Just as a chef needs fresh ingredients and a carpenter needs sharp and organized tools to get the job done right, facilitators choose Thoughtly Crew.  Whether its food or technology, financial services or something as-yet unthunk-of, when it comes to innovation, Thoughtly Crew has made significant contributions working closely with:

  • Innovation companies
  • Qualitative researchers
  • Brand strategists
  • R & D departments
  • Independent facilitators
  • Marketing consultants

We have worked in categories that include gourmet and frozen foods, sports drinks and fruit juices, menu development, wine, beer and other spirits, consumer electronics, health and beauty aids, home improvement, banking, insurance and gas station services.  And that’s just for starters. 

Among our clients are qualitative researchers, creative venues and in-house innovation teams.  Here is what some of them have to say about us and our work:

"Thoughtly Crew is one of the most innovative, professional and competent creative teams I have ever worked with. Their strengths lie in their ability to merge raw creativity with strategy, consumer insight and traditional marketing principles. I have the highest regard for their capabilities and the value they have added to my project!" 

Linda Shieh
Senior Business Unit Director, Innovations
RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co., Winston-Salem, NC

"I found Thoughtly Crew to be professional and involved with an empathic attitude toward the job ...very holistic and profound view on consumer attitudes, thinking and behavior patterns and complete understanding of complex conceptual issues with a high intellectual capacity to break it down to simplicity and clarity!"

Franz Hänsli
Chairman
RCG Research Consultants, Zurich Switzerland

"…Thoughtly Crew, is a lively, energetic, and creative group that showed their flexibility by adapting their skills to address the quarterly meeting of the QRCA Chicago Chapter. The session held at The Catalyst Ranch in downtown Chicago was effective in showing qualitative marketing researchers new ways of thinking in how to bring added value to their clients." 

Gail Fudemberg
President
GRF Marketing, Ltd., Chicago, IL

"When the call comes from a team in need of a real creative jolt- we think -Thoughtly Crew!  More than just agents of great ideas, they’re cutting- edge fresh and always inspirational with their playful and original thinking; they’re contagiously brilliant!   We’re always delighted to see them work here at Catalyst Ranch.  It’s a great fit!" 

Bobbie Soeder
Explorer-Matchmaker (V.P. of Sales & Mktg.)
Catalyst Ranch, Chicago, IL

“When your project needs a boost of energy, a blast of ideas, and to be blown away with sheer creative brain power – you gotta partner with Thoughtly Crew.  Their expertise in creative problem solving is superb, and the Agents constantly come with a fresh perspective ready to take on any challenge.  In the 8 years I have been working with the leaders of Thoughtly Crew, I’ve come to know this….that I will be better creatively with them at my side, and the ideas will always be rich and plentiful!”

Laura M. Schmidt
Director of Innovation
Bamboo Worldwide, Inc.
Chicago, IL

"Thank you for your contributions to this week’s success! Your ideas were great, as were your client skills and overall support and flexibility. I much appreciate everything you did and look forward to working with Thoughtly Crew again." 

Anne Manning
Founding Partner
The Innovation Practice, Charlestown, MA

2007 CHICAGO INNOVATION AWARDS

250 innovative products and services, developed in the Chicago area, were nominated for a 2007 Chicago Innovation Award. Thoughtly Crew was honored to be a nominee.

CPSI

As part of its ongoing partnership with Catalyst Ranch, Thoughtly Crew helped transform your basic rectangular-box institutional space into a wondrous palace of creativity in 2006 at the Creative Problem Solving Institute’s Chicago Conference. Attendees enjoyed teasing their brains in our space as they played our original life-sized board game.  Surrounded by Catalyst Ranch’s singular style of comfort and whimsy, the space functioned as a lounge and welcome retreat from the conference’s rigorous schedule.