As Rep Data brings together SightX, OWL, ReDem and Research Defender, we're launching our Solution Spotlight series to introduce the companies and founders behind each part of the business.
Each company was built to solve a different challenge within the research process, and each addresses a different part of the research workflow. Over the coming months, we'll sit down with the founders and leaders behind each brand to learn how they got started, the problems they set out to solve and what we're building together for market research.
We're continuing the series with OWL Solutions.
Founded by Michael Wildt, Victor Ochkovskiy and Leo Ladyzhensky, OWL was created around a belief that survey programming deserves the same level of expertise and attention as every other part of the research process. We spoke with Michael about how that idea became a company, why quality has always guided OWL's approach and why joining Rep Data was the right next step.
Why programming matters
Michael has worked on both the full-service and sample sides of the research industry. He developed an appreciation for research operations and the role survey programming plays in every successful project. “The one element and the one piece that really requires the most amount of human expertise is the survey programming and the ability to capture what the researcher intended,” he says.
Researchers invest significant time designing questionnaires. Programming turns that design into a working survey, but Michael believes it also has to preserve what the researcher intended to accomplish. “It is a functioning, great-looking, highly engaging survey.”
Building a company around quality
When OWL was founded, many organizations were reducing costs by outsourcing research operations. Michael understood the financial reasons behind those decisions, but he also saw another consequence. “If this is where the industry is going, there's going to be a huge gap in quality.” And Michael saw an opportunity to “found OWL on the premise that it's 100% quality focused.”
Michael says the company had its first project on day one. The founders relied on relationships they had built over the years and focused on organizations that valued quality enough to trust a startup. “We doubled down on the fact that the clients we knew valued quality enough to take a chance on OWL.”
More than programming
Michael describes programming as a much more collaborative process than many people realize. Before a survey goes live, the team reviews questionnaires, identifies potential issues and works closely with clients to refine the project. “One thing that we'll do that most vendors can't do is we fix problems before they're a problem,” he says. “We collaborate with our clients to make sure ultimately what they had intended is what is going to be delivered.”
Growing with clients
One of OWL's biggest challenges was introducing a different way of thinking about survey programming. At the time, many organizations treated programming as another operational task, but Michael believed it required its own expertise. “We had this radical approach to say, forget about that idea. You want to hire the best vendors for a specific job.”
He compares it to renovating a house. You don't hire one contractor to do everything. Different specialists handle plumbing, electrical work and tile installation because each requires different expertise.
That philosophy shaped how OWL grew by building its reputation through programming, then expanding into fieldwork, translations, coding and data processing as clients increasingly asked the team to take on a broader operational role. “Certain clients were able to hire OWL for everything.”
Michael says joining Rep Data allows OWL to bring that same specialist expertise to more of the research process. Clients no longer have to assemble those capabilities themselves. They can work with one organization that brings together programming, fieldwork, fraud prevention, data quality and analysis while retaining the expertise behind each part of the process.
Building a culture around expertise
When asked what he's most proud of, Michael spends very little time talking about business milestones. Instead, he talks about the people. “The single most rewarding part is the team that you build, the culture that you're able to develop.” He describes creating an environment where people had the freedom to use their expertise, make decisions and solve problems for clients. “We invested in our people, and our people then did such a great job of taking care of our clients.”
Why Rep Data?
As OWL continued growing, Michael and his co-founders reached a point where the next stage of growth required larger investments. “We got to a point where we had to make some big decisions in terms of the future.” Expanding into new markets meant adding leadership, investing in technology and developing new capabilities. Michael is candid about one area where OWL wanted help. “One of the things that we also knew we weren't great at is innovation.”
He says Rep Data already had products and services that complemented OWL's work, along with the resources to continue investing in the business. “We needed somebody to appreciate all the work that we've done, but then also realize there's a lot more growth opportunity with the right investment.”
Just as important, Michael says both organizations shared the same priorities. “Both companies exist to deliver high-quality data with a world-class experience.”
Looking ahead
Looking ahead, Michael sees the combination creating new opportunities for both OWL clients and Rep Data customers. “Ultimately, we'll get to a point where we'll have a fully integrated solution to offer clients.” That includes programming, fieldwork, fraud prevention technology and data cleaning working more closely together throughout the research process.
“When working with OWL and Rep Data, they'll know they're getting the best data possible, which allows them to create the best insights available and the most accurate recommendations for their clients.”
“When we started OWL, we asked clients to choose the best resource for each part of the project. Now I'm confident to say those best resources are OWL and Rep Data.”