The writer: Ester Marchetti, co-founder and chief client officer, Bolt Insight 

Outside of work, I write fiction. It’s been an inconsistent practice for years, through the busy times of life, between work and parenting, but it never fully goes away. For me, writing is less a side hustle and more a way of thinking slowly and being present in a life that otherwise moves very fast.

I don't publish widely, it’s a personal practice, although I have finished a draft of a historical fiction novel. But showing up to the blank page regularly, usually in those early morning hours before the day takes over, is something I find genuinely sustains me in an otherwise hectic world.

Writing was always there in the background, something I kept returning to even through the busiest seasons of life. I've come to realise that there’s something about the craft of constructing a character, a scene or an argument from scratch that uses a completely different part of the brain than the strategic and commercial work I do day-to-day. That contrast is part of what keeps drawing me back. It’s not about output or ambition in any conventional sense, but about finding a mode of thinking that the rest of my working life doesn't give me and protecting space for it when everything else is competing for attention.

Strong narrative instincts make you better at research, at understanding what story an insight is really telling, and what tension genuinely exists in people’s lives. The skills cross-pollinate in both directions. Writing has also made me more curious about voice, authenticity, and what makes human expression irreducible to pattern, which feels like an increasingly important question in the work we do. The strategic and commercial thinking I do professionally and the slow, craft-led thinking of fiction are very different modes of operating, but each seems to sharpen the other in ways that are hard to explain but very real.

The end-of-life doula: Sarah Askew, head of brand and innovation, Strat7 ResearchBods

I’m a trainee end-of-life doula, aka death doula. We provide emotional, practical and spiritual support for people with terminal diagnoses or life-limiting illnesses and their families. We also work in our communities to promote open conversation about death, dying and bereavement. Currently, I work as a volunteer doula for a hospice in Leeds, supporting people in the community. Some days I’ll be vacuuming or making tea, others helping people plan funerals, or talking about what the dying process is like. A lot of the time, I’m sitting quietly, listening and providing an emotional container for people’s feelings.

A few nudges pointed me to the fact that this might be something for me. I read a newspaper article around 2017 about the role and thought ‘I reckon I have the right skills for that’. Then a friend sadly passed away in 2018, and support from an end-of-life doula really underlined to me how beneficial this type of support could be. I completed a Foundation course, which was a good way to test the waters, and I’ve spent the last two years studying for my diploma alongside my insight job, volunteering and growing my skills.

I’m a qualitative researcher by training and lot of the skills of a good qual interviewer come to the fore in doula work – establishing rapport quickly, actively listening, watching out for what’s unspoken, gently probing, knowing when to hang back and when to lean in.

My work worlds are so different but complement each other beautifully. One role is quite tech-focused and fast-moving, the other is much slower and deeply human. So, they balance each other out. Being a doula means I turn up energised and grounded, for my insight work – working with dying people is a constant reminder of what really matters. 

The life coach: Caroline Canty, research manager, The Very Group

Alongside my role as a research manager, I'm building CAN Coaching, a life coaching business. I work with people who feel stuck in an area of their lives, helping them gain clarity, build confidence and move towards the future they want, whether that’s progressing their career, navigating a life transition or overcoming the beliefs that are holding them back. I am also the founder of The Marathon Blueprint, where I coach marathon runners to train smarter and prepare better. Although the audiences are different, both are rooted in the same purpose: helping people realise what’s possible and supporting them to get there.

I've always been fascinated by people and understanding what influences their thoughts, behaviours and decisions. After more than 20 years in customer research, I realised I wanted to work more directly with individuals, not just understanding what drives them but helping them create positive change in their own lives. That led me to qualify as a transformational life coach alongside my career. Running has also been a huge part of my life, so coaching marathon runners felt like a natural extension of that passion.

The coaching and my day job complement each other more than people might expect. Research has given me years of experience listening carefully, asking thoughtful questions and understanding the motivations behind people’s behaviour. Coaching builds on those same foundations, but with a different purpose: helping someone understand themselves, gain clarity and move forward. Training as a coach has made me even more curious, strengthened my listening skills and encouraged me to explore conversations at a deeper level. Those are qualities that benefit both my coaching clients and my work as a researcher.

