Being a bod – Researchbods

Mentorship and the power of Give to Gain this International Women’s Day

Akvile Lukauskaite — Thu, 05 Mar 2026 10:17:52 +0000

This year’s International Women’s Day centres around the theme Give to Gain.

There are so many ways to give in the workplace. You can give time. You can give encouragement. You can give perspective, feedback, honesty or support.

At STRAT7, one of the ways we’re already doing this is through mentoring.

Mentoring creates intentional space to share experiences, build confidence and learn from one another. And in doing so, it strengthens not just individuals, but our wider culture too.

And as both our mentor, Sarah Woodeson, and mentee, Francesca Casaburi, shared with us, when you give in this way, you gain just as much in return.

Mentoring is a two-way relationship

For Sarah, the Give to Gain theme perfectly captures what mentoring actually is.

“Mentoring is a two-way relationship,” she explains. “It’s about seeing things from multiple perspectives and being able to learn and be inspired by each other.”

Volunteering to mentor hasn’t just been about sharing experience. It’s helped her better understand her own motivations and ways of working. “It’s been emotional and thought-provoking,” she says. “It’s inspired me to practise what I preach.”

Francesca echoes this sense of mutual growth. For her, mentoring reflects a broader shift in how women can support each other at work.

“For far too long women had to compete for the few spots left at the table. Whilst this is changing, there is so much work we actively need to do to help women thrive. The mentorship programme is a brilliant example of Give to Gain in action. Carving out time to share knowledge, experience and encouragement, because when everyone thrives, we all win.”

Mentoring, in other words, isn’t transactional. It’s collective.

Making space to think bigger

One of the biggest barriers to growth at work is time (or lack of it).

“When we’re managing the day to day, it’s hard to stop and think about the bigger picture,” Francesca says. “Mentoring gives you that opportunity to think about where you are, where you’d like to be and to get guidance from someone who’s already been there.”

For Sarah, joining the mentoring programme was also about connection. Although relatively new to STRAT7, she brings years of experience in client services. The programme offered a way to build new relationships, understand different perspectives and contribute meaningfully to colleagues’ development.

Both perspectives highlight something simple but powerful: mentoring creates intentional pause in busy careers.

Confidence, perspective and culture

When asked about the impact mentoring has had, both spoke about something deeper than skills or progression.

Sarah reflected on how many talented women underestimate themselves. “I have mentored some incredible women who have a totally unjustified low opinion of their abilities,” she notes. “They’re their own worst critic.”

Francesca found reassurance in discovering that many challenges aren’t unique. “It’s been a reminder that most challenges you face, others have faced too and found a way around,” she says. “There is so much we can learn from other people’s stories.”

Beyond individual growth, mentoring strengthens workplace culture.

“Conversations between women of different ages and career stages are incredibly valuable,” Sarah explains. “It makes the working environment more empathetic and builds a more supportive culture.”

Francesca agrees, especially when the mentor brings an experienced but detached perspective. “That clarity helps brainstorm solutions and stretch your thinking.”

When we create space for honest conversations, everyone benefits.

The courage to show up

Both Sarah and Francesca shared advice for anyone considering mentoring.

Sarah emphasises clarity and listening: “As a mentee, think about what you want to get out of it. As a mentor, be prepared to listen and not jump in with immediate solutions.”

Francesca’s advice is simpler: “Just go for it.”

She almost didn’t join the programme. It didn’t feel like the right time. She worried she wasn’t “there yet”. But showing up (even imperfectly) made all the difference.

“Growth and learning only happen when you’re ready to have open discussions,” she says.

Sometimes, the biggest step is starting.

Staying authentic along the way

Career growth doesn’t have to mean losing who you are.

Sarah shares a reminder she often returns to: “Don’t be the rescuer. Don’t try and fix everything for everyone.”

Francesca reflects on a quote from Michela Murgia that resonates deeply:

“I’m not what I do, but I want to be myself in everything I do.”

Her wish for women in the workplace centres on authenticity. “Too often we’re told how to behave – to be loud, but not too loud; assertive, but not aggressive. My hope is that we continue creating space for everyone to show up as they are.”

When we give, we all gain

Mentoring is one of the clearest examples of Give to Gain in action.

We give time.

We give perspective.

We give encouragement.

