Who we are
Experts with heart
Behind every great project is a team that’s equal parts expert and approachable. We’re formally RIVA- and Burke-trained moderators who know how to make participants open up and deliver insights that drive action.
What sets us apart
Masters at Our Craft
30 years of qualitative market research experience, 100s of projects, and 1,000s of conversations. With an expansive client base across industries and regions, we bring a clear understanding of the essential elements that drive successful qualitative research projects. The results? Deliverables that engage and insights that lead to action in your organization.
Genuine Approach
Our conversational style makes participants feel comfortable and valued. Whether we’re talking with C-suite leaders, college students, small business owners, or parents caring for a sick child, we know how to meet people where they are and connect on a human level
Proudly Woman-Owned
A business rooted in collaboration and empathy
Proven Experience
Three decades, 100s of projects, and 10,000s of conversations across the U.S. and around the globe—we bring cross-industry expertise to your team
Meet the team
Mary Ann Smith-Janas
President and Founder, Marketry
Mary Ann Smith-Janas is the heart and soul of Marketry. With more than two decades of experience and hundreds of projects under her belt, she has an uncanny knack for peeling back the layers to uncover the insights that matter most. Whether she’s chatting with C-suite execs, small business owners, or parents balancing busy lives, Mary Ann’s warm, conversational style makes everyone feel at ease—and ready to share the stories that drive big decisions.
Armed with a Master’s in Communication Research and training from RIVA and Burke, Mary Ann blends curiosity, expertise, and passion into every project. She’s a storyteller, a problem-solver, and an “aha moment” hunter who lives for the thrill of discovery.
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Small Business Person of the Year, Birmingham Area Chamber of Commerce
Top Women-Owned Businesses, Birmingham Business Journal (4-time honoree)
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Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA)
American Marketing Association (AMA), Past President of Birmingham Chapter
Pharmaceutical Marketing Research Group (PMRG)
National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
Insights Association
Women In Research (WIRE)
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Favorite Passport Stamps: Japan and Argentina.
Office Superpower:The Flight Whisperer—No matter how tight the connection, I always make it to the gate. Traveling with me? You’re in great hands!
What Makes Every Day Special: Every day at Marketry is a gift. I get to meet incredible people and learn a little about a lot of fascinating things—it’s like a master class in life!
Ally Leonard
Senior Project Manager
Ally’s background as an educator, student advisor and school administrator make her a natural qualitative researcher as she listens to Marketry’s clients tell their stories. She creates a warm, engaging environment, whether meeting with individuals or in a focus group, so participants are at ease sharing their thoughts and beliefs while uncovering important details for clients. Ally has a BA in both International Relations and Spanish from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College and a Masters in Secondary Education from UAB.
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Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA)
RIVA Project Management Training
RIVA Moderator Training
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Passionate about travel: has visited 6 continents, 30 countries…and counting!
Favorite yoga pose: sirsasana (headstand)
Office superpower: The People & Venue Whisperer: tracking down the rarest expert to round out a research project or scouting the perfect spot for someone to drive a tractor or test a website. If it’s hard to find, I’m already on it!
What makes going to work so special? Work doesn’t feel like “work”…I’m inspired by the strong, supportive women on our team and “work” is connecting and talking with people…what’s not to love?
Abigail Webb
Senior Qualitative Analyst
Abigail is passionate about people and believes everyone has a story worth knowing. She conducts research with your business and strategic objectives in mind, aiming to connect closely with customers and collect meaningful data that reveals valuable insight and growth opportunities. As a RIVA-trained moderator, Abigail thoughtfully asks creative questions and strategically analyzes research data to illuminate nuanced, impactful insights. She thrives on delivering compelling findings that bring you closer to your customers, engage stakeholders, and inspire action.
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Qualitative Research Consultants Association (QRCA)
RIVA Moderator Training
Journey Mapping - The Interaction Design Foundation
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Office superpower: The Platform Whisperer – talks new tech into behaving – and the one who always seems to catch the perfect shot for reports. Whether it’s wrangling the latest tools or snapping pics that make everyone look like a star, she’s here to make it happen!