The diving guide: Nick Bonney, founder, Deep Blue Thinking

When I’m not diving into the data, I’m diving underwater!

I work (on a volunteer basis) as a divemaster with Bespoke Scuba Diving. This involves working as a safety diver whilst students are under instruction, guiding qualified divers, and help people breathe their first bubbles underwater by running discover scuba diving sessions in the pool.

Continuing with the underwater theme, I am also one of the trustees of Manta Trust, an ocean conservation charity that focuses on manta and devil rays and their close relatives. Manta rays have long been a passion of mine and it’s a charity I’ve been involved with as a supporter for nearly a decade.

Weirdly, I think I need to blame Willard Price for this! I can remember reading South Pacific Adventure as a kid and being fascinated both by the prospect of scuba diving and by these mysterious creatures called manta rays! I first learnt to dive over 20 years ago now but decided three or four years ago to push myself to take professional qualifications and take my divemaster certification.

Undertaking continuing professional development in an area you believe you’re fairly proficient at can be a really humbling experience but I’m so glad I did it! You just need to approach it with the right attitude and embrace the opportunity to learn from others around you. Given I quite often work in solo capacity within my business, it was also a great opportunity to be part of a team again.

I didn’t undertake either my divemaster or trustee role with the intention of them benefitting my day job but both have contributed, albeit in different ways. Being a divemaster instantly puts you under no illusion that just because you can do something, it doesn’t mean you can teach someone else to do it, too! You have to learn how to break complex skills down into manageable chunks and also to deal with task-loading under pressure.

The trustee side is very different but it’s something I would encourage anyone in research to explore – it’s a fantastic opportunity to work at a senior level and get hands on experience of boardroom dynamics. We hear a lot of chatter about understanding the needs of senior teams – what better way than to actually live it?

The equine specialist: Frances Revel-Cooper, head of custom insight, Strat7 ResearchBods

My side hustle is a small business I recently set up in equine rehabilitation and sports massage services. I operate on weekends, mornings and evenings before my “proper” job, and do everything from caring for horses to hand-walking them, lunging them, setting up intricate pole work exercises and bodywork.

It came about through my own experience as a busy professional trying to rehabilitate her own injured horses. Rehab plans can be brutal, with an expectation you can exercise your horse every day, stick to very specific timings and formats, and it can be very daunting, time-consuming and to be honest, lonely. I wanted to offer something for people like me who needed the helping hand, with no judgement –just support.

Having this outlet, project, work stream, passion (whatever you want to call it) has given me an opportunity to employ my creative brain, get out in the fresh air and channel my research and people skills in a totally different way. Despite adding to my effective workload, I see it as complementing my research career in providing much needed balance between desk and the world out there. Horses are an incredibly calming and soothing presence, and I think it’s helped me with patience, understanding and coming at work challenges with a clearer head.

It’s also helped me to remember what a privileged, pampered bunch we can be in the world of research – nothing humbles you more than getting up at 6am to poo-pick someone else’s field for £20 an hour!

The messy play leader: Bethan Blakeley, independent consultant

I run a business called ‘Once Upon a Playtime’ – I run story-led messy play sessions for babies and toddlers in North Manchester. The idea is that I choose a story the children love, read the story with them, and then have sensory trays that are themed to the story for them to play in. The trays are a mix of wet and dry so that the children can choose how messy they get, and then we have warm flannels and soapy water for the end so they can go home (relatively) clean – and parents can leave the mess to me to clean up!

I’d always fancied doing this, and when my eldest (now aged five) was a baby, my friends joked about how I should run my own baby classes. I’ve always loved messy play with my two, and have always noticed how other parents aren’t so keen (understandable, given the clean up!) There were then restructures at work, I expected to have some time on my hands, so I thought “why not?” – and it quickly came together! I had a contact with a village hall in our town who was happy for me to rent. A quick trip to B&Q and Ikea meant I had the supplies I needed, and it was suddenly happening before I had a chance to properly process it!

