Emma LaPorte on the Future of Insights at Crown Resorts

In this episode of the Greenbook Podcast, host Karen Lynch sits down with Emma LaPorte, Group Insights and Strategy Manager at Crown Resorts, to explore what it truly means to be a high-integrity insights leader. Emma shares her unique career journey from academia and agency life to healthcare, FMCG, and now experience-led research in the entertainment and hospitality sector.

Together, they unpack how rigor, curiosity, and creativity intersect in modern insights work, especially when decisions are emotionally driven and high-stakes. Emma discusses building stakeholder trust, navigating data quality challenges, and balancing speed with thoughtful upfront alignment. The conversation also looks ahead to the future of the insights profession, including the evolving role of AI, the enduring importance of human judgment, and why storytelling remains essential for influencing senior leaders. This episode is a must-listen for insights professionals seeking to elevate their impact.

Key Discussion Points:

• Emma’s career path from academia to enterprise insights leadership
• Balancing scientific rigor with creativity and storytelling
• Building trust with stakeholders through transparency and integrity
• Managing data quality and pressure-testing insights
• The future of insights: AI, integration, and human interpretation

Resources & Links:

• Crown Resorts

You can reach out to Emma LaPorte on LinkedIn.

Many thanks to Emma LaPorte for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.

Transcript

Karen: Hello everybody. Welcome to another episode of the Greenbook Podcast. Greenbook Podcast? Did I say that right? Sometimes I trip on my words. Anyway, it’s a pleasure. I am happy to be hosting again today. It’s Karen Lynch, and I’m excited to have our guest on Emma LaPorte, who’s joining us from Melbourne, Australia, with Crown Resorts. She is the group insights and strategy manager. And if you’ve not heard of, you know, Crown Resorts in Australia, I encourage you to take a look at the website and look at the properties [laugh] that she is working on day after day. They look fantastic, amazing, I would love to be there myself. So, when I first saw Emma’s LinkedIn profile, I got really excited to talk to her about what it means to be an insights professional and some of the characteristics that jump off the page. So, I’m excited to have this conversation where I get to know her with all of you. So Emma, before I go too much further, welcome to the Greenbook Podcast.

Emma: Thanks so much, Karen. Thanks for having me. I’m super excited.

Karen: I’m excited as well. And you know, I could introduce you, but I just find that it’s just so much better if I just let you introduce yourself. So, give our listeners a little bit more about your background and your current role, and then we might dig into a little bit of your career journey in the process, but please introduce yourself in that way.

Emma: Yeah, absolutely. So, as you mentioned, I work for Crown Resorts, and my role is group insights and strategy manager. And this role, it covers a lot of ground. So, I look after insights across all properties, so that’s in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, and across every part of the business as well. So, that includes gaming, food and beverage, hotels and retail. So, that means everything from monitoring brand performance and understanding guest behavior to spotting market trends and shaping strategy for new products and experiences. And it’s really about using those insights to shape experiences that people genuinely enjoy. So, for me, that’s a lot of fun, and what I really love about the role, I guess, is the variety. I mean every day is different. I work across multiple categories, three different cities, which means I’m constantly learning, and it keeps it fresh and interesting for me.

Karen: Yeah, that’s just—it sounds actually like a dream, very delightful to think about. And all types of people in your audience. I mean, you must attract quite a diverse group of people that you’re talking to when you’re either, you know, doing qualitative initiatives or what have you. But it’s a very diverse population you serve is not—

Emma: Absolutely. I mean, you obviously have the locals within each of the states, but also interstate and domestic visitors, also international ones as well. So yes, it’s a very diverse audience. And because we’re dealing with experiences, every experience is different. So, what’s special to you might be, you know, different for me. So, it’s really sort of intricate work that we look at, you know, what sort of drives experiences and what makes a happy one in a visit.

Karen: Yeah. I can only imagine, and I’m so excited. And you know, we have so much to talk about, but I also want to do a shout-out because when I landed on your LinkedIn page as well, I was like, “Oh, she was just honored with Crown’s annual Shine Award.” And I was like, “I love the name of that award.” Tell me what is the Shine Award and how did you happen to be the recipient of it this year? What did you do [laugh]?

