The Turning Point: My Inspirational Journey into Market Research

It was 2005 and I was 19 years old, double majoring in Advertising and Social Sciences. I was taking my Social Sciences classes in the morning, interning in the afternoon, and taking Advertising courses at night. So much was up in the air, and I didn't have a clear idea of which area I would focus my career on. I loved the creativity of advertising; I was fascinated by human behavior and the concepts of sociology and anthropology. And I had no idea what I wanted to do with my future.Until one day I ordered some books and among them were two by Paco Underhill: • Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping• Call of the Mall: The Geography of Shopping It was love at first read. Through his words, I discovered that I was a researcher. I learned that in market research, I could create my ideal combination of Social Sciences theory with Marketing practice. And suddenly I could envision my career. At 21, I opened my own market research company and began to develop as a professional and gain experience. I conducted market research on everything from cemeteries and sex shops, to rural elections, radio, and everything in between. It's a joy to look back on all the moments and colleagues and mentors who taught me so much. And especially to thank Paco Underhill for writing his books and sharing his knowledge with a university student from central Brazil 19 years ago.

And you, my LinkedIn friends, what was the turning point for you to start in market research?