It is nice having a creative outlet that’s totally different to my day job, and I love watching their little minds work as they’re engaging with the materials in front of them. I suppose there’s a tenuous storytelling link with research, too…?

I massively underestimated how much time it would take and massively overestimated how much spare time I would have on my hands following the restructure at work (I was set up as an independent consultant and working again very quickly). Because of that, I’ve had to pause things for now – it’s a shame as I loved it and the kids loved it – I still have little ones come up to me in the town centre and on the school run now asking when the next session is! I might bring it back though for one-off sessions or parties. Never say never!

The house-builder: Rob Hogan, managing director, Field Locker

I’m a director of Rowan & Robyn Homes with my wife, Laura. We are currently undertaking our first full large-scale (for us!) development. We’ve leapt somewhat into the unknown, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. The project is the restoration and conversion of a historic 17^th century Yorkshire farmstead into six homes. When we took ownership of it, the property already had planning for six dwellings, but as it’s Grade II listed it was never a new build project, rather a full restoration to preserve the heritage while creating modern, energy-efficient homes that will hopefully stand for another few hundred years. It’s a completely different industry to my day job, but one that I’ve found hugely rewarding.

I’ve always had an interest in property since keeping hold of my first flat when I was in my early twenties. I’ve renovated the odd buy-to-let here and there over the years. My wife is a set stylist for an agency in Manchester so she has the knack for making everything look good. When the opportunity came up to acquire this farmstead, it felt like the perfect challenge. The site had enormous potential but also came with plenty of complexities; from a planning perspective, there are constant stoppages, method statements, conversation visits and detailed drawings for every inch and material to be used! Add in managing contractors, surveyors, warranty providers, budgets and timelines and it’s been a rollercoaster. 

Although market research and property development seem worlds apart, the skills transfer remarkably well. At Field Locker, I spend my time leading people, managing budgets, solving problems and making strategic decisions. Those same skills are invaluable when overseeing a development project. I’ve never encountered such a detailed and ever-evolving budget. Staying on top of the spend is a full-time job in itself! 

It has strengthened my ability to manage risk and remain calm when unexpected challenges arise. Running a research business has given me the financial and commercial understanding needed to assess development opportunities objectively rather than emotionally. I was very close to buying a luxury deep-veined marble worktop for all six kitchens but reeled in the emotion and settled on a much more simple design but also negotiated a budget price for a luxury deep quartz material. 

The biggest challenge has been allowing my senior team to develop and run parts of Field Locker that previously I couldn’t let go of. Any owner will tell you how hard that can be, but 2026 is a bit of a transition year for the business and I’m all for it.

The tour guide: Mel Coghlan, professional development manager, MRS

I’m an independent walking tour guide and storyteller based in Hastings and London, specialising in immersive storytelling, social history and folklore.

I love folklore, because it reflects the lives of ordinary people; their fears, desires and ambitions. Most of us will never win a decisive battle or ascend to a throne, but we might favour a lucky charm, tell ghost stories by candlelight or swear by our great-granny’s cure for toothache! Whether I'm discussing monarchs, monks or local legends, I aim to bring history to life while highlighting the people and places that often get overlooked.

Before joining MRS, I worked full-time as a tour guide at Shakespeare’s Globe. I still guide there every few months, but when I moved to Hastings in 2022, it felt like the perfect place to create something of my own. The town has an incredible history full of smugglers, pirates, artists, witches and rebels, as well as a rich folklore tradition.

There are so many stories to tell. Last year, I created Hastings History & Folklore Tours, combining my love of history, storytelling and folklore to bring the past to life. You wouldn’t think there was much in common between working at MRS and dressing as a witch to lead a tarot-based tour, but there’s a surprising amount of crossover! Both involve putting other people first – your members or your audience – and understanding what they want to gain from their relationship with you.

Tour guiding has strengthened my presenting skills, helping me to adapt to different audiences and think on my feet. Equally, I don’t think I could have started an independent guiding business without the research, organisation and marketing skills I’ve developed at MRS. I was also overjoyed to take my colleagues on a lunchtime history tour of Clerkenwell recently – that was a real treat!