Our Team

I am Amy Middleton, Founder and Director of BEAM Fieldwork, which is a title that brings me great pride.

In my 25 years of Market Research, there aren't many parts of the industry that I haven’t encountered. I've been a venue host, a recruiter, a Fieldwork Manager, a Senior Fieldwork Manager, and a Fieldwork Director. I've even dipped my toe into moderating, been a prominent member of the BIG Committee, the ICG, and a full member of the MRS and AQR. This extensive experience is why I decided to start my own Fieldwork Agency, BEAM Fieldwork. 

The company that BEAM Fieldwork is today is far from alike to when it first started. It began with my best friend Vic, both of us working from laptops on the sofa in my home. And in six short years we have grown to a team of 20, and we’re still growing. I’m always on the lookout for new talent and fresh perspectives.

I am often asked why I chose the name BEAM, and the answer is pretty simple. Beams are symbolic of light – of big ideas – because our ideas aren’t small lightbulb moments, they’re beaming white lights. 

Yet, more recently, BEAM has taken on a new meaning to me: that there is always light at the end of a tunnel. When Vic sadly passed away, the BEAMIES (as I like to call them) helped me navigate some tough times. Their ability to provide continuity and set exceptional standards in my absence is a true credit to the team.

BEAM is here to rise to the challenge. As a client, you can rest assured that we are willing to take on the obstacles that other fieldwork agencies shy away from. We are a supportive, resourceful, and trustworthy bunch with a common mission: to set exceptional standards in fieldwork. I believe that we will become integral to the success of your market research projects and we always leave our clients beaming with joy.

My natural habitat is a thriving and creative environment, wherever that may be. It was this – and an epiphany of sorts in late 2018 – that led me over the Pennines to join BEAM.

After 12 long (but amazing) years in a large Leeds-based creative and design agency, I knew I needed a big change and a new challenge. As Senior Account Director, I'd led large, multi-talented teams to take insights, develop creative propositions, and produce advertising campaigns. This included in-store POS and local store campaigns for the likes of Greggs, Asda, Arla, and Sofa Workshop.

After many years of collecting these insights, I realised that I wanted to understand where they came from. I became fascinated by how (at the other end of the chain), we collect, quantify, and qualify data and opinions to shape everything we humans consume daily.

So here I am, at BEAM. With a thriving and growing team. With lots of passion, bundles of energy and an insatiable drive. With the ability to work directly with research functions, in agencies and brands, to develop research projects, recruit the right respondents (even those that are hard to find), and help develop research strategies to produce creative propositions for a whole host business challenges.

Although, when I’m not in work-mode, I'll probably be raving to house music with the kids.

I've thrilled to have been appointed into a new role for BEAM as Director of Fieldwork. As soon as I stepped into the office, I knew it was the right environment for my next career move and overseeing the delivery of all our UK and international fieldwork alongside Amy, Kay and the rest of the team.

I feel most at home directing people and projects. I've got over 25 years' experience in the market research industry under my belt. I've worked for the likes of Toluna and Kantar (in the UK and New York) leading large teams of research professionals, delivering internal change and directing multi-million-pound account management for world-wide brands and companies.

My experience lies mainly in online quant, focussing on delivering insights through global communities and multi-national panels and my former colleagues would likely say I'm a change-maker, having overhauled departments and teams for better efficiencies and rapid delivery.

I'm a recent(ish) resident of Manchester having relocated from London (via New York) with husband and two fur-baby dogs. I'm multi-lingual, have a passion for travel and love to work alongside people with bags of energy.

I've spent the last 2 years working for Give Opinions (BEAM's respondent recruitment company). But I'm stepping up to the challenge and also taking on a more commercial role in BEAM Fieldwork, overseeing quotes, invoices and cost efficiencies in the Fieldwork team too.

As a graduate of Media and Photography, I love all things social and creative. I love talking to people and making them feel at ease. Making someone smile and feeling that I’ve done something to brighten their day is just priceless to me. I guess that’s where my love of recruitment comes to play…

My exposure to recruitment and media across different industries has lent itself nicely to my role within the company. At Give Opinions, we recruit respondents for paid market research on behalf of all kinds of different brands, projects, and people. It is our job to provide clients with the right people for their research and, I must say, I have a great time in doing so.

I love when a client is pleased with the quality of respondents, and the value for money we deliver. It gives me great satisfaction to know we’ve done our job and done it well! I also love the variety of responsibilities and the trust that I am given in handling them.

