Inspiring Insights

Big Lessons from Big Business

Host Kory Grushka catches up with long-time colleague, Jeremy Bolian, President of Four Peaks Brewing Company. They explore the invaluable lessons Jeremy learned while working at corporate giants, like McKinsey and Anheuser-Busch, in roles spanning from strategy to insights to sales.  Jeremy recounts how his non-linear career has shaped his approach to business, marketing, and consumer understanding—and how he now applies them at a smaller scale in the craft beer industry at Four Peaks. Jeremy breaks down how to get closer to the consumer, why simple and actionable insights matter, and why empathy is the key for successful cross-functional teams. What You’ll Learn:  • The best insights come from being out in the field • Insights, marketing, and sales must work together to drive real business change • Understanding your customers (and your team) leads to smarter decisions • Small businesses must be scrappy with insights  • Marketing needs to be fun and unexpected  Jeremy’s Bio: Jeremy is the President of Four Peaks Brewing Company. He worked for Anheuser-Busch across a variety of Global Strategy, Marketing Strategy & Insights, and Sales roles. Prior to Anheuser-Busch, Jeremy spent time as a consultant with ZS Associates and McKinsey & Company. More from our guest: Jeremy Bolian [https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremybolian/] Inspiring Insights is powered by Stories Bureau [https://www.storiesbureau.com/]. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Stories Bureau [https://www.linkedin.com/company/12978796/admin/feed/posts/], a creative agency focused on B2B marketing and internal corporate storytelling across media   Kory Grushka [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kory-grushka-5179573/], Founder of Stories Bureau Samrat Saran [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samrat-saran-2b49b43/], Head of Client Solutions at Neuro-Insight

The Mindset Shift from Gatekeepers to Consultants

The role of insights teams is shifting and it begins with the mindset of industry professionals, says Kendra Speed, Director of Consumer Market Research at LinkedIn.  Kendra discusses how insights professionals today must possess a diverse portfolio of skills, moving beyond traditional gatekeepers to become forward-thinking consultants. Discover how Kendra fosters a culture of collaboration within her LinkedIn team and across the company, ensuring that insights are not just delivered but are actionable and relevant. We delve into the emerging function of foresight within insights teams, emphasizing the need to think about alternative futures and the strategic implications for brands. Kendra shares her perspective on integrating AI into market research, highlighting the importance of experimentation and the potential for AI to enhance our capabilities while allowing us to focus on human-centric tasks. Tune in for valuable insights that will inspire you to think bigger and push the boundaries of your role in the insights space. What You’ll Learn: • The need for diverse skills in insights  • How to shift the mindset of insights professionals  • Taking a long-term view for teams’ success • Foresights as a core function • AI integration in insights Kendra’s Bio: Marketing and strategy leader Kendra Speed excels in steering executive teams toward disruptive innovation. Kendra's collaborations with BET and P&G resulted in groundbreaking insights that fueled the Black Men Love campaign. She played a pivotal role in the foundational understanding that undergirds the national CROWN Act. She has ignited over $2 billion in product and marketing pipelines for brands like Dropbox, Toyota, Olay, and JM Smucker. Currently the global director of consumer insights at LinkedIn, she oversees an international team focused on consumer understanding for LinkedIn Flagship and Premium, Brand, Equity, Trust and Belonging. More from our guest: Kendra Speed [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kendraspeed/] Inspiring Insights is powered by Stories Bureau [https://www.storiesbureau.com/]. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Stories Bureau [https://www.linkedin.com/company/12978796/admin/feed/posts/], a creative agency focused on B2B marketing and internal corporate storytelling across media   Kory Grushka [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kory-grushka-5179573/], Founder of Stories Bureau Samrat Saran [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samrat-saran-2b49b43/], Head of Client Solutions at Neuro-Insight

