Maryland Marketing Source

What Maryland Marketing Source does

Maryland Marketing Source, Inc. is a privately held, woman- and minority-owned market research firm founded in 1986 by Barbara Bridge in Owings Mills, Maryland. The company provides custom-designed quantitative and qualitative research services across CATI telephone interviewing (18-station acoustically paneled facility), qualitative focus group moderation and in-depth interviews, on-site intercepts, and a broad suite of online methodologies including web surveys, online focus groups, communities (MROC), bulletin boards, social media research, mobile journaling, SMS research, and natural language processing. The firm supplements core offerings through a Qualitative Research Consultants network for multi-city projects and additional support services (data entry, recruitment, IRB approval, report writing), operating off a participant panel managed via the third-party PanelFox platform.

The business model is project-based professional services sold through a sales-led motion. Pricing is quote-driven via a Request a Proposal process, with costs determined by methodology, sample size, geographic scope, and complexity. The customer base spans advertising/branding, financial services, health services, educational institutions, and food & beverage companies, with vertical segmentation. Since 2021, the company has operated as a 100% virtual organization with no external funding. Leadership currently consists of CEO Christopher Spara, President Lisa Newton, and RIVA-trained consultant Michelle Finzel.

The company's competitive positioning is anchored by six woman/minority/small-business certifications (WBENC WBE, MD DOT MBE, Maryland SBE, Baltimore City WBE, Virginia SWaM, Pennsylvania WBE) granting access to diversity procurement set-asides, senior-staff-involved project execution, and 35+ years of operating history. The firm is pursuing SOC II Type 1 and HITRUST CSF compliance to access regulated vertical buyers. Its subsidiary, Bay Area Research, LLC (acquired 2002), is retained as an acquired brand. The company reported a 2018 CRMSDC Top 100 MBE award and a Quirk's Faces of Marketing Research recognition.

Name

Maryland Marketing Source

Legal name

Maryland Marketing Source, Inc.

Website

https://mdmarketingsource.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Maryland Marketing Source is a privately held, woman- and minority-certified market research firm in Owings Mills, Maryland, providing custom quantitative (CATI) and qualitative (focus groups, in-depth interviews, online methodologies) research services to advertising, financial services, healthcare, education, and food & beverage clients via project-based proposals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Market Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910)

SIC

Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

Custom Market Research (Ad Hoc Studies, Segmentation, U&A) (MPAAALAC)

Keywords

• Market research services
• Quantitative research
• Qualitative research
• Focus group moderation
• Telephone interviewing

Headquarters

HQ city

Owings Mills

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Market Research Services: Project-based market research services including quantitative research (telephone interviewing, mail surveys, programming), qualitative research (focus groups, in-depth interviews, recruitment, moderation), on-site intercepts, and online methodologies. Revenue is generated through client projects with pricing based on scope, methodology, sample size, and project complexity.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Maryland Marketing Source provides custom-designed quantitative and qualitative market research services for businesses and organizations. Deliveries include CATI telephone interviewing, mail and web surveys, focus group recruitment and moderation, in-depth interviews, on-site intercepts, online methodologies (MROC, bulletin boards, mobile journaling, SMS research), and full-service support from questionnaire development through report writing and presentation.