Over the last 20 years that I’ve worked in recruitment, I’ve lived on 3 different continents, built a wonderful family, and fall in love with my career over and over again. When I’m not busy sourcing the perfect respondents, you’ll find me capturing moments through photography or cooking up a storm with my kids!

Our newest BEAMIE joining the team. Bio coming soon...

Before I worked at BEAM, I'd spent the last 11 years working in the hospitality industry as a Head Chef. I was constantly having to keep lots of pots, pans, plates, a busy pass, and a team of kitchen staff all spinning at once. I’ve run kitchens of all sizes across the country so, after deciding I wanted a change in career, I knew I needed something that would keep me active (and juggling multiple projects is not dissimilar to a hob full of pans).

After taking part in a research project as a respondent, and having a brilliant time doing so, I started doing some ad hoc work in the BEAM office. Now, I'm officially a fully-fledged member of the team! Working with the BEAM team has been a great welcome into office life and my different roles, first as a project assistant all the way up to my current role as Panel & Project Operations Manager, have given me the opportunity to speak with all kinds of different people – there's never a dull moment. I always take any chance I can get to go out and do some fieldwork, so no day truly is ever the same.

When I’m not in the office, you’ll either find me at a pub quiz or on the 5-a-side pitch. I refuse to give up on my dream of being a professional footballer though... I’ll get there one day!

Some may say I have the gift of the gab – luckily that's exactly what you need in this job. That, and the ability to spin plates, juggle, stand on your head, improvise at the drop of a hat; and appear cool, calm, and collected (even when you don’t feel it). And I'm thrilled to have been recognised as a 2023 MRS Research Hero.

I started at BEAM as a Project Assistant, worked my way up to Project Manager, and now I’m UK Senior Project Manager. It's great to have a role where no two days are the same, and I love that I get to constantly develop with regular company training and mentoring. Having graduated in 2017 from Manchester Met with a degree in Digital Media and Marketing, I was able to utilise many of the skills I learned and put them to practical use at BEAM.

I am the company’s longest-standing employee (apart from the boss), so it’s safe to say that I know its employees and procedures inside and out. Due to my extensive experience in the field, I thrive leading and managing specialist projects and they are generally the only projects my team and I are assigned to take on. I'm lucky to oversee such a talented team on such specialist projects.

I try to get out on the front line of fieldwork as much as I can; it’s so rewarding to see our hard work in action as the research unfolds. I have been able to travel all over the country and aim to leave no corner of the UK unseen. The relationships I have been able to build with our extended BEAM team in doing this has been invaluable, to both the company and to me. I am always looking forward to deepening my existing connections and creating new ones, whether it be within work or out.

I'm a creative soul, so I'm often painting and drawing. Or you'll find me down at the front of a gig, with a drink in one hand and my other firmly in the air.

At home or at work, hospitality has always been at the heart of everything I do. Whether it be in my degree in International Hospitality and Business Management, my further education in sales and event management, or my twelve years of experience working in 5* hotel account management for Marriott and Rocco Forte Hotels.

As you can probably imagine, exceptional customer service, client liaison, multi-tasking, and attention to detail have always been a huge part of my day-to-day.

So, when the opportunity to join BEAM came up, I jumped at the chance to transfer all the skills I'd previously gained and bring them into the team. I was so excited to join the industry, and be a part of a young and thriving business that I knew I could add value to.

Since joining in October 2019, my expertise in hospitality, events, venues, and sales have been serving me well. I'm able to add value to the experience of our internal processes and procedures, whilst being able to offer insight to our clients who operate in these industries too. Through my promotion to Senior Project Manager in the UK Team, I have also been able to bring my experience of strategic thinking and open mindedness to help support my work colleagues with the overall BEAM vision.

In a typical day at work (if you could say that there are any typical days at BEAM), I communicate with other disciplines within the business, arrange and attend client briefings, check quotas, complete and distribute profile grids, arrange pre-checks, review project finances, and drink lots and lots of coffee!

When I'm not working, you'll find me with my two gorgeous kids, my husband, and my ridiculously large family (I arrange all the outings, of course) with lots of happiness, laughter, and fun.

Every job... Every. Single. Job. I’ve ever had has revolved around phone work and generally chatting to some degree. From my days volunteering with the Samaritans, to today - getting to know respondents and finding the best, most engaged people to take part in research, or if it’s meeting clients and helping take the weight off their shoulders by handing their project over to me. I love getting to know people!

