HIRING: Market Research Manager

An Awesome Job: Market Research Manager – Austin, TX

Why we exist: To make things (products, companies, the whole dang world) better through the power of feedback and the wisdom of knowing what to do with it. We believe in the power of ideas, the wisdom of communities to innovate, and the intelligence of market research.

icanmakeitbetter is the only platform that seamlessly combines these practices to help businesses reduce costs, get new products to market faster, increase quality, reduce waste and deliver more of what customers need and will actually buy.

The opportunity: Join a rapidly growing business that is revolutionizing the market research industry. If you thrive on moving fast, limitless opportunity, no-cubes, no time clock and a team that will fully support you, this is for you.

Think of us as a software start-up combined with a well-established full-service market research agency. We started out in 2003 as Sentient Services – a global full-service market research agency.

We saw a massive need in the marketplace and among our clients so we built www.icanmakeitbetter.com and everyone loves it! We have more demand than we can keep up with and we need the best and brightest (and funnest, hardest workinest, irreventest and superest) to join our team.

You will:

·        Work on all aspects of market research engagements including: project management, survey/guide writing, client management, report writing, proposal writing, and online panel/community management.

·        Engage directly with clients, vendors, internal software development teams, and the entire company. We are small and integrated – no boxes, silos or cubes.

·        Help innovate and change an industry by managing market research projects and online communities for leading companies around the globe.

·        Work on a variety of projects from creative testing to product innovation.

·        Innovate – we want you to bring your ideas and best-practices to help us continually improve the insights, value and solutions we are able to provide.

·        Be amazing. Really, we don’t have the time or budget for anything less than someone that is not fanatical about quality and putting 100% into everything they do. We need someone that thrives on finding solutions for customers, loves pleasing people with unexpected kindness and has unwavering determination to make it happen…every day.

Why you will not like it here (you’ll love it!): We don’t want to brag, but working here is awesome! And it’s because of people just like you. If you don’t feel that you make our place awesome with your creativity, humor, and hard work, no worries, but don’t apply. If YOU can make us even more awesome by being here, join us and we will treat you like the rock star you are – every day.

Position overview: icanmakeitbetter.com continues to grow and is looking to add driven, passionate and amazing new friends to our team as we meld business knowledge, research, usability and interactive software to serve leading global clients. We are actively seeking to fill the position of Market Research Manager (preferably onsite in Austin, TX but will consider remote for the ideal candidate).

This is not an easy position, nor is it for everyone. We are small (that means you get to do lots of different things, which can be fun and exciting, or terrifying and tiring).  

Requirements: What is more important than concrete requirements (though there are a few below) is being proactive, willing to learn, quick on your feet, flexibility within a growing organization, having a desire for excellence and the ability/passion/competency to work with joy and integrity. Core competencies we would like to see are:

·        Must haves experience/education:

o   3+ years market research experience – project management, client management, guide and report writing (client facing with an emphasis on qualitative research around product, tech and branding subject areas)

o   Bachelor’s degree or above in advertising, research methodologies, social sciences, economics, marketing or related field

·        Experience moderating in-person or online focus groups a plus, but not mandatory

·        Experience in branding, research, marketing and advertising (Research Manager, Account Planning, etc.)

·        Excellent writing skills

·        Technology knowledge – interested in social media, hardware and tech trends

·        Computer skills – MS Office with an emphasis on PowerPoint

·        Desire to sell and grow a business

·        Ability to be a proactive self-starter

·        Project/time/task management

·        Attention to detail and desire for perfection

·        Analytical and inquisitive by nature

·        Team player; willingness to wear many hats

·        Strong in-person presence

Don’t have all of the above? No worries. Convince us you can do this job – we are always open to new ways, new people and ways to make it better!

Further information: Please send resume and cover letter to jobs@icanmakeitbetter.com.  Additionally, to help us get to know you and your sales acumen please send us one of the following 1.) Three of your favorite websites and why; 2.) Three amazing research facts or numbers you think the world should know and why; OR 3.) Three of your favorite brands and why.  OR really blow us away and send us all of the above.

