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Do you find yourself pondering what today’s trends and insights tell us about tomorrow’s consumers? Ever wonder how technology is changing the market research landscape? Are you curious about what keeps insights professionals up at night? Get swept away by the Curiosity Current: A Market Research Podcast about two world-leading market research experts who follow their natural curiosity to bring consumer insights to life.
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What Could Go Right?

The Progress Network with Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas

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What if instead of being on the brink of disaster, we’re on the cusp of a better world? No one can deny the challenges the world faces, from pandemics to climate change to authoritarianism. But pessimism and despair are too easy a response. Each week, Progress Network Founder Zachary Karabell and Executive Director Emma Varvaloucas convene a diverse panel of experts to discuss the central issues of our era, including sustainability, polarization, work, and the economy, and make the case for ...
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show series
 
In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly sit down with David Evans, a social psychologist turned research leader who has spent more than a decade shaping Microsoft’s approach to AI, brand strategy, and user experience. David entered tech as social media was reshaping behavior and quickly saw how teams were obsessed with what te…
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Insight takes on its real shape when curiosity meets context. The research field has stretched far beyond reporting the past. Today, it guides decisions, influences strategy, and helps organizations understand the people they hope to serve. In this Greatest Hits episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie Vance revisits five conversations that…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, Stephanie and Molly talk with Amberly Miller, Director of UX Research at Prudential Financial, about the internal battles that shape whether research drives action or dies quietly in a repository. Amberly’s path from operations to UX research was built in environments where every decision carried real finan…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Molly Strawn-Carreño and guest host Shanon Adams speak with Steve Olenski, founder of The CMO Whisperer Advisory. Drawing on more than twenty-five years working alongside CMOs at Mastercard, Walmart, the NFL, and other major brands, Steve offers a direct view into what marketing leaders truly need from…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Molly and Stephanie sit down with Steve Markenson, Vice President of Research & Insights at FMI – The Food Industry Association and President at WBA Research, to explore how broad, industry-wide research shapes the trillion-dollar food retail ecosystem. With more than two decades in market research, S…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Molly and Stephanie sit down with Charlie Grossman, Owner of CG Research & Consulting and former Vice President at BASES and Burke, to explore what makes research trustworthy and actionable. With over thirty years in market research, Charlie explains that while technology has made studies faster and c…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie is joined by Andrew Kawalek, Senior Director of Global Sales at AYTM, for a conversation with J. Walker Smith, Knowledge Lead for Strategy and Consulting at Kantar. After decades of guiding brands through cultural and technological change, Walker has learned that the fundamentals of marketing…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie speaks with Matt Salem, SVP of Customer Success at Behaviorally and co-author of unPACKED: Predict Packaging That Sells. Drawing on over two decades of behavioral research, Matt shares how packaging serves as a brand’s silent salesperson, shaping attention, emotion, and purchase decisions at …
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Leadership reveals itself when pressure rises and calm feels far away. Few voices capture that balance of strength and empathy quite like Raina Rusnak, Head of Market Research and Business Intelligence at StarKist. In this Greatest Hits episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie Vance revisits a conversation that blends science, self-awarenes…
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Some conversations stay with you long after they end, and this one with Lindsey Goodman, Consumer Insights Leader at Wolverine Worldwide, is one of them. In this Greatest Hits episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt revisit a timeless discussion about the art and impact of ethnographic research. Lindsey takes us inside the work o…
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Get ready for a Progress Report season finale packed with good news as Emma shares some life-changing breakthroughs! The Gates Foundation is funding a game-changing GBS vaccine, while a cutting-edge AI stroke diagnosis system in England is significantly improving recovery rates. Plus, China steps up with a bold pledge to slash greenhouse gas emissi…
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It’s time for a lesson in civics! Zachary and Emma are joined by Nick Capodice, co-host of the Civics 101 podcast where he gets into the basics of how the U.S. government works and also helps teachers design lesson plans to pair with the show. Nick highlights how our collective grasp on how things work in Washington is slipping, the decrease of civ…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Elana Marmorstein talk with Adam Hagerman, a researcher and strategist whose career has spanned Apple, GLG, and Indeed. With a background in music, history, and public affairs, Adam brings a systems-thinking approach to research, blending qualitative depth and quantitative rigor to turn …
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Emma brings you a solo edition of the Progress Report, highlighting several positive global advancements. Brazil goes bold with a two-part strategy against dengue fever, involving both a homegrown vaccine and specially bred mosquitoes that carry an anti-dengue bacteria. Africa is leading a major expansion of school meal programs for children. And a…
