Going Beyond the Brief with Cynthia Harris of 8:28 Insights

On this episode, host Sima Vasa talks to Cynthia Harris , Founder, Managing Director and Lead Operator of 8:28 Insights , about building a human-centered insights agency, the value of lived experience in leadership and the role AI can and can’t play in research. Cynthia shares her career path from launching products at Bath & Body Works to working at Procter & Gamble to starting her own firm — offering practical guidance for founders and vendors alike. Key Takeaways: (02:25) Early career roles shaped passion for consumer-business connections. (10:16) Vendors should go beyond briefs and collaborate with clients. (12:03) Traveling globally inspired objectivity and cultural intelligence in work. (14:06) The pandemic catalyzed the transition from freelancing to entrepreneurship. (16:12) Client-side experience drives more strategic, downstream thinking. (18:10) Unique perspectives stem from lived experiences and diversity. (22:03) AI supports creativity but cannot replicate human-centered strategies. Resources Mentioned: 8:28 Insights Homepage Thanks for listening to the Data Gurus podcast, brought to you by Infinity Squared. If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a 5-star review to help get the word out about the show, and be sure to

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Going Beyond the Brief with Cynthia Harris of 8:28 Insights is an episode from Data Gurus by Sima Vasa.

This episode is 25:33 long.

This episode was published on Apr 24, 2025.

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