Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by the inner story we tell ourselves about how the world works. Over the years, I’ve come to call this story a Guiding Narrative®—a subconscious framework that helps us make sense of reality, shape our values, and navigate daily life. It’s the survival manual running quietly in the background of every decision we make.
This idea has guided much of my life’s work as a researcher and advisor. Years ago, it inspired me to launch Metro Tribal—a research and communications practice rooted in the power of storytelling. Our focus was helping organizations understand how the stories they tell can resonate with the personal Guiding Narratives of their customers, employees, and communities—creating connection, trust, and meaning.
But in time, it became clear: the Guiding Narrative doesn’t just shape storytelling—it shapes everything. From the way people evaluate brands and make purchases, to how they engage with employers, institutions, and each other.
That realization led to the launch of The Good People Research Company—a human-centered research and advisory firm founded on two core beliefs:
- People are not data points. They are sentient beings whose behavior is shaped by beliefs, values, social norms, and emotions that guide them toward survival.
- Organizations thrive when they help people validate and amplify their values. Whether you’re a company, NGO, nonprofit, association, or government agency, your relevance depends on your ability to align with what matters most to the people you serve.
In other words: if you want to matter to people, you must matter to their values.
At The Good People Research Company, we help you uncover whether your organization truly matters to the people who matter to you—customers, employees, partners, or the public—and more importantly, why. We believe the key lies not in tracking what people buy or browse, but in deeply understanding the human narratives that drive those behaviors.
This approach flips the script: peripheral data sources—like surveys, browsing behavior, CRM data, or A/B testing—should serve your understanding of people’s Guiding Narratives, not the other way around. When you start with people, not patterns, you unlock actionable, enduring insights.
We offer research, training, and speaking engagements designed to help you make this transformation—whether you’re looking to improve your customer experience, elevate your brand, or create meaningful change.
I invite you to explore our new site: goodpeopleresearch.com. Spend time in the “What We’ve Learned” section to see why we insist on human-centered social and market research—even in a world rushing in the opposite direction.
Warmly,
Craig Honick
Founder, The Good People Research Company
