Editor’s note: Nancy Cox is the founder of Research Story Consulting and former CPG corporate researcher. Her work and play include words, sketchpads, cooking (not baking) and the occasional sock puppet.
Passions, hobbies, healthy distractions and even guilty pleasures – discover how the research community plays and how that plays out in their work life. In the Venn diagram of work and play, what happens when they overlap? Research colleagues share their work and play stories in this interview series by Nancy Cox.
Hello Natalia Infante Caylor, CEO/president Hola Insights.
What is the “play” in your life?
Orchids, for sure! I grew up in Paraguay for the first 18 years of my life – a subtropical country where orchids grow easily. My mom always had a variety of orchids in her backyard, growing on coconut trees and other trees as well. Orchids take me back to my childhood, surrounded by their color and scent. Now that I live in Huntsville, Ala. – also subtropical – I have 22 orchids. It is different from Paraguay where the orchids would be outside, here all my orchids are inside.
I started with just four supermarket orchids. There was that dangerous sign, “Buy one, get one free.” I thought why buy one or two when I can get four? Other times orchids would just jump in my shopping cart out of the blue. I’m known for having a lot of plants so I also “inherit” orchids when friends bring me one explaining, “I don’t know how to take care of it, can you help it?” I always try and usually the orchid stays with me. My two most recent orchids were birthday gifts. I keep telling myself that I have enough orchids but then people keep giving me more – how can I say no to that orchid!
As you can see by the photos, I have many different colors of orchids: white, bright pink, yellow, orange, blue, purple. There are colors I don’t have … yet. I have also a variety of sizes, some are very tall with huge blooms. Not all bloom at the same time, typically in winter they are “sleeping.” This is natural as orchids bloom in cycles, even in Paraguay. It’s exciting when I notice, oh there’s a bud, this one is getting ready to bloom again.
Orchids are like a therapy for me. They don’t talk back. You see them develop little by little. I take care of them. I watch them grow. They bloom. They’re colorful. They make me happy.
How has your play influenced your research work?
My orchids help me be calm and relaxed even during a very busy project. Orchids can progress really slowly but by taking a moment, concentrating on that one orchid, I can see how it’s progressing. Growth is often a quiet, steady process – whether it’s a budding flower or a brand’s understanding of its audience.
My orchids are a constant reminder of the patience, care and attention to detail needed in both market research and horticulture. Success comes from curiosity and dedication, adapting to each unique environment and always digging deeper to uncover the hidden insights. When you bring in surprising or more insights than expected, that is like seeing a flower bloom.
Each orchid is different, and research is very similar in that each project is different. Every participant is different. You have to understand them and meet them where they are. You approach and take care of each project and each person with a different style, different technique.
I’ve learned to keep my plants and orchids visible during online client meetings. Once, by accident, I didn’t blur the background. A new client mentioned that seeing my plants made me look more real and personable. I brought more plants to my office. Immediately, I got good feedback as orchids and plants create a natural icebreaker. People want to know if the plants are real or they are reminded of a plant their mother used to have, or they share they also have a lot of plants. I try to have at least one blooming orchid as my “show and tell” plant. The only time I blur my online background is when I’m doing focus groups or participant interviews as that would be too distracting.
Another similarity is that it’s hard to say no to a research project because I love what I do, just like it’s hard to say no to another plant. “Can you take care of this?” That’s a common request for both projects and plants. Of course, I say “yes!”
What would you tell readers who want to know more about your area of play?
Don’t be afraid to try an orchid! The grocery store or local nursery orchids, with rounded elongated leaves, those are a variety that are typically easy to care for. Before buying an orchid take a good look at the roots (you may have to pull back some of the wrapping paper) to make sure the roots are green, not brownish.
When you bring a new orchid home, isolate it from your other plants. This is actually good advice for bringing home in any new plant. Sometimes a new plant might bring in something that could harm your other plants. I keep the new orchid separated for 15 days, in another room or on a different floor.
A care routine is important. I water my orchids on the weekend. It’s very important to know when an orchid needs water or not. That’s why I repot mine in clear containers with drainage holes as soon as I buy them. Then I can I see the roots; green roots mean they don’t need water. Silver or whitish roots need water. No, no, no on watering orchids with an ice cube. The orchid Facebook groups have speculated that the ice cube watering “trick” is a marketing technique. You use the ice cube (there are no ice cubes in the subtropics!), the orchid dies and you buy another one. You’ll also want your orchids to get sunshine – my orchids sit near windows with east light.
Two other tips: first, use a good quality potting bark when you’re repotting. Then top off the bark with a little bit of moss, which helps with humidity. If you receive an orchid as a gift, especially through the mail, often it is shipped in a potting material that is really wet. That’s not good. Repot with a good quality potting bark.
If you are giving an orchid as a gift, print out care instructions from the American Orchid Society. Their website shows a variety of orchids with care sheets. Assure your recipient that orchids are not that hard as long as you as water them properly. I recommend giving an orchid vs. cut flowers. I’ve had orchids with bloom cycles of four months – a cut flower does not last that long.