Miguel Martinez-Baco

VP Research & Innovation Strategist

Miguel

Eternal Student, Inquisitive Engineer of Conversations, and Perpetual Culinary & Opera Geek

What do you do?

In its simplest expression, I am trusted with understanding what makes a person do the things they do: what drives them, what concerns them, what the “problems” they are trying to solve are, how they solve them and how that makes them feel.  Armed with that knowledge and empathy, I provide insights and guidance to our clients so that they are compelled to act and make better products, services, advertisements, etc.

I focus on final outcomes and figure out what the connecting pieces that lead from an input to that final outcome are.  If that sounds like engineering… see my background!

What's your background?

I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Engineering, and started working in product development where I was exposed to market research. I fell in love with qualitative immediately and have been honing the art of moderating and insight mining since! I am a RIVA Certified Master Moderator and a Certified Trainer and Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming. I am also a certified Master Hypnotist… but do not worry, I cannot hypnotize you unless you wanted to, right?

Favorite book, quote or song?

Books:

The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende

La Amortajada by María Luisa Bombal

Dona Barbara by Rómulo Gallegos

Les Misérables by Victor Hugo

La Dame aux Camélias by Alexandre Dumas, fils

The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

The Way to Cook by Julia Child (the best cookbook, EVER!)

Quotes:

“The longer I live, the more uninformed I feel. Only the young have an explanation for everything” -- Isabel Allende

“If you give up good food, wine and chocolate, you will not live longer… it will just feel that way” -- Anonymous

“You are not a $100 bill to be liked by everyone” -- My Dad, his way of teaching the art of being humble

And for Fun…

“Alcohol: because no great story ever started with someone eating a salad” --I got that from a napkin and I think it is hilarious!

Something you’ve found inspiring?

I am forever inspired and humbled by the openness, goodness and generosity of people.  Sure, it is easy to focus on negative things, but I am a firm believer in the goodness of people and the many acts of kindness that happen every single day, all the time.