Fewer students and too many questions.

Schools, colleges, and universities know this: when enrollment drops, something’s off.

It’s a clear symptom — but usually the last to appear, signaling that the issue started long before.

For the leadership at the Colegio de Psicoanálisis Lacaniano or The College of Lacanian Psychoanalysis in English, the decline in their postgraduate enrollment was a red flag that brought them to us.

They needed to understand what was happening — and what to do next.

Had the student profile shifted? Was it a matter of perceived value? Or was it competitive pressure?

They weren’t sure.

One of the biggest challenges was the lack of clear hypotheses and a tight budget. Therefore, the study had to be cost-effective without compromising depth.

To them, it felt like walking in the dark, trying not to trip. And our role was to design a lean, accessible, and effective approach to shed light on the real drivers behind the enrollment decline.

Early conversations revealed a critical insight: They had a database of people who had requested information but never followed through with enrollment. We recruited a few of them for one-on-one interviews — and went straight to the source.

That’s how we uncovered their perceptions, needs, and barriers — to build strategies that could strengthen both recruitment and retention.

The outcome was clear. We identified four major roadblocks that were hindering enrollment. For each one, we uncovered specific, actionable insights — supported by direct quotes — to ground our recommendations.

Now, recruitment wouldn’t be a shot in the dark — but a strategy that felt more personal, more empathetic, and real.

This project reminded us why we do what we do: When there are too many questions, the best thing is to stop guessing — and talk with the people who hold the answers and the truth.

One plot of land. Many needs. Little certainty.

When disaster strikes, Mexicans often surprise the world with how quickly we manage to help those in need. That spirit of solidarity is part of our DNA.

Fundación Acércate is a clear example of this. It was born after the 1985 earthquake, bringing together people already actively involved in their communities. A few years ago, they came to us with a clear purpose: to bring a major community project to life.

The foundation had an unused plot of land in the Palo Solo neighborhood, on the western edge of Mexico City. Their goal was to help integrate the residents in this area through a community center that would respond to their real needs.

The challenge? Too many possibilities, no clear path forward, and limited resources to make it happen.

That’s why they invited us to get to know the people who would benefit from this change. Inspired by their mission, we conducted four focus groups at no cost, bringing together both active members of the foundation and local residents— as principal benefactors.

The sessions took place at Acércate’s educational community center, where we explored what daily life in this neighborhood looks like to identify patterns and specific needs.

The results were enlightening. From the voices of neighbors and foundation members, we understood what these families were truly seeking: a common good that would promote connection and overall well-being, especially for children and the elderly.

With these insights, we proposed afternoon activities for kids and adults, therapeutic support, community events, and more.

In the end, this project became a real driver of change—one that helped the community not only survive, but grow stronger and thrive together.

Small businesses, big questions, and limited budgets

Throughout my career, I’ve conducted market research mainly for large Mexican and global brands—companies that typically have an established research culture and allocate significant budgets to listening to their consumers.

But on the other side, there are smaller brands that also have that need, and most of all, the desire, to understand what their current or potential customers think. The reality, however, is that standardized agency fees are often out of reach for this kind of business.

In 2020, my partner and I founded Syncretic, a qualitative research agency that works with major brands—but also supports small businesses and startups. Our philosophy is simple: we believe in democratizing market research and making it accessible for more companies.

So, how do we do it?

First, it’s essential to understand that smaller brands have limited budgets—and we need to be empathetic to that to offer a cost-effective research study without compromising the quality of the results.

One of the key values that makes this possible is creativity. When you know your research methodologies well, you can adapt them to new contexts. In 2022, we had the pleasure of working with the talented chef Paulina Abascal on a study for her cake line, The Wish Cakes.

Taking into account her needs and limitations, we designed a mystery shopper–inspired methodology: we recruited people willing to bring the cakes to their events and report back on how they were received.

As you might imagine, we had no shortage of volunteers. So we selected participants who were responsible and committed to capturing photo and video evidence of the reception, in order to detect potential areas of improvement.

For the brand, this consumer feedback was incredibly valuable—we used it to develop a tailored strategy for their growth plan.

Flexibility in our process has also been key. It means going beyond standard practices—like assuming participants always need a cash incentive. We’ve learned that many people are more than willing to participate in a study if they’re genuinely interested in the product.

In another project for The Positive Foods, a healthy food brand, we recruited people who followed specific diets (Keto, Paleo, low-carb, etc.) and offered them a product kit to try at home.

After trying the products, we brought them together in an online focus group to share their experiences. Most of them told us they were happy just to participate—proving that the product itself was more than enough of an incentive.

