Donna-lee Ginsberg not too long ago joined GeoPoll because the Analysis Supervisor accountable for the Latin America area. In her position, based mostly in Panama Metropolis, Panama, she shall be overseeing analysis and managing shopper and accomplice relations within the area. She had the dialog beneath with Frankline Kibuacha on her journey in analysis, her position, and being profitable in LATAM.
1. Welcome to GeoPoll, Donna-lee! Let’s begin with what sparked your curiosity in analysis and knowledge and the way you bought into the sphere.
Thanks! It’s so nice to be right here. Typically it looks like I used to be born a researcher! I’ve at all times been curious. Curiously understanding myself, the world, the folks round me and, I’ve at all times been a little bit of a math-nerd and felt very snug round and dealing with numbers, particularly creatively. I didn’t research analysis—I accomplished my honors in Economics (and I’m nonetheless extremely motivated and captivated with Economics). However, in fact, Economics and the evaluation thereof requires plenty of analysis, knowledge, essential pondering and understanding, so my diploma and my passions helped me land my first job as a Analysis Govt at Nielsen. That’s the place I fell deeply in love with knowledge and its energy to information and rework not solely nations economically however firm methods and choices—serving to companies finest meet their prospects’ wants by understanding folks – all by utilizing numbers creatively – what a dream.
Analysis and considerate data-driven deduction – I actually fell in love with this recipe.
2. How has your profession advanced by completely different analysis methodologies and industries?
I used to be fortunate sufficient to work with and for Unilever for an enormous a part of the primary half of my profession—the place the shopper is on the coronary heart of every little thing. My ardour for knowledge, buyer analysis, and the symbiosis of retail and advertising and marketing was deeply influenced by my time at Unilever, the place I spent my time facilitating the partnership between knowledge, advertising and marketing, and buyer groups. My curiosity grew additional after I started to discover analysis past the realm of pure retail measurement after I joined TNS, the place I developed abilities that tapped into the delicate, extra qualitative facet of understanding the shopper. There are such a lot of behaviors pure buying knowledge would by no means uncover as a result of a lot of what we do as human beings is unconscious. Even our likes and dislikes are sometimes deeply rooted in our unconscious, making them practically not possible to articulate consciously. After being uncovered to lovely and good qualitative methods and strategies that permit researchers to ask the query with out asking the query—I noticed how we may even higher serve prospects – past knowledge. Not simply in what we provide them however in how we talk, communication in any case is every little thing. You’ll be able to have a coverage, an thought, a enterprise, a message, a product – however when you don’t know talk it clearly and meaningfully to the correct folks.
The dream is misplaced and what a disgrace.
I finally discovered myself at Mr. Value—the most important and most prolific trend retailer in South Africa. A real honor to work for one more exceptionally dynamic and inventive enterprise that places its prospects first, proving that this method constantly delivers glorious enterprise outcomes. Then in 2021 after a really turbulent interval in my private life – dropping each of my dad and mom unexpectedly throughout the area of 11 months – I wanted to maneuver on, each in my profession and geographically and fairly spontaneously (and courageously!) moved to Panama, Central America. Round that point, I began working with Meta on their B2B enterprise, additional creating my qualitative analysis abilities—however this time, within the B2B area, the place the enterprise is the shopper. It was fascinating. At Meta, the main focus wasn’t on asking the “proper” questions—as a result of there aren’t any proper questions—however on constantly asking extra questions. I discovered qualitatively assess enterprise sentiment and decision-making processes within the tech area, working with among the most really good minds and subjects like Privateness, Integrity, Synthetic Intelligence and their notion and adoption amongst companies.
3. What led you to GeoPoll, and what excites you most about your position?
GeoPoll had been on my radar since my Unilever days as a analysis firm that was really progressive and agile from the very starting. The piloting of cell knowledge assortment in Africa at all times left me in awe – GeoPoll was assembly folks the place they’re at and at scale! This was an organization working on the intersection of expertise, human and worldwide growth, and agile insights for enterprise development throughout all demographics – all very early within the recreation.
Coming from South Africa and dealing in analysis, I used to be conscious about how troublesome it was to achieve sure demographics—particularly quantitatively. So when GeoPoll took off, I assumed, nicely, that’s a wise enterprise! I had at all times admired how GeoPoll leveraged cell analysis to fill an important hole in knowledge assortment, significantly in rising markets the place conventional methodologies typically fall brief.
I used to be additionally now prepared for a task that aligned with my ardour for rising markets, agile analysis, and large-scale data-driven affect. GeoPoll was an ideal match—combining my expertise in each quantitative and qualitative methodologies with my need to work on tasks that affect real-world choices throughout LATAM (the place I now dwell), Africa (the place I’m from) and a enterprise that leads by innovation, it was a no brainer.
What excites me most about my position at GeoPoll is being a part of an organization the place my voice is heard, my opinions matter, and I can straight form the work we do. It’s extremely fulfilling to know that at GeoPoll isn’t nearly numbers and insights—it has the ability to make an actual distinction on this planet from the within out. Whether or not it’s serving to manufacturers higher perceive their shoppers, supporting humanitarian efforts, or informing coverage choices, the affect is tangible, and we’re dedicated to doing this smarter, sooner and with extra affect every single day. Being in an area the place I can contribute meaningfully, collaborate with good minds, and be a part of one thing that actually issues—that’s what makes my position at GeoPoll deeply rewarding.
4. What alternatives do you see for data-driven decision-making in LATAM, and the way do you suppose GeoPoll can assist organizations on this area?