At the Crossroads of Synergy and Storytelling

This week, Samrat sits down with Todd Sussman, Chief Strategy Officer at FCB New York, to discuss the intersection of creative strategy and data-driven insights. From his early days in CRM strategy to his leadership roles at renowned agencies like Wunderman, Grey, and McCann, and culminating in his current position at FCB New York, Todd's reflections on the ever-evolving relationship between insights and creative teams offers real insight into how storytelling can bring data to life and influence brand growth. What exactly is the importance of creativity, not just as an output but as an essential part of the strategic process? How can organizations harness audience data to drive creative breakthroughs? And how does one balance structure and messiness to foster innovation within teams? All that and more on this episode of Inspiring Insights. What You’ll Learn: * How to foster better collaboration between creative and insights teams * The role of storytelling in driving brand strategy * The balance between data, creativity, and intuition in marketing * Navigating career transitions in the creative industry * How FCB New York applies data creatively to drive brand growth Mentioned in this Episode: * The Hathaway Eyepatch Campaign * FCB New York's work with Microsoft and Budweiser About Todd: Todd Sussman is the Chief Strategy Officer at FCB New York, where he leverages his extensive background in CRM, digital strategy, and brand planning to drive creative excellence. Over his career, Todd has worked at top agencies such as Wunderman, Grey, and McCann, collaborating with global clients like Intel, Microsoft, and Diageo. His passion for combining data with creative storytelling has helped transform brands and launch groundbreaking campaigns. Inspiring Insights is powered by Stories Bureau [https://www.storiesbureau.com/]. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Stories Bureau [https://www.linkedin.com/company/12978796/admin/feed/posts/],  a creative agency focused on B2B marketing and internal corporate storytelling across media. Kory Grushka [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kory-grushka-5179573/], Founder of Stories Bureau Samrat Saran [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samrat-saran-2b49b43/], Head of Client Solutions at Neuro-Insight

How AI is Reshaping the Insights Industry

Hosts Kory Grushka and Samrat Saran explore the intersection of insights, AI, and storytelling, and exchange views on the evolution of the insights industry. The emergence of AI as a tool for synthesizing vast amounts of data comes with opportunities and challenges. While AI has the potential to revolutionize consumer analysis and generate new insights, there are concerns about data privacy, governance and the ethical implications of AI integration. Kory and Samrat share why you should prioritize vision and invest time in developing a clear direction for leveraging AI in the rapid landscape of market research. What You’ll Learn:  * How AI is reshaping the insights industry * How far AI can go in the near future—and its limitations * The importance of storytelling Mentioned in this Episode:  “ARF Attention Phase 2 Report Overturns Widely Held Assumptions” [https://www.mediavillage.com/article/arf-Attention-Phase-2-Report-Overturns-Widely-Held-Assumptions/] article by MediaVillage, 5/22/24 ARF Attention Measurement Validation Initiative: Phase 2 Report (2nd Edition) [https://thearf.org/category/ua_resource/arf-attention-measurement-validation-initiative-phase-2-report-2nd-edition-2/] by the Advertising Research Foundation, 6/24/24 Kory’s Bio: Kory is the Founder and Creative Director of Stories Bureau, a creative agency that works extensively with consumer insights. At Stories Bureau, he has led a variety of projects (presentations, videos, newsletters, events, etc) for dozens of insights teams at companies like Dropbox, PepsiCo and McDonald’s.  While it was quite the grueling experience, his prior life as a lawyer turned out to be a crash course in analytical and critical thinking. That, in turn, allowed Kory to deeply understand the work product of his insights industry clients.  This combination of analytical and creative skills is what truly differentiates both Kory’s work and the Stories Bureau team, and he’s super excited to now share his observations from his work as an outsider—and data storyteller—in the insights industry. Samrat’s Bio: A 10-plus year veteran of the insights industry and former Head of Insight at Anheuser-Busch InBev, Samrat leads Neuro-Insight’s client delivery team across the US and Europe. An early advocate of neurosciences in developing breakthrough campaigns, Samrat has spearheaded the transition of his insights teams to next-generation techniques to drive consumer-centric thinking and business results.   Inspiring Insights is powered by Stories Bureau [https://www.storiesbureau.com/]. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Stories Bureau [https://www.linkedin.com/company/12978796/admin/feed/posts/], a creative agency focused on B2B marketing and internal corporate storytelling across media   Kory Grushka [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kory-grushka-5179573/], Founder of Stories Bureau Samrat Saran [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samrat-saran-2b49b43/], Head of Client Solutions at Neuro-Insight

