Greenbook Podcast

Hosted by The Greenbook Podcast Network

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172

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Immerse yourself in the evolving world of market research, insights and analytics, as hosts Lenny Murphy and Karen Lynch explore factors impacting our industry with some of its most innovative, influential practitioners. Spend less than an hour weekly exploring the latest technologies, methodologies, strategies, and emerging ideas with Greenbook, your guide to the future of insights.

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June 8, 202653 min

173 - Adam Bai of Panoplai on Shaping the Future of Insights

In this episode of the Greenbook Podcast, Karen Lynch sits down with Adam Bai, Chief Strategy Officer and Chief Client Officer at Panoplai, winner of Greenbook’s inaugural Industry Impact Award at IIEX North America. Adam shares how his background in anthropology, innovation, and enterprise transformation shapes Panoplai’s approach to modern insights. The conversation explores digital twins, synthetic data, the importance of validated human data, and why AI should enhance—not replace—the role of insights professionals.Adam also discusses what it means to build for both today’s market needs and the future of research, emphasizing the need for better standards, smarter workflows, and human judgment in increasingly automated systems.Key Discussion Points:Panoplai and Greenbook’s Industry Impact AwardHow digital twins and synthetic data fit into the insights toolkitThe importance of grounding AI tools in validated human dataWhy insights professionals must become “shepherds of the right questions”Lessons from Panoplai’s evolution from Glimpse to a modern insights platformResources & Links:PanoplaiIIEX Europe EventYou can reach out to Adam Bai on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Adam Bai for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

May 25, 202641 min

172 - Bringing Insights to Life Through Creative Storytelling with Dan Parker-Smith

In this episode of the Greenbook Podcast, Karen Lynch sits down with Future List Honoree Dan Parker-Smith to explore how documentary filmmaking techniques can transform the way insights are communicated. As the co-founder of EXPLNERS, Dan shares how his background in film, music, and creative collaboration shaped his approach to making research findings more human, memorable, and actionable.The conversation dives into the power of storytelling, audience-first thinking, and creating “rewatchable” insight deliverables that drive stakeholder engagement and activation. Dan also discusses why the insights industry can learn from creators, journalists, and filmmakers — and how stronger storytelling can help research make a bigger impact inside organizations.Key Discussion Points:Why storytelling is essential for making insights memorable and actionableHow documentary filmmaking techniques enhance insight communicationThe importance of designing research deliverables with the audience in mindCreating “wow moments” and rewatchable insight videos for stakeholdersHow collaboration and creative inspiration can elevate research outcomesResources & Links:EXPLNERSGreenbook Future ListIIEX Europe EventYou can reach out to Dan Parker-Smith on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Dan Parker-Smith for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

May 11, 202654 min

171 - Samuel Cohen & Fairgen on AI Digital Twins in Research

In this episode of the Greenbook Podcast, Leonard Murphy sits down with Samuel Cohen, co-founder and CEO of Fairgen, to explore the rapidly evolving world of synthetic data and AI-powered digital twins. Samuel shares how Fairgen has evolved from synthetic sample augmentation into building category-specific digital twins that help brands test ideas, concepts, ads, and products faster and more efficiently.The conversation dives into the future of market research, the role of AI-native workflows, and why agility is becoming a critical business advantage. Leonard and Samuel also discuss the changing economics of research, the importance of high-quality individual-level data, and how integrations and AI-driven experiences are reshaping insights teams, product development, and marketing functions. This episode is essential listening for insights professionals, researchers, and innovation leaders navigating the next generation of AI-enabled decision-making.Key Discussion Points:How Fairgen evolved from synthetic sample boosting to AI digital twinsThe difference between synthetic personas and individual-level digital twinsWhy category-specific data improves the accuracy of AI-driven researchHow AI-native workflows are transforming research operations and productivityThe future of market research integrations, automation, and embedded insights toolsResources & Links:FairgenFairgen TwinsYou can reach out to Samuel Cohen on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Samuel Cohen for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

