30Under30 Nominee: Jaye Battenberg

Great to hear from Global 30 Under 30 Nominee, Jaye Battenberg, the Director of Insight Solutions at OvationMR, currently based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Jaye works with companies and research teams to tackle research challenges, connect with hard-to-reach audiences and turn questions into actionable insights. A big part of her role is building relationships and finding creative ways to make research happen.

How did you find your way into research, data and insights?

I definitely didn’t take the traditional route into insights! My background is actually in luxury retail, design and sales.  I spent nearly a decade learning how people make decisions, what influences their behaviour and how important it is to really listen.

Looking back, I was studying consumer behaviour long before I knew that’s what I was doing!

What part of your work are you most proud of and why?

I’m most proud of how quickly I’ve been able to find my footing in an industry I knew very little about when I first started.

Coming into market research from a completely different background was pretty intimidating. There was a whole new language to learn and a lot of incredibly smart people who had been doing this for years.

But I’ve learned that having a different perspective can actually be an advantage. I’m proud of the relationships I’ve built, the trust I’ve earned and my ability to approach research challenges creatively rather than assuming there’s only one way to solve them.

It’s been my goal from the beginning to become someone clients genuinely enjoy working with and trust to help them figure things out.

What have you learned so far that you wish you’d known when you started your career?

That you don’t have to be the smartest person in the room to bring something valuable to the conversation.

Early in my career, I felt like I needed to have every answer, especially when I was surrounded by people with more experience than me. I’ve learned that being curious, asking thoughtful questions, and being willing to admit when you don’t know something can actually take you much further.

I’ve also learned that relationships are everything. People remember how you make them feel, whether you follow through and whether you genuinely care about helping them succeed.

You can learn the technical side of almost any industry, but being someone people trust is a skill that I think is the most important.

What excites you most about the future of insights and what would you like to help change?

I think we’re at a really interesting turning point in the insights industry. AI and emerging technologies are changing how quickly we can collect, process and interpret information, but I think that makes the human side of research even more important.

We have access to more data than ever before, but more data doesn’t automatically mean better data.

What excites me is the opportunity to make insights more accessible, creative and connected to real business challenges. I’d love to see our industry move away from simply delivering data and toward becoming a more proactive partner in helping businesses understand what’s next.

What advice would you give someone just starting out in the industry today?

Be curious, ask the questions you think you’re supposed to already know the answers to and don’t be afraid to bring your own personality into your work. This industry is full of incredibly intelligent people and it can be easy to feel like you need to know everything before you have something worthwhile to contribute. You don’t.  Build relationships, learn from people who think differently from you and say yes to opportunities that push you outside your comfort zone.

Who has helped you along the way?

One of the things I’ve appreciated most about joining the insights industry is how willing people have been to share their knowledge and experience.

Within my organisation, Jim Whaley, Jenn Whaley, Chair Kuhn, Jeff Gerken and Bart Barkosky have really taken the time to explain the work and the industry in detail.  These individuals have helped me each in their own way and I am so grateful to work with them.

Outside my organisation, Lisa Hazen, Tas Dalal and Paul Griffiths have had a huge impact on my career.