Market Research Consultants in San Francisco to Watch for in 2025
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A curated guide to dynamic market research consultants shaping the Bay Area in 2025
Though the San Francisco Bay Area is frequently defined as the global epicenter of innovation, it’s also a hub for some of the most advanced, boundary-pushing market research minds in the industry. In a region where startups sprout overnight and industry incumbents reinvent themselves every quarter, market research consultants play a critical role. They don’t just crunch numbers or conduct focus groups, they decode consumer behavior, shape product strategy, and help companies make confident, informed decisions.
In this 2025 edition of our Digital Reference series, we spotlight consultants who are driving deep insights in the San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley areas. From user-centric design research to sociopolitical polling, these professionals exemplify excellence and innovation in the market research space.
At Digital Reference, we believe the best way to understand market research is through the people who lead it. That’s why we take a hands-on, research-led approach to careful curate a list of industry experts. We focused on those with a clear point of view, strong community connection, and a proven track record of measurable impacts.
Whether you’re a product leader, startup founder, marketing exec, or fellow researcher, this list is for you. And if you’re new to market research, check out our guide on what marketing professionals do.
Let’s dive into the consultants making waves in the Bay Area this year.
Meet the Experts Defining San Francisco’s Market Research Landscape
Joanna Jones
Founder & CEO at InterQ Research
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA
🔹 Specialties: B2B research, in-depth interviews, UX testing
Joanna Jones is a name synonymous with cutting-edge qualitative research in San Francisco. As the founder of InterQ Research, she’s built a powerhouse consultancy that’s regularly sought out by tech startups and Fortune 500s alike.
Behind the scenes, Joanna’s approach to research is as structured as it is insightful. She begins every engagement by meeting with prospective clients to deeply understand their objectives. Following these imperative client meetings, Joanna tailors a research methodology and proposal that aligns with each clients goals and desired outcomes. Her team at InterQ specializes in conducting complex, qualitative interviews across a remarkably broad range of industries, from high-tech cybersecurity to agriculture. What remains constant is Joanna’s core philosophy: deliver ethical, on-time, and on-budget research that goes beyond client expectations. As a female founder in a competitive industry, she’s built InterQ into a trusted name by staying true to those values. Whether working with a Fortune 500 or a fast-growing startup, Joanna brings a journalist’s curiosity, a strategist’s clarity, and a relentless commitment to uncovering what people really think.
📌 What makes Joanna stand out:
- Uses journalistic interviewing techniques to unlock nuanced customer insights
- Works extensively with global tech firms looking to localize products
- Leads UX testing initiatives that have improved digital experiences across finance, healthcare, and consumer electronics
Katrina Noelle
President of KNow Research and Co-Founder of Scoot Insights
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA
🔹 Specialties: Hybrid qual methods, financial services, consumer journey mapping
With more than two decades in the field, Katrina Noelle has become a fixture in consumer-driven research in San Francisco. As President of KNow Research and Co-Founder of Scoot Insights, Katrina has carved out a unique niche: blending in-person and remote qualitative techniques to uncover deep human insights.
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📌 Highlights of Katrina’s work:
- Brings sharp strategic insight to financial services and retail research, helping brands decode evolving customer behaviors in complex, high-stakes markets
- Expert in female consumer behavior and belonging-centered research
- Pioneered hybrid qual methodologies long before the pandemic made them mainstream
Janet Beach
Managing Partner at U.S. Marketing Services
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA
🔹 Specialties: Tech market validation, product-market fit, executive interviews
Janet Beach brings a strategic lens to tech-focused market research. As managing partner at U.S. Marketing Services, she’s helped hundreds of companies, from early-stage startups to established enterprise players, validate ideas, assess product-market fit, and engage high-level decision makers.
📌 Why Janet is trusted across the industry:
- Known for conducting high-caliber interviews with C-level executives
- Combines qual and quant to help products find their sweet spot
- Strong experience in SaaS, B2B tech, and enterprise solutions
Veronica Raymonda
President & Founder at Quantum Market Research
🔹 Location: Oakland, CA
🔹 Specialties: Brand strategy, customer experience, qualitative innovation
Veronica Raymonda of Q Research Solutions is an energetic leader whose creative approaches to research have redefined how companies approach customer experience and brand identity. With a foundation in marketing and an ability to tap into emotional nuance, Veronica is a go-to for companies looking to strengthen relationships with their audiences.