April 27, 202645 min

170 - Haley Kiernan of Mars Petcare on AI & Data Trust

In this episode of the Greenbook Podcast, Karen Lynch sits down with Haley Kiernan, Insights Manager at Mars Petcare and a 2026 Greenbook Future List honoree, to explore the evolving realities of modern research. Haley shares how behavioral science shapes her approach to understanding “pet parents,” and why the infamous say-do gap continues to challenge even the most sophisticated studies.The conversation dives deep into one of the industry’s most pressing issues: data quality in the age of AI. From bots infiltrating survey responses to the surprising rise of “too-good” open-ended answers, Haley offers a candid look at what’s changing—and what researchers can do about it. She also reflects on mentorship, feedback, and the growing role of AI as both a powerful tool and a complex unknown in the future of insights.Key Discussion Points:The role of behavioral science in bridging the “say-do gap” in researchWhy traditional data quality checks are breaking down in the age of AIPractical strategies for improving data integrity (behavioral data, video responses, triangulation)The tradeoff between speed and quality in modern insights workflowsMentorship, feedback, and building adaptability in early-career researchersResources & Links:Mars PetcareGreenbook Future ListIIEX North America EventYou can reach out to Haley Kiernan on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Haley Kiernan for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

April 13, 202647 min

169 - The Data Behind Diehard Fans: Mets Insights Unpacked

What does it take to turn millions of fan interactions into meaningful insight? In this episode, host Karen Lynch sits down with Craig Swaisgood, VP of Data, Analytics & Business Intelligence for the New York Mets, to explore the intersection of data, fandom, and experience design.Craig shares how his team blends behavioral data, survey insights, and segmentation to understand what truly drives fan engagement—while navigating the emotional highs and lows that define sports fandom. From lagging indicators like ticket sales to real-time fan feedback at Citi Field, this conversation reveals how data informs decisions across marketing, operations, and strategy.It’s a compelling look at how insights professionals can balance logic and emotion to create experiences that resonate—whether you're in sports or any customer-centric industry.Key Discussion Points:The Emotional Complexity of Fandom Why sports fans defy traditional logic—and how data teams account for emotional volatility in insightsFrom Data to Experience Design How the Mets use behavioral, demographic, and psychographic data to shape fan experiencesSegmentation That Goes Beyond Demographics Building personas based on motivations, behaviors, and life context—not just who fans are, but why they engageLagging Indicators & the Long Game Why ticket sales and sentiment don’t shift instantly—and what that means for interpreting performanceThe Say-Do Gap in Action Fans may complain—but their behavior tells a different story (and data reveals the truth)Resources & Links:New York Mets Official WebsiteCiti Field InformationMLB Fan Experience InsightsYou can reach out to Craig Swaisgood on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Craig Swaisgood for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

March 30, 202650 min

168 - Innovation Isn’t Linear: Inside Pernod Ricard’s Strategy

In this episode of the Greenbook Podcast, Karen Lynch sits down with Tucker Mitchell, Senior Manager of Innovation Insights & Strategy at Pernod Ricard and 2026 Greenbook Future List Honoree. Tucker shares how innovation actually happens inside a global portfolio brand, where insights, strategy, and speed must constantly balance.The conversation explores how AI is reshaping workflows without replacing human judgment, why “innovation overload” is a real organizational challenge, and how teams can prioritize for impact. Tucker also dives into the power of storytelling, building a personal “brain trust,” and designing research that accounts for human unpredictability. For insights professionals navigating complexity, this episode offers a grounded, actionable perspective on what it really takes to turn ideas into market-ready innovation.Key Discussion Points:How AI supports synthesis and speed—but still falls short on emotional insightManaging “innovation overload” across brands, teams, and prioritiesWhy storytelling—not just data—is critical to driving decisionsThe importance of building a personal “brain trust” for growth and perspectiveDesigning research that accounts for human contradiction and behavioral biasResources & Links:Greenbook Future ListIIEX North AmericaYou can reach out to Tucker Mitchell on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Tucker Mitchell for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

March 16, 202648 min

167 - CMB’s Morgan Williams on Qual Research, Ops, and AI

In this episode of the Greenbook Podcast, Karen Lynch sits down with Morgan Williams, Director of Qualitative Insights and Strategy Operations at CMB and a 2026 GreenBook Future List honoree. Morgan shares her career journey from advertising and quantitative research into qualitative insights, and explains how curiosity, empathy, and a “can-do” mindset shaped her path.The conversation explores the role of strategy operations in research, how qualitative teams can better support stakeholders, and why the future of insights may become more human, not less, as AI takes on more friction-filled tasks. Morgan also reflects on resilience, mentorship, and the joy that keeps researchers connected to the people behind the data. It’s a thoughtful, energizing discussion about leadership, research design, and what it means to truly help clients make better decisions.Key Discussion Points:Morgan’s path from advertising and quantitative research into qualitative insightsWhat strategy operations means in a research environment and why it mattersHow qualitative researchers can amplify the voice of the consumer for stakeholdersWhy “speed anxiety” and trust are universal across industriesHow AI can reduce bottlenecks and create more space for human judgment and insightResources & Links:CMBGreenbook Future ListIIEX EventsYou can reach out to Morgan Williams on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Morgan Williams for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