And in return, we gain confidence, clarity, empathy and connection.

This International Women’s Day, mentoring reminds us that investing in each other doesn’t divide opportunity. It multiplies it.

And when women support women, everyone moves forward.

Meet the voices behind this story

Sarah Woodeson

Client Director

Sarah joined STRAT7 Researchbods with extensive experience in client services and brings a thoughtful, people-first approach to leadership. As a mentor, she is passionate about creating space for open conversations, sharing perspective and encouraging others to recognise their strengths.

Through mentoring, Sarah continues to reflect on her own ways of working while helping to build a more connected and supportive workplace culture.

Francesca Casaburi

Insight Manager

Francesca is an Insight Manager at STRAT7 Researchbods, with a strong interest in personal growth, collaboration and building meaningful connections at work. As a mentee, she values the opportunity to step back from the day-to-day, reflect on her career direction and learn from others’ experiences.

She believes growth comes from openness, curiosity and having the courage to show up. Even when it feels uncomfortable.

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AI at work through the eyes of our Insight team

Akvile Lukauskaite — Wed, 24 Sep 2025 10:15:24 +0000

AI is everywhere in Insight right now. You can’t open LinkedIn without someone talking about it and most of us have probably at least dabbled with it. But when it comes to AI as a tool in the insight workplace, how do researchers actually feel about it?

We interviewed our colleagues in the Researchbods insight team, to understand what they’re using AI for in their day-to-day work, how they’re feeling and the future they envisage for AI in insight. The following is a summary of seven interviews with Bods across a range of insight roles, experience levels and familiarity with AI.

The short answer: AI is being used as supplement, not replacement, for human expertise. It’s helping teams get a rapid handle on new industries and themes, supporting with initial analysis and even streamlining communication. But crucially, the human element – the critical thinking and rechecking – remains paramount.

Less admin, more a-ha!

Our insight team are using AI to cut-through administrative or time-consuming tasks – things like generating project timelines or running quick topline analysis of discussion rooms, freeing up more time for what they love: creative problem-solving and critical thinking.

AI also excels as a desk research assistant, providing a quick way to build foundational knowledge on clients, their competitors and categories. People are increasingly using it to explore industries or services they didn’t previously know and because the tools operate in a secure, internal environment, they feel comfortable uploading supporting documents such as briefs. Our proprietary Deep Researcher tool takes this even further, enabling more detailed exploration. Over time, teams have also become more confident using AI to support research proposals and generate outlines for questionnaires.

AI is also emerging as a digital “desk buddy” for the 60% of the week when we work remotely, providing a place to sense-check ideas or tone check emails and taking the place of those micro-conversations with colleagues that used to happen in the office kitchen or across a desk, on the days we’re working from home.

Change is inevitable – but the future seems uncertain

For our team, the future of AI in market research feels both transformative and uncertain. While there’s an expectation that AI might automate some or all of tasks like fieldwork, project design and analysis – potentially shifting the researcher’s role to more of a consultant or manager – it also raises significant concerns about the future of jobs and specialism in our profession.

A major concern about AI’s role in research is the potential for stunted professional growth among junior team members, who might miss out on developing foundational skills if they never need to pore through open-ends or dig through data tables.

Will Insight lose its soul?

Could we lose the rich, nuanced insights that come from real human connection and trust? These are the questions that were troubling some of our participants. While AI can process data, it can’t feel the weight of a silence in an interview or understand the subtle emotions behind a response. It gives us data, but we are the ones who can bring the insight to life.

Our researchers also worry about a loss of job satisfaction and human connection; as a profession, we’re often drawn to the work because of the privilege it provides to be able to discuss all kinds of topics with people and understand them deeply. Our team expressed fears that AI-led research could diminish the deep, nuanced insights that come from direct interaction and wondered whether participants will be as honest when responding to AI as they are to a friendly and gently probing human moderator, or if AI will ever be able to spot the human cues that perhaps all is NOT as it seems (or is claimed).

Why we’re still double-checking AI results

We’ve all seen the dazzling promises of AI, but the reality on the ground is more nuanced. Our interviews revealed a clear pattern: inherent trust and confidence can’t be assumed. Why? Because AI, in its current form, can be a “black box.” It’s great at providing data, but it’s less good at explaining its reasoning or the nuances behind its conclusions. This is why human supervision remains key. We’re committed to delivering rich, reliable and authentic insights and right now, they’re the kind that only a human touch can totally guarantee.

