Interview with Anne-Sophie Damelincourt of Blue Lemon Insight & Strategy

In honor of Women’s History Month, GreenBook is talking with female leaders from across the insights industry to celebrate their achievements and inspire the next wave of professionals. Join us each week for the CEO Series as we sit down with top female leaders for a conversation on industry trends, overcoming challenges, and developing leadership skills.

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We’re continuing our CEO series in honor of Women’s History month (as well as raising awareness of the historic ESOMAR election that has two fantastically qualified women running for President) with my interview with Anne-Sophie Damelincourt, Founder & Owner of Blue Lemon Insight & Strategy. In addition to her successful career building a running a leading research agency, Anne-Sophie has also been re-elected as an ESOMAR Council Member (3 terms) and Treasurer. She is building off of that experience as a candidate for the ESOMAR Presidency.

I had never had the privilege of chatting with Anne-Sophie and was thrilled to correct that. On top of her 20+ year career on both the client and supplier side of the industry and long-term work within ESOMAR, Anne-Sophie was immensely impressed with her perspective on the changes impacting the industry, the need for transformational support for many organizations, her global perspective, and incredibly pragmatic approach to supporting diversity.

I’m glad I am not an ESOMAR member; it’s a tough choice for President! However, it’s also a true win/win situation because both candidates are wonderful choices. I think you’ll see what I mean when listening to this interview. Enjoy!

 

 

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Lenny Murphy: Hello everybody, it’s Lenny Murphy here with the next edition of our CEO series. And today it is my joy and pleasure to be joined by Anne Sophie Damelincourt. I tried to do a French accent as best I can. Sophie, welcome.

 

Anne-Sophie Damelincourt: Thank you so much.

 

LM: Here, as well.

We’re chatting beforehand it this other. I had not had the opportunity to either have the opportunity to chat before, so other. It’s really kind of a blessing that we have that now.

 

So, you wear multiple hats. Why don’t you tell us about the hats that you wear? Because that’s a good way to set the stage for the rest of the conversation.

 

ASD: I have to add, it’s first of all, I’m the founder and owner of, Blue Lemon Insight & Strategy, which is a consulting agency based in Paris and operating globally.

This company, I founded close to maybe 15 years ago now. My second hat is being on the ESOMAR council where I’ve been elected three times. I’m the current treasurer. And I’m running today for the president’s role. So, there are obvious links between what I’m doing in my company. And, of course, being really active in this very big and global organization, which is ESOMAR.

 

LM: So, let’s talk about that, so one, Congratulations. It’s kinda cool, you and Kristin Luck both running, It’s a win for women, no matter what, right? I think that’s fantastic. Or the industry that, that, we have two incredibly qualified, strong female leaders in the running for the presidency. That speaks well for, for all of us, I think, now we did hear Kristin’s vision the other day around ESOMAR.

So, let’s talk about yours. Obviously, you’ve been engaged for a long time, you’re passionate, what’s driving you for running for president?

 

ASD: This is what you say, what drives me first is passion. I mean, when you are at part of ESOMAR council you volunteer. And then I love what I do, I do, I’ve been doing research for 20 years now, and I chose this profession.

Some people get into research, by chance, or because they want you to do marketing and kudos, do eight, so started by search. Well, to me, it was exactly the contrary. I started as a brand manager at Unilever, it was my first job. 

Well, I fell in love with research. So, Nielsen was my first company in Market Research, and I must say it was very good experience. And I still think that Nielsen gave me so much expertise and so many good skills that I still keep today, so that was 20 years ago, so I still remember them.

Passion is what drives me. I’m a very dynamic woman. I mean, from what I remember when I was really young. My parents, and also people around me, kept saying that I’m full of energy. The definition is she’s full of energy, so that’s really what I am.

And also, I really believe in ESOMAR. Again, it’s a big organization, sometimes it can be, well, a little bit bureaucratic, because basically, it’s big. And, you know, when you have basically to manage to have a meeting between the Americas and the Asia Pacific, where we had earlier a meeting with the APEC region with Kristin. It was past midnight in Oregon and it was almost midnight in New Zealand.

This is how it goes. And so, I really believe in that industry, I really believe in the organization. I think that’s not because of the pandemic because I think the pandemic didn’t bring anything new, it was more about an accelerator. And, we have, how many years waiting and waiting for some of us, I’m not talking about everyone, but for some of us, this transformation is really scary. And for many people (and it’s true in many regions in the world), for them, it’s scary and so difficult to make the leap.

So, I believe in our people in this organization to make the leap and to make it good so that everybody is happy.

And two for growth. Because I think if you look at the data world dynamics, it’s double-digit growth. Where we could say the same for market research.

I think we have maybe, so I would say it’s the biggest challenge in our industry.

Which is why I’m running now. I’m experienced, I’ve been in the market for 20 years. I know the community really well, so it’s time to do it.

