Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron Raskin.
Ron, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started in advertising in Account Management; first at Leo Burnett and then at DDB Needham in Chicago. I worked on big CPG accounts such as Procter & Gamble, General Mills, Clorox, and Maybelline. I then left the world of advertising to be better able to run a business. I went to a manufacturing company in Chicago (client side) that manufactured wireless shelving and imported high end kitchen products that companies such as Williams-Sonoma purchased. After running those businesses, I wanted to get back into the marketing world.
I joined Insights In Marketing in September of 1995. This was a perfect fit for me; it combined my innate curiosity about consumers and how they make choices of product purchases. This combined my work in account management (client service) and running actual brands, but also gave me the ability to focus in on the piece that truly engaged me: what makes consumers tick! I joined the firm as a Consultant/Moderator and immediately was hooked. I also brought in some clients that we continue to partner with today: Gatorade, Bath & Body Works, Ocean Spray, to name a few. Three years later, in 1998, I became an equal partner with the founder. In 2015, I became the sole owner.
I bring a lot of energy to the projects I work with. I am not the person who sits at a table and simply asks questions. I’m moving around the room, I challenge consumers in a way that isn’t intimidating, but uses charm to get them to reveal their true thinking and feelings. Truly being able to synthesize the learnings of a project immediately after is a big value I bring to the project. In todays’ fast-paced marketing world, clients are moving the moment a project is finished. They don’t wait for a report; they are moving fast!
A big personality that utilizes charm and humor…a strategic mindset to every project…and helping clients to determine the implications and next steps: the recipe for successful long-term partnerships.
Has it been a smooth road?
We are truly known for our expertise in qualitative research. Over the past 5-8 years, we’ve added online qualitative with mobile diaries, customized panels, digital groups, etc. We’ve also added a quantitative practice that allows us to be really full-service for a lot of clients who also have that need.
Our clients are truly long-term. Some have been with us for over 20 years, many have been with us for 10-15 years. Clients how have “only” been with us for 5 years are “newbies!” I’m so proud of how we truly partner with our clients and how they rely on our team. Not just the Consultants, but the Field Managers who are their day-to-day managers on their projects. Also, the fact that we have a Marketing Team that pulls together all of the pieces that make sure we are current ~ our website, Facebook/Twitter/Instagram ~ in today’s every-changing marketplace.
We have some core values of “We’re Better Together,” and “We Give A Damn” truly describe us. But, we’re also quirky!! This separates us from others. We are packed with personality! We are smart, but also fun and engaging. Our clients really love to work with us as we combine smarts and personality!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Chicago is a fantastic place for our business. There are SO many of our clients who are based here…Pepsi/Gatorade/Tropicana/Quaker, ConAgra, Hillshire, Kraft, etc.
It’s also a place that offers a lot to do, lots of inspiration for innovation. It’s affordable. It’s young and a great place to be single and then morph into raising a family.
It’s a place where you can live in the city, live on the lakefront, take advantage of culture, hot/happening restaurants, shopping, etc.
For the marketing world, it’s truly at the center of what is happening.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Chicago is a fantastic place for our business. There are SO many of our clients who are based here…Pepsi/Gatorade/Tropicana/Quaker, ConAgra, Hillshire, Kraft, etc.
It’s also a place that offers a lot to do, lots of inspiration for innovation. It’s affordable. It’s young and a great place to be single and then morph into raising a family.
It’s a place where you can live in the city, live on the lakefront, take advantage of culture, hot/happening restaurants, shopping, etc.
For the marketing world, it’s truly at the center of what is happening.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least about our city?
I love Chicago: it is a hugely diverse city, an incredible synthesis of cultures, languages, history, and influences. There’s always something new to discover, be it the rich theater scene or the incredible architecture. It’s a great city to experience both as a local and as a tourist, I never run out of places to explore. I love how the lakefront is integrated into the city, and how the neighborhoods each have distinct personalities. Chicago is a city with a lot of history, but it’s also resilient and has such a strong local identity. Chicagoans take a lot of pride in their traditions, but I’ve always found them to be very welcoming.
Obviously as a Minnesota native what I like least about the city would be both the White Sox and the Bears…
Contact Info:
- Email: Ron@insightsinmarketing.com
Tracy@insightsinmarketing.com
Katie@insightsinmarketing.com - Website: Insightsinmarketing.com
- Phone: 847-853-0500
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
