30Under30 Nominee: Vince Grana

Great to hear from Significant Insights Global 30 under 30 nominee Vince Grana, Growth Lead who heads up new and existing partnership growth at Orchard.

The 2024 Global 30 Under 30 List will be announced on November 29th!

So, how did you get into the industry, and take us through how you got to this point?

I started my research career at Ipsos programming surveys for large corporations. This taught me how to manage client relationships and gave me a very important baseline for the research function. After graduation I went to Nielsen to work in their analytic consulting space with a focus on price and promotion modelling. At Nielsen, I had the opportunity of managing engagements with our largest partners and uncovering significant pricing opportunities that led to category growth. 

After Nielsen, I decided to join a 2-year-old research start-up called Orchard (formerly dose) where I was told to “break anything and everything”. Orchard deploys a unique “in the wild” testing methodology, and we’ve been able to bring this testing to the world’s most prominent brands. 

~2 years ago, the Growth Lead position opened up, and I raised my hand. This past 2 years have been the most challenging yet rewarding 2 years of my career. I got to build to entire sales function from the ground up alongside our President as well as launch our awareness arm of the firm. I got to go on stage and shake my fist at the research industry as a 27-year-old, leading to a ESOMAR YES Award Gold medal and also drive significant growth opportunities in both start-ups and leading CPG brands. It’s also important to note that none of this would have been possible with my team – Orchard is a special place where you’re met with unwavering support and autonomy. 

Why should anyone consider a career in market research, data and insights?

I firmly believe that the insights and research space is the bridge between product and GTM functions. Not only can you play a part in meaningful business decision-making, but you get a window into various other functions. No other role is as cross-functional, and it can be a springboard for your career.

Career paths are rarely without challenges. Can you share an honest moment from your career when things didn’t go quite according to plan, but the lessons remain with you to this day?

I vividly remember an engagement back in the day where we had a specific, very niche scope of work outlined by the client. We had never executed a project involving this scope, but I agreed to it. Halfway through the project I realized we could not meet 100% of their requirements, and I had to disclose that. Our client appreciated our transparency, but I could tell it created a rift in the relationship – I had agreed to do something that we could not do. This moment stuck with me as a junior researcher, and it taught me to ALWAYS do my due diligence when dealing with uncharted territory – even when you’re 99% sure of something. 

What two things should junior researchers focus on as they progress in their careers?

Work on developing meaningful relationships with your partners. Not only is this great for your career trajectory, but it’s good for your firm and also just fun. You can deliver value and also create friendships in the process. 

Dive into new experiences. If a new role opens up in your firm, raise your hand. Even if it doesn’t work out in the immediate, you now see things from a new perspective and have potentially levelled up with new skills. aka take risks!

Do you have any advice for our sector?

PUSH THE ENVELOPE – by that, I mean challenge the status quo. We work in a space that hasn’t had a meaningful shake up in the past few decades (not counting the emergence of AI). There are methodologies and processes that need questioned and it’s the younger generation that will need to bring the sector into the future. Even if it’s painful, question, conducting research to back up your questioning, and iterate based on that result. It’s also OK to be wrong. Make mistakes and learn from them.

And do you have anyone who has helped your career so far that you’d like to acknowledge and say thanks or give a shout out to?

I’d like to shout out Orchard Insights President, Rashed Chowdhury, for his continued support and mentorship throughout the years. Rashed has taught me many things from managing meaningful client relationships to creating frameworks for “muddy” business decisions. Rashed is both a mentor, boss, and great friend.