Emma: Absolutely. So, yes, it was an honor, you know, to be nominated for the Shine Award. So, Shine Award at Crown, they run it quarterly, but there’s also the annual version as well. So, people are nominated based on good work in some way, shape, or form across the business, and I was in particular, nominated for the work on, you know, guest experiences, and you know, who our customers are and understanding them a little bit better. So, there’s been a lot of changes over time. You know, post-Covid, a lot of behaviors have changed, so it’s really understanding that and what that journey’s been, and I guess the sensitivities over time, you know, things like cost of living, how that’s impacting, you know, discretionary spend. Because we’re in the entertainment industry, they are obviously massive factors on how people, you know, sort of spend their money and enjoy a night out. So, it was really around that work. So yeah, it was a real privilege to be nominated, even more special, you know, to actually win an award for the annual version, and it couldn’t have happened without all the support of so many teams helping along the way. So, you know, even though I won the award, definitely, you know, shout out to everybody that kind of made it happen because it’s definitely a group effort and a big task.

Karen: Yeah, beautiful, beautiful. Well, I’m sure it was quite rewarding to have your work validated. I think there’s probably a lot of insights professionals that you know would aspire to working for that kind of an organization that would actually, you know, not only acknowledge the good work that you’re doing, but really reward it in a public way. So, hats off to you. That speaks volumes.

Emma: Thank you so much.

Karen: Let’s just do a little bit of a walk through your career because you weren’t always in kind of, you know, this hospitality, entertainment, customer experience space. I mean, you know you were at Carlton & United Breweries. That’s, maybe there’s some adjacency there, but again, you were in financial services, you’ve been in academia. Talk to me a little bit about your journey. You were at Holland Partners, so you were on the agency side. It’s… it’s an interesting journey you’ve had.

Emma: Yeah. I mean, my career has been a lot of mix of different worlds. So, it started in academia, so teaching and running research at Swinburne University. And I started in psychophysiology, which is the science of how the mind and body interact, pretty much. I taught subjects like statistics, neuroscience, all of which, like, focus on understanding and interpreting human behavior. And as part of that, I also led some clinical trials, so looking at the impact of [Kava 00:06:04] on anxiety, and published a few articles on Kava’s effectiveness as an alternative treatment for anxiety. And it taught me a lot in academia about research rigor, and you know, evidence-based thinking. And then after that, I transitioned into agency life, which was a little more fast-paced. And being an agency, you work across multiple industries. I particularly worked across banking, finance, FMCG, insurance, superannuation, telecommunications, so it was quite a few different industries that I was jumping across, but it did teach me so much. So, you know, it’s not only about being quick, but it’s also about being creative under pressure and also resourceful. When you’re juggling, you know, multiple clients, different industries, tight deadlines, you learn how to, sort of, adapt quick and think outside the box. And you know, I love the energy of it, the pace, problem solving, and also the challenge of turning every brief into something that’s actionable for each of the clients. And then I moved client-side after that. And that was a big shift for me. So, I started at that Bupa, so leading a voice-of-the-customer program. And you know, Bupa is very customer-centric and they really wanted that to shine in their voice-of-the-customer program, and that’s why they recreated it from the ground up. And so, we focused on, you know, key health moments, the ones that matter to people, gathering feedback, and then passing it on to operational teams who could act on it. So, it wasn’t just a reporting tool, or you know, what’s it like at the end of the journey? It was kind of along the journey: how are you feeling? How can we make this better for you? So, that was really closing the loop and, you know, improving experience in real time. And then I moved on to Carlton & United Breweries, which is now part of Asahi. So, I led innovation insights for the premium beverages portfolio. And that role was really about spotting trends, understanding what drinkers wanted next, and shaping the future of the category. And that was really exciting to me because you get to influence products that millions of people enjoy. They have a massive portfolio, and you really see the impact of your work, like in bars, on shelves, so that was really exciting.

Karen: The career steps alone and the progression of your career, I’m like, fascinating. So, you know, you worked in healthcare, interesting because you were doing some research in the academic world, right? There was a connection there. And, like I was saying, you know, hospitality, you know, might have been kind of a more recent theme. But what I love is that you’ve picked up things along the way. You’ve picked up either mindsets or, you know, certain, you know, kind of certain lessons based on the environment that you’re in. So, let’s just talk a little bit more about what is the type of environment in experience research, which is your most recent, you know, place where you’ve landed is experience work as fast-paced as agency work, for example? Is it feeling as critical, maybe, as healthcare work? Like, what’s the vibe in the experience space?

