About
Why Narriva
Narriva is grounded in a simple belief: behind every data point is a human story.
Too often, that story gets flattened into metrics, dashboards, or surface-level summaries. The result is insight that is technically correct, but incomplete.
We believe understanding customers requires more than data alone. It requires interpretation, context, and the ability to connect what people say with what they mean.
What Makes Us Different
Where Narriva is intentionally different is in how that understanding is built.
Our work is led by senior practitioners, not handed off to layered teams or driven by platform constraints. We bring the judgment to design the right approach, adapt as we learn, and focus on what actually matters.
We are not tied to a single methodology or tool. Instead, we choose the approach based on the question, whether that calls for deep qualitative exploration, structured quantitative measurement, or conversational approaches that allow for dialogue at scale.
Led by Experienced Practitioners
Narriva is built and led by senior researchers who have spent their careers helping organizations navigate complex decisions.
Our experience spans global research firms, client-side leadership roles, and next-generation insights platforms. We bring both foundational rigor and modern, flexible approaches to every engagement.
We work as a small, senior team, bringing in trusted collaborators when needed while maintaining direct involvement throughout.
Laima Widmer
Founder & Principal
Laima Widmer is a senior consumer insights leader with over 30 years of experience helping organizations understand how people think, feel, and make decisions. Her background includes leadership roles at Citi, Mastercard, Kantar, and Suzy, where she partnered closely with executive teams to translate complex customer behavior into clear, actionable strategy.
She brings deep expertise across qualitative, quantitative, and hybrid research approaches, with particular strength in knowing how to move between methods thoughtfully when the question calls for it. Known for her judgment and collaborative style, Laima represents the kind of senior strategy and insights advisor Narriva intentionally brings to its clients: a rare practitioner who is equally comfortable with qualitative depth and quantitative rigor.
At Narriva, Laima works closely with clients to frame the right questions, interpret insight responsibly, and support confident decision-making in fast-changing environments.
David Albert
Senior Strategy & Insights Advisor
David Albert is a senior insights and business leader with experience guiding organizations through complex strategic, customer, and organizational challenges. He has held leadership roles at Collage and Big Village, where he led large-scale transformation across syndicated insights, custom research, and analytics practices.
His background spans both qualitative and quantitative disciplines, with a focus on interpreting signals, challenging assumptions, and driving strategic clarity at scale. David brings a strong track record of building and leading high-performing teams, developing modern insight capabilities, and translating data into meaningful business impact.
At Narriva, David partners closely with clients to translate insight into action, combining rigorous analysis with a practical, outcomes-focused approach.
Shelly Singh
Senior Strategy & Insights Advisor
Shelly Singh is a customer insights leader with over 15 years of experience helping organizations uncover the deeper context behind customer behavior. She specializes in translating complex human experiences into clear, actionable stories that inform product innovation and brand strategy. Her work spans global markets and categories, with a focus on understanding both what people do and why they do it.
She brings deep expertise across qualitative and quantitative research approaches, with a strong foundation in community-based and culturally grounded methodologies. Shelly has particular experience integrating conversational insights with structured measurement, helping clients assess not just what resonates, but the strength, consistency, and scalability of ideas.
Shelly has held senior roles at SOUP Insights and Hemispheres and began her career at Ipsos, where she built a strong foundation in mixed-method research design. Her academic background in anthropology from the University of British Columbia informs her perspective on the relationship between people, culture, and environment. A RIVA-trained moderator, she is known for her ability to interpret subtle signals, challenge assumptions, and bring clarity to complex questions. At Narriva, she partners closely with clients to translate insight into confident, strategic action.
How We Work
Every engagement is designed to be fit-for-purpose.
In practice, that means starting with the question, not the method; designing research that is right-sized, not over-engineered; integrating approaches when it adds value, not by default; and staying closely involved from design through interpretation.
We combine analytical rigor with practical judgment, helping clients move from information to understanding.
Start the Conversation
If you are navigating a complex customer or strategy question, we would welcome the opportunity to talk.
Email: laima@narrivaconsulting.com
