The Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast

The research profession is transitioning from hands-on execution to strategic orchestration, yet many organizations struggle with adoption. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Zontziry Johnson, Head of Learning and Research at the Insights Career Network, explains why new tools often fail to deliver promised results. She discusses the gap between tool adoption and process transformation, the importance of business literacy over technical execution, and how leaders can build teams that feel empowered to experiment. Discover how to identify hidden alignment barriers and future proof your career.

Alec Levin discusses the evolution of professional learning and explains why structured curriculums are failing modern researchers. He shares how his community, Learners, fosters a more effective and chaotic ecosystem for growth. The conversation examines the impact of ai on the research field and uses the cheese factory analogy to distinguish between artisanal work and automated insights. Alec explains why researchers should view themselves as study designers to remain essential as the volume of available data explodes.

Deborah Mendez joins The Curiosity Current to discuss why discrepancies between consumer claims and actual behavior are signals for market innovation. Drawing on her leadership experience at major brands like Kraft Heinz and Mars, she explains how agile research allows teams to identify patterns rather than isolated data points. The conversation explores how to maintain high research quality under budget constraints and why the rise of artificial intelligence is sparking a qualitative renaissance. Deborah also highlights the essential human roles of problem framing and judgment in a data saturated world.

In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie Vance is joined by Marin Mrsa, Founder and CEO of Peakator, to discuss the evolving landscape of research technology. Marin shares his journey of entering the insights industry from the outside and how that perspective shaped his vision for a more efficient research process. The conversation explores why surveys remain a vital communication tool between brands and consumers, the role of AI in automating tedious tasks, and why human judgment is more important than ever for strategic decision making.

Breaking into market research is getting harder, and it has long term consequences for the industry. In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly speak with Brooke Reavey, Professor of Marketing at Dominican University, about the shrinking talent pipeline in insights. Brooke shares why internships and entry level roles are disappearing, how AI is reshaping both learning and work, and what the industry risks losing if practical experience continues to fade.