"Because South Bend , Indiana is so average, we are the city picked by many national companies for Market Research. When a project is done in South Bend, it's like doing it in a miniature United States. South Bend matches the U.S. average in age, household income and education."

If it flies in South Bend. . .

Young businesswoman surveys local opinions

 

By BECKY EMMONS

Living Today Editor

 

For someone who lived in five countries and several different states, she likes the comfortable stability of the Midwest. She does confess that South Bend does offer another big plus – the demographics are a close match to the United States as a whole. And that's a factor in the success of one of her business ventures, The Research Centre.

 

The Research Centre, a division of TRC Consultants, Inc., offers clients full-service market research capabilities including data collection by interviewing product and service users.

 

"Marketing research and test marketing is the American way of finding out what people want –and what they like and dislike–so that business and government can plan and evaluate what they do without making costly mistakes," says Runyon.

 

Her crisp red suit is softened by a lace-collared blouse just as her all-business air relaxes when she smiles and talks warmly of the people close to her. There doesn't seem to be a spare inch of space in her offices, lined with filing cabinets and tall bookcases. "Our clients depend on us for accurate information so we keep databases on everything from automobile sales by state to softdrink preferences."

 

"Because South Bend is so average, we are the city picked by national corporations for testing their products and services," she continues. "When we do a research project in South Bend, it's like doing it in a miniature United States. South Bend, Indiana matches the U.S. average in age, household income and education."

 

Runyon shows the statistics: The median age in South Bend and the U.S. is 31.7. Median income in South Bend–$25,501; median income inU.S.–$25,496. She explains that when she refers to South Bend, she is talking about The Greater South Bend Market which includes the entire 11 county area of Michiana.

 

Among TRC's national clients are numerous Fortune 500 companies including hospitality retail, restaurant, entertainment and government. Runyon spends a great deal of time traveling nationally meeting with clients.

 

She steps out of her office and through the suite of offices to the Focus Group Suite. This suite consists of a large comfortable room dominated by a conference table. At one end of the room is a large window, actually an observation mirror. In the adjoining room–behind the one-way mirror–clients can observe the group without being seen or heard. Perhaps the client is a major soft-drink company that wants to know what teenagers are drinking and why, says Runyon, giving an example. Professional interviewers employed by TRC find appropriate teenagers, through random telephone selection, meeting their clients criteria.

 

A dozen qualifying teenagers are asked to participate in a focus group discussion, for which they are paid. They come to the TRC offices where a moderator, sometimes Runyon herself, asks specific questions about their interests, preferences and life-styles. In the observation room, her client, the soft-drink representatives, follow the discussion.

"Many decisions regarding marketing of products, or changes in the products are made from the information gathered in these group discussions," says Runyon.

TRC employees also do surveys through telephone interviews, mall interviews, door-to-door interviews,

product placements and one-to-one interviews. Runyon who has 85 trained interviewers available on a part-time, as-needed basis, stresses the importance of training. "When they come to work for this company, they are trained from day one that they are gathering information, not disseminating it." Most of TRC's work comes from two types of clients – directly from large, national companies or from national market research firms who subcontract out the work.

 

Although Runyon is now thoroughly entrepreneurial, her initial venture into the business world was quite different.

 

The oldest of four daughters of parents who both hold Ph.D. degrees, Runyon lived in several different countries with her parents, who are educators. They were living in Canada when she was ready for college and she graduated from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada with a degree in communications and psychology.

 

She went to a private academy in Idaho for high school prior to going to college and after graduating decided to return to the U.S. She moved to California and began a career in retail management becoming the cosmetics manager for Bullocks Corporation, then department manager and buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue. While she was still working for Saks, she worked part time as a make-up artist, thus setting what was to be a pattern for her – working more than one job at a time.

 

Using her cosmetics and make-up artistry experience she wrote and produced a weekly segment called "About Face" for the CBS affiliate.

 

Runyon started traveling throughout the Midwest conducting seminars and workshops as a make-up artist. All the while, she was gaining experience being in front of people and discovered that she handled audiences well and enjoyed in immensely. She remembers her surprise when she was to address a Mary Kay program in Chicago and anticipated 300 or 400 women. Nearly 2500 women showed up, but she managed to get through it without a hitch.