The International South is essentially misunderstood in some ways, and I imagine LATAM much more so. Being a part of the “Americas,” but essentially completely different from North America, it’s a disservice to lump LATAM into the identical frameworks we use to grasp and serve North America—and even Africa and Asia.
In my 4 years dwelling in Panama, I’ve seen many similarities between LATAM and Africa. However I’ve additionally seen how deeply nuanced the area is, formed by wealthy, various, fascinating, and highly effective cultures. And I take advantage of the phrase highly effective deliberately—as a result of LATAM, as a area and a tradition, is highly effective. That’s why it’s essential that we make investments time, effort, and sources into really understanding these nuances, relatively than counting on broad-stroke assumptions.
This is applicable not simply from a enterprise perspective but additionally from a social one. Whether or not addressing the humanitarian crises LATAM faces or supporting the area’s growth by funding, the purpose ought to by no means be for LATAM to change into like North America or wherever else.
As a substitute, the world wants to higher perceive who LATAM actually is and facilitate extra of that.
5. What traits are you seeing in analysis and knowledge assortment, and particularly in LATAM?
One of many largest shifts we’re seeing in analysis and knowledge assortment—particularly in LATAM—is how expertise is making insights extra rapid and accessible, but on the similar time, there are nonetheless big gaps in understanding. There’s an growing reliance on digital instruments, cell methodologies, and AI-driven evaluation, which permits us to get nearer to the buyer in actual time. However the problem stays: how will we be sure that we’re reaching all folks, not simply those who’re best to achieve? In LATAM, similar to in Africa, there are deep cultural nuances that may’t at all times be captured by conventional surveys alone. That is the place progressive analysis strategies—akin to mobile-based knowledge assortment and progressive qualitative methods—have gotten important. Individuals on this area have robust opinions and a strong voice, and it’s as much as us as researchers to design research that don’t simply scratch the floor however really uncover the ‘why’ behind behaviors, perceptions, and choices.
6. GeoPoll not too long ago opened a name middle in Panama. How do you see this shaping analysis within the LATAM area?
The decision middle in Panama is a recreation changer. It’s one factor to conduct analysis remotely, however having a bodily presence within the area brings us a lot nearer to the realities of LATAM—what persons are experiencing proper now relatively than simply counting on outdated or secondhand info. We noticed this firsthand in our current Central America Migration research, which was performed from our Panama-based middle. Having educated native interviewers made all of the distinction—they perceive the context, they communicate the language and in a means that resonates with respondents, and so they can probe in ways in which a web-based survey by no means may.
One of these human-led analysis is essential, particularly in areas the place migration, financial uncertainty, and safety considerations are shaping on a regular basis life. Past that, the Panama name middle additionally strengthens belief. In lots of LATAM markets, persons are skeptical of analysis in the event that they don’t really feel a connection to who’s asking the questions. By being right here, by talking their language (actually and culturally), we’re not simply gathering knowledge—we’re constructing relationships, and that’s what results in really significant insights.
6. LATAM is an enormous bloc, how do you method challenges akin to cultural variety and ranging market circumstances when conducting analysis within the area?
LATAM like Africa, is just not a rustic. It’s essential to respect and perceive every nation throughout the area – the character of the land itself and the way this influences tradition (i.e. Andean Tradition vs. Caribbean Tradition) – these nuances are essential, fascinating and when companies really put money into understanding these cultures BEYOND the borders of nations, not solely will they play a task in uplifting the communities and folks inside LATAM however companies will flourish since you are really reaching and understanding who the true LATAM buyer is. And whenever you really attain and perceive who the true buyer is, enterprise success naturally follows.
7. What drives your ardour for market analysis and serving to organizations make data-driven choices?
I imagine analysis is likely one of the strongest instruments that deliver us nearer to essentially understanding one another and ourselves as human beings. It’s past Firm and. Buyer, Nation and Inhabitants. We’re constantly in analysis with one another. Analysis permits us to construct a relationship with our prospects, with our folks. It permits us to deliver that relationship to life and deepen the relationships whether or not or not it’s a enterprise and its buyer or a authorities and its folks.
For me, analysis is actually the important thing that unlocks all alternatives for us to enhance as a humanity and as professionals.
8. What do you suppose units GeoPoll other than different analysis corporations?
The flexibility to pivot as shortly because the market is altering. We dwell in a world the place now greater than ever, the one factor that’s sure is that nothing is for sure. GeoPoll is an organization that thrives on values that constantly questions the norm, the way in which issues have at all times been executed – is that the correct means? Is there a greater means? GeoPoll is an organization that actually embodies one in every of my favorite philosophies from Nelson Mandela “every little thing appears not possible till it’s executed”.
The corporate is agile sufficient to shift with the market whereas nonetheless constructing relationships with deep integrity—with workers, purchasers and respondents. And that’s why the info we ship isn’t simply insightful—it’s grounded in reality. Whilst the reality itself continues to evolve.
9. What’s a enjoyable truth about Donna-lee that individuals may not know?
Enjoyable Truth – I’m equally obsessive about each cats and birds!
Sobering Truth – In 2018, I misplaced each my dad and mom throughout the area of 11 months on the age of 32. Changing into an orphan at that stage of my life was one thing I by no means anticipated. Grief has a means of reshaping you, breaking you aside whereas concurrently rebuilding you into somebody new—when you permit it. As troublesome and painful because the journey has been, it has additionally been profoundly transformative, instructing me resilience, perspective, and a stage of acceptance and compassion so deep it’s onerous to articulate. I may by no means absolutely seize its affect in only a few phrases however what I can say with certainty is that loss, although brutal, has modified me for the higher in methods I by no means, ever may have imagined.
