We're moderators who embrace web technologies as ways to conduct research but not as substitutes for tried and true in-person methods.

We're not afraid to try something new and have developed new methodologies of our own.

We dedicate our all to every project we tackle.

Still interested?  Keep reading below.

Forgive the indulgence but to understand how we came to be, we need to go back to November 2000.  Jonathan Schneider found himself out of a job due to the dot com bust and the timing was less than fortuitous.  He was 8 months into owning his first home, a month away from getting married, and days past his fiancee’s graduation from business school without a job.

As you may recall, the Fall of 2000 was littered with the fragments of the the recently burst Internet bubble. Companies were laying off employees in droves.  The need for revenue became real.  A lot of previously good ideas were now being shunned.   Executives realized they needed more than a flashy web site and a strong brand - they needed products and services people actually wanted.  And they needed to understand what those customers wanted.

Fortunately, Jonathan had a background in consumer research and witnessed his fare share of focus groups.  Along with Liz Vandenberg a former colleague from iXL, Jonathan started Square One Research.   The mission was simple - help companies understand their customers better using a combination of tried and true in-person methods along with newer Internet based methods.

Since that time, things have changed. Liz left the business to raise a family.  Jonathan moved to Florida.  The Internet has gotten bigger, better, and faster.  Karen joined the business.

Square One is still a small company.  But as we like to say, “Our mission is not take over the world.  Our mission is to help our clients better understand it.”

It took a while to become a full-fledged moderator (business school for a couple of years, a stint in the research group at General Electric for a bit) but since that time, he has conducted thousands of groups and used many other forms of qualitative research.

Why do clients like to work with Jonathan?  In addition to being fluent with a myriad of techniques, clients know that Jonathan is a quick study on difficult topics, a quick thinker once in the field, and a great writer that clearly gets the point across when writing a report.  Put all those together and they know they are dealing with a consummate qualitative research professional.

Jonathan is also relentless about exploring technology and its applications for qualitative research. It was Jonathan who embraced online qualitative back in 1999 while other more “seasoned” moderators scoffed at it.  Since then, Jonathan has worked with every major consumer packaged goods company on an online project and has introduced countless other organizations to the methodologies.

In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys reading (his Kindle of course!), long distance road cycling, and cooking.  He is also an avid collector of wrist watches and loves to play with new technology gadgets.

CV

• Training: RIVA (Research in Values and Attitudes), 2001, 2002, 2003
• MBA, Emory University, 1998
• BA, History, University of Virginia, 1993

jonathan@squareoneresearch.com

Karen is the ultimate dinner party guest which also makes her the ultimate moderator. She enjoys talking to people, asking them questions, and understanding what makes them tick.

Why do clients like to work with Karen?  Karen is a great listener, unafraid to ask seemingly stupid questions, and not afraid to speak her mind.  Her personality lends itself to working with all types of respondents, from time-starved business executives to new stay-at-home moms.  When clients work with Karen, they know there is no need to worry from start to finish.

Past research experiences includes a variety of products and devices for the home with a special emphasis on concept development for consumer packaged goods and technology.  She is also managing a unique year long research project with corporate Benefits Administrators.

When not on the road, Karen enjoys baseball (go Marlins!), salsa dancing, and staying up-to-date with new consumer trends and fashions.

CV

• Training: RIVA (Research in Values and Attitudes), 2005
• BA, University of Central Florida, 2002

karen@squareoneresearch.com