 

"I really do love public speaking," she says. "I try to mix humor with insight."

After a year and a half of traveling she decided to start her own line of cosmetics. With her experience she worked with chemists and a manufacturing house in New York to create Enchante' Cosmetics.

 

The cosmetics are fragrance-free, dermatology-tested and contain neither dyes nor artificial colors.

"It took a long time to get the cosmetics company off the ground. I was up against tremendous odds. Major corporations like Estee' Lauder spend millions of dollars a year

in promotions and advertising. Here we were depending on word-of-mouth for our sales!

She has sold the line through boutiques, airport gift shops and specialty stores in four states. Recently she sold the company because she hasn't had as much time to devote to Enchante' as she would have liked.

 

The combination of public speaking and cosmetics led to a third business for her, The Image Consultants, which she started five years ago. While she had been doing cosmetics seminars, she had branched off into the total image and later career and management.

 

She was approached to teach classes at Saint Mary's College and Notre Dame University, which she still does. Her affiliations with these schools has led to using college interns in her office. Two interns returned after graduating to work for the company full time. "I totally endorse the college internship program because it allows students the opportunity for real-world experience."

Through The Image Consultants and Enchante' Cosmetics, she met a Fort Wayne business woman, Deanna Dennis who owned Dennis Research. Dennis had opened a second office in South Bend four years earlier. Runyon worked for Dennis as a personal favor as a marketing consultant before she was offered the position of Executive Director. "I was ready for a change. It was something new, fresh and challenging. I learned so much from Deanna. She is my mentor and the woman I have the most respect for."Already intrigued with market research Runyon did not hesitate when Dennis asked if she would be interested in buying out the South Bend office. Runyon jokes, "I liked working for the company so much, I decided to buy it!"

Runyon is excited about this third business venture in market research.

"It is risky to make a product and then market it. It is far wiser to ask the consumer for his or her opinion, produce the product and then market it. This three-step process is used to look into the future. . .the demand for market research is constantly growing and is fast becoming the cornerstone of economic expansion."

 

Runyon is looking to the future. For the immediate future, she plans the expansion of her offices. She is taking over one-half of the sixth floor of the Wayne Place building. A centralized calling room with a 75 telephone bank, state-of-the-art focus groups suite and test kitchen are in the works.

 

"It is critical to have a plan and know where you are going, how else would you get there? You have to set your goals and continually strive for excellence."

"You could say that I'm driven. I've always been an overachiever. I just jump into everything with both feet," she says. "A true entrepreneur has to be a risk taker."

Runyon admits she can't sit still. Free time is easily filled. Her Apple Powerbook never leaves her side when she travels. When she must travel by car, she tries to have someone else drive so she can work.

 

"My mind constantly works on several different projects simultaneously. I wouldn't know how to do it any other way!."

Runyon doesn't know the meaning of eight-hour workdays – she usually puts in about 12-14 hours a day. "A 40-hour week to me is like a day at the beach."

 

"I don't sleep much and always keep a notepad and pen by my bed. You never know when the good ideas may come!"

 

The long hours she devotes to her work makes for a rather limited social life. She keeps up with a few close friends and especially enjoys their children. She loves nothing more than visiting her close friends whose children all call her Aunt Rita. "Kids give me far more than I give them. They don't have any preconceptions and they have such a fresh attitude. Kids are wonderful. They're just really short people!"

 

Her love for children is apparent as she finds time in her busy schedule to volunteer her time as a Court Appointed Special Advocate. She represents abused or neglected children acting as their voice in court. "I get a deep sense of satisfaction assisting children who are in need."

 

"Sometimes people ask me how I do it all. I tell them that no one ever told me I couldn't. Even if I don't succeed at first, I keep going through the process until I do succeed. I work very hard at achieving success."

 

Whatever directions her business ventures take, she knows that she will be successful. "It isn't ego, it is simply a fact. If you want it bad enough and work hard enough, the results can only be successful."