In this episode of Signal and Noise, Brian and Andrew sit down with Erin Sowell, owner and principal consultant at Thoughtful Research. Erin brings a background that is genuinely uncommon in the insights world, starting in environmental science and entrepreneurship before discovering market research through the product development process and going on to earn her master's degree from the University of Georgia's highly regarded MMR program, where she now serves on the advisory board.

The conversation digs into what it actually looks like to run a small, independent research consultancy built around integrated insights, bringing together qual, quant, and existing client data to answer business questions rather than just execute studies. Erin walks through a real project where a B2B client had a product that customers asked for and then refused to buy, and how a phased qual-to-quant approach helped uncover that the problem was not the product but the positioning and targeting strategy around it.

Brian and Andrew also explore one of the more underappreciated challenges in the industry: working with clients who have never done primary research before. Erin talks candidly about what it means to not just sell a study but to introduce an organization to research itself, the white-glove education involved, the sticker price shock, and why getting that first impression right matters so much for the long-term relationship a client develops with insights as a function.

Key Takeaways:

• How Erin built Thoughtful Research around integrated insights and a consultative, business-first approach rather than a methodology-first one

• The unique challenge and opportunity of working with clients who are brand new to primary research

• How Erin is using AI for qualitative analysis and building toward always-on forecasting and leading indicator capabilities

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