is one of BPI鈥檚 outstanding researchers, bringing decades of marketing experience and insatiable curiosity to every interview. When Ellen tells you she鈥檚 鈥渄igging in鈥� to a study, be prepared to learn A LOT about your buyers and the buying decisions that they make.

Can you tell us a little bit about your professional background?

Starting with my degree in Computer Science and moving ahead nearly forty years I have been almost solely focused on the technology industry.聽 Although my degree was very technical (think coding operating systems in Assembler), once I got into my career, I quickly tracked to sales and marketing for technology companies. I spent 9 years as VP/CMO for small and mid-sized technology companies.

How long have you been a BPI Researcher and what do you enjoy most about what you do in that capacity?

I was first introduced to BPI in 2011 and stayed in contact with both the methodology and the research while I was finishing up my corporate career at Silverpop and IBM.聽 I joined BPI in 2018 and have enjoyed every minute of my tenure.聽 I love talking to buyers.聽 I get to conduct open-ended, journalism-style interviews and discover amazing things about their hopes, desires, frustrations and buying process.

What tips can you offer for how to get the most out of the interviews you conduct with recent buyers?

Conducting interviews is like building a muscle.聽 You need regular interviews to hone your listening and questioning skills.聽 Asking 鈥淐an you tell me a bit more about that?鈥� can lead to some great insights.

What advice would you give to marketers and sellers that are trying to get a better understanding of their prospective buyers and the buying decisions that they make?

There is a big difference between talking to customers and talking to buyers.聽 Many marketers and sellers think that talking to customers will give them the insights they need to go find more buyers.聽 But that approach misses the mark.聽 Only by interviewing recent and current buyers who share the whole story of their journey can you really glean the information needed to better market to prospective customers.

From a professional perspective, what else are you involved in aside from the work you do with BPI?

My consulting company, Marketing Action Network, helps technology marketers with strategy, product launches and content development.

What is the best piece of business advice you have ever received?

Keep a notebook or digital diary of all your accomplishments, major projects and personal wins.聽 Recapping your notes will help you and your management fully understand the impact you鈥檝e had on the company. And suddenly review writing, promotion discussions, and resume creation are much easier.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I live in Aiken SC which is one of the great equestrian towns in the US.聽 Olympic athletes come here to continue their training in the winter.聽 There are wonderful events happening every weekend. While I don鈥檛 ride, I鈥檓 a happy spectator.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited (and why?)

I鈥檓 a metropolitan vacationer.聽 I love seeing the great cities of the world.聽 UK and Europe are my favorites.聽 Highlights include touring Churchill鈥檚 War Room in London, seeing The Girl with the Pearl Earring painting in The Hague, touring a cashmere sweater factory in Umbria Italy, and witnessing the Vasa Museum in Stockholm.

What鈥檚 one interesting thing about you that people might be surprised to know?

I鈥檓 a skilled leather worker!聽 I even wrote a book about it, Leatherwork School.聽 When I started leatherwork, information about making bags and small leather goods was confined to the factories in France and Italy.聽 After traveling the world learning from experts, I decided to share what I had learned and now the craft is growing by leaps and bounds!

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is a Project Manager and our resident Swiss Army Knife involved in virtually everything that BPI does. She鈥檚 one of the key faces of BPI, skillfully managing projects and clients with a positive attitude that鈥檚 contagious.

Can you tell us a little bit about your professional background?

My background may surprise you as it鈥檚 in real estate. We have a long line of real estate professionals in my family, so it was natural for me to embrace. With over a decade of experience from leasing, buying, selling, managing 50+ agents and working on a top 1% team in Chicago, it truly molded me into the professional I am today.

How long have you been with BPI and what do you enjoy most about what you do?

I鈥檝e been with BPI for 4 years and what I enjoy most is in two parts. First, collaborating with our internal team and external partners daily, they are such a joy to work with. Second, what we deliver to our clients. There鈥檚 no better feeling than presenting buying insights and having our clients find a wealth of value in what we do.

What tips can you offer for how to get the most out of the interviews that BPI conducts with recent buyers?

First and foremost, you need to get the respondent in the proper mindset, taking them back to the day when they first decided that they needed a particular product or service so they can tell you everything that happened from that moment until they made a final purchase decision. It鈥檚 also imperative to be curious and intentional with what you need to extract from the respondents, keep them on track, and probe for deeper insights.

What advice would you give to marketers and sellers that are trying to get a better understanding of their prospective buyers and the buying decisions that they make?

Very simple鈥攊nterview buyers that recently made the exact same buying decision you鈥檙e trying to influence! This provides an objective lens into what they need to know and experience to have confidence buying from you. These buying insights will enable you to align your marketing and sales efforts to buyer expectations so you can win more business.

What is the best piece of business advice you have ever received?

Take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you, be consistent and be kind.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I enjoy creating new memories with my family, friends, and loved ones. Anytime we can get outside and play tennis, golf, or any sort of activity, I鈥檓 all in. I also have 2 precious pups that I love to go on leisurely long walks with.

What鈥檚 the most interesting place you鈥檝e visited?

In terms of interesting it would have to be Mackinac Island, MI. It鈥檚 unique in the fact that they have a motor vehicle ban in place. To access the island, you鈥檒l need to arrive by small plane or ferry. Upon arrival, you are transported to a simpler time with horse-drawn carriages, charming mom-and-pop shops, and are surrounded by the aroma of fresh fudge.

What鈥檚 one interesting thing about you that people might be surprised to know?

What surprises people most is that I have a motorcycle license. I鈥檓 your quintessential girly-girl so when people hear I rode motorcycles for years it can be a bit of a shock.

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