Emma: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, at Crown, it is completely different to some of the other categories. I mean, for one, we’re not selling a tangible product. You know, we’re selling an experience, we’re creating experiences. So, that means a lot of focus on emotion, and, you know, understanding emotion, unpacking it. What makes a moment memorable? How can that shift over time, especially in the world of entertainment? So, it’s less rational, more emotionally-driven, and it’s what makes the entertainment industry, for me anyway, complex but also interesting. Whereas you look at things like Bupa, you know, being in healthcare, the focus was really on trust and empathy. You know, it’s a highly regulated space, and the stakes are really personal. I mean, it’s people’s health, so insights had to be really sensitive, rigorous, and, you know, it’s about listening deeply and responding in ways that really matter.

Karen: Yeah. You know, rigor has now come up twice. Not that I was going to count because that word is not written down anywhere. But you mentioned kind of in the academic space, you learned a bit about, you know, having that kind of academic rigor that is necessary in academia, in that world, and then kind of carrying that with you. So, what does that look like today? Like, if you think about, you know, quality, which is something that we’ve talked about, or integrity in the research, some of the, some of these kind of key needs that you’ve expressed as a researcher or that you hold dear in value, talk to me a bit more about what that looks like for you.

Emma: Absolutely. So, you know, things like quality, precision, integrity, so I think that they’re kind of pillars along the way of how I work. And for me, high quality insights work, it’s not only accurate, but it’s also useful, and that’s a big thing. So, it needs to actually answer the right question and help someone make a decision. And precision is about clarity, so cutting through the noise, so that the story is really easy to understand. And then integrity as well because insights aren’t just about, you know, telling people what they want to hear; they’re about telling a truth, and even when that truth is uncomfortable. So, when I say high quality, for me, it means relevant, actionable, and delivered in a way that people trust and actually use.

Karen: It’s interesting because, you know, a lot of people talk about trust, and a lot of people talk about storytelling and all of that, but there’s something about, again, that characteristic that you bring to the forefront that feels like you have a lot of reverence for the work that you do, you know? That you really respect it, and are going about it in such a way that it does have inte—it’s research integrity at its core. I appreciate that about you. I don’t think researchers talk about that enough, so I’m really glad that you are.

Emma: Yeah, absolutely. And I think that there, you know, there is a bit of a creative element to it, you know. I mean, you need to make it all stick, essentially. So, you know, it needs to be backed by science, backed by good numbers, of course, but if you can’t communicate it in a way that’s relevant to different stakeholders, especially stakeholders who you know are not, like, in insights or an analyst, they need to be able to understand what it means for them and how they can apply it. So, making that data operational, I think is key.

Karen: Yeah, yeah. Excellent, excellent. So, now let’s just—hovering again, still thinking about your background in academia, which I have a lot of respect for people who do because I think they can bring you their tools or frameworks or methods to the table, or, you know, different types of questionings or stating of hypotheses, like, I don’t know what exactly it is that people bring, but it’s a certain practice and behavior as a researcher that I’d love to talk about. So, are you still drawing on your academic background, even though now that’s going back, you know, several years, or is that really just part of what shaped you, informed you, and built your character. Tell me how you’re still maybe one part academia and one part you know experienced researcher, or have you just evolved?

Emma: I think that is definitely something that I carry day-to-day. I mean, I think when you spend years designing studies, testing hypotheses, you develop not only that mindset, but it’s also that curiosity as well, and you kind of want to frame it with validation. My career in academia taught me to ask the right questions and not just collect data for the sake of it. And it gave me confidence in methodology, so making sure that the insights aren’t just interesting but valid and reliable. So, I a hundred percent draw on that foundation even today and it kind of helps me balance that academic lens with creativity that I talked about before, and it keeps the science behind the story. In terms of how I use it today, I still dip into research literature, particularly around behavioral science or decision-making. I feel that it’s relevant, it always gives you fresh ways to think about problems as well as, you know, it gives you the chance to experiment with new methods. So, whether it’s, you know, new ways to capture emotional drivers, predictive modeling, anything like that, always looking for ways to kind of push insights beyond the basics. And I feel like that that’s something you should definitely have in your toolkit, and not just be stuck with the same set of tools all the time.

