking, integrated panels, automated analytics, and a respondent-first philosophy are reshaping research and preparing the industry for an AI-driven future.

The boldest insights often come when people are willing to say what others won’t. In this Best Bits episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie share 10 unforgettable hot takes from past guests, from calling out the myth of the all-knowing CEO, to predicting the comeback of paper surveys, to reframing “sports hate” as a surprising form of connection. These best bits challenge how we think about leadership, research, and the ways people truly connect.

The most valuable consumer insights often emerge when we’re willing to challenge our own assumptions and those of others. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Victoria sit down with Sarah Montgomery, Director of Human Insights at The Coca-Cola Company, to explore how the Socratic method can help researchers question ingrained beliefs, push beyond confirmation bias, and uncover the deeper truths that move businesses forward.

In this insightful episode, a seasoned market research expert shares valuable perspectives on maintaining mental health in high-pressure research environments while leveraging qualitative techniques to drive meaningful insights. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie speaks with Raina Rusnak, Head of Market Research and Business Intelligence at StarKist and CEO of 750 Research, about balancing professional excellence with personal wellbeing, the evolution of consumer insights, and using research methodologies to support mental health initiatives.

Sports fandom is fundamentally about community building and social connections, serving as a powerful indicator of broader social engagement and consumer behavior. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Ben Valenta, Senior Vice President of Strategy at Fox Sports and co-author of "Fans Have More Friends," to explore how sports fandom creates meaningful social bonds and what this means for businesses and brands.

Serial entrepreneur Rand Fishkin shares candid insights on ethical business building, the future of audience research, and the reality behind AI hype. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie sit down with Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToro and former CEO of Moz, to explore his journey from SEO pioneer to audience research innovator, while discussing the challenges of ethical entrepreneurship and the responsible use of emerging technologies.

The Future of Market Research Education: Balancing Technology with Human Skills. In this episode of the Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Don DeVeaux, Professor at Michigan State University's Masters of Science in Marketing Research program, about shaping the next generation of insights professionals. Drawing from his 17+ years each at General Motors and GfK, Don shares valuable perspectives on how academic institutions and industry can better prepare researchers for success.

How Data Science is Revolutionizing Customer Retention: Moving from Reactive Analytics to Predictive Strategy In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie speaks with Subhasish Nanda, Director of Customer Insights and Analytics at Verizon, exploring how data science and customer analytics have evolved to drive retention strategies and shape customer experiences in the telecommunications industry.

AI is reshaping how businesses gather, analyze, and democratize consumer insights, while maintaining the critical role of human expertise and intervention. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Dave Ritter, Director of Insights and Consulting at Walmart, exploring how AI is transforming market research, consumer segmentation, and customer insights while discussing the balance between technological advancement and human intuition.

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie speak with Louisea Hudson, Principal Customer Researcher at Amazon, about leveraging diverse thinking styles in research, the power of mixed methodologies, and how neurodivergence can enhance innovation and customer understanding.

A groundbreaking segmentation framework reveals how behavioral and emotional dimensions shape flavor preferences, going far beyond traditional demographic-based consumer insights. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie speak with Kim Duncan, Head of Consumer Insights at Givaudan, about FlavorFinders—a revolutionary segmentation framework that examines how consumers approach and adopt new flavors across the food and beverage landscape.

Ethnographic research emerges as a powerful tool for uncovering deep consumer insights, revealing the human stories and unexpected truths that drive successful brand strategies. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Lindsey Goodman, Consumer Insights Leader at Wolverine Worldwide, about how ethnographic research uncovers hidden consumer insights and drives innovation across major footwear and apparel brands.

Building a successful insights function requires strategic listening, intentional relationship-building, and a clear vision for delivering value across the organization. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Ashley Hopkins, an insights leader who has built consumer research functions from scratch at companies like ASICS, Wayfair, and now Resident (home of Nectar and DreamCloud mattresses), about the art and science of establishing impactful insights programs.

Building an Insights-Driven Culture: From Instinct to Evidence-Based Decision Making In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt speak with Leyla, a consumer insights leader who transformed JOOLA from an instinct-driven business into an insights powerhouse. The conversation explores how to build an insights function from scratch, embed research into company culture, and leverage storytelling to drive organizational change.

What does it take to build a truly customer-driven organization? In this episode, CX strategist Dr. Jeff Dahms joins The Curiosity Current to explore how market research, team culture, and smart data practices can turn insights into business impact.

How do you navigate the complexity of pharma research without losing strategic clarity? In this episode, Shawn McKenna, Senior Director of Analytics at Currax Pharmaceuticals, shares real-world lessons on team building, AI, and staying grounded in what truly matters: the human side of health insights.