One moment you’re looking for someone who buys a new sofa every 3 months, and the next you’re searching for someone who exclusively eats beans on toast every morning for their breakfast. No day is the same, and it’s perfect for me.

I started market research career, accidentally, picking up a random role as a Fieldwork Exec to pay the bills whilst I studied and completed my counselling accreditation. I fell for quant (quite the surprise given counselling is more qual-focussed), and I've been lucky to manage large-scale in-store observation projects, tracked supermarket pricing (covert and overt) across the UK and ROI, alongside the some of the sublime and obscure qual projects - literally no topic is left unturned!

And now at BEAM I'm officially 'going global', heading up with International Research with co-pilot Amy Cartwright.

Outside of the office, you’ll find me trying to convince my husband to watch a cheesy horror movie, cleaning up mess my very mucky, but very lovely my toddler has made, or attempting to wrangle my indoor cat into a harness so I can finally fulfil my dreams of taking her for a walk outside.

Like the majority of my previous roles (and I've had a few, it's an ongoing office joke round here), I fell into market research by accident.

Through a recommendation from a friend, I've been working at BEAM assisting with respondent recruitment for a whole host of varied and interesting projects. I never expected I'd be speaking to builders in the morning, delivery drivers in the afternoon and cheese-eaters in the evening.

I attended a Women In Research event (WIRe) in my first week. It gave me a great insight into the industry and I got to meet and engage with lots of people at the start of their careers in research and fieldwork. And I've been in training alongside my day-to-day role of Project Assistant, learning about writing screeners, dealing with recruiters and working through the qual and quant project processes end to end. And the best thing about BEAM? The people of course - what a great bunch!

I'm a bookworm, so when I'm not on the phone recruiting I'll be curled up on the sofa with my husband Liam, leafing my way through a literary classic.

Having graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a BA Hons degree in Events Management, I worked within the Hospitality and Events Industry for over 5 years. Starting out as a Conference and Events Assistant, and progressing to Wedding Coordinator for a gorgeous hotel in the centre of Manchester. So, it’s fair to say that planning and organising is at the heart of everything I do.

My previous roles have given me transferable skills in customer service and communication, which I have been able to use and build on within my role at BEAM. I’m a people person, so working within BEAM gives me the opportunity to speak to people all day, every day! I get to connect with new people daily, and everyone in the office is always happy to have a chat.

I started working as a Project Assistant at BEAM and, in just 6 months of working, I was promoted to Project Manager. And I am absolutely loving it! It was so nice to be welcomed into such a tight knit, friendly team and I feel so lucky to have found BEAM.

Generally, my job varies a lot. It really depends what projects we get in and if there’s any fieldwork that day. I always plan my day out the night before as there isn’t really a work routine that I can stick to. Although, at BEAM, anything can happen, so sometimes I need to abandon my precious to-do list and send all guns blazing!

My days tend to revolve around communication: discussions with clients, chasing recruiters, updating supervisors, and – of course – being on hand to answer any queries from our respondents.

When I’m not at work, I like to get out and about – it’s rare that I’m sat in doing nothing. I love going shopping, travelling to new places, and spending my time with my family and friends.

I’ve always worked in people-orientated roles, it’s what feels natural to me and where I thrive, but I’ve never quite experienced anything like being a Project Executive at BEAM.

With my history in hospitality, you’d think I was used to a touch-and-go working environment; rushing plates around, managing employees, juggling pans on a hot grill – you get the idea – but BEAM has brought on so many new and exciting challenges for me to face.

Any day in Market Research is an unpredictable one, and my job role is no exception. Unexpected problems make for creative solutions, quick thinking, and ultimately great strides in my own development. However, growth doesn’t come without nurturing, and I couldn’t be happier with the support and teachings that my team provides daily; there truly are no stupid questions, nor irreparable errors.

One of my favourite things about my job is that we can encounter many projects in a single workweek, each requiring different skills and ways of thinking, so there really is no way to be bored. I spend my days collaborating with our project managers, and I always feel that my ideas are genuinely taken on board and put into practice.

In the future, I hope to understand all aspects of the Market Research industry, rather than limiting my knowledge to just my dedicated field.

As of now (when I’m not at work, of course) I like to spend my time playing with my cats, baking, drawing, or painting.

I love people. They're fascinating. That's why working in fieldwork is the perfect profession for me.

