175 - John Gilfeather on Craft, Ethics, and Research Legacy
In this episode of the Greenbook Podcast, Karen Lynch speaks with John Gilfeather, President of John Gilfeather & Associates and 2026 Market Research Council Hall of Fame inductee for Lifetime Achievement. John reflects on a career that spans Yankelovich, Roper, TNS, Logica Research, and his own consultancy, sharing lessons from decades of B2B, public affairs, corporate reputation, and public-release research.
The conversation explores what makes research “good,” why mentorship matters, and how industry disruptions—from telephone to online to AI—have changed the craft. John also offers a thoughtful warning about preserving questionnaire quality, human judgment, and client impact as the insights industry evolves.
Key Discussion Points:
- John’s early career at Yankelovich and the foundations of serious, craft-driven research
- The role of corporate reputation research in shaping stakeholder behavior
- How methodologies have evolved from in-person interviews to phone, online, and AI-enabled research
- Why “good research” must help clients make better decisions
- Mentorship, industry ethics, and the importance of training the next generation of researchers
Resources & Links:
You can reach out to John Gilfeather on LinkedIn.
Many thanks to John Gilfeather for being our guest. Thanks also to our production team and our editor at Big Bad Audio.
