Abi Fuller – Research Hero
Abi Fuller, founder & chief commercial officer, Acumen Fieldwork
From hosting groups as a teenager to work experience at an agency at 16, Abi has always been immersed in research and still enjoys recruitment to this day. Having seen what they felt was poor fieldwork, Abi and Julie Fuller set up Acumen in 2005.
Abi was nominated because she "still likes to get her hands dirty and will happily cost on work, pitch to clients and manage projects herself (when we let her!). Her ‘there is always a way’ mentality is instilled across our teams and her spirit to succeed and always better ourselves is constantly shared."
1. What is the biggest challenge you have faced during your career?
I do love a challenge and the opportunity to solve a problem. I feel the biggest challenge has remained pretty constant: how, in a crowded marketplace, do you communicate what elevates you above your competitors? The work behind the scenes to make sure everything we do is done with thought and integrity, is sometimes a challenge to get across to clients.
2. What will be the next big trend or development in the research industry, and why?
What is it to be human? This is a question that is currently under great scrutiny with the continued onslaught of AI. It is a critical question in our industry in terms of translating insight into actionable, impactful and successful campaigns. I really hope this will mean a big return to more ethnographic, face-to-face research with real people in their own environment. Being human is about stories and how we are sculpted.
I am also really interested in how consumer health develops over the next few years. The mass usage of GLP1 injections has huge implications for consumer health and for the food and drink sector overall. It's going to be fascinating.
3. Who inspires you as a researcher?
I am a true crime fanatic and love the podcast RedHanded. Hannah Maguire and Suruthi Bala are brilliant researchers and really bring stories to life. RedHanded came from nothing to become a podcast pulling in millions of listens a month, and today, both hosts have quit their previous jobs and are now full-time podcasters working everyday to take RedHanded to the next level – this is the dream!
Closer to home, I am a huge fan of Rory Sutherland. I have seen him speak a few times and always just think he is bang on the money.
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