It feels good to work at a place where everyday I know I am going to be inspired by people. I am learning something new each day from people at every level of our company. That says something about the type of people we hire! Here, you’ll always be surrounded by smart people.
From the very beginning when I was an intern, I had been given a chance to put my imprint on this organization. That opportunity exists for everyone at the company. People here can truly pave their own path.
For me, retail research has a uniqueness. It’s opened the door to creating new areas of research and exploring new avenues. The “experience” aspect of this type of research intrigued me greatly early on – it’s different than researching a tangible product.
I met John Gongos in 1990. In mid-1991, he asked me to join him as an intern along with two other researchers to launch Gongos & Associates (our former name). My offer of full-time employment came six months later upon graduation from UofM-Dearborn. Oddly, all of my job advancements came in one-year increments. When I became Director of Qualitative Research in 1996, it was then that I also joined the management team. At that point, beyond doing research, I was able to help shape our culture, training and processes. That eventually led to my current role of Principal and Team Leader for our Retail/Services team.
It’s basically a whiplash no matter which way you look at it! I feel that the sphere of influence is so all-encompassing that no one day is ever alike. I could be recruiting the next “star” researcher one minute; then on to a conference call with a key client; then catching a plane to present our capabilities to a new soft drink client.
My three children take up most of my free time. I absolutely could not do what I do without the full support and encouragement from my husband. To me, spending time with and traveling with my family is what life is about. So, when I am having one of those really challenging days, this “other” aspect of my life makes it all worthwhile.