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Can today’s science fiction become tomorrow’s guidebook for change? Zachary and Emma sit down with Ed Finn, the visionary behind the Center for Science and the Imagination at ASU and academic director of Future Tense. Ed explores the intersection between sci-fi and real world science, the complexities of new technologies like AI and gene editing, a…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Julie Myers talk with Dr. Hassan Aleem, Senior Consumer Insights Partner at Amazon, about how behavioral science can decode the messy world of grocery shopping. Drawing on his academic background in neuroaesthetics at Georgetown University and applied work in UX research and consulting, …
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Get ready for another uplifting Progress Report! This week, Zachary and Emma bring you inspiring stories of innovation and hope from across the globe. Trekkies rejoice as Apple’s new AirPods push tech into sci-fi territory with real-time language translation, Europe is seeing fewer flood fatalities and less damage thanks to cutting-edge warning sys…
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How do we protect America’s wild open spaces while meeting the demands of conservation, recreation, and development? Zachary welcomes Josh Jackson, author of The Enduring Wild: A Journey Into California's Public Lands. Founder of the Forgotten Lands Project, Josh aims to connect people with these landscapes through immersive storytelling and experi…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Glenn Fleischman talk with Michael Nevski, Director of Global Insights at Visa, about how AI, affluent consumers, and the gig economy are reshaping payment trends and brand strategy. Drawing on his career spanning roles at Danaher, IRI, and Charles Schwab, Michael explains how curiosity …
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What really went wrong with global politics? Emma welcomes Brink Lindsey, Senior VP at the Niskanen Center and author of The Captured Economy: How the Powerful Enrich Themselves, Slow Down Growth, and Increase Inequality. Lindsey traces how politics, culture, and economics became unstable, from the development of liberal capitalism since the 1990s …
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Tiffany talk with Marcus Cunha Jr., Robert O. Arnold Professor of Marketing and Director of the Master of Marketing Research program at the University of Georgia, about preparing the next generation of insights leaders. Drawing on real-world projects with companies like UPS and Coca-Cola…
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How can parents use data without becoming overwhelmed by getting things right and wrong? Zachary and Emma welcome Emily Oster, a professor of economics and author of several data-driven parenting and pregnancy books, including Expecting Better: Why the Conventional Pregnancy Wisdom Is Wrong and What You Really Need to Know. Known for her data-drive…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie talks with Lev Mazin, CEO and Co-Founder of aytm, about reimagining how consumer insights are generated and used. Beginning with aytm’s origins under the lean startup movement, Lev explains how design thinking shaped the platform’s evolution from a scrappy prototype to a trusted global soluti…
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On this week’s Progress Report, Emma covers a whopping five reports of optimism from around the world. Poverty is declining in Iraq and Indonesia, and risk of child poverty is down across Europe. China reports a dip in its emissions that may continue, and Africa has invested heavily in solar energy over the past year. There are positive development…
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In this Best Bits episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie bring together 10 of the boldest hot takes from past conversations with researchers, strategists, and leaders who aren’t afraid to challenge convention. Each guest answers one provocative question: “What’s the boldest hot take you have about leadership, research, or human …
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What can we learn from the history of the American Right? Zachary and Emma welcome Sam Tanenhaus, historian and author, whose most recent work is his biography Buckley: The Life and Revolution That Changed America. Sam shares insights from his deep dive into the career of conservative icon William F. Buckley Jr., the country’s “first intellectual e…
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This week on The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma cut through the doom and gloom to deliver feel-good news. This episode covers stories from the USDA’s hilariously unconventional wolf-deterring tactics (hint: it involves Scarlett Johansson) to an inspiring drop in U.S. divorce rates, America’s hidden fitness boom, and a remarkable victory over pov…
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It’s time to right the ship of democracy! Zachary and Emma sit down with powerhouse legal expert Joyce Vance, former U.S. Attorney and author of the popular Civil Discourse Substack and upcoming book Giving Up Is Unforgivable: A Manual for Keeping a Democracy. Pulling on her 25 years of experience at the DOJ, Joyce pulls back the curtain on how fed…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Victoria talk with Sarah Montgomery, Director of Human Insights at The Coca-Cola Company, about using the Socratic method to uncover deeper truths in research. Drawing on her work with brands like Vitaminwater, Smartwater, Dasani, Simply, and Honest Kids, Sarah explains how disciplined q…
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On this week’s episode, Zachary and Emma dig into three surprising pieces of underreported good news. Illinois becomes the first state to ban AI from acting as a therapist, which is sparking a debate about ethics, tech limits, and vulnerable users. Global deaths from extreme weather have hit record lows in 2025, and in the U.S., the FBI’s final 202…
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How can an American pope change the world? Zachary and Emma dive deep with renowned papal expert Austen Ivereigh, British journalist, acclaimed author, and historian, to discuss Pope Leo XIV, the first pope from the US. Austen shares insider insights into the pope’s whirlwind early months at the Vatican and unpacks the ideological tug-of-war betwee…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie sits down with Raina Rusnak, Head of Market Research and Business Intelligence at StarKist and CEO of 750 Research, to explore the intersection of mental health and market research. From leveraging qualitative techniques to foster workplace resilience to transforming unemployment into opportu…