 

LM: That is fantastic, and I’m sure you noticed me nodding a lot through the conversation because totally agree and, and so hats off to you because I agree with you. And we got here, but I would never take the leap personally to lead a trade organization through this transformation period.

Yes, Kudos to you, and everyone else involved because that would be, uh, it would just be a very, it wouldn’t be a good match. that’s not my job, right? My job is to kind of be out here in a wilderness and add, you know, being a gadfly, you know, kicking the industry in the pay us a little bit, but not necessarily to lead to that next step.

Right? So, I’m glad that there are folks like you that are willing to step up and say, there’s a lot of change that is occurring. We saw it coming. Obviously, the pandemic was that quasi-black swan accelerator, but something was going to get us there one way or the other, right? It was a question of time.

And now here we are, and yes, the industry as a whole has a huge opportunity. But many companies have huge challenges to get there. And it’s just it’s the way that it is, so I’m glad that you, an ESOMAR there to help provide that support through this transformation period. That’s fantastic.

 

ASD: I would like to add something you said, leading. when you’re running for President is what you do. Well, when you’re president, what you do, but also, I think, well, you don’t do it alone. You never do it alone. You have to heal.

And the team, we have so many. So much time going to see. And the candidates, we have 27 candidates, from every region that we have, three people from Africa. This is the first time we have candidates from Africa. Just, personally, I’m quite proud of it, because I’ve been working really close to the African community.

We have done circles. We have done Masterclasses, too, to help the African community and other communities in the world to make that leap into digital, some, it’s unquote proud of that. Coming back to the team, Also, let me just stop. So, you lead, and so, this is why a leader is important, the team is important, and beyond a team inside E.

So, you have all this huge community, and I’m sure that you have some people who don’t want to be involved, but you have some who want to be involved. And involvement is not necessarily being a rep or necessary, being really active, but just sometimes, sharing an idea, or sharing something, or just giving your perspective, or your experience, so, I, I truly believe in that, too.

I think, well, to me, it’s very personal, but, I think, is, there are some, that is not so open. It’s kind of bureaucracy because you have this stuff, and you have, these council, for example, nobody knows what the council is doing.

Well, we have minutes. It’s acceptable. But, of course, nobody looks at them. So, I’m thinking, it’s our role to go to invite people to give access to people, otherwise, it will never be done. So, leading is not doing it alone, and I truly believe in these big communities teach it to move forward together.

 

LM: That’s fantastic. And, again, hats off to you. I accept that long ago, that my favorite form of government is a benign dictatorship. Because meeting, I’m just don’t mean that in terms of where I live or anything. But my management style is far more of, I’m open to a group, but I get very impatient. And it’s like, let’s just do this, and here’s how we’re going to do it.

So, I struggled personally with building consensus among groups, which is why I don’t like, involved with going to associations. But I absolutely respect people like you did have the ability to do that. I wish that I did. I said that’s just not in my DNA.

But let’s pivot a little bit off that, because I suspect that, as you think about this passion and this philosophy that you’re talking about in terms of ESOMAR, how does that play out within your business, right, and your experience of being an entrepreneur, and being So, a woman, and balancing those out with this ethos. Is there a theme there, as well?

 

ASD: You mean my company.

 

LM: In your company, in your life?

 

ASD: Well, my company is, is really small. I’m mainly working with freelancers. The thing is that it’s all linked to my personality and call me back on your question or what you said about being a woman. Personally, I wasn’t all grown up in the idea of, because I was a woman or a female, or a girl, it was different from sister. I was not a question.

I mean, it’s never a question again, and I think it makes a big difference. I think I’m quite lucky because my mother was independent. My parents, there was so much love between them. My mother was independent. I think I have these from her, and this is also magnification and the thing is, sometimes people go, “Well, I knew a woman.”

Yes, but, to me, it doesn’t make a difference. Because it’s what I did in my life before giving birth to my daughter because mazes undo that.

Was my father? We love doing a 4 by 4 like crazy people and shouting, so many things, who could have been for four boys and send me my work.

I mean, when I created, my company, was just obvious. It’s because I had experience and a multitude to run my own business. And I think this is the same for when I decided to be able to, to be a candidate for counsel for presidency.

So, yes, I’m a woman. But to me, I mean, maybe I could be a man. it doesn’t make a difference to me, and I think, it’s really important, because we were discussing this subject over the weekend.

And I went, well, that’s strange because it has never been a question, and I think, for many people, it is the question of being a woman or being Asian or being that people, and I think this is how things should be.

So, I do really hope that people everywhere in the world will be able to follow their dreams. Whether they are women or men, whether they are their skin color or their religion. I mean, it doesn’t make sense to me to cluster people like this.

 

LM: I, so I agree 100%. I think that’s it’s a challenging topic. Politically, particularly here in the US. There’s a lot of folks who would not share that. But I guess that’s the Europe that I would say, as well. I think a meritocracy is the absolute best way to well. I work.

