30Under30 Nominee: Sophie Waller
Great to hear from Global 30 Under 30 Nominee, Sophie Waller, a Senior Insight Executive at Giraffe Insights, a specialist research agency focused on kids, young people and families. Based in London, Sophie works across qualitative projects from kick-off through to delivery, helping brands understand the perspectives, behaviours and experiences of younger generations. Outside of research, Sophie is a keen charity runner. She ran the London Marathon in 2025 and Boston Marathon in 2026. Sophie loves the challenge of fitting training blocks around busy project schedules, as well as getting involved in fundraising and other charity events.
How did you find your way into research, data and insights?
My route into research really began during my MA in Childhood Studies. As part of my degree, I conducted my own research into the relationship between children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and their risk of experiencing mental health difficulties. It was a subject I was, and still am, extremely passionate about, but the research also opened my eyes to something broader: the importance of genuinely understanding people’s perspectives, particularly when working with vulnerable groups whose voices can easily be overlooked.
I loved the process of speaking directly to people, making sense of their experiences and turning those conversations into a report that could communicate their perspectives and have an impact. That was the point where I realised research could combine so many of the things I cared about.
What part of your work are you most proud of and why?
I’m particularly proud of the work I’ve been able to do with children and young people where the challenge is not simply finding out what they think but finding the right way for them to tell us.
I’ve worked on projects exploring topics such as young people with disabilities and their involvement in sport, as well as a wide range of research where we’ve needed to give children the confidence and freedom to express themselves in their own way. That might mean using PECS, games, creative tasks, video vlogs or other more innovative approaches rather than simply sitting a child down and asking them questions. I love finding ways to make research feel fun and engaging while still generating rich, meaningful insight. Most importantly, I want participants to feel like they are the boss in the room; their perspective matters and we genuinely want to hear it.
What have you learned so far that you wish you’d known when you started your career?
I’ve learnt that great research isn’t just about finding the insight, it’s about knowing how to tell its story. Particularly in qualitative research, where you can have huge amounts of rich material, the skill is in pushing beyond what people have said to uncover what it really means, then turning that into a clear, compelling story that makes people stop and think.
What excites you most about the future of insights and what would you like to help change?
The future of insights feels particularly exciting when working with children and young people (who are the future!), who are growing up alongside huge changes in AI, social media, technology and how we connect with one another. Through Giraffe’s recent Future Imperfect conference, I’ve loved exploring how these shifts are shaping younger generations, and I’d like to help ensure our industry continues to evolve alongside them, using innovation without losing the human understanding at the heart of good research.
What advice would you give someone just starting out in the industry today?
Be curious, don’t be afraid to have ideas and remember that there’s no such thing as a bad idea. Especially when working with children and young people, thinking beyond traditional research methods and trying something fun, creative or completely unexpected can unlock incredibly rich insight, so I’d encourage anyone starting out to challenge the usual way of doing things and say yes to opportunities that push them outside their comfort zone.
Who has helped you along the way?
I’ve been incredibly lucky to have such a supportive team at Giraffe, where everyone’s ideas are listened to and taken seriously regardless of their level, which has helped me grow into a much more confident researcher. I’m particularly grateful to Maxine, our Managing Director, whose inspiring leadership creates an environment where people are encouraged to have a voice, take ownership and believe in what they can contribute.
