After getting my bachelor’s degree in business administration from Birmingham Southern College, I enrolled at the University of Georgia to obtain a master’s degree in marketing research. I’ve always been interested in the intersection of analytics and business strategy, so a career in market research seemed a perfect fit. I’ve also always dreamed of having my own family someday, and pursuing a career in marketing—which I knew wasn’t going anywhere—seemed like a safe bet.
Of course, what I hadn’t anticipated was having to navigate the job market during the global economic crisis of 2008. When my internship with Eli Lilly ended, I was forced to look for my first career position in a landscape of layoffs and hiring freezes. Needless to say, it was incredibly stressful. Instead of jumping into my market research career right away, I held jobs in the service industry for two years while sending out resumes to any relevant openings I could find. It was undeniably a hard time in my life, but it taught me humility and perseverance. It also instilled in me an immense sense of gratitude that has endured in the years since.
When I finally did land that first career position in market research, I was eager to prove myself. I never turned down a learning opportunity, which has allowed me to hone all kinds of skills in my field. Today, my areas of expertise include customer experience, employee engagement, concept testing, price elasticity, positioning, brand equity, and segmentation.
Throughout my career, I've designed actionable research that produces impactful insights and drives change. Satisfied clients include JPMorgan Chase, Discover, Google / YouTube, Kraft-Heinz, Nationwide, Northwestern Mutual, Salesforce, Uber, UPS, and many more. I’ve enjoyed working with every last one of them, and I’m excited to see what the next decade brings.
Of course, like most people, my career hasn’t been my entire focus. I’ve been fortunate enough to build a family, for example, and now I have a wife and two daughters who are happy and healthy.
Life has definitely thrown challenges my way, but I’ve always tried to face them head on and pull whatever good I could from them. For example, one of the most daunting situations I’ve ever faced was caring for my mother following a series of strokes. At the time, I was starting my own family, and I was faced with the impossible task of trying to be everything for everyone; however, the struggle and heartache that came with that situation taught me the importance of boundaries and balance. I've since prioritized maintaining my health in all aspects so that I can provide for those who depend on me.
I also recognized a need for others in similar situations that I realized I could fill. Because of that experience, I'm now the owner/operator of Alabama's Best In-Home Care. This small business provides non-medical in-home care to seniors who want to remain in the home.
As for my time with Infosurv, I’ve been there for 12 years, and I’ve loved every minute. Helping the Infosurv team maintain and grow through the development of impactful client relationships has been very rewarding and led to the Savanta integration. I'm proud to have been a part of it all.
If you want to learn more, connect with me on LinkedIn or feel free to reach out!
Christian Wright
Christian Wright is the VP of Client Services at Infosurv. With a master’s in marketing research, he’s equipped to design actionable research that yields impactful insights and drives change.