Karen: You know, hovering on that word creativity, which feels like it could be at odds with some of the stuff that we’re talking about, right, so, you know, we talked about it in the context of, you know, telling the story and kind of bringing things to life, and that, I think people can understand creativity being a part of that, right? You have to present it, it has to look good, et cetera, et cetera, it has to be dynamic. But does creativity manifest in other ways in your work? You know, is there anything you’ve kind of picked up along the way that makes you feel like you are all this and also, a creative researcher?

Emma: That’s an interesting question. I feel like it comes out mainly through the storytelling, but it’s also innovative ways to solve a problem beyond a standard methodology. So, it might be blending methods. And I think that in the world of entertainment and Crown, I mentioned that there’s a big emotional component, sometimes it is, you know, having your hard measures, but then blending it with some softer measures. You know, what are some behavioral cues that we’re picking out? What are some cultural trends? So, things that are not—that sort of indirectly affect what you’re seeing, that can have nuances that actually have a massive impact in the outcome of what you’re trying to achieve.

Karen: Yeah, I agree. Everything that you’re saying is resonating with me quite a bit. Talk to me about how all of this comes out, then, kind of, in your teams, you as a leader, you inspiring others, you know, do… you these things that you’re saying, do you kind of embody them in everything, like, outside of just, you know, your research, but this is who you are as a team member or as a leader or a manager, you know? You have this work ethic that I can’t—or this work philosophy that I can’t quite put my finger on, and I’m sure it is just what you embody, and I’m intrigued by it.

Emma: Yeah. I mean, I of course try to take this work ethic day-to-day, and obviously within my team as well. I think that it’s great to be curious, keep learning and as well, you know, with insights, you know, a hard part of it is, you know, telling the truth even when it’s uncomfortable. So, you know what happens—as an insights function, not just confirming what people want to hear, you know, we want to show what the data really says, and that can be in tough, high-stakes environment sometimes. But I feel like that’s kind of where you build trust, especially with stakeholders. But I feel like continuously learning, adapting new tools, thinking about new ways to do things is definitely something that I encourage. You know, I don’t always have it right, there’s always new things to do and new ways to solve a problem, and I think that is sort of what I try to put out, and what I want from other people as well because I think that, you know, you can’t fail if you’re continuously sort of trying to learn and trying to improve on what you know.

Karen: Yeah, yeah. No, I love it. Thank you. I’m going to kind of ask a question, going to this, like, you know, slippery slope for us, so we’re not going to spend too much time there, but I feel like we’re doing all this talk about trust in a time when data quality right and the integrity of the data is also critically important. And I’m realizing, like, we didn’t really build that into the brief, you know? We’ve kind of talked about having those characteristics or those qualities as a researcher, but also, there’s this issue in data right now. I’d love to get your take on it. How are you seeing the data quality, kind of, challenge that we’re having in the industry?

Emma: Yeah, I mean, data quality, it’s always been around in some way, shape or form. We obviously have various measures to ensure that the data quality is high. I’m sure everybody has a checklist to do so. And also, you know, there’s a lot of data sources as well, so it’s cross-validation as well. Is what we’re seeing that’s coming out of guest experience the same that’s coming out of insights? Is there something that we can learn from it? How does that measure up to media data? So, there’s lots of sort of checkpoints that we have to validate what we’re seeing, and we really try and pressure test those assumptions that are coming out and see that they hold true, particularly if it is a high stake decision that’s trying to be made. So, I think the key is that, you know, there’s data quality issues, they’re always going to be there, I feel like that’s inherent, but you can do your best to minimize it, as well as pressure test what you have to find the unhidden truth.

Karen: How are you handling, kind of, all of these, sort of, challenges? Like, you have your research methods, but how are you kind of, either assuring stakeholders or the people that you’re working with that you’re doing all of those things? Is it just the reassurance of your words? Are you giving them proof points? You know, building trust is so important and making sure that the people you work with trust the work that you’re doing. Obviously because you won the Shine Award, you’ve earned that, [laugh] but I bet it can be inspiring to others to kind of learn from you at this point.