Product overview

Maryland Marketing Source offers a comprehensive suite of custom-designed quantitative and qualitative market research services. The core offering consists of a state-of-the-art CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing) facility with 18 stations for quantitative research, complemented by qualitative research services including focus group recruitment, in-depth interviewing, and moderation. The portfolio includes specialized capabilities in on-site intercept interviewing at various locations and extensive online methodologies (web surveys, online focus groups, bulletin boards, communities/MROC, social media research, mobile journaling, SMS text research, natural language processing, and usability testing). Additional offerings include a network of Qualitative Research Consultants (QRC) for broader geographic coverage and Additional Support Services (data entry, recruitment, IRB approval, report writing). The company manages a participant panel via PanelFox platform for research recruitment. Services are customized to client needs, ranging from full project implementation to specific facet assistance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Quantitative Research Services CATI (Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing) facility with 18 acoustically paneled interviewing stations supporting telephone interviewing, mail surveys, and survey programming in English and Spanish for clients needing large-scale statistical data collection.
• Qualitative Research Services Focus group recruitment and facilitation, in-depth interviews (1-on-1s), mobile research, and moderation services conducted both in-person and online via web-cams, with project management from screening to final reporting.
• On-Site Intercept Interviews Professional on-site interviewing team conducting surveys at various locations including doctor's offices, airports, restaurants, retail stores, and tourist attractions, using both handheld devices and paper-based methods.
• Online Methodologies Digital research capabilities including web surveys, online focus groups, bulletin boards, communities (MROC), social media market research, mobile journaling, SMS text-based research, natural language processing and analysis, and usability/customer experience research.
• Qualitative Research Consultants (QRC) Network of RIVA-trained qualitative research consultants and moderators available for projects locally or globally, ensuring consistent methodology across markets; led by Michelle Finzel with hundreds of focus groups and in-depth interviews.
• Additional Support Services Supplementary services including data entry, participant recruitment, telephone interviewing, sub-contracted services, IRB approval assistance, presentations, and report writing to support full-cycle research projects.
• Market Research Participant Panel Participant panel management system powered by the PanelFox platform for recruiting and managing research study respondents, enabling registration, profile management, and outreach for survey and focus group opportunities.

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability2 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PanelFoxcoreTechnology or IntegrationPanelFox is the technology platform used by Maryland Marketing Source for managing their participant research panel. Panelists register and update profiles through the PanelFox platform to be contacted for market research studies.
• QRCA (Qualitative Research Consultants Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaryland Marketing Source partners with QRCA for access to a network of highly skilled, professionally trained, and experienced qualitative research consultants. These consultants ensure project consistency from market to market for local, national, or global projects.
• Insights AssociationminorOthersProfessional association membership providing industry resources, best practices, and professional development for market research practitioners.
• AMA (American Marketing Association)minorOthersProfessional association membership connecting the company with marketing professionals and industry standards.
• Capital Region Minority Supplier Development Council (CRMSDC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRMSDC recognized Michelle Finzel, President, as a 2018 Top 100 MBE winner. The council supports minority-owned businesses in the region and provides networking, procurement, and development opportunities for members.
• U.S. Small Business ChamberminorOthersChamber membership providing small business advocacy resources and networking opportunities.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• KS&R: Custom market research firm offering quantitative, qualitative, and advanced analytics to enterprise clients across multiple verticals. Directly comparable to MMS in services breadth and project-based custom research delivery model.
• Reckner: Custom market research firm with strong healthcare and consumer verticals offering qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Comparable to MMS on vertical diversity and custom project delivery model.
• The Martec Group: Custom market research firm executing B2B and consumer qualitative and quantitative projects for global brands. Comparable in custom ad-hoc study focus, project-based delivery, and full-service methodological coverage.
• C+R Research: Mid-size U.S. custom quantitative and qualitative market research firm with similar full-service methodology stack (CATI, online communities, qualitative moderation). Highly comparable in business model and client base to Maryland Marketing Source, though larger in scale.
• M/A/R/C Research: Custom market research firm providing qualitative, quantitative, and online research services to brands and agencies. Closely mirrors MMS's mix of CATI capability, qualitative moderation, and online methodologies for mid-market and enterprise clients.
• Q&C Research: Mid-size custom research firm specializing in both quantitative and qualitative research with in-house CATI and focus group facilities. Closely comparable to MMS on operational setup and service mix.

Broad incumbents

• Ipsos: Global market research and consumer insights giant with extensive custom research, qualitative, and quantitative capabilities. Competes for the same custom ad-hoc RFPs as MMS but at a vastly larger scale and with a national/international footprint.
• Schlesinger Group: Large qualitative research services provider offering focus group facilities, recruitment, and online qualitative platforms. Overlaps with MMS on qualitative moderation and online focus group methodologies but operates at significantly greater scale.

Emerging players

• Toluna: Technology-enabled consumer insights platform combining DIY survey tools with managed research services and a global online panel. Represents the tech-enabled competitive threat that pressures pricing on MMS's commodity survey work.
• Fuel Cycle: Insights platform offering online communities, MROCs, and survey capabilities to enterprise brands. Competes in the online methodologies / MROC segment where MMS has built one of its differentiated offerings.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MDMktingSource
• Facebookfacebook.com/MarylandMarketingSource
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maryland-marketing-source-inc-

Compliance8 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maryland Marketing Source