What does an average day look like for you?
It is hard to answer this question as, due to my dual role as research manager and studio producer, I do loads of different things: there is the classic research side, such as project management and fieldwork, but then there’s also the studio side of things, which involves a lot of video editing, going on shoots  and writing stories bringing insights into film.

What I like about it is its diversity – it is quite different-looking each day. It is in the nature of market research – it is what draws people in, as it is so diverse and such a fun industry.

How do you manage your work-life balance?
It is the never-ending challenge of working. I guess I am lucky that I really like my job, so it feels natural to me to engage in lots of different things at the same time. You have to be really organised and make sure it doesn’t bleed into your personal life, but that you also give the right amount of thinking to the right things.

What often happens with roles that require a lot of thinking is that you never know how much thinking is enough. But it is important to have structure and get to a point where you can do something else, as there is only so much time and intellectual resource I can dedicate. It is important to keep that balance to avoid getting too stressed in the day-to-day.

How has your background before entering market research influenced your approach to your current role?
My current job is unique, in the sense that I do research but also that a big piece of my role is bringing research to life and transforming it into a visual output. I guess the reason why I am doing it now is I really liked video editing; I was self-taught to edit when I was at university.

In my day-to-day, I studied social sciences. Video editing didn't feel like a big thing, as it was something I was doing as a personal hobby, but then that really shaped what I am doing today. That was a good hunch from my younger self to lean into that.

What three words would you use to describe yourself?
I am quite curious, and it also connects to what I was saying previously about leaning into video editing. I am a sensitive person, and I think that’s what drew me partly to this industry, as it is around understanding people. There’s a part of me that is very interested in understanding what’s going on and taking those stories seriously.

What would you tell your younger self?
I would say: ‘Trust the process. Trust that the things you are doing now that feel very random and you don’t think will take you anywhere. If you like them, trust they will take you somewhere.’ Now, it makes so much sense to me that I am doing [my job]. I guess I should thank my younger self.

Is there a piece of advice you would share with those looking to break into research?
One thing I truly think is really fascinating about the industry is to see people come from different walks of life into market research. The skills you are expected to have in this job are soft skills, around your curiosity, and they build a lot on things you have done in the past. Lean into the things you are really curious about and instinctively love, because those are the things that make you interesting.

There is something quite unique about this industry in that it doesn’t matter what you are interested in as long as you are interested in things. Lean into the stuff that you are really passionate about and what makes you unique, even if it doesn’t feel like that is the most strategic way to land a job.

What advice would you offer to those in a later stage of their career?
Trust the youth – listen to young people. This is something I have seen already in my job – we are quite horizontal in the sense that everyone really cares about others’ opinions. That’s something I really appreciate and is something that I think is really important for people at director level.

It is really important to take younger people really seriously, as often those are the people who come from the most interesting walks of life and have a very different outlook on the workplace and understanding culture. It’s always good to see people around you who are older and have a lot of experience still taking you seriously.

How do you feel about AI coming into the industry?
We are witnessing a lot of change, and there are fears and concerns around AI. I personally don’t think AI will take over our jobs. Research requires too much human interaction for AI to be good at it.

As long as we do our job well, I think the fear-mongering discourse around AI isn’t going to happen. It can be a very useful tool and can simplify processes, but I don’t think it will go any further than that. It is also exciting to observe how culture is changing – you should never forget your curiosity.

Do you think the sector is at a turning point?
What I am seeing is that, like with the entrance of AI, a lot of importance is being placed on doing rigorous research that is connected to humans. AI is pushing the industry to do very meaningful work.