Embarking on a journey without grand entrepreneurial ambitions, Katrina Starnes founded The Rise Group seventeen years ago, driven by her profound passion for market research. This humble beginning would evolve into a company that transformed traditional market research methodologies into comprehensive, nuanced explorations of data.
A New Era in Market Research
The Birth of The Rise Group
Seventeen years ago, the market research industry was dominated by traditional approaches standardized around broad-stroke statistics. Starnes recognized the necessity for more than mere numbers; companies needed context to make informed decisions. With this insight, The Rise Group emerged, focusing on deeper, hyper-specific insights instead of generic, one-size-fits-all research.
In the early stages, the market research industry primarily relied on delivering large data sets based on accepted industry metrics. Phrases such as “X% of women in their 30s prefer this product” or “Y% of businesses in this sector adopt this policy” were commonplace, offering a rudimentary understanding. These broad generalizations often left critical questions unaddressed, leaving businesses without the depth they needed to make strategic decisions.
Pivoting to Insight-Driven Research
Unlike conventional firms, The Rise Group delves deeper into data, exploring behavioral patterns and emotional drivers behind decision-making. This approach has empowered companies to make impactful decisions by providing data with true strategic value. Such pioneering methods positioned The Rise Group as a leader, bridging the gap between raw data and actionable intelligence.
For instance, rather than simply reporting employee satisfaction with corporate relocation policies, The Rise Group explores how these policies affect employees from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds. They document the specific challenges faced when relocating and analyze how these challenges influence job satisfaction and long-term retention. This depth allows The Rise Group to deliver insights that genuinely help companies make significant, informed decisions.
Broad yet Deep Specializations
Tackling Diverse Industry Challenges
The Rise Group set itself apart by engaging in a wide array of projects spanning different industries, from healthcare and corporate strategies to consumer behavior and public policies. The firm’s flexibility in addressing varied challenges has built its reputation for tackling projects that others tend to avoid.
Starnes often humorously notes that the team’s research projects span A to Z—from Agriculture to Zika. This diverse portfolio illustrates the firm’s ability to adapt to any industry. By not restricting itself to a single sector, The Rise Group ensures that it can offer valuable insights across a broad spectrum of fields, thus establishing itself as a versatile and invaluable partner in research and strategic insights.
Real-world Applications
Through real-world applications like investigating consumer sentiment or exploring the perception of new technologies by industry professionals, The Rise Group stays relevant to its clients’ evolving needs. This consistent adaptability ensures that the company offers current, actionable solutions rather than static, quickly outdated reports.
The firm has conducted significant research in areas such as healthcare, where understanding patient behavior and perceptions can lead to improved medical services, and in corporate strategies, where insights on workplace culture can help optimize policies. By addressing these real-world applications, The Rise Group ensures its research remains highly relevant and practical, assisting clients in navigating their unique challenges effectively.
Cultivating a Learning Culture
Documenting and Sharing Expertise
Beyond client work, The Rise Group has built a culture of continuous learning. The sharing of knowledge within the team is prioritized, creating an environment where expertise continually grows. Processes and insights are meticulously recorded to create a knowledge base that ensures scalability without sacrificing quality.
Starnes has spearheaded efforts to document expertise within the company, ensuring that when someone figures out a new approach, it does not stay with them alone but becomes part of the collective knowledge. This meticulous documentation ensures that innovative strategies and insights are consistently shared and used to maintain high standards throughout the company’s operations.
Environment of Innovation
Seventeen years ago, Katrina Starnes embarked on a professional journey fueled not by grand entrepreneurial ambitions but by a deep-seated passion for market research. Her dedication to understanding consumer behavior and market trends led her to establish The Rise Group. What began as a modest venture has since blossomed into a company renowned for revolutionizing traditional methodologies of market research. Under Katrina’s leadership, The Rise Group has shifted from mere data collection to delivering richly detailed, comprehensive analyses that provide actionable insights for businesses. This evolution has not only positioned The Rise Group as a leader in the field but has also underscored Katrina’s commitment to innovation and excellence. Her work demonstrates that a genuine passion for one’s field can drive significant advancements and long-lasting impacts in an industry. Today, The Rise Group continues to thrive, thanks to its founder’s unwavering dedication and visionary approach to market research.