I get to talk to so many different personalities, in different situations, about things that matter (or don't matter) to them. And being multilingual (English, Welsh & French), I've got the gift of the gab in a few countries.

Before I arrived at BEAM, I'd worked in fieldwork for just under two years, where I learned the tricks of the trade across the different disciplines in research. I'm particularly interested in projects that support the voices of those often without a voice, so it's been great to work on EDI and utility projects since I landed at BEAM HQ.

If I don't get enough research opportunities in my day job, my thesis keeps me busy and I'm due to complete my PHD mid-2024.

True to my traditional Welsh name, in my spare time I love to watch rugby and like to keep my friends, family and fellow BEAMIES on their toes with a regular change in hair colour. My bio wouldn't be complete without mentioning my pup, Twix - chief mischief maker and apple of my eye.

One-time door-to-door salesman. One-time bartender. And now Project Executive in market research fieldwork. A definite 'mixed bag' of roles in my short career path, but there isn't a role that hasn't taught me a thing or two!

In sales, I really enjoyed recruiting new team members, managing their induction and training in those first important weeks. I managed a team of four, and seeing them develop and thrive is certainly something I take great pride in.

But after spending a big slice of my time travelling with work, I realised my passion for making music was in serious neglect and I needed to rebalance. Finding an employer who respects my commitment to my out-of-work pursuits became a must-have when looking for a new role.

With BEAM I seem to have struck gold. It's a place I can express myself, show my talents and be trusted to work remotely. I have time to enjoy life outside of work and my Spotify play counts have increased since the team searched up my music.

It's a really positive working environment allowing me to learn very quickly, and I've been out in field working with interviewers and at research events, getting practical experience.

'Be Supportive' is a value I see every day at BEAM. Everyone helps each other out and there is a real sense of team. Every team member has taken the time to show me the ropes and share how the work I complete dovetails into the bigger picture.

I'm looking forward to see where I go, how I grow and what I can achieve... watch this space!

I have always relished interacting with people. My previous in service roles really emphasise this, as at their core all involve a huge amount of customer communication and taking care of people. This has, and will always be my favourite part of any job - past, present, or future.

Before I started at BEAM, I was a very enthusiastic waitress (some may say too enthusiastic) who would then delve into the world of door-to-door sales. Although I loved these roles, I felt as though something was missing and I am sure that was being a part of BEAM.

Being at BEAM allows me to do what I love every day, while sitting down for a change! I can also see my business and marketing degree being put to good use, as I learn the ins and outs of market research and the vital role it plays in the things we use and consume every single day.

I’m often told that I’m smiley in nature but a grafter when it comes to work. So, it’s no wonder that I always find myself gravitating towards challenging public-facing roles.

I spent 15 years as a TV News Director and Vision Mixer at major broadcasting companies such as the BBC and ITV. When I had my son, I knew it was time for a change, so I decided to become my own boss and start a business as a celebrant. Throughout my career as a celebrant, whether I was consoling or congratulating, I felt so honoured to be involved in some of the most intimate moments of people’s lives.

I first entered the world of market research as a respondent, recruited by BEAM’s very own Pat Connolly. I remember Pat making me feel so at ease throughout the entire process and I truly felt supported from beginning to end. I thought “this is something I’d like to do” and applied shortly after.

As a self-taught coder and musician, I’m always on the lookout for opportunities to learn something new, and this is an area that BEAM certainly does not fall short in. The market research industry alone is overflowing with interesting terminology, new research techniques, and wonderful interactions but – with BEAM – all of this is amplified by an office full of people that are beyond happy to fill you in on it all.

My first project with BEAM was on a massive car clinic, which brought with it so many new and exciting challenges. It was, and still is, great spending my days chatting with people over the phone, having check-in calls with my colleagues, and getting to grips with all the ins and outs of market research.

In my personal time you'll find me on the tennis court, watching musicals, cooking family meals inspired by my Filipino heritage, and catching up with my pals over a brew and cake.

I fell into the role of Fieldwork Support at BEAM sort of by accident; one minute I’m an enthusiastic respondent, the next I’m training to be an interviewer and doing some shifts here and there, then – before I knew it – I found myself in the office and fully immersed in the world of research.

With this being my first office job ever, I must say, I’m very much enjoying the sit down. Before taking on my role at BEAM, I’d worked in a café, worked as a child-minder, and held several volunteering roles. I volunteered in Belize on a marine conservation project, in Peru on an animal sanctuary, and still hold my position as a GirlGuide Leader in Training.