Man vs. machine: finding the sweet spot

The overall sentiment from our team seemed to be that we must find a balance between human and machine. The sweet spot is seen to be finding opportunities to use AI for efficiency while protecting our unique style and the richness that only human interaction can provide. There’s a strong appetite amongst our team for more training to support this and exploring how AI can be integrated into more of the research process, ranging from design through to delivery.

So where does this leave us?

AI is shaking things up at work, no question. But right now, it feels more like a co-pilot than the one in the driver’s seat. The challenge isn’t just getting faster – it’s getting smarter.

If we strike the right balance, AI won’t replace the human touch. Instead, it can take the weight of repetitive work off our shoulders and give us more space to do what humans do best: bring context, creativity and clarity to the messiness of data.

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Starting out in market research (an apprentice’s perspective)

Pavol Hlavac — Wed, 09 Jul 2025 15:44:49 +0000

Starting a new career can be both exciting and overwhelming – especially when you’re diving into a field as varied and fast-paced as market research.

In this blog, Millie Holliday, one of our apprentices here at STRAT7 Researchbods, reflects on her journey so far. From unexpected skills to honest insights about learning curves and imposter syndrome, she shares the five key things she wishes she’d known before getting started.

Whether you’re considering a market research apprenticeship or supporting someone who is, we hope Millie’s experience helps shed light on what it’s really like.

Things I wish I knew before starting my market research apprenticeship

When I started my market research apprenticeship, I had a vague idea that it involved data and asking people questions. That was…technically true. But what I didn’t realise was how much more there was to it.

So, in the hope of helping out a few future apprentices, here are 5 things I wish I knew before starting my market research apprenticeship.

1. It’s not just spreadsheets and surveys

While I have become well acquainted with Excel over the past year, research is just as much about people as it is about numbers. Whether you’re running focus groups or analysing survey data, you’re digging into human behaviour, opinions and motivations.

And no two days are ever the same. One week I was packing 400 bags of sweets for a taste test; the next, I was deep in a discussion room thread about people’s opinions on loo roll. Now that’s variety.

2. You’re not expected to know everything

There is a LOT of lingo in this world. The first time someone said “cross-tab” or “brand-tracker”, I nodded and prayed no one asked me to explain it. But no one expects you to show up knowing every tool, method or platform from day one. You’re here to learn and the best way to do that is by asking questions (yes, even the ones that feel silly).

3. Storytelling is the real skill

Whether you’re pulling together survey stats or summarising qualitative themes, what really matters is how you communicate your findings. You can have brilliant insights, but if you can’t tell the story effectively, they can easily fall flat. Clients rarely want a data dump – they want to understand the why behind it. Bringing insights to life is a skill and it’s not one you master overnight.

4. Feeling clueless? Totally normal

Imposter syndrome is real, especially in the early days when everything feels new and everyone else seems to know exactly what they are doing. Throughout my apprenticeship, I’ve learnt that even the most experienced people have days of uncertainty. Don’t be afraid to speak up, ask for help and remind yourself that you are learning something new every single day.

5. It’s a marathon, not a sprint

There will be busy weeks balancing project deadlines and assignment due dates, testing both your time management skills and your caffeine intake. At times, the end may seem like it’s never in sight. Take a breath, pace yourself and trust that it will all be worth it when you have that qualification in hand. Keep going. You’ve got this.

An apprenticeship is all about learning and growing in a completely new environment. Sometimes that’s tough but you don’t have to do it alone. Having a team around that supports you makes all the difference and I’ve been so grateful to have that at Researchbods. From patient explanations to genuine words of encouragement, they’ve helped at every step of this journey.

If you’re about to start a market research apprenticeship, embrace the chaos, ask all the questions and know that’s it’s ok not to know it all – especially when you’ve got the right people around you.

Why apprenticeships matter at Researchbods

Since the MRS Research Executive Apprenticeship launched in 2022, we’ve been proud to be early adopters of the scheme. So far, we’ve welcomed three apprentices and recruited two additional team members through apprenticeship recruitment days – five brilliant people in total who’ve joined us via this route.