March 2, 202645 min

166 - Nikki Quast of Microsoft on AI’s Future in Market Research

Karen Lynch sits down with Nikki Quast, Senior Market Research Manager at Microsoft and the creator behind “Data Driven Nikki,” to explore how research, content creation, and AI are reshaping the insights profession. Nikki shares career milestones from launching products at Kraft Heinz to simplifying insurance at American Family, and how those experiences fueled her passion for innovation and mentorship.They unpack why she chose TikTok as a learning platform, what her audience is asking most, and how she distills complex research concepts into 30 seconds. Nikki also outlines practical ways AI is showing up in research workflows, from early prioritization and AI-moderated interviews to building stronger stimuli. The big takeaway: the future of insights is deeply human, with AI amplifying, not replacing, our craft.Key Discussion Points:Nikki’s career milestones: from product launches to translating complex categories into human needsWhy she started “Data Driven Nikki” and what the talent gap means for the industryContent strategy: four pillars (methods, strategy, careers, storytelling) and the 30-second clarity ruleWhere AI fits in research today: prioritization, AI-moderated qual, and stimulus creationSkills advice for breaking into insights now: focus on applying AI, not mastering one tool, and connect business objectives to methodsResources & Links:Greenbook GRIT ReportNikki on YouTube: Data Driven NikkiNikki on TikTok: @DataDrivenNikkiYou can reach out to Nikki Quast on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Nikki Quast for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

February 16, 202636 min

165 - Feranmi Muraina on AI in Consumer Insights & Foresight

2026 Future List Honoree Feranmi Muraina joins Karen Lynch to explore what it really means to lead AI transformation inside a global brand. With a background in engineering and brand management, Feranmi brings a scientific mindset to insights, demanding evidence, challenging assumptions, and teaching teams how to work with AI rather than blindly accepting its outputs.From building AI protocols and cultivating curiosity across organizations to understanding digital communities and amplifying fringe voices, Feranmi shares practical strategies for embedding AI responsibly and effectively. He also discusses the future of foresight, scenario planning, and how AI can surface early signals that shape tomorrow’s markets.This episode is essential listening for insights leaders navigating AI adoption while staying people-centered and future-focused.Key Discussion Points:What it means to be a 2026 Future List Honoree and why client-side representation mattersTransitioning from engineering and brand management into insights leadershipHow to create AI standards and protocols inside organizationsTeaching teams to be naturally curious and challenge AI outputsCommunity-first brand positioning and decoding digital cultural signalsAI’s role in foresight, early signal detection, and scenario planningResources & Links:Register for IIEX Europe (where Feranmi will be on stage)You can reach out to Feranmi Muraina on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Feranmi Muraina for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

February 2, 202646 min

164 - Bridget Dalton of Truth Consulting on Reading the Future Through Culture

Dr. Bridget Dalton, Head of Truth Futures at Truth Consulting and a 2026 Greenbook Futurist honoree, joins host Karen Lynch to unpack what it really means to “understand the future through culture.” With a background spanning academia, poetry, and semiotics, Bridget shares how cultural analysis can act as connective tissue across quant, qual, and AI-powered unstructured data to create sharper strategic direction.They explore how scenario planning builds confident “what next?” decisions, why multi-method work should surface productive tension (not identical answers), and how Truth Changemakers partners with the Ashoka network to learn from social entrepreneurs already building the future. Bridget also speaks candidly about dyslexia, neurodiversity, and evolving standards of “credible communication” in insights. Key Discussion Points:Why culture is “future-baked” and how semiotics helps make instinct make senseMoving from curiosity (“why”) to action (“so what”) with scenario planningBlending semiotics, qual/quant, and AI-driven unstructured data for stronger foresightTruth Changemakers + Ashoka: learning from social entrepreneurs with a “pre-detection lens”Neurodiversity in insights: reframing credibility, communication, and talentResources & Links:Truth Consulting (learn more about the consultancy and Truth Futures): Ashoka (global network of social entrepreneurs)You can reach out to Bridget Dalton on LinkedIn.Many thanks to Bridget Dalton for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.