We happen to be an all-star group of creative thinkers and do-ers. Our backgrounds are purposely diverse, which works because we all share a curated problem-solving skillset and a natural competitive drive to make you better. All team members have worked client-side and agency-side, and will adopt your organization as their own.
President
Nate Heckman
While his business card reads marketing and research, Nate Heckman is at heart a social scientist. “Mass market does not exist without mankind,” said Heckman. Obvious, he agrees. “But in my line of business, it’s often ignored, with numbers taking the place of a nervous system.” His belief in the de-evolution of market intelligence even extends to his agency’s tagline, highlighting what his team does differently with their data: Tested on Humans. Nate is known for his passion, candor, competitiveness and ardent objectivity. For him, it is personal, which is what clients appreciate most.
Beyond stints internally running corporate market intelligence efforts for global brands, Heckman also has worked in a consulting capacity with a myriad of product and service entities, including AT&T, Wells Fargo, Starbucks, Disney and others.
Nate also coaches youth basketball in San Diego, and serves on the Advisory Board to the Fermanian School of Business at Point Loma Nazarene University.
Project Director
Jyoti Jhita
Jyoti is most curious about the human decision-making process. She has spent the greater part of her career exploring the psychological and emotional drivers of the individual, and uses her academic research expertise to understand consumer motivations.
A graduate of the University of California, Berkeley, Jyoti is trained first and foremost as a researcher, ensuring the validity and precision normally associated with scholarly studies. From longitudinal diaries, to in-person group studies, Jyoti takes any opportunity to puzzle-piece the best methodology to tackle business issues.
Her interest in qualitative design led her to marketing research, where she gets to observe and understand consumers in their natural habitat!
Program Manager
Mariel Mostacero
Mariel Mostacero is fascinated by the way people consume and perceive media. She started her career in the film industry, managing projects end-to-end as well as coordinating commercial shoots both on and off set. She attended and graduated from San Francisco State University and worked in San Francisco before moving back to her hometown in San Diego, where she now gets to flex her skills in market research. Throughout Mariel’s career, she has worked closely with clients in various industries, including Toyota, OneMedical, and Amazon. Along with managing logistics, Mariel is passionate about staying up to date on the latest trends in branding and media consumption. Her interests include science fiction films, dogs, and baking cookies.
Account Manager & Client Services
Carol Borkowski
As an executive interviewer moderator, project manager, or strategist, Carol Borkowski takes a hands-on and honest approach with all aspects of the marketing research process for client.
Carol has over 20 years marketing and market intelligence experience, which includes evaluating customer behavior, planning/implementing marketing strategies and executing the release of new customer products and services.
Prior to becoming a market research consultant, Carol held a position as the marketing director for a major Southern California real estate developer and served on the Sales and Marketing Council for the Building Industry Association San Diego Council.
Strategy & Qualitative
Cindy Langston
A graduate of Northwestern University, Cynthia Langston began her career in qualitative research as a strategic planner in NYC advertising agencies, where she conducted focus groups, in-depth interviews and on-site research for the agencies’ wide variety of clients. To gain client-side perspective, she then assumed the role of Consumer Research Director at Diageo, where she continued moderating, along with managing and executing a broad range of quantitative studies.
Cynthia then decided to focus her career on qualitative research and marketing/strategic planning consulting. Since then, she’s conquered a vast list of category experience that includes top global brands of beauty, personal care, coffee, soft drinks, snacks, fashion, retail, finance, travel and entertainment.
In her free time, Cynthia enjoys swimming, writing and teaching French to her three small children who adore her enough to never give her a break.
Qualitative Insights Senior Manager
Doris A. Payne-Camp
Doris Payne-Camp is an experienced researcher and strategist specializing in qualitative market research. She has successfully moderated countless focus groups throughout the U.S., and has a knack for gaining keen insight in in-depth telephone and in-person interviews to assist clients in making actionable decisions about new development concepts and marketing challenges, including an expertise in the Baby Boomer market dynamics.
Her professional experience includes 20 years as a non-profit executive in banking and real estate organizations. In another chapter of her varied career, she was a public relations director for public education entities. She is an advocate for the homeless and those experiencing domestic violence, and is a public policy wonk. Her latest volunteer efforts focus on a foundation that provides education and information for ExPats retiring (or considering retiring) in Mexico.
Consultant
Mark Kilgore
Mark is an accomplished business leader with a diverse range of strategic and operational experience helping companies build processes and scale up with top to bottom implementation. He has held positions with notable brands such as Nike, TaylorMade Golf, Acushnet Holdings, Easton Sports, and Sports Brands International, as well as providing professional services for brands like Lockheed Martin, LazyBoy, and Reebok. In addition, Mark has extensive international experience in Asia and Europe including multiple assignments in China, Thailand, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Italy. He has led teams across Product Management, Marketing, and Sales, and was most recently involved in Saas marketing strategies and mobile app development bringing a multi-industry perspective to Stitch.