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Are we measuring success all wrong? Rutger Bregman seems to think so. Zachary and Emma welcome Rutger, a Dutch historian and journalist, and author of Moral Ambition: Stop Wasting Your Talent and Start Making a Difference. The founder of the School for Moral Ambition, Rutger challenges society’s flawed definition of success, stresses supportive and…
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In this fascinating episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt explore the powerful social dynamics of sports fandom with Ben Valenta, SVP of Strategy at Fox Sports and co-author of "Fans Have More Friends." Discover why fandom is about more than just watching games, how sports create lasting social bonds, and why engaged sports fan…
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On this week's Progress Report, Zachary and Emma dive into some optimistic stories you may have missed during your doomscrolling. From tsunami-stopping tech in Japan to social media-powered rescue missions in Ghana and the groundbreaking frontiers of male birth control, this isn’t your usual ocean of depressing news. What Could Go Right? is produce…
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Is everything you know about government spending upside down? Zachary and Emma welcome trailblazing economist and author Stephanie Kelton, champion of Modern Monetary Theory (MMT), to challenge the way we think about deficits, inflation, and what really matters for America’s financial future. Stephanie warns about the real dangers behind rising wea…
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In this candid conversation, hosts Matt and Stephanie sit down with Rand Fishkin, CEO of SparkToro and former CEO of Moz, to explore the evolving landscape of audience research and ethical AI implementation. From challenging traditional venture capital models to building "chill work" companies, Rand shares invaluable insights on creating sustainabl…
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Zachary Karabell and Emma Varvaloucas shine a light on a powerful form of providing education. This week, they’re joined by Laura Hosman of Arizona State University, creator of SolarSPELL, an offline, solar-powered digital library making education possible where internet access doesn't exist. Discover how SolarSPELL is transforming classrooms from …
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Join hosts Matt and Stephanie as they sit down with Don DeVeaux, Professor of Practice at Michigan State University's MSMR program, to explore the evolving landscape of market research education and talent development. With over three decades of experience spanning General Motors, GfK, and academia, Don shares invaluable insights on preparing the n…
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This week on The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma bring your antidote to the daily doom and gloom, from surprising political wins and innovative scientific breakthroughs to heartwarming stories that often go overlooked. The FDA's latest help for dog lovers, Australia’s bold climate visa for Tuvaluans, and an unexpected bipartisan win for families …
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What can Americans look forward to despite today's lack of trust in the government? Zachary and Emma welcome Garrett Graff, journalist, historian, and author of several books, including Pulitzer finalist Watergate: A New History. He also hosts the Long Shadow podcast, which covers topics from 9/11 to American far right extremists. Garrett discusses…
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In this insightful episode of The Curiosity Current, host Stephanie sits down with Subhasish Nanda, Director of Customer Insights and Analytics at Verizon, to explore the evolving landscape of data-driven customer retention. Discover how AI and analytics are revolutionizing customer experience, why traditional loyalty programs are being reimagined,…
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On this week’s episode of The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma dig up the good news buried beneath the usual headlines, celebrating Costa Rica’s leap into high-income status and the upward mobility of Cape Verde and Samoa, marveling at Paris’s historic $1.4 billion effort to make the Seine swimmable again for local residents, highlighting a Suprem…
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What made history’s golden ages thrive? Zachary and Emma speak with Johan Norberg, historian, documentary filmmaker, and author of Peak Human: What We Can Learn from the Rise and Fall of Golden Ages. Johan discusses what special societal qualities produced golden ages across history, as well as why these civilizations declined, what we can learn fr…
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In this episode of The Curiosity Current, hosts Stephanie and Matt explore the evolving landscape of consumer insights with Dave Ritter, Director of Insights and Consulting at Walmart. From revolutionizing primary research with AI to democratizing customer insights across organizations, Dave shares practical perspectives on balancing traditional me…
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This week on The Progress Report, Zachary and Emma bring more uplifting headlines you won’t find in your usual news feed. America’s prison population is dropping fast, thanks to a dramatic decrease in youth incarceration. The first fully robotic heart transplant in the U.S. marks a giant leap for medical innovation, eliminating the need for open-ch…
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Can we feed the world without destroying it? Zachary and Emma speak with Michael Grunwald, award-winning journalist and author known for his work on the environment and national politics. He is currently a senior writer for Politico Magazine and author of We Are Eating the Earth: The Race to Fix Our Food System and Save Our Climate. Michael discuss…
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In this illuminating episode of the Curiosity Current, hosts Matt and Stephanie sit down with Louisea Hudson, Principal Customer Researcher at Amazon, to explore the powerful intersection of neurodivergent thinking and market research. Discover how mixed-method approaches, diverse perspectives, and inclusive research practices can transform the ins…
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