Ross Cafferkey is the founder and CEO of Research Clever, a bootstrapped London market research agency that provides survey programming, data collection and analysis across more than 130 markets.

Founded in 2023, the business appointed Cécile King, formerly UK country manager at MIS Group, as commercial director in August 2026, a month after hiring Mona Blaute as associate director (operations). The company says its headcount grew by more than 1,000 per cent in the year to August.

He tells Business Matters why trust, transparency and strong operations sit at the heart of the way he is scaling the firm.

What do you currently do at Research Clever?

I have overall responsibility for the direction and growth of the business. That means I lead on commercial strategy and business development, support key client relationships and work closely with the leadership team on growth, operations and innovation.

My most important role so far has been building the right team, and that is something I am really proud of. I will be focusing on making sure quality, culture and delivery remain strong as the business scales.

What was the inspiration behind your business?

After nearly a decade working in market research and research operations, I saw too many projects affected by poor communication, unrealistic promises and a lack of ownership. I saw a clear opportunity to raise standards.

With Research Clever, I set out to build a business centred on quality, transparency and strong delivery. I wanted to create the kind of partner clients trust with their most important projects, and which keeps them coming back.

We seem to be on the right path, with 52 per cent of our business coming from repeat clients and 20 per cent of new business coming through referrals. Our values are all aligned with this approach, and I am confident we can maintain, if not improve on, these achievements.

Why have you strengthened your leadership team this year?

This year we have brought in Payal Jani as operations director, Mona Blaute as associate director (operations) and Cécile King as commercial director. When I started the company, my aim was to make research operations faster and smarter, and the expansion gives us the capacity to support more agencies and consultancies globally.

Having the right commercial leadership is just as important as having the right operational foundations. From our very first conversation, it was clear that Cécile naturally fits our company values.

Who do you admire?

I have always admired Sir Alex Ferguson. Not simply because of what he achieved, which, as a lifelong Manchester United fan, I find undeniably incredible, but because of his ability to build and rebuild high-performing teams over such a long period.

His man-management stands out to me in particular. He understood that different people respond to different styles of leadership: when someone needed challenging, when they needed confidence and when they needed to be given greater responsibility. He maintained incredibly high standards but adapted how he managed individuals to get the best out of them.

That has resonated with me as I build my own business, and it is something I am continually learning. As a company grows, I think leadership becomes more and more about understanding your people, knowing what motivates them, putting them in positions where they can succeed and creating an environment where talented people can perform at their best.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?

I think I would have trusted my instincts more, and earlier. When you have worked in an industry for a long time, it is easy to assume that things are done a certain way for a reason. Building Research Clever has taught me the value of questioning that and being willing, as a team, to challenge conventional thinking when we believe there is a better way.

Some of our best decisions have come from listening to the people closest to the problem, trusting their judgement and being prepared to do things differently.

I have also learned that you rarely have perfect information. Sometimes you have to make the best decision you can, commit to it and adjust quickly if you get it wrong. In hindsight, I probably should have embraced that mindset earlier.

What defines your way of doing business?

Trust is everything, and trust is built by consistently doing what you say you are going to do. It is something I felt was lacking in the industry, so we have put it at the centre of our business.

That means being transparent, even when conversations are difficult. In practical terms, it means being honest about feasibility, being realistic about timelines, being transparent when challenges arise and being willing to have difficult conversations if we believe there is a better way to approach a project.

It also means taking ownership and being accountable when things do not go to plan. I have seen too many situations where people have buried their heads in the sand rather than sorting out issues quickly and fully as they arise.

We have prized quality and long-term relationships over short-term wins, which feels essential if we want to continue to scale. And we have invested in operations, systems and quality assurance before they are urgently needed. My first hire was a head of operations.

We are committed to maintaining quality as we scale, not just chasing growth at any cost. Being bootstrapped from day one has allowed me to focus on building a strong business rather than simply pursuing headline revenue numbers.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

Focus on creating genuine value. If you see a gap that you feel you can fill, work through exactly how you can provide something different and valuable to the market.

As you expand, do not simply chase growth at any cost. Scale with intention, consistency and precision to maintain what made your business successful in the first place. Stay close to your customers and understand what they actually value, which is so useful as you evolve.

Build strong foundations earlier than you think you need them. Our focus on operations has paid dividends.

And as you build a team, which is crucial to make sure it is a business without you at the centre, surround yourself with good people and learn from them. Empower them to make decisions, while being clear about the standards expected and the accountability that comes with that trust.

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