Data Gurus

CEO and Founder of MindSpark Research International, Nikki Lavoie, joins Sima Vasa today. They discuss the two niches that Nikki has found work really well together for her Paris-based company: 1) international qualitative research and 2) UX research. MindSpark: Born Out of Necessity From a young age, Nikki Lavoie knew she wanted to travel around the world. With a background in market research, both qualitative and quantitative, she accepted a job in Paris but eventually outgrew it, and was ready to move on to something else.  Not quite ready to return to working in the States, her options for breaking into the local job market as an American abroad were limited.  Starting out as a freelancer 5 years ago, she quickly began taking on more projects than she could handle alone, and thus, MindSpark Research International was born.  “I got offered a job in Paris, and surprisingly, I actually almost said ‘no’. Somewhere, that little phone conversation got to me, and I was like, ‘Your 15-year-old self would