Emma: Yeah. I mean, look for me, building trust, it all starts with listening. So, before diving into any data, any brief, I spend a little bit of time upfront, understanding what matters to each stakeholder, understanding what decisions they need to make, and what success looks like for them. And I’m also really big on transparency, so I don’t just share the what and the numbers, it’s the how. So, how we got to the insight. What the limitations are on this number and why that matters. And this builds, I think, confidence, especially with senior leaders. And then lastly, I think it’s about consistency, so delivering on what you promise, meeting deadlines, and being really clear in your communication. And that means both managing up and managing down as well. So, when people know that they can rely on you, they’re more willing to trust you, and that’s particularly useful when, you know, when the insights you know challenge their assumptions in some way, shape, or form.

Karen: Yeah. Are there any—and again, I—don’t share anything proprietary, but are there any examples that have, you know, really been where you’re like, you know, I have to really, you know, kind of show my stakeholders something, like, and really, kind of, you know, bring all of those qualities to the table. Anything you can share with us that’s not just about findings or results, but kind of about the work itself and how this conversation has manifested in your work?

Emma: Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you know, to be honest, those moments can be tricky, but you know, overall, I think that they’re where insights add the most value. So, you know, for example, I start with framing it as an opportunity, not a roadblock. So, instead of saying, “This is wrong,” et cetera, it’s more here’s what the data is telling us, and here’s what that means for this decision, and making sure that the story is clear, really backed by evidence. Because I feel like when it is backed by evidence, people lean in, even when that conversation is uncomfortable. But also, particularly with stakeholders, focusing on that collaboration. So, inviting stakeholders into the conversation so it feels like we’re solving that problem together and we’re not pointing fingers or laying blame on it on anyone. And you know, at the end of the day, you know challenging assumptions is part of the job, especially in insight, so we’re not really adding insight, if we’re just confirming, you know, what people already believe. But yeah, they would be key things that I would focus on in those discussions.

Karen: Yeah, yeah. And just for an example, who are the types of stakeholders, you know, as I’m sitting here thinking, like, actually—is it—because you work in such a diverse kind of world at the resorts, right, like, who are the stakeholders? What are their functional areas?

Emma: Yeah, the stakeholders is quite a wide breadth of stakeholders because of the different categories. So, because I’m a group-level function, there’s all the different teams within each property. So, that could be, for example, marketing teams, data and analytics partnerships, you know, guest experience. So, there’s a whole range of teams—media, brand—so insights, kind of touches in all their areas, across the different states. So, it is a lot of stakeholders as well as our senior leaders as well. So, I guess it’s become very important to me to actually understand what they’re after and have that conversation up front, and you know, how I can feed into their world and help them make decisions. And so, that’s why that piece is very important to me. Up front.

Karen: Yeah, yeah. Are you sitting down face-to-face with them? Like, this is now, like, I’m in the weeds with you, but you know, are you having one on one meetings? Is this done via Zoom? Are you sending things back and forth via email? Like, it seems that there’s a lot going on in your world, and I’m trying to picture what those stakeholder meetings are like to make sure that you’re all on the same page.

Emma: Absolutely. I mean, it can range from things like workshops with, like, a representative from various teams, to a one-on-one. I feel like, if it’s quite a complicated brief, I like to flesh it out one-on-one, get a better understanding of what’s actually required and what decisions are going to be made off the back of this research. However, if it touches into multiple areas, I’m a big fan of, let’s get everybody in a room, let’s talk about it, get on the same page. But generally either one-on-one if it’s very in-depth, and then expand it out to a broader group. Or if there’s many ideas, it’s more a brainstorming session of, how do we get there? What are we after? What’s in scope, what’s not in scope, then probably multiple people in the same room. In a workshop style. But along the way, you know, I’ll capture everybody’s thoughts, send it back to them, play it back, hear their thoughts on it, and it’s a continuous working together and refining process until we’re a hundred percent sure that’s what we want. And then we can sort of go ahead with it.

Karen: Yeah. You know, I love the time, and I would love to get a feel for how much time that might all take, but I love the upfront time because I really do believe, like, you know, you might set off to solve a challenge, and you might find out it’s the wrong challenge, or you might set out to answer a question, but you might find out it’s the wrong question. So, you’re doing due diligence early on to clarify and make sure you really understand what’s going on, understand what needs are. You know, do you have that kind of feeling of pressure, time pressure, time constraints as you’re doing this? Because it feels like you’re doing everything so right and putting in this level of rigor to the upfront phase, and I just wonder whether there’s pressure to then move fast at the same time that you’re managing, or if you’re like, no, we’re doing it right, and we’re not feeling that. Does that question make sense to you [laugh]?