Something that surprised and delighted us was what happened at the end of those focus groups: the client joined the session to thank everyone for their participation. It sparked a warm, honest conversation that broke down the usual participant–client barrier. Another sign of how far flexibility can take us.

In the end, it was incredibly rewarding to give both of these brands—regardless of their size—a way to truly listen to their consumers. The insights they gained have been valuable decision-making tools.

Working with startups and small businesses has also taught us lessons we now apply across all our projects: empathy, creativity, and flexibility. Also, you don’t need massive sample sizes or big budgets to hear what your consumers have to say.

Mexican identity: Saying vs. Pride

In Mexico, there’s a saying: “Del dicho al hecho hay mucho trecho” — roughly, this means that “There’s a long road from what you say and what you do or mean.” Few communication campaigns illustrate this saying better than one we recently worked on for one of the country’s most iconic confectionery brands.

The brand had developed a campaign centered on Mexican pride, inspired by what they imagined was the spirit of the “barrio” or the subculture of the streets. The goal was to reconnect with an audience that, with age, was starting to drift away: young teens. The idea was powerful in theory — but the quantitative testing told a different story. What seemed ideal on paper, failed to resonate in real life.

We responded quickly to this conundrum by creating an online community with teenagers from across the country to truly understand their view of the barrio, their sense of identity, and the symbols they genuinely relate to. To achieve this, we combined projective techniques with visual stimuli that uncovered far more than surface-level answers.

From the outset, we suspected a disconnection. But it was through qualitative analysis that we uncovered not just what had missed the mark, but why.

The key insight was clear: the solemn tone of the campaign clashed with the vibrant, playful, and down-to-earth spirit that these young people associated with the brand. What was intended as a message of national pride came across as distant and as an out-of-touch resolution.

Based on these findings, we proposed an emotional narrative where street humor, cheekiness, and spontaneous joy took the center stage. We also defined four strategic territories to help the brand build messaging that feels authentic, relevant, and emotionally resonant with its audience.

The result was a new conceptual platform with a truly Mexican soul — one that didn’t just talk about identity, but embodied it through everyday experiences as an emotional truth.

Low price, low excitement… high potential

Low priced or cheap is often perceived as inferior quality. It doesn’t matter the industry or context; this collective belief can easily become a major barrier to connecting with your ideal consumer.

That was the core challenge for one of our clients: a British multinational company specialized in sweets and confectionery. Their project focused on exploring opportunities within the “low spend” segment of the candy market.

The initial product concept, due to its very low price, didn’t spark much excitement among the target audience: teenagers. And reconnecting with a growing generation isn’t as easy as they become more aware of their surroundings, of what’s in and what’s not.

That’s why a low-cost offer can trigger rejection, as this group often associates higher prices with better quality.

While understanding this, we took a closer look at consumers with lower purchasing power—even at younger ages. It was at that anthropological observation where we found fertile ground.

We discovered that accessible products aren’t just about the price tag—they serve social and emotional purposes too. They’re easy to share, help persuade parents to complete the purchase, and are linked to everyday moments that don’t require a big budget—like leaving school and stopping by the corner store.

Based on these insights, we recommended rethinking the product concept. Rather than positioning it as a “mini version,” we reframed it as a tailored offering for a specific audience—highlighting its everyday value, its potential for flavor combinations, and its ability to create playful moments.

What this project needed was a strategic lens to turn commercial doubt into a clear opportunity for the brand. And yes, low price and low excitement can hide a high potential.

Healthy Convenience That Missed the Mark

Healthy convenience that missed the mark

In the world of healthy foods, the air fryer marked a clear turning point—especially after the pandemic, when its popularity skyrocketed. This shift opened new possibilities for many brands that successfully aligned their value proposition with emerging kitchen habits.

Our client, a global food company, wanted to capitalize on this opportunity. Among their proposals was a new line of frozen snacks designed for consumers seeking convenience without compromising their healthy lifestyle. To validate the innovation, we carried out a two-phase qualitative study.

First, we evaluated the communication concepts through qualitative interviews. Then, we conducted a second phase using an ethnographic approach, which allowed us to gain a deeper understanding of consumer behaviors, habits, and preferences regarding air fryer usage.

From the very first phase, something didn’t click: enthusiasm simply didn't take off. It wasn't until the second phase that we had a deeper understanding of what was going on. By exploring habits, tensions, and motivations, we identified key opportunities to refocus both the product and its communication.

Our findings helped redefine the strategy by prioritizing more relevant benefits, appropriate channels, and messages that truly resonated with the everyday lives of this audience. The result was a more genuine connection with the product and greater openness toward this type of innovation.