Joel Schlesinger © Postmedia Network Inc.
Knowledge is power, as the saying goes. But it’s truly only powerful when put to good use.
These are words to live by for Calgary-based consulting and research firm Stone-Olafson. It’s also often the credo of its clients in the city and, for that matter, across North America.
“We don’t just deliver the report to our clients,” says partner Mathew Stone at Stone-Olafson. “We work with them to tailor the results of our research into truly beneficial change for their organization.”
Working in the city and beyond for more than a decade, the firm’s list of clients is a who’s who of high-profile organizations, from high-profile arts and culture institutions to industry-leading businesses.
“We see the work we do as a catalyst for getting things done for our clients,” he says.
Be it Theatre Calgary, the Calgary Stampede, Princess Auto, Volkswagen or MIT, Stone-Olafson engages in research on behalf of its clients that provides objective analysis of the challenges they face, identifying the crux of these issues and ultimately providing practical solutions for success.
In an age where organizations can turn to self-serve online survey tools, Stone-Olafson provides customized insights that go beyond the surface of clients’ challenges.
“The trick is not the survey itself,” Stone says. “It’s in how questions are created and asked so the target audience is engaged, and there is a really high level of expertise required to do that well.”
Indeed, Stone-Olafson’s team has deep knowledge in their areas of expertise with years of experience in consulting and from the client side, he adds.
“No one is learning on the job, but that said, because of the nature of the work, we’re all learning new things every day.”
The key trait he adds is, ‘What can I do to help?’. That spirit of good will translates into the research firm’s commitment to community.
“Over the last two years, we’ve invested a significant amount of resources in helping small organizations across the province with market research to give community centres, and sports or cultural groups, access to relevant data customized for Alberta,” Stone says, adding the list of organizations using this free service exceeds 400 subscribers.
More pointedly, Stone-Olafson is deeply rooted in Calgary with unparalleled on-the-ground intelligence. “We understand Albertans because we are Albertans,” Stone says. “We know this market more than any other research firm.”
That local perspective brings a unique, can-do and progressive approach to Stone-Olafson’s work.
“It’s not just about the research,” Stone says. “It’s about how we can make things happen — moving solutions forward to help organizations make real progress.”
This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of Calgary Economic Development.