Why I Love MR: An Interview with Shira Horn

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 Shira Horn, Executive Vice President 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? 

SHIRA: In college, as psychology and Spanish double major, I was always drawn to why people make the decisions that they do.  Also, strangely enough I loved my psych stats class. I discovered market research my senior year of college and was intrigued by the idea that business and psychology could cross paths in a very interesting way, that helps both consumers and businesses. This is still the way I think about market research.

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

SHIRA: How much variety there is! Even after 20+ years of doing this, I’m still continually challenged and learning from the best brains in the business. We’re evolving approaches and our thinking for how to get the best insights to address the business questions.

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

SHIRA: Oooh, this is tough!  I’m not exactly sure what it would be, but it would definitely involve both quant and qual as well as tons of global markets. I’m fascinated by how consumers in different areas of the world make decisions and why, and I always love the integration of quant and quant. Plus, I like to travel so visiting markets around the globe sounds fun.

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?

SHIRA: Definitely something meaty, challenging and complex. While tactical work is fun, I thrive on the strategic work. Maybe it would be segmentation, maybe conjoint, maybe innovation, maybe all of it! 

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?

SHIRA: Well, everyone is talking about AI and specifically Chat GPT. We’re working on identifying how to continue to include and expand the role of AI in our field in a smart and efficient way. No, I’m not concerned that AI will take over MR and we’ll all be out of jobs. I am excited to leverage AI tools to be able to do our work faster, smarter, etc. while allowing for more strategic think-time.  

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

SHIRA: Do it if you like a fun, vibrant industry that’s ideal for curious folks (I call myself a data nerd) who like to solve puzzles/problems and be involved with a huge range of opportunities.  

Thank you, Shira!

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