30Under30 Nominee: Sophie Tucker
Great to hear from Global 30 Under 30 Nominee, Sophie Tucker, who is a Research and Data Specialist at Maze Media, a marketing agency. As the sole researcher in the company, Sophie has built the research offering from the ground up. Sophie leads on all the research projects from data collection to analysis and presenting and creating actionable insights for clients.
How did you find your way into research, data and insights?
Unlike most researchers, I knew from the start that I wanted to enter the research industry. After completing Maths, Business and Physics at A-level, I joined The Walt Disney Company as a Research and Analyst Apprentice at 18 years old. Within a few months, I gained hands-on experience and presented franchise trackers to key stakeholders. After completing my apprenticeship, I moved to a smaller marketing agency so I could try an agency side-role and take on the challenge of being their only research team member and build up their insights offering from scratch. This means I have 4 years of experience at only 22 years old.
What part of your work are you most proud of and why?
I’m incredibly proud of establishing the research offering at Maze Media. A specific project that stands out is creating the annual brand trackers for our clients. In the most recent wave of data, I uncovered an emerging consumer trend that competitors weren’t discussing yet. Being able to turn the data into a competitive advantage for our client was a fantastic feeling. I have also pushed myself in my career to present at a conference, host webinars with hundreds of stakeholders, join a panel and complete further qualifications to continue developing my skills and career.
What have you learned so far that you wish you’d known when you started your career?
One thing I wish I had known earlier is that age is not a barrier to speaking up in meetings. Being the youngest in the room can make it easy to feel like you should sit in the corner and take notes instead of contributing. However, I quickly learned that stakeholders want new perspectives, especially when they are trying to understand younger demographics. If you have an idea or an opinion, it can be difficult to find the confidence to speak up. The best way to overcome this is by providing evidence to back up your points, whether it is from experience or education, and it will help those in the room trust and listen to you.
What excites you most about the future of insights and what would you like to help change?
The speed at which we can now process data is so exciting, but my passion lies in protecting the human element of the research industry. I recently spoke on a panel about the industry’s growing overreliance on AI at the expense of investing in early careers. If we don’t bring young researchers in today, in ten years we’ll have senior leaders who know how to prompt an AI, but don’t know how to spot biases or understand why a methodology works. I want my generation to learn these foundational skills for research and understand the importance of a human in the loop.
What advice would you give someone starting out in the industry?
The best way to learn the fundamental skills of research is by doing the ‘tedious’ tasks such as reading through a focus group transcript, manually coding data and looking through a large dataset. Although some tasks can be done with AI, I would recommend not relying on these tools to do the critical thinking for you at the start of your career. Most importantly, worry less about not being good enough in the workplace. If you can back up your recommendations with data and weave them into a compelling narrative, people will listen to you, regardless of your age.
Who has helped you along the way?
Both managers I’ve had during my career, have played an important role in my development and achievements. They fostered both my professional and personal development by teaching me role-specific skills, challenging me to step outside my comfort zone, and helping me navigate the work environment. I am grateful for the trust they placed in me throughout my journey – from taking a chance on an 18-year-old apprentice, and allowing me to present to hundreds of stakeholders, to empowering me to build a research offering from the ground up.