Emma: Yes. Yes, I get what you mean. Yeah, so it obviously does take time. Obviously, time is always a thing. You know, people are curious, they want answers quickly, but I find that spending that time up front and doing that upfront piece, you know, with due diligence, it actually creates efficiencies later. There’s no back and forth between I thought you were measuring this, and I thought that this was the objective. It creates efficiencies in terms of, once I get that feedback, I can create a very tight brief and then go ahead with it, and the execution off the back of that is—it makes it more efficient. So, I feel like more time is spent up front, but it creates efficiencies in the long run for the project. It also creates no surprises at the time of debrief, where we’re totally aligned on what we’re after and what we want. There might be builds however the actual what was in scope, it’s very well understood, so it saves those awkward conversations later.

Karen: Yeah, yeah. I mean, it’s—like, I… everything in me right now as a researcher, you know, my background was as a researcher before I joined Greenbook, like, everything in me is like, “Yes. That’s the way we’re supposed to be doing.” Like, I really, I want to cheer for the whole process because—and I’m sure our listeners are doing the same, “Like, yes, that’s the way it’s supposed to be.” So—

Emma: And I know that’s not always possible. I think it depends on the relationship that you have with your stakeholders, which is an important one. You know, the stakeholders I work with, you know, it’s an extremely collaborative environment, just because of the nature of the business and also the scale of the business. So, you know, we’re able to get on the same page quite quickly and sort of lean on each other for what we can and can’t do. But I understand in other businesses that might not be the case, or you’re building those relationships, but I think that’s a good ideal state to get to create efficiencies in the long run.

Karen: Yeah. Yeah, no, I think it’s great. I am just very inspired by it. And, you know, by the way you’re doing the fine work that you’re doing just feels like—it just resonates with me, and like I said, I’m sure our listeners, too. I’m curious about something now, like, we talked about your career progression, and we talked about, you know, the different roles that you had that kind of brought things along the way, but there’s another part of me that’s like, “Yeah, but this has got to also just be you.” Like, [laugh] you must have been—there must have been signs that this was in you all along because you operate with such integrity and you have such strong character. Did you know this about yourself, like, kind of this is who you are, and these are the things that you would value as a professional, or did you truly just pick them up along the way?

Emma: Oh, well first of all, thank you. I think that they’re things that I picked up along the way, but I think as I was learning them professionally, I realized that some of this was actually part of my character that I didn’t realize before. So, it was kind of for some of these things, it was an easy transition, if that makes sense. Like, it wasn’t hard work to incorporate it into, you know, my framework and philosophy on research because I think that it is embedded in part of my character. But it also makes it really simple for me to kind of stick to the pillars that I know, and you know, produce some good work. And I think that’s what’s made just research in general, and natural fit for me career-wise. Which has been great because I didn’t really think about it too much, to be honest. I knew that I liked it and that was it. Yeah, and so I kind of went with what I loved doing. I was always extremely curious, and everything just kind of built and blended into one at one point.

Karen: Yeah, yeah. It’s funny you say that I was always a very curious person, and you know, would spend hours just talking to people and asking them questions and that was just sort of who I was, right? I was always that way. And then when I found research, and I happened to, you know, post—or after my education, and it was in, you know, qualitative in particular, and I was like, wait a minute, there’s an entire field where we just get to ask people questions, like, professionally? Like, it was really eye-opening for me to discover this world that really fit with who I was. And here I am, even though I’m not executing research anymore, I get to talk to people like you all the time and ask you questions. So, I really [crosstalk 00:31:00]—

Emma: But again, curiosity at play [laugh].

Karen: So, driven by curiosity. Like, still to this day, I’m like, I want to know about your life. So, [laugh] anyway, yeah, no, it’s really neat. And I think that there’s some messages in that for new researchers, you know, people that are just kind of new to the field. And you know, I’m curious, if you look back, kind of at all of this conversation that we’ve had, and the little journey through your career, like, are there words of wisdom for somebody that you would share about what to do along the way in their research journeys?