📌 What makes Veronica’s work resonate:
- Known for transforming vague customer sentiment into clear strategic direction
- Deep expertise in packaging, naming, and positioning research
- Utilizes emerging methodologies including emotion-based testing and projective techniques
Walter Good
President at Pinpoint Research
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA
🔹 Specialties: Quantitative tracking, telephone interviewing, political polling
Walter Good has become one of the most dependable names in quantitative market research in Northern California. At Pinpoint Research, he leads a team focused on delivering statistically sound, methodologically rigorous insights across industries.
📌 What makes Walter’s work unique:
- Expert in phone-based research and CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing)
- Strong capabilities in high-volume survey deployment and longitudinal tracking
- Notable work in political polling and voter sentiment analysis
Ben Tulchin
President at Tulchin Research
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA
🔹 Specialties: Political research, opinion polling, strategy development
Ben Tulchin is a heavyweight in the world of public opinion and political research. As the founder of Tulchin Research, he’s led research for major political campaigns and presidential bids.
📌 Why Ben stands out:
- Deep understanding of voter behavior, policy impact, and grassroots strategy
- Advises on how to turn public sentiment into winning messages
- Research cited in national media and used to shape political narratives
Lilah Raynor
Founder & CEO at Logica Research
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA
🔹 Specialties: Financial services, Gen Z research, future trend insights
Lilah Raynor leads Logica Research, a firm known for its crisp insights into the financial behaviors of emerging generations. Her work helps banks, fintech firms, and investment services better understand the needs of evolving consumer segments.
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📌 What Lilah’s known for:
- Publishes Logica’s Future of Money Study, a go-to resource in financial circles
- Delivers insights that drive customer-centric innovation in finance
- Thought leader regularly featured in business media and industry events
Stan Kwon
Founder & CEO of Beta Hat
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA
🔹 Specialties: Video games and emerging tech, custom quant and qual insights, go-to-market strategy
Stan Kwon is a leading figure in the games and technology research space, known for helping publishers, developers, and entertainment brands better understand players and unlock growth opportunities. At Beta Hat, he combines rigorous custom research with deep industry knowledge to support game development, go-to-market strategy, and brand-building. Stan brings over two decades of experience spanning client and agency roles, with a reputation for high-impact storytelling, creative methodologies, and a no-nonsense approach to problem-solving.
📌 Why Stan is a standout:
- Deep expertise in both quant and qual research for the video games industry
- Trusted advisor to major publishers like EA, Take Two, and Blizzard
- Known for designing research that is focused and strategic, without fluff
- A builder at heart: of teams, methods, and meaningful client partnerships
David Mitroff
Founder & CEO at Piedmont Avenue Consulting
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA
🔹 Specialties: Consumer behavior, strategic brand positioning, digital experience research
David Mitroff is a force of nature in applied market research and business strategy. David’s multidisciplinary approach has made him a sought-after consultant for organizations across hospitality, tech, retail, and professional services.
📌 What sets David’s work apart:
- Applies behavioral psychology to decode purchasing decisions and user friction
- Trusted advisor for both early-stage startups and large-scale businesses in rebranding or repositioning phases
- Leads workshops and research-led trainings to align cross-functional teams around market insights
Robin Boyar
Founder at thinktank research and strategy
🔹 Location: San Francisco, CA
🔹 Specialties: Gaming research, Gen Alpha insights, UX testing
Robin Boyar is the kind of researcher who stays two steps ahead of consumer culture. At thinktank, she specializes in emerging media, gaming, and next-gen user experiences. Her clients include gaming studios, edtech firms, and youth-focused brands.
📌 Robin’s unique contributions:
- Deep expertise in gameplay behavior and user motivations
- One of the few researchers deeply attuned to Gen Alpha
- Custom-designed testing labs for behavioral observation and concept iteration
Looking Ahead: Why San Francisco Will Remain a Powerhouse for Market Research
The market research consultants highlighted above aren’t just shaping strategy in the Bay Area, they’re influencing how research is done across industries. In a region that thrives on experimentation, iteration, and human-centered design, these professionals play an essential role.
They help tech companies understand users, assist healthcare orgs in refining patient experiences, and guide policymakers with data-driven insights. In a city defined by change, their insights are what bring clarity.
And that’s exactly what we do here at Digital Reference. We exist to highlight the most forward-thinking, insight-driven professionals in the industry. Whether you’re looking for your next research partner or want to learn from the best, we’re here to make that easier. To explore more consultants from other regions, browse our Marketing Consultants to Watch series and follow us for regular updates.
Know someone in the Bay Area who deserves a spotlight? We'd love to hear about them. Digital Reference is always on the lookout for new talent to feature.
For more insights, don’t miss our spotlight on leading market research consultants in Los Angeles.
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