Investing in apprenticeships is a vital part of our commitment to attracting more diverse talent. They’re an excellent way to widen our talent pool and open up new pathways into the industry -bringing us fresh perspectives, energy and ideas that challenge us to keep growing.

“There are very practical reasons to adopt the MRS Apprenticeship programme into your business – not least that it enables you to develop talent from the ground up and train people with the exact skills the business needs. But for me, the most valuable benefit of the apprenticeship programme is that it brings in fresh perspectives. Whether it’s a school leaver, a parent returning to work after a period of childcare or someone looking to start again in a new industry, those perspectives bring enthusiasm, curiosity and new ideas that challenge us, help us innovate and stay relevant.”

Hannah Downs, Head of Insight, Researchbods

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Behind the scenes at Researchbods – celebrating our team this International Women’s Day

Akvile Lukauskaite — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 11:26:56 +0000

International Women’s Day is the perfect time to celebrate the incredible people who make Researchbods what it is.

With nearly 90% of our leadership team being women, we’re proud to be a company where talented people (especially women!) are leading the way.

This year’s theme #AccelerateAction reminds us that progress doesn’t just happen – it’s driven by people who challenge the status quo and push for meaningful change. At Researchbods, we believe in fostering an inclusive, empowering workplace where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

And let’s be real – what makes a workplace great isn’t just the numbers. It’s the personalities, the passion, and the people behind it all. So, to mark the day, we threw a few fun and thought-provoking questions at two members of our leadership team to get some of their advice and inspiration.

What inspires us

Sarah Askew, our Innovation Director, shared that she’s been inspired by the great female bosses and senior colleagues she’s had throughout her career. Her very first boss in market research was a strong, successful woman who saw potential in her and helped her see it too. “She truly believed that I could do whatever she set me at – and subsequently, so did I.” That mentorship and encouragement helped shape Sarah’s career, and it’s something she now passes on to others.

For Frances Revel-Cooper, our Head of Custom Insight, inspiration comes from a closer-to-home source – her dad. “He has always had the soundest advice for work and life and has always been my biggest cheerleader” she says. “Some hard-hitting Colin-isms for all to enjoy: “cream always rises to the top”, “it’s all about balance” (classic Libran!) and “listen to that guy, he’s the head poncho” – I think he meant honcho.”

Best (or worst) advice

Sarah recalls hearing the quote “To increase your rate of success, you must first increase your rate of failure.” It stuck with her as someone who used to worry about getting things wrong. On the flip side, she was once told she wouldn’t be able to continue working as a qualitative researcher after having a child because of travel and long hours. “Nothing drives me more than being told I can’t do something” she laughs. She went on to find a flexible employer and proved them wrong.

Frances received a gem of advice early in her career: “Be visible.” Simply getting involved, sharing opinions, and showing up can open doors. She was also advised to “shut up and listen,” which she admits is solid advice that she sometimes chooses to take.

Personal mottos

When asked to pick a slogan for themselves, Sarah’s was: “Equal parts serious and silly.” She believes in bringing passion and focus to work while also making room for fun.

Frances sticks to a daily mantra: “Swallow the frog.” Tackling the hardest task first thing makes the rest of the day easier.

Taking action for gender equality

So how can we continue to #AccelerateAction for gender equality and inclusivity in the workplace? Sarah reflects that as a company, we’ve made great strides in recruiting women from non-traditional routes (e.g. via MRS Apprenticeships) and then supporting them in the workplace with enhanced wellbeing policies and a dedicated mentoring programme. But she also highlighted the importance of ensuring that the industry itself becomes more representative. “The research world is still very white. I’d like us to be involved in initiatives to build a more diverse workforce of women in insight.”

Frances pointed out to the value of flexible working, which has disproportionately benefited women in the workplace. “Growing and developing talent, regardless of gender, is so important as our industry navigates the changes that AI and automation bring. But ultimately, just having an honest dialogue about equality and inclusivity is the first step to change.”