About icanmakeitbetter.com: Very simply, we provide the software and services for clients to get feedback from customers to improve their business.

We work with clients in product development, innovation, interactive, usability, research, marketing and branding.

We have extensive global experience covering qualitative and quantitative market research and usability. We work with Fortune 500 clients and startups alike. The common denominator is great people, great products, integrity and a quest to make things better through customer insights. We don't help put lipstick on pigs.

We're a team that works together and believes in having fun in both business and life. We have to work for a living, but it’s the living that defines us, not the work. There are companies that are changing this world for the better, and every day, we strive to be one of them - from the way we interact with those we have the pleasure of calling our clients, to our own work environment and most importantly, in the way we operate. (This is no BS, we work with great clients and great co-workers, everything else comes second – we would rather close shop than not enjoy what we do and who we work with.)

Legal:

Sentient Services, LP (DBA icanmakeitbetter.com) is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all qualified candidates to apply. We do not accept resumes from recruiters that we do not have a formal agreement with. Any resume received from unapproved recruiters will be considered unsolicited, and Sentient Services, LP will not be obligated to pay referral or replacement fees to the submitting recruiter or agency.

icanmakeitbetter.com continues to grow - Patty and Sheri join the team!

We are super excited (really - super + excited) to have Patty and Sheri join us!

Patty Riley has joined icanmakeitbetter.com as Director of Business Development. Prior to joining icanmakeitbetter.com, Patty worked as Sales Director for CSIdentity (CSID). At CSID Patty helped to grow the company from a small start-up with a staff of 12 to the leading global provider of identity protection solutions with a team of over 150.

Sheri Stark recently joined the team as Research Manager. Shari will manage icanmakeitbetter.com’s growing roster of insight communities and integrated feedback platform launches. Sheri brings a unique background with 6+ years’ experience at Cambia Information Group merging primary market research and specialized technology solutions. Sheri worked on projects ranging from brand engagement to strategy, and customer marketing.

We are always looking to bring on amazing renaissance professionals – those that  love to learn, have eclectic disciplines and singular focus on excellence. We found exactly that in both Sheri and Patty. They will add tremendous value to our company as a whole, but also to our clients by bringing skills ranging from building the world’s leading identity protection platform (not an easy task) to in-depth market research and innovation skills married to technical project management. These are not your standard resumes! And, that is exactly what we and our clients look for – creativity, innovation, actionable insights, impeccable service and above all integrity. We are honored these two wonderful women have chosen to share their time and talents with us.

Please join me in welcoming them to the team.

An Awesome Job! Director of Sales icanmakeitbetter.com

An Awesome Job: Director of Sales – Austin, TX

Why we exist: To make things (products, companies, the whole dang world) better through the power of feedback and the wisdom of knowing what to do with it. We believe in the power of ideas, the wisdom of communities, the tools of social media and the intelligence of market research.

icanmakeitbetter is the only platform that seamlessly combines these practices to help businesses reduce costs, get new products to market faster, increase quality, reduce waste and deliver more of what customers need and will actually buy.

The opportunity: Join a rapidly growing business that is revolutionizing a stagnant $31B a year industry. If you thrive on moving fast, limitless opportunity, no-cubes, no time clock and a team that will fully support you, this is for you.

Think of us as a software start-up combined with a well-established full-service market research agency. We started out in 2003 as Sentient Services – a global full-service market research agency. We saw a massive need in the marketplace and among our clients so we built www.icanmakeitbetter.com and everyone loves it! We have more demand in the sales pipeline than we can keep up with and proactively sell to. Now we need your help to roll it out, create our sales strategy and execute on it.

You will:

·        Be our first dedicated sales person – you get to be a trail blazer.

·        Create your own dream sales department – we are here to support you in doing that.

·        Create a sales culture of value, fun and integrity.

·        Sell SaaS and associated full-service community management and market research.

·        Build out the sales strategy, and execute on it. You will be responsible for direct sales and revenue.

·        Build out a sales team as you knock it out of the park.