Emma: I think it is just that be curious and go with your gut. I feel like the more questions that you ask yourself, you’re really pushing yourself to think differently. And I think that research is a lot about unpacking what we don’t know. So, curiosity is key, but also pushing innovations. How are you going to find that out? It isn’t always talking to people. What other ways can you leverage to get to that answer? And we talked about not all data being created equal or perfect, so outside of talking to people, what are some other methods? And it could be hard data, soft data, like, there’s all sorts of things that you can use to create a picture of what’s happening. And I think that curiosity will push the boundaries in terms of, you know, what do you want to know, and how are you going to get there? And I think that’s the most important thing, and I think that’s how the insights field is changing over time.

Karen: Yeah, yeah. And so, you know, speaking of changes to the insights field, we have a future that it’s—well, all future is unknown, I suppose, but in the insights industry, there’s a lot of chatter right now about what is the future of the industry? Is it all going to be AI? Does the industry—you know, is it going to be AI and human in perpetuity? You know, is it going to be, you know, face-to-face research? Is it going to be survey research? You know, there’s all of these kind of unknowns. Is it going to change completely into something we don’t even know yet? In your opinion, kind of, what do you think is our future? Where do you see the insights industry, or the insights professional evolving to in the next, you know, five years or so?

Emma: Good question. So, I see the future of insights, it’s going to be all about integration. So, we’re going to move just beyond collecting data and reporting data and really connect the dots across different sources and then turning that into real-time decisions. And obviously AI and automation that will play a huge role, so that will give us speed and scale that we’ve never had before, but there’s also going to be a human side as well. So, the ability to interpret, to tell the story and understand the context, something that I know that we can train over time in AI, but there will still be a human element of it. And I think that human element is not going to go away for the applicability of the knowledge and data, and I think, in fact, it’s going to become more important and applying that strategically. But I think the data collection and all of that, you know, there’ll be efficiencies with AI and automation. So, I think that the future, it’s not just about data, it’s about smarter data, and how, you know, insights professionals can blend technology, but also with creativity and empathy, and I think that will make a big impact in the future.

Karen: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. No, hear, hear. If I were going to be telling people that there is a researcher that they should learn from, it would be you. I just think that everything that you’ve shared on this episode… [laugh] I’m very biased here as I’m saying this out loud, but I’m like, yes, this is the way a researcher should be. This is how you should approach your work. These qualities you should exhibit. So, I don’t just mean that in a way that’s flattering. You really are a standout to me. But I’m wondering, is there somebody in the industry who stands out to you, or somebody, maybe in a different industry that stands out to you? Is this is somebody that I would want to learn from and here’s why? Role models or just leaders that you admire, anybody come to mind?

Emma: Absolutely. So, I think a person doing extraordinary work in insights is Dr. Michael Sankey, so he’s co-founder of Flowing Bee. So, I like that he’s combining behavioral science with AI to help brands really understand what drives choice and then turning those insights into, you know, personalized messaging and campaigns. And I think that this is a really good example of where the industry is heading. So, blending psychology, blending data and technology, and creating marketing that really feels human, you know, with it being so personalized, but also really impactful, and, you know, improving speed and efficiency.

Karen: Yeah. And, you know, you mentioned, like, I’m going right back to where you were in academia, back in the day, right? And I’m thinking, you know, some of the work that you were doing there in neuroscience, like, bringing all of that back, I think is incredibly—not back; it hasn’t gone anywhere, but bringing all of that into our field. That is actually the type of research that I’m like, yes, that’s very cool right now, whether it’s non-conscious measurements or just, you know, a really good understanding of behavioral science and applied behavioral science, I love all that, too.

Emma: Absolutely. It’s very fascinating field. And then obviously, you know, with the improvement of tech and AI, it’s just accelerated. So, I think that he’s doing amazing things in the space, and I can’t wait to see what else he does. But yeah, what he’s doing is so interesting. And yeah, with that behavioral science element throughout, like, yeah, I think it’s going to be amazing.

Karen: Yeah, good stuff. Good stuff. I’m looking at the clock, and I’m like, you know, here we are, we’re, you know, getting down to the wire, but I do want to ask you if there’s anything that you really were hoping we would touch upon that I either glazed over or didn’t get a chance to ask you. Is there anything else that you wanted to add, Emma?

