Influential Woman · Market Research and Consumer Strategic Insights

Anya Greengauz

Senior Manager, Strategic Insights, Ameriprise Financial Services, LLC

Minneapolis, MN

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Business Degree Degree University of Minnesota Degree Spanish Minor Degree MBA in Marketing and Strategy Degree University of St. Thomas Degree Minneapolis Degree 2007

Her Story

About Anya

I've been working in market research and consumer strategic insights for over 20 years now, since 2004. What I love about this field is how transferable the skills are across different industries. I've worked on both the client side with companies like Ameriprise and Sleep Number, and on the vendor side as a supplier of data analysis and reporting. My work is very scientific in nature, involving a lot of math and statistical analysis. I design questionnaires and surveys, determine who to talk to, and work to extract the least biased information possible. What's most rewarding is being able to connect the dots and impact real change in organizations. I help improve experiences for customers, whether that's a product or service experience. My work touches so many departments in a 360-degree way, from brand and marketing initiatives to product development and sales. I'm really at the center of a lot of decision-making, extracting and formulating information that's very actionable. It requires quick thinking, creative problem-solving, and the ability to adapt on the fly when things don't pan out as expected.

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Anya

01What do you attribute your success to?

I attribute my success to the tenure and commitment I've maintained over 20 years in this field. I've stayed really enthused by the science behind market research and consumer insights. It's not about one big win or award for me, but rather the small wins across different places and the fact that I've committed to something I genuinely like and continue doing. I think what's kept me going is being malleable and adaptable to problems rather than being super set and rigid in my ways. The ability to problem-solve creatively and think quickly on the fly has been essential. I've also learned from both my successes and failures along the way, and I think that continuous learning and adaptation is what's allowed me to stay in this field for so long.

02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I don't think it's necessarily years of experience that matters most when you're starting out. I think it's the type of mindset and the capability of just being malleable and being able to adapt to the problem, rather than being super set and rigid in your ways. If I had to give advice to my younger self in my 20s, I would say tap into different aspects of the field and really get to know it more. Experience it from different industries' perspectives in order to understand whether you want to stay in one or the other, or if it makes sense to move around. Find that purpose that feels appropriate to you at the time. It might change over time, but let that purpose be your North Star and let it guide you. Whether that's mentorship with specific people, trying to get into specific industries, or really getting fully educated in statistics and understanding all the tools necessary to execute the role well. Don't waste time being unfocused like I was. Be purposeful in your career choices and let that guide your decisions.

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