RESEARCH

THAT MOVES YOU

FORWARD

Thoughtful Research is a consultancy for teams who want more from their research. We design and deliver custom studies that go beyond data to support alignment, strategy, and action.

WE SUPPORT STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKING THrough:

  • We identify actionable markets, define distinct audience groups, and help you prioritize where to focus.

  • We enable you to put your best foot forward and communicate effectively

  • We identify unmet needs and support the initial development of products, services, and experiences

  • We help you understand customer behaviors, perceptions, and category dynamics

  • We uncover friction, expectations, and opportunities across the customer journey

  • We evaluate new ideas, optimizing execution, and increase effectiveness before launch

  • We’re well-rounded researchers and consultants who bring rigor, creativity, and strategic thinking to a wide range of business questions

Our Services:

  • Methods: Attitudes & Usage, Segmentation, Concept Testing, etc.

    Advanced Analytics: MaxDiff, Conjoint, TURF, Market Mapping, etc.

  • Methods: In-Depth Interviews, Focus Groups, Shop-Alongs, Intercepts, Ethnography, Diaries, etc.

  • Mixed-Methods Analysis

    Insight Storytelling & Frameworks

    Strategic Workshops & Facilitation

We don’t just answer questions. We help teams make better decisions.

What makes us different isn’t the tools we use. It’s how we help you use what you learn.

Our approach is thoughtful, flexible, and strategic. We bring curiosity to every conversation and create deliverables built for action, not just understanding.

WHAT SETS US APART:

We see research as a tool for navigating change.

Our work is guided by The TRANSFORM: Framework™, which applies systems thinking to strategy and decision-making through three core principles:

  • Learn – Understand your ecosystem’s elements, interactions, and dynamics

  • Adapt – Optimize your strategies to align with changing conditions

  • Engineer – Secure lasting success by proactively transforming the world around you

The framework offers a flexible lens that informs how we approach challenges, design research, and support strategic decision-making.

HOW WE THINK:

TRANSFORM:

LEARN. ADAPT. ENGINEER.

WATCH OUR TEDX TALK:

READ OUR ARTICLES:

Featured
THE NATURE OF INSIGHTS: SERIES INTRODUCTION
THE NATURE OF INSIGHTS: SERIES INTRODUCTION

Insights guide businesses through complex landscapes by turning information into actionable strategies. The Nature of Insights series explores the forces shaping our work and industry, demonstrating how leaders can harness ecosystem science to learn from their environments, adapt to change, and engineer lasting success.

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THE NATURE OF INSIGHTS: UNDERSTANDING ECOSYSTEMS
THE NATURE OF INSIGHTS: UNDERSTANDING ECOSYSTEMS

Uncover the hidden forces shaping today’s business landscape. Adopting an Ecosystem Lens gives you a deeper understanding of the elements, interactions, and dynamics that drive success across organizations, industries, and markets.

Read More →

OUR TEAM

  • Erin Sowell MMR

    RESEARCHER, CONSULTANT, & FOUNDER

    Erin Sowell is a researcher and consultant who applies ecosystem science to business and marketing. She is the founder of Thoughtful Research, an insights consultancy that helps leaders, brands, and organizations navigate rapidly changing markets and business environments. Prior to Thoughtful Research, Erin was an Associate Manager of Innovation Insights at Georgia Pacific and Research Manager at Kroger's Retail Data Science, Insights, & Media Company, 84.51°. Before entering the Insights Industry, Erin represented the World Corrosion Organization at the United Nations. Erin received her Master of Marketing Research from the Terry College of Business at the University of Georgia and her B.S. in Earth and Environmental Science from Lehigh University.

  • Marcus Cunha PHD

    PARTNER & MARKETING PROFESSOR

    Marcus Cunha Jr. is the Robert O Arnold Professor of Marketing and the Director of the Master of Marketing Research program at the University of Georgia. His research focuses on cognition, judgment, and decision-making as applied to understanding issues in pricing and branding. Dr. Cunha’s research has been published in premier research journals such as the Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing Research, Marketing Science, and Journal of Marketing. He teaches MBA, MMR, and PhD students at UGA. He was awarded the college wide Outstanding Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence and the Hugh O. Nourse outstanding MBA teacher award by the Terry College of Business. Dr. Cunha also teaches the topics of statistical analysis, consumer behavior, behavioral economics, and media effectiveness research to large corporations such as Chick-fil-A, Lowe's, and Assurant, the Georgia Banking Association, and the Advanced School of Marketing Research (American Marketing Association). He has conducted consulting projects for multinational corporations both in the USA and in Brazil and has trained research executives in both countries.

  • Rose Tatarsky PhD

    COMMUNICATIONS CONSULTANT

    Rose Tatarsky, PhD, is a research scientist specialized in neurobiology and animal behavior. Her work focuses on the neural and genetic mechanisms driving natural behaviors within the context of an animal's environment and evolutionary history. She earned her doctorate from Cornell University in 2022 and currently holds a postdoctoral research position at the Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience. In 2023, Rose joined Thoughtful Research as a Science Communications Consultant, inspired by engaging conversations with Erin about the strategic use of ecosystem science in business & marketing contexts.