Meet Maria Vorovich

We were lucky to catch up with Maria Vorovich recently and have shared our conversation below.

Maria, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?

Just as muscles weaken from disuse, creativity too fades when not actively engaged and nurtured. I nurture my creativity with constant inspiration, seeking it not only in traditional “houses” of artistic expression such as art galleries, film festivals, and books, but also in the more unexpected moments of life—like spending time with my daughter or simply observing the world through the act of people-watching.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m the Chief Strategy Officer of the “anti-research research company,” GoodQues. The GoodQues foundation is built on rigorous qualitative and quantitative methodologies, enhanced by uniquely creative and unorthodox research designs. Think: studies interlaced with memes, emojis, gamification, cartoons, stories, cloze exercises, and much more.

We’ve demonstrated that studies resonating with research respondents yield higher-quality data that more accurately reflects real-world behavior. In other words, when people find research questions relevant and interesting, they are more likely to respond honestly and provide detailed stories and personal anecdotes.

This is a cross-category truth we’ve observed with all our clients, including Meta and PepsiCo. For example, typing tools developed using the GoodQues segmentation approach achieve match rates exceeding 90%, far surpassing the industry standard of around 60%. How do they achieve this? By crafting questions in their studies that resonate deeply with respondents.

Currently, I’m most excited about a user-friendly, aesthetically-pleasing dashboard we’re rolling out with clients, which tracks consumers and culture creatively—quarter after quarter—as thoughts, emotions, and behaviors shift.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Knowledge can always be acquired. However, there are three mantras that have helped me along my journey, and I believe they can help anyone on theirs.

1. Listen more than you speak. The smartest people in the room are often the last to speak, recognizing the power and impact of listening more than talking. By carefully listening to others, they gather diverse perspectives, leading to more informed and thoughtful contributions. Research supports this approach; a study by Harvard Business Review found that leaders who listen more than they speak are perceived as more effective and trustworthy. Additionally, listening fosters a collaborative environment, encouraging others to share their insights and ideas freely, which can lead to more innovative and effective solutions.

2. Be tenacious. The best things in life are often difficult and require persistent effort, involving numerous attempts and the resilience to rise after each failure. As Winston Churchill famously said, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.” This relentless perseverance not only builds character but also paves the way for career breakthroughs. Embracing tenacity means understanding that every setback is a step closer to achieving your goals. Effort and determination ultimately lead to extraordinary outcomes.

3. Realize that everything in this world can be done better. Everything in this world can be done better, a lesson I learned from my grandpa, who viewed life as a field of endless opportunities for improvement. He believed that no matter what it is, there is always room for enhancement, innovation, and refinement. This mindset encourages a continual pursuit of excellence, fostering creativity and growth in all aspects of life. By embracing this philosophy, we can transform challenges into opportunities, always striving to make things better than they were before.

What would you advise – going all in on your strengths or investing on areas where you aren’t as strong to be more well-rounded?

I recently read that athletes who play a variety of sports are usually better and stronger than those who stick to just one. This diversified approach to sport helps develop a wider range of skills, improving overall athleticism and reducing the risk of overuse injuries. Just as athletes demonstrate enhanced performance and resilience from being well-rounded, I believe this applies to everyone in an office job too. Having diverse experiences allows people to grasp the bigger picture by exposing them to various perspectives and challenges. It makes them more empathetic toward different departments and roles in the company, showing how each piece fits together. This broader perspective helps individuals become less myopic and tunnel-visioned, promoting a more holistic approach to problem-solving and decision-making.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.goodques.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goodques_/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goodques