The Power of Insights to Humanize Business

CX leader Alex Genov shares the best lessons he’s learned from his 20-plus years in a variety of industries, including insurance, personal finance, and most recently in retail, as the Head of Customer Research and Marketing Insights at Zappos. Alex spent nearly a decade at Zappos, where he introduced mindset segmentation and created the voice of the customer program—initiatives that helped the online shoe retailer improve its above-and-beyond customer service.  We chat about the importance of customer centricity and hospitality in business. Throughout the episode, Alex provides powerful anecdotes on how understanding consumer needs and emotions can humanize business to build strong relationships and drive long-term success. “We need more humanity in business and to soften that technology edge a little bit,” says Alex, co-author of Forget the Customer, See the Person. What You’ll Learn:  * Zappos approach to customer service * The psychology of consumers * The future of customer centricity with AI  * Applying customer service to the digital experience * How to uncover insights to understand customers Mentioned in this Episode: Forget the Customer, See the Person: A Business Guide to Deeper Customer Empathy in Uncertain Times and Beyond [https://www.amazon.com/Forget-Customer-See-Person-uncertain/dp/B0B14MBQRZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1VBOZI5HNIQY8&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Ae2afXZ_IvjGI0CbIVLoT6PjwwOo6XE_F0qLFhW5lvzGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.Nf_ahd_awQBO9RjbI4QFtDNCkyfIshxMCmNktyJKRSE&dib_tag=se&keywords=alex+genov&qid=1718289045&sprefix=alex+genov%2Caps%2C74&sr=8-1] by Alex Genov, James Alford and Fernando Cabestany Setting the Table: The Transforming Power of Hospitality in Business [https://www.amazon.com/Setting-Table-Danny-Meyer/dp/0062173863/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.HZf33BCKF5npaCw8R-RZxwP9pqoRXu-Q67lKSfXJlDhIhoONp2kDpLH661wDvKTyzGhKgZ9SdBkB-KapZP47w0WUvYdnLM06_f2cED7NF7hLlhflCfvx6X7CHcF1FfKCmPxab_grnJPmQ5jZcjQM6s71iH_KruV_aH1NOM4-RjKMrU_zBY7Wx-_vixK8dcYT46MZEvhnyNQ00Ywju-LYg0Raf3nHAuHoTkY9WQZ_O0s.ZQ_oTAMMM4KZ_gjhTASj7s1aUqQ34CwB_999q2DiomA&qid=1718289493&sr=8-1] by Danny Meyer Alex’s Bio: Alex Genov is an experienced customer research professional and CX leader, who applies his Experimental Social Psychology background and his passion for research, design, and innovation to solving important customer and business problems.  Alex’s professional career spans 20+ years in different industries ranging from insurance (State Farm) to personal finance (Intuit/Turbotax) to B2B (Active Network) to retail (Zappos).  As a keynote speaker, Alex has delivered over 100 presentations, panel discussions, and workshops—both virtual and in person. He has presented at events on six out of the seven continents ... still waiting to be invited to present in Antarctica. His goal is to help teams create remarkable products and services, which make people's lives easier and more enjoyable. More from our guest: Alex Genov [https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexgenov/] Inspiring Insights is powered by Stories Bureau [https://www.storiesbureau.com/]. Connect with us on LinkedIn: Stories Bureau [https://www.linkedin.com/company/12978796/admin/feed/posts/], a creative agency focused on B2B marketing and internal corporate storytelling across media   Kory Grushka [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kory-grushka-5179573/], Founder of Stories Bureau Samrat Saran [https://www.linkedin.com/in/samrat-saran-2b49b43/], Head of Client Solutions at Neuro-Insight