Why I Love MR: An Interview with Grace Topoleski

Welcome to our "Why I Love MR" Q&A Series! We have talked with both internal AMC Staff and some of our clients, so keep an eye out for fun interviews coming up exploring all the reasons why those of us who work in market research are so passionate about what we do! Interested in being interviewed and sharing why YOU love MR? Reach out to us.

Here we get a chance to know Grace Topoleski, Project Director at AMC Global, a little bit better...

A lot of little kids want to be astronauts, firefighters, or doctors when they grow up. Few five year olds would tell you, “When I get older, I want to be a market researcher!” How did you first get involved in market research, and what drew you to it? 

GRACE: I first got involved in market research in an undergraduate class at Michigan State. I loved learning about the combination of psychology and marketing and became super interested in understanding the ins-and-outs of consumer behavior. I remember hearing from a guest speaker from Wendy’s who talked about using market research to inform their drive-thru menu design and from there, I was hooked! 

What has surprised you most about working in market research and insights? 

GRACE: Every day and every project are truly unique. Whether it be different questions being asked or different strategies to approach a study, no two projects are the same which keeps things interesting and keeps us learning all the time! It seems that the sky is the limit in terms of what questions clients can ask and what future or current business decisions they are looking to inform with the research. 

Surprise! You’ve been given unlimited resources to study anything in the world. What does this passion project look like? What would you discover? 

GRACE: I would love to work on a research project about women in sports. Specifically, researching how sports organizations, like the NFL or NBA, can better reach female audiences and include them in the game. It would also be great to better understand what media companies can do to increase viewership for women’s sports across the board.

Market research studies come in all shapes and sizes, from quick claims and message tests, to large and complex conjoint analysis, to getting your feet on the ground with in-depth qualitative interviews. What’s your favorite methodology or research approach?

GRACE: I recently had the opportunity to work on a super unique MaxDiff study. We were able to learn so much and really help our client take the most informed next steps. It has become one of my favorite quantitative methodologies!

I also always love qualitative research. It is fascinating to observe the way that consumers react to concepts/questions and how each person looks at everything a little bit different.

What do you feel are hot topics and cutting-edge innovations in the market research field today? How do you feel this will shape the future of insights careers?

GRACE: At this point, it seems to go without saying that AI and all its innovations are changing the landscape of many industries, market research included. I believe that AI will change the way that we analyze and understand data and the ways that the data is presented. I think there are many more innovations and integrations on the horizon and look forward to seeing how it moves the industry forward. 

What would you tell someone who is considering a career in market research? 

GRACE: If you are curious and love to learn, this would be a great career path for you. There are so many opportunities within the industry and so many different paths you can take. Everyday is a new challenge and opportunity to learn!

Thank you, Grace!

Why do YOU love market research? Let us know, and maybe you can be our next guest in this series!