However, just because my job at BEAM doesn’t have me up on my feet, doesn’t mean that it doesn’t keep me on my toes. I spend my days answering phones, screening respondents, transferring information across spreadsheets, editing and formatting documents before they go public, and trying to navigate some of the many challenges that occur in this people-oriented industry.

Every day at BEAM is a school day, and an environment in which my curiosity is always welcomed, encouraged, and responded to in depth. My role has given me the opportunity to think creatively, have my opinions genuinely taken on board, and observe exactly how a successful business runs. My time here has been, and I know will continue to be, invaluable.

And my next steps you may ask? Well, that would be trying to balance my job at BEAM with my studies at Lancaster, where I will be beginning my degree in English Literature and Philosophy. I have no doubt that BEAM will give me beyond adequate support while I embark on this journey. Soon, I am hoping to be a fully qualified Proofreader and Copy Editor, and I look forward to the added value that I will be able to contribute to the company in gaining this.

When I’m not at work, you’ll probably find me spending time with family and friends, studying, in the boxing gym, reading, writing, and winding up my little brother (he loves it really).

My market research career started back in 2007. I worked as Facilities Director at a viewing facility on the outskirts of Manchester, where I quickly found a buzz and real satisfaction from working with people (both clients and respondents alike). This is where I met Amy.

After a short hiatus working for M&S and the NHS, I relished the opportunity to get back into research. So, earlier this year I joined BEAM – happily working alongside Amy once again.

I love the combination of variety and pace at the company. It makes my job stimulating and exciting; no two jobs are ever the same. It’s great to be reconnecting with moderators, recruiters, interviewers, and venues to bring the very best to BEAM.

When I’m not whipping the team into shape around the office, I love nothing better than a good cup of tea, retiring to my new crafting shed, and making and eating delicious home-cooked food.

When I’m not whipping the team into shape around the office, I love nothing better than a good cup of tea, retiring to my new crafting shed, and making and eating delicious home-cooked food.

My father was an accountant, so finance is in my blood. Although my first love was teaching, when Amy asked me to help her with the books at BEAM I jumped at the chance. An opportunity to help my daughter with her fledgling business, what mother wouldn't?

So here I am, after three years of tax returns, hunting credit card receipts, organising the office team, and keeping a grip on the business purse strings. It's wonderful to have my partner in crime/ wine buddy, Deborah (Office Manager) helping me keep the Project Managers in line with the financials on their jobs.

Outside of work, it's all about gin. And friends. Best served together.

I first entered the working world when I was just 14 years old (and haven’t really stopped since), so it’s safe to say that I’m no stranger to hard work. After completing my diploma in Childcare and Education, and an MBQ in Business and Administration, I began my wonderful 16-year long career in finance.

Before BEAM, I had worked in customer service roles (both forward facing and within a call centre), and as a clerical secretary within the private sector of an independent financial advisory company.

After undergoing some major life changes in 2022, I decided it was time to take on some new, exciting challenges in my career. And what better place to do this than at BEAM.

Here in my role as Business Operations Executive, no day is ever alike. I get to speak to all different kinds of people, which is a part of my role at BEAM that my vast customer service experience has certainly served me well in. Other than this, I handle pay claims, tackle the credit card statements, and I’m not ashamed to say that I love a good spreadsheet.

The other loves in my life (next to finance, of course) are my husband and two teenage boys. They keep me on my toes just as much as my career does, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I like to always be busy, and my social life and travel plans are definitely no exception to that rule! I love a good games night (accompanied by a glass of wine) and visiting my favourite place, Dubai.

After completing my GCSEs, I began searching for a job that would provide invaluable experience while accommodating the demanding academic year ahead. This search led me to BEAM.

Since joining the team at BEAM, I have developed a strong passion for all aspects of market research. This newfound interest has inspired me to pursue A-Levels in English and Media, with the aim of studying marketing at university.

Outside of the office and school, I am actively involved in various extracurricular activities. I am the captain of my competitive cheerleading team and hope to start coaching in the new season. I also love singing and performing, and spend a lot of my time rehearsing with the bands I'm in!

We're always on the lookout for talent.

Whether you've got experience or not, if you're ready for a challenge, we’d love to hear from you.

Contact kay@beamfw.co.uk for a chat about your future at BEAM Fieldwork.