Emma: I think I would have loved a question about how we balance art and science, you know, in insights because I think that’s the heart of what we really do.

Karen: Yeah. Tell me more. Tell me more.

Emma: Yeah, I mean, you know, the sweet spot is really combining both. So, having that evidence that’s rock solid, but also, you know, the art piece, it comes out in many ways, shapes and forms. You know, whether that’s creating a questionnaire, whether we talked about delivering the messaging and the storytelling. But you know, just times where creativity would come out more so than the science component, even though everything that we do is, kind of, grounded in the science element. But I think it’s interesting how it comes up in various ways, shapes, and forms in the insights industry, and it’s probably less talked about. I think that it’s more about the numbers and so forth, but how that comes across and I guess, you know, ways that we need to think about outside the box and be innovative, yeah, I think that’s less talked about.

Karen: I love that. And I think, you know, have—I’m sure you have, otherwise we wouldn’t even be having this conversation, but you’ve seen somebody like, you know, and they’re presenting some information, and you’re like, “Oh, that was smooth.” Like, it just seems to come from this source inside of them where they do seem like artists, right, that they’re they are creating a concept based on the data or the numbers or the findings or the research, and yet they’re bringing it to life in such a way that you’re like, ooh, that is an artist at work. I have seen that before myself, and I do find it inspiring, and it is quite a professional who can do both. I’m glad you brought that up. Are there examples of, like, artistry from your work? Anything that you’ve done, that you’re like, this was, you know, this is where this happens. Maybe it’s in your innovation work, or maybe it’s in, as you mentioned, the kind of questionnaire design. But is there somewhere where you feel that you know, like, this is a manifestation of that?

Emma: I think a hundred percent it’s when you present to senior leaders. So, of course, I want to know that, you know, why should they trust this data and all those questions, but more so they want to know what it means for them, quickly, succinctly. And also, how is this supported by other data sources? Are we seeing this same trend in guest experience in x, y and z? So, I think that ability to, you know, have all the facts and figures of why you should trust this data, but also look at or clearly communicate how this fits them, maybe not just in one area, but in multiple areas of the business, and how this can actually drive impact and change. And also, after the fact, how do we operationalize it? How do we track it and make sure—how do we monitor how we’re doing? I think that threading all of that together, it can be quite hard, and I think that definitely is an art that I’m still learning about [laugh].

Karen: Yeah, something tells me you’re actually far along on that learning curve [laugh].

Emma: [laugh].

Karen: Now, I’ll just continue to flatter you this entire conversation. No, I also I love that we’re going to wrap with that conceptually because we’ve been doing a lot of, kind of, looks at the past, you know, 12 months, the year 2025, from a content standpoint, and what were articles that kind of rose to the top in terms of readership, or podcast episodes that kind of rose to the top in terms of listening, and one of the common threads is being able to communicate with C-suite execs, and not just communicate with them, but really translate the findings and help inform business decisions like C-suite strategy. And our responsibility towards informing C-suite execs has never been stronger than it has been this past year, so that’s actually a great theme to again, wrap this up on. It’s critical, and it’s a big part of the work that we are charged with doing right now, so I’m so glad you brought that up, Emma.

Emma: Absolutely. Yeah, I’ve read a lot in the space as well, and I can see it becoming a hot topic. And I definitely see why. I mean, it’s definitely critical. For anybody who is in insights, it is, you know, a skill that’s worth mastering, I think, in the long run.

Karen: Yeah, yeah. Thank you so much for your time and for sharing some of your background with us. And again, no lie, I think you’re doing amazing work, and the way you’re doing it is what really was a standout to me. Again, you just are embodying some characteristics that really do make it a true quality researcher, so thank you for bringing that into the world.

Emma: Thanks so much, Karen. And thanks for having me and giving me the space to share my story.

Karen: My pleasure, my pleasure. Many thanks to go around all the way, right? So, thank you very much to, of course, to you again, Emma, and to our editor, Big Bad Audio, and to all of our listeners who are tuning in. I believe this is going to air next week, which means it’s our last episode for 2025. So, Emma, thank you for joining us for that [laugh].

Emma: Thank you.

Karen: You’re welcome. You’re welcome. Everybody, have a great end to the year, and we will see you in 2026. Have a great day, everyone. Bye-bye.