What Researchbods is doing to support women

We don’t just talk about inclusivity – we take action. Here are some of the ways we’re creating a supporting and empowering environment for women in our workplace:

Menopause policy & champions: we’ve introduced a dedicated menopause policy to ensure that those experiencing menopause have access to the support and flexibility they need. We also have menopause champions in place to provide advice, raise awareness, and foster open conversations about the topic.
Menstrual health policy: recognising that menstrual health can impact daily life, we’ve implemented a policy that allows for open discussions and the support needed to ensure wellbeing at work.
Mentoring programme: women across the business are actively getting involved in our mentoring programme, ensuring that career growth and development are accessible for all. By providing guidance, advice, and encouragement, we’re helping to lift the next generation of female leaders.

Looking ahead

At the end of the day, it’s the people that make Researchbods what it is. We’re lucky to have such an amazing team, and we love celebrating them – not just on International Women’s Day, but every day. And as we look ahead, we’re committed to taking real steps to #AccelerateAction, ensuring that progress continues and that everyone has a seat at the table.

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New Year, same me? Our insight team’s resolutions for 2025

Akvile Lukauskaite — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 10:56:51 +0000

It’s January – time for all of us to set 20 resolutions and give up 4 weeks later. And of course, one of them must be about eating healthier. Sounds familiar? Yeah, me too.

That said, the new year does give us a chance to reflect on the past 12 months and have a fresh start. So, I asked around the team to see what resolutions they’ve set for work this year. Here’s what they had to say.

Resolution #1: read more industry reports

Our Insight Manager Sarah Whelan is aiming to find more time to dig into industry reports when it comes to consumer insights this year. There’s so much relevant and interesting information out there, which can give you lots of ideas for different ways to approach projects and things to incorporate into proposals and questionnaires.

Resolution #2: shout about your wins and successes

We’re all guilty of keeping our heads down and moving to the next project as soon as the last one is over.

But our Innovation Director Sarah Askew is determined to find time and celebrate our wins, whether that’s delivering a big business impact for a client or a creative new approach. If we don’t pause, reflect and celebrate our successes, who will?

Resolution #3: kill EOD Friday deadlines

Head of Custom Insight, Frances Revel-Cooper, wants to get rid of those end of day Friday deadlines. “What’s the point? No one is going to read it until Monday anyway.”

Resolution #4: get closer to the business

Researchers aren’t just data crunchers. We’re storytellers, advisors, and partners. Our Senior Insight Director Olly Wilson is focused on building even stronger relationships with stakeholders this year:

“I want to make sure insights actually get used – because what’s the point if no one acts on them? It’s all about getting closer to the business and making sure our insights drive real action.”

Final thoughts

So, will these resolutions last longer than January? Who knows. But what’s clear is that small changes in how we approach work can make a big difference, with positive outcomes to us and clients we work with!

And if you’re still holding on to that “eat healthier” resolution – good luck. I’m right there with you…

Happy New Year!

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A day in the life at Researchbods – Insight Director Pete Strachan

Akvile Lukauskaite — Fri, 14 Jun 2024 13:31:37 +0000

At Researchbods, we believe in setting the bar high, being relentlessly curious, trusting each other, and striving to leave our mark. These values are not just words on a wall—they are the foundation of our positive, friendly, and inclusive culture. We pride ourselves on working hard, but we also know how to have fun and celebrate our team’s achievements.

We want to take you behind the scenes to show you what it’s really like to be a Bod. Meet Pete Strachan from our Insights team, who joined us in 2017 and now takes the lead on several of our big name clients as an Insight Director. Let’s dive in!

No two days are ever the same working in the Insight team. Our role is to take the challenges that our clients have and provide them with insights to make better decisions – sounds simple, but that process from receiving the client’s question to providing them with the outputs can take any number of different forms. Some of the tasks we might be involved in on an average day are writing proposals for clients on how we’d tackle their question, designing questionnaires or discussion guides for the research, speaking to respondents in focus groups or video interviews, writing reports based on the data we’ve collected, and debriefing our findings. And I’m sure I’m forgetting some tasks!

Across the life of a project we’ll work with a range of teams at Researchbods, utilising the different specialisms across the business to make sure projects run efficiently and to timings. There will typically be two or three people from the team working on any one project so you’re always collaborating, and within the team there’s the chance to progress from starting your career as an Insight Assistant or Exec through to managing a team as an Insight Director. When I joined as an Insight Manager in 2017 the team was just four people, so it’s been great to see the growth we’ve achieved and the range of clients we’ve added to be the size we are now.

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