It doesn’t matter. None of these things matter, Right. The color of our skin, what are gender’s, any of those things. It’s about, everybody has the opportunity to do their best to live the lives, that they want to do it regardless. Anyway, probably shouldn’t delve into that too much, because it is a sensitive topic, but it is interesting.

So, I think about me as a father, right? I have multiple roles. I’m a business owner, I’m a father, a husband, and I’m a friend. I’m a son, A brother. I, you know, I have all of these roles, that maybe we use gender-specific names for them, but the reality is, it doesn’t matter.

It’s about my obligation in these relationships, right? That is the point. And balancing these obligations, and obligations sounds like a bad word. I don’t mean it that way. I mean, it’s, you know, these things that I freely choose to engage in these relationships in my life, in one way or the other, don’t have anything to do with my gender. It’s simply these are my responsibilities. Maybe that’s a better way to say it.

You know, I have responsibilities as a business owner, as a husband, as a father, as a brother, as a son as, you know, all of those things in juggling that can be challenging. But also, for me, at least, that’s what the fulfillment comes from. It sounds goofy. But I’ll tell my wife all times, like, you need to understand, you saved my life, right? If it wasn’t for these relationships, I would have no focus these relationships, these responsibilities, obligations give me the focus for everything else that I do.

And I find that empowering and, you know, into my industry as well. Things that I do for GreenBook, et cetera. Things part of that. They drive me to do more. Is that similar to how you think it seems like maybe it is, that it’s these relationships that drive you, gives you the passion. To do these things.

 

ASD: And it can be from many people. Of people. Of was lucky to travel the world, who’s my car. And so being a citizen of the world is something, which is, I would say it’s normal to me.

But normality is we all know and also of course and in this experience for presidency, of course. My family. My husband’s, it has been a discussion, of course, because you spend so much time, and you know, even what campaign? It’s 24 hours, 7-days.

VC and begging my husband and my daughter to also give me the energy to do that and allow me to do that. I mean, not because I am a mother or because I’m a woman. But just because, as you said, when you, when you, well, I’m living, personally speaking, I’m living in a house, and everybody is playing a role.

It’s, like, in society, the society, everybody’s playing a role, and some for, for some people, it’s more difficult. So, you have some other to have to L, these people, it’s exactly the same. So, it’s a question of, yes, I think, funding your role, and sometimes it comes, it falls naturally, and you do eat normally without thinking about it.

And I think is it also the beauty of it? Because, as you said, I think, I’m quite lucky. And, again, coming back to education. I think education is so important.

I’m not, of course, I’m talking about going to school, but not only I mean, your education about the I’m talking about individuals and values. Is the most important, and this is where you’ll also find new energy, and where you find ideas and you find the strength to move forward.

 

LM: So, let me write that. I wish this wasn’t our first conversation, because I feel like I’ve missed out and not having known you over the past few years. And, Sophie, we could talk for a really long time, and it would be a really good conversation.

So, but I do want to be conscious of time for our listeners and for, for you, So, think about the next two years. What do you hope to accomplish, and I don’t mean specifically around ESOMAR, that could be a part of years? What years. What are your goals and aspirations over the course of the next few years?

 

ASD: Two things. The first is maybe easier is to make the association more accessible. I’m talking about geographically speaking, in terms of price, in terms of what it can bring to you, whatever it can bring.

So, I think, just on the one and Number two, which is much more challenging, this organization is, in each market, to support companies in our new world of digital, But, with these, within this mix of MRX, Traditional MR and Digital are having the first step into it.

Because the risk of having being unconcealed, as through time, the recipes to have too many objectives, or too difficult once you achieve nothing.

Again, the first one is really easy. It’s more about the process and the relationship we have with people, so it’s natural, just the second one is much more difficult. So, having these tapped into the new world will be a win for me.

 

LM: But what about you personally outside of ESOMAR? Are there other goals that you have as well that are outside of that?

 

ASD: Is there OK, could you say it again, please? I missed your question.

 

LM: Are there other goals outside of those wonderful goals You just stated about ESOMAR? Is there something else it’s more personal with your business or your family or some other passion area?

 

ASD: No, nothing to do with my business because I think it’s something to really differentiate. It has nothing to see with my business, but what I can bring, my business is my experience and my expertise, and also, I’m still working in that business.

I mean, after all, I will have interviews. I’m still doing focus groups, and I’m CEO interviewing people.

So, this is what I do. I think I’m still into it, and it’s important. I’m really close to what members are doing. I’m not kidding. On the moving on meeting here with people. So, it’s true and Pragmatic.

 

LM: Ok, all right, that’s great! This has been wonderful, hopefully, it is not the last time that we speak, well, let’s great! This say will not be one way or the other, right. So obviously post-election We will chat again one way or the other, and I enjoyed the conversation very, very much and appreciate the time, so I’m glad that we made this happen.

 

ASD: Thank you so much. Great question.

 

LM: Remember, anybody who has an ESOMAR membership, vote. Take it from an American vote, voting is important. So, all right, appreciate it, very much. Take care.

 

ASD: Thank you.