100 Episodes of The Exchange: The Conversations Shaping Market Research

When we launched The Exchange, our promise was simple: ​Lenny Murphy and I (Karen Lynch) would ​go live for the insights and analytics community weekly, unpack the headlines, and make sense of what matters for researchers and insight-led brands. One hundred episodes later, the community that gathers with ​u​s every Friday has turned that promise into a ritual​ and a real-time barometer for ​market researchers, marketers, and professionals focused on data and analytics. ​

We loved it when Dave McCaughan shared, "​I have now got into the habit of listening to your weekly podcast while lying in bed early Saturdays with my first espresso of the day"​.

And you can imagine how psyched we were when Jay Tye recently shared, "I was out on my bike yesterday, listening to Karen Lynch and Lenny Murphy's latest episode of The Exchange in my helmet speakers. Great episode, by the way​ - if you haven’t heard it yet, give it a spin! 10/10 mrx news always."

Our very first episode set the tone​ we wanted to set: we introduc​ed ​G​reenbook's first live​stream and the two of us talk​ed through​ the latest industry news shaping ​t​he industry.​ Continuing in that spirit, every week at 12 pm ET​ we go live, connect the dots, and leave ​viewers (and ​listeners!) with ​l​ots to think about as you focus on your own careers or companies.

​I know I can speak for both Lenny and I when I saw the show is a highlight of our work week, if not THE highlight. We love showing up for you. Thank you for showing up for us, and for Greenbook, week after week.

​If you're new to the show, let me bring you up to speed. These are the themes AI helped extract from the first 100 episodes of The Exchange!

​Ten Conversations Shaping Market Research Right Now

1. AI Has Arrived
   AI is not a future item on a roadmap. It is reshaping briefs, workflows, and expectations right now. Across episodes we have translated new capabilities into practical next steps, including how to retool skills, set evaluation criteria, and decide when to automate and when to slow down.

2. Data Quality Demands Vigilance
   Fraud, inattentive responses, and platform abuse changed the risk profile for research. The show has covered verification methods, fit-for-purpose recruiting, and stronger governance, and it has made a simple case: quality is not housekeeping, it is brand protection.

3. Synthetic Research Sparks Debate
   Simulated respondents and AI-assisted analysis create speed and scale. They also create new sources of bias. We have explored where synthetic approaches accelerate learning, where they distort it, and how to validate results before they inform decisions.

4. News Becomes Signal
   Mergers, product launches, and policy updates are not background noise. They affect budgets, timelines, and consumer behavior. The Exchange connects these dots so teams can separate the interesting from the actionable.

5. Procurement Rewrites the Rules
   Enterprise buying is changing as automation and agents influence vendor discovery, scoring, and negotiation. Providers now compete on proofs, interoperability, and measurable outcomes. Buyers expect clarity, security, and speed.

6. Creative and Critical Thinking Differentiate
   Automation can help with execution, but it does not replace framing or synthesis. The show champions storytelling, problem definition, and the craft of turning findings into decisions. Those skills separate good work from great work.

7. Community Sharpens Ideas
   Viewers bring brand, agency, and platform experience, and the chat often surfaces blind spots before they become mistakes. That feedback loop is the point. It makes the show a working session, not a lecture.

8. An Omni Lens for an Omni Consumer
   The consumer journey crosses channels, devices, and contexts. The Exchange follows suit, pulling in retail media, privacy, robotics, creative testing, and behavioral science. The throughline is simple: insight leaders need range.

9. Optimism With Accountability
   Progress deserves applause, and hype deserves scrutiny. The show’s posture is optimistic, not credulous. We celebrate builders who move the field forward, and we ask for evidence when claims outpace reality.

10. Fridays Build Momentum
    A consistent ​t​ime at the end of the week creates a useful cadence. Many viewers tell us they adjust Monday’s plan based on Friday’s conversation. That feedback captures the mission: help the industry make faster, better decisions together.

If you’ve been with us from the start​, I offer you a sincere thank you. ​If you’re just discovering The Exchange​, thank YOU. ​Don't worry about what you've missed. And know that the DNA​ of our show hasn’t changed​ since the launch, but the stakes have​, for sure. You're right where you are supposed to be.

Karen & Lenny’s Recommended Next Steps

• ​R​evisit the beginning (Episode 1).
  Introduction to The Exchange: Discussing Industry News and Issues. Meet the format and ​l​earn how we set the mandate. YouTube

• Stream the full playlist.
  Browse ​the first 100 episodes, skim ​the titles to get a feel for the topics​ we've covered, and drop into what matters to your work right now. YouTube

• Join us live on Fridays at 12 pm ET.
  Add it to your calendar so you can ​comment and/or ask questions in real time on LinkedIn or YouTube. ​We LOVE when you engage with us live!

• Sample a few ​critical episodes
  Yes, AI is a huge part of our show. And in viewing our library of episodes, you'll see us "beating a dead horse" (i.e., stuffed animal) -- a metaphor we used ad nauseum (although I never really could abuse even that poor stuffed animal; it now lives in my grandson's crib). ANYWAY, at some point we moved on but the point remains ... AI has a huge role in the future of insights and that shows up episode after episode. Check these out:

• Insights & Analytics in the AI Era — ​Episode 35 focused on AI advances, data quality, and ethics. 

• AI’s Impact on Research: Data Quality, Surveys, & Ad Testing Revolution — ​Episode 63 had us discussing P&G’s data standards, AI tools for survey engagement, and ad testing.

• AI Reckoning: The Make-or-Break Moment for Market Research — ​Episode 90 centered on contaminated data and strategy gaps.