·        Be amazing. Really, we don’t have the time or budget for anything less than someone that is absolutely the best at selling software and services. We need someone that thrives on finding solutions for customers, loves pleasing people with unexpected kindness and has unwavering determination to make it happen…every day.

And, no this is not commission only or a tiny base. You bet on us, we will bet on you.

Why you will not like it here (you’ll love it!): We don’t want to brag, but working here is awesome! And it’s because of people just like you. If you don’t feel that you make a place awesome with your creativity, humor, and hard work, no worries, but don’t apply. If YOU can make us even more awesome by being here, we know that and we will treat you like that every day.

Position overview: icanmakeitbetter.com continues to grow and is looking to add driven, passionate and amazing new friends to our team as we meld business knowledge, research, usability and interactive software to serve leading global clients. We are actively seeking to fill the position of Director of Sales (preferably onsite in Austin, TX but will consider remote for the ideal candidate).

This is not an easy position, nor is it for everyone. We are small (that means you get to do lots of different things, which can be fun and exciting, or terrifying and tiring).  

Requirements: What is more important than concrete requirements (though there are a few below) is being proactive, willing to learn, quick on your feet, flexibility within a growing organization, having a desire for excellence and the ability/passion/competency to sell with joy and integrity. Core competencies we would like to see are:

·        Must haves experience/education:

o   5+ years selling software (SaaS) along with associated services (preferably market research, innovation, advertising, consulting). Core market is B-B, mid-sized and up.  

o   Worked building a small company into a large one through direct sales or launched a new division within a larger organization and participated in developing the division, strategy and directly taking it to market and selling it.

·        Excellent writing skills.

·        Excellent computer and tech skills

·        Desire to sell and grow a business

·        Ability to be a proactive self-starter

·        Project/time/task management

·        Attention to detail and desire for perfection

·        Analytical and inquisitive by nature

·        Team player; willingness to wear many hats

·        Strong in-person presence

·        Ability to work independently and build out your dream team

Don’t have all of the above? No worries. Convince us you can do this job – we are always open to new ways, new people and ways to make it better!

Further information: Please send resume and cover letter to jobs@icanmakeitbetter.com.  Additionally, to help us get to know you and your sales acumen please send us one of the following 1.) How you would approach your first 30 days on the team, or 2.) A sales email you would send out selling icanmakeitbetter.com to a F500 market research manager. OR really blow us away and send us all of the above.

About icanmakeitbetter.com: Very simply, we provide the software and services for clients to get feedback from customers to improve their business. This is $31billion/year business we are going to take by storm and revolutionize.

We work with clients in product development, innovation, interactive, usability, research, marketing and branding.

We have extensive global experience covering qualitative and quantitative market research and usability. We work with Fortune 500 clients and startups alike. The common denominator is great people, great products, integrity and a quest to make things better through customer insights. We don't help put lipstick on pigs.

We're a team that works together and believes in having fun in both business and life. We have to work for a living, but it’s the living that defines us, not the work. There are companies that are changing this world for the better, and every day, we strive to be one of them - from the way we interact with those we have the pleasure of calling our clients, to our own work environment and most importantly, in the way we operate. (This is no BS, we work with great clients and great co-workers, everything else comes second – we would rather close shop than not enjoy what we do and who we work with.)

Legal:

Sentient Services, LP (DBA icanmakeitbetter.com) is an equal opportunity employer and encourages all qualified candidates to apply. We do not accept resumes from recruiters that we do not have a formal agreement with. Any resume received from unapproved recruiters will be considered unsolicited, and Sentient Services, LP will not be obligated to pay referral or replacement fees to the submitting recruiter or agency.

What is icanmakeitbetter?

Well, here is an answer in a short video. All new platform with a ton of new features: surveys, customer panel and idea platform and customer feedback all in one simple, powerful tool. And, it's FREE!

SXSW: A short Sentient Services history

We had the pleasure of being part of Startup America and the Dell Entrepreneur In Residence program during SXSW 2012. You can read the article written by Dell's EIR Ingrid Vandervelt HERE.

And watch the interview below.

I hope you enjoy this short "history" of Sentient Services. We could not have done it without great support from family, friends and clients - thank you!