How to think 3 moves ahead (lessons from a NYT grilling)

Picture this... I'm sitting across from a New York Times reporter, about to pitch Pinterest's data story. My PR partner and I had spent a couple weeks prepping; talking points memorized, potential curveballs mapped out, practice rounds until I could pivot smoothly from any angle.

Then the reporter hit me with the classic gotcha: "But isn't Pinterest just overwhelming? All those tiles competing for attention?"

I didn't miss a beat (to my own shock!):

"That's actually the point. When you have that much visual data, you enable customer choice. That's what makes Pinterest the world's greatest focus group—we know what people want, what colors are trending, what recipes are popular and more."

Redirect done. Story back on track.

I share this because you need to think through every angle before you ever go public with a data story.

My PR partner had trained me to think three moves ahead, not just about what I wanted to say, but about every way the market might try to twist it. And when your brand has real market sway (I've literally watched stock prices move based on a single research narrative), this kind of preparation isn't optional.

This same mindset  is useful when you're thinking about what to even go to market with. Today, I give you a behind-the-scenes look at how we've helped Fortune 500 clients zero in on what to research in the first place.

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TL;DR: If you want thought leadership that actually leads, start with what your competitors refuse to say.

The biggest opportunities live in the gaps everyone else is too polite, too safe, or too scared to touch. That's where real market movement happens.

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Field Notes

The Fortune 500 playbook for external research that actually matters

That same strategic angle I used with the NYT reporter is exactly what we use to help Fortune 500 clients figure out what's even worth researching in the first place.

Here's the playbook we use to go from "we should do research" to "we have something the market actually cares about":

First, The Big Three Decisions

1. Broad vs. Deep? We recommend going deep. One substantial theme per quarter beats surface-level trend chasing every time. When you think you’ve already niched down, chances are you could do another level of niching.
2. Wait vs. Lead? We recommend leading the conversation if your brand has the credibility. The best insights come from asking questions before everyone else knows to ask them. Smaller brands can still push back on broader narratives with strong questions, too.
3. Safe vs. Stand? We recommend taking a position. Strong POVs cut through noise (fence-sitting is forgotten because it's boring). It can be scary, especially if it’s counter to a broader belief, but this is what gets traction.

Next, The Tactical How-To

1. Stay in your lane (but pick the interesting one). What can your brand credibly talk about? If you're a car company, probably don't talk about pet trends. If you're a candy company, steer clear of wellness trends. But within your lane? Find the unexpected angle.
2. Hunt for what nobody's saying. Audit your competitors' greatest hits. The magic happens in the gaps where your unique data or perspective could actually move the needle, not just add to the noise.
3. Play devil's advocate before someone else does. Channel that NYT reporter energy. What will make people roll their eyes? What obvious holes will they poke? Build your comebacks now, not when you're on the spot.
4. Pass the mom test. Can you explain your big insight in one sentence to your mom? If you're still using three paragraphs and industry jargon, you're not ready. This step takes way longer than you think it will.
5. Know your endgame before you start. Don't build research and pray someone cares. Pick your distribution channels first, understand that audience, then design research that actually serves them.

What's the thought leadership story you've been sitting on? Sometimes the best time to start is when you're not quite ready yet.