What was your journey/career path to your current position?
I was a partner in a large advertising agency (Bozell) doing strategic planning and managing account teams. When the head of research went out on maternity leave, I also took on the leadership role of that department temporarily. I loved it! When I decided to go out on my own, I started a secondary research and social media research firm (it wasn't even called social media yet) and had the incredible opportunity to play a leadership role in molding knowledge practices for my clients. As the firm grew, it became clear that social media intelligence was going to become more and more important to my client base and in the research industry -- and I embraced it!
What's your proudest achievement of your career to date?
One of my team's proudest achievements was developing a methodology to create 'social universes' to understand data/conversations within a segment of creators. In 2009, we wrote a report about segments that still rings true. I am so proud of our innovation and desire to creatively learn and grow continuously.
What does social intelligence mean to you?
Social intelligence means using digital conversations and data to deeply understand consumer/individual motivations, needs, and attitudes to uncover insights to inform strategy and action.
What's been the biggest challenge you've faced while trying to get brands to integrate social intelligence within their growth strategy?
My clients are, and have been, amazing and believe in the power of social intelligence. That said, the biggest challenge I've faced is helping clients maintain a team of advocates across departments to ensure that our investigations are broad and deep enough to support integrated needs.
What do you think is the biggest missed opportunity for social intelligence?
I think the biggest missed opportunity for social intelligence is the need for speed. We all want to get to insights quickly and that's sometimes imperative, but allowing for fluid and ongoing research creates opportunities to uncover shifts that may not be apparent in a singular study.
What's on the cards for you and your team/organisation in 2022?
As we begin 2022, my team is excited to have our craft and contribution become more and more integrated into the ongoing strategic thinking and planning with our clients.
How do you see social intelligence and its use evolving?
I see social intelligence teams and strategists/analysts become more deeply involved in the strategic process from the initial questioning process through the insights, recommendations, and analyses. Rinse and repeat.
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