Leslie Pruitt
Project Manager
Leslie brings to the team over 20 years in market research experience. She truly believes in helping customers build a strong foundation in the knowledge of their markets, customers, and competitors as a key to business success. Leslie has held senior roles in providing market research and consulting to a variety of key stakeholders over several industries and brands. Leslie has a BHS in Health Services Management from the University of Missouri and a master’s degree in business from Rockhurst University.
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Healthcare Business Women’s Association (HBA)
Certified Life Coach
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Office Superpower- The Momentum Whisperer – keeping projects moving forward while taking the time to ask the right questions to find the right participants. Thoughtful and precise, she makes sure every detail aligns perfectly!
“Every day is a gift and full of opportunities to engage and help others meet their purpose and goals whether in business or life overall.”
Janet Burns
Project manager
Janet leans on the depth and breadth of her research experience as she partners with the Marketry team delivering projects that delight clients. Having previously walked in the client shoes as a Marketer and Marketing Researcher she understands their fast-paced world, their processes and pain points, and always the need for answers yesterday. She is known for her ability to execute projects with uncanny attention to detail, while keeping an eye on the big picture and the “so what?” A firm believer that collaboration breeds better outcomes, she joins forces with the Marketry team to plan, design, and execute research engagements that capture the ah-has and compel action.
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RIVA Moderator Training
Burke Institute Training
MBA
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My favorite place: anywhere I’m with family and friends.
Office Superpower: The So-What Whisperer – detailed, always on task and laser-focused on what matters most. With her brand and product management experience, she makes sure every project stays on track and delivers real impact!
What makes every day special: working alongside the incredibly talented, special Marketry team, our phenomenal clients, and the amazing people we’re fortunate to meet on each project journey!
Claire Parker
Research Manager
Claire brings her experience in both qualitative and quantitative research studies to ensure Marketry executes projects that accurately and creatively answer the client’s strategic questions. Claire and the Marketry team strive for all of our clients to experience seamless delivery of their research projects. Claire is a convert to qual research, a change from her former life as a quantitative researcher. So when clients need to meld Marketry’s qualitative insights with related quant info, Claire speaks their language. She delves into the research data to find the facts and themes that can shed light on the qual research findings – and vice versa. Claire earned a B.S. from Auburn University and an MBA in Marketing at University of Alabama in Birmingham.
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Outstanding Graduate Student, MBA Program, University of Alabama in Birmingham
AMA Outstanding Graduate Student
Board Chair, Junior Achievement of Central Alabama
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Favorite Non-Profit Activity: Buying and renovating single family houses to create affordable homes for first time home buyers
Office Superpower: The Spreadsheet Whisperer – bringing order to our layered qual and turning chaos into clarity. With a knack for organizing the unorganizable, she helps keep Marketry sharp and always improving!
What Makes the Work Special: Hearing from a client that they used our research to create a ripple – or a tsunami – in the markets their products and services play in
Lorrin Etka-Shepherd
Moderator
Lorrin brings over 30 years of experience to the table, blending her expertise across public and private industries to spark conversations that matter. With an innate ability to make participants feel at ease—even in complex or high-stakes discussions—Lorrin creates spaces where genuine stories emerge, and insights take shape. Her superpower? Connecting the dots between customer voices and client goals with clarity and care.
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RIVA-certified Moderator
The Grove-trained Strategic Visioning Moderator
MURAL Consultant’s Network Member (virtual collaboration)
CPSI (Creative Problem-Solving Institute) Training
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Nature-Lover & Outdoor Enthusiast
Whether she’s hitting the trails for a run, hiking to take in the views, or nurturing her garden, the outdoors is where Lorrin finds energy and inspiration.Relaxation & Culinary Explorer
Lorrin knows the art of unwinding. She loves experimenting in the kitchen—cooking, baking, and then savoring her creations while curled up with a good book at her favorite coffee shop.Family-Centered & Cherished Relationships
At the heart of Lorrin’s world are her three children, their growing families, and her parents, who bring joy, laughter, and shared memories to her everyday life.
Ready to dive in?
Let’s make something great together
