Maria Flores Letelier
Oakland, Ca,CA
Summary
Strong background in research for innovation, ethnography, design thinking, branding and qualitative market research with 20 +years of international work experience.
Overview
27
27
years of professional experience
Work History
Research Lead
Pluralistic Networks
Oakland, USA
01.2017 - 01.2025
- Led qualitative research, including in restaurant ethnography for consumers and chef, for Santomar (part of Cuna del Mar) Totoaba sustainable fish in Mexico.
- Rebranded and positioned Totoaba fish to increase sales and distribution.
- Led qualitative research project for Taco Palanque (Texas) including in depth one to one interviews, photo diary, and in-store ethnographies for extending brand positioning from mainly latino market to include the general market.
- Developed brand strategy going forward.
- Conducted market research for Royal Prestige area manager for segmenting sales force by values and identifying the values for training and growth.
- Conducted market research for Hycite (Royal Prestige brands) for understanding current value for immigrant Hispanic salesforce and how to better target acculturated Hispanic salesforce.
- Led courses on listening to markets for developing innovative offers.
Consultant
Kellogg Graduate School of Management
01.2014 - 12.2014
- Led project with SEDATU (Secretary of Urban Development) in Mexico.
- Led ethnographic research team across rural areas in Mexico for understanding why funds for productive projects had not been deployed effectively by recipients and to develop plan for better deployment.
- Led course for SEDATU team on understanding lower income markets.
- Executive Program team
Consultant
Kellogg Graduate School of Management
01.2008 - 12.2010
- Consult on 'Bottom of the Pyramid' initiatives.
- Developing growth strategy for CEMEX’s Patrimonio Hoy business.
- In depth research study of building, spending, and savings habits (one to one interviews, group interviews, and ethnographies).
- Conducted segmentation with distinct offerings for each segment.
- Worked with Kellogg team to develop new design for Patrimonio Hoy.
- Advisory Group
Consultant
Letelier Associates
, Mexico
01.2008 - 12.2010
- Worked as consultant to Sigma Alimentos identifying innovation opportunities and launching products.
- Worked with VP of Innovation at Sigma Alimentos S.A. to launch a food product to lower income communities through door to door channels.
- Led research team, both one to one interviews and ethnographic research, across various cities in Mexico to understand drivers for recruiting low income sales force.
- Conducted one to one interviews, and ethnographic group interviews to understand drivers for purchasing cheese across Mexico.
- Worked with VP of Dairy to generate a pipeline for growing cheese category.
- Conducted in depth one to one interviews, in home and in store ethnographies for cold cuts division.
- Worked with VP of Innovation of Sigma Alimentos to generate pipeline for cold cuts products.
- Consultant for Sigma Alimentos S.A.
Mexico Representative
CHESKIN
San Francisco, USA
01.2003 - 01.2008
- Responsible for developing key accounts with 'cross-border' focus, as well as accounts with a focus on developing markets.
- Led qualitative research team and conducted one to one interviews and at home group interviews.
- Worked With Key Executive to Penetrate U.S. Hispanic Market.
- Partnered with Quantitative Specialist in developing and executing survey across country.
- Developed marketing opportunity assessment and identified key revenue enhancing opportunities with U.S. Hispanic market.
- Strategic Marketing Consulting
Partner and Co-founder
MARKET EXPANSION PARTNERS LLC.
San Francisco, USA
01.2001 - 12.2003
- Conducted one to one interviews and in home group interviews across Mexico to identify meal drivers and identify opportunities for new products.
- Worked with top management to reposition Mexico’s two top leading cold cuts brands.
- Conducted one to one interviews and group interviews for understanding value of 'Patrimonio Hoy' offering and diagnosis of how to improve offering.
- Conducted expert interviews and one to one interviews of CIO’s across country.
- Worked with CEO and senior team to determine initial targets, positioning communications, developing test product concept and word of mouth strategies for VC funded start-up.
- Conducted training sessions for sales reps for appealing to target segment and describing values of product.
- Boutique consulting firm specializing in working with senior management in new product, service, or venture launch initiatives.
Strategic Innovation Practice Leader
BUSINESS DESIGN ASSOCIATES
Alameda, USA
01.1998 - 12.2001
- Responsible for client relationship and management of key strategic accounts, including CEMEX’s Patrimonio Hoy initiative.
- Led consulting team and worked as part of client 'skunk works' group in launching of new, service business for third largest cement company in world.
- Conducted analysis of market opportunities, hired Kellogg Northwestern University team to develop business model and venture plan.
- Developed brand positioning including naming and tagline for service, designed service concept and contact points, designed training programs, monitored customer satisfaction, segmented customer base and created segmented services.
- Designed business process and organization, design sales force profiles and customer scripts, and developed branding and grass roots marketing initiatives.
- Management consulting firm specializing in implementation of business process design, and launching innovation initiatives.
Education
Master of Management degree (MBA, honors) - Marketing Major
J.L. KELLOGG GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
01.1998
Bachelor of Arts - Philosophy
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
01.1993
Skills
- Qualitative research
- Ethnographic research
- Consumer insights
- Customer relationship management
- Storytelling
Publications
- Chapter called 'Strategies for Viral Marketing' with Bob Calder and Charles Spinosa in Book Kellogg on Integrated Marketing released October 2002
- Chapter called 'Marketing to Consumers at the Bottom of Pyramid' with Bob Calder and Rick Kolsky in book Kellogg on Marketing, 2nd Edition 2010
- Lead author for article California Management Review entitled 'Creating Productive Customers in Emerging Markets'
- Microfinance Matters, 'Information Asymmetries – Do We Have Any Good Data on Microfinance' Article by Maria Flores Letelier 'Collecting Meaningful Data in Poor Countries: Lessons From The Private Sector. 15th Issue, August 15th, 2005
- Futures Quarterly Research, Spring 2005, Volume 21, Number 1. 'Extending Scenario Planning Into Transvaluations'.
- Lead author 'Taking An Expanding View of Customers: Qualitative Research For Aiding Innovation', Featured article in Marketing Research, Winter 2000 Volume 12
- Contributor to Felipe Korzenny’s Book Hispanic Marketing 2005.
- World Bank/United Nations Development Fund Year of Microfinance Committee, Featured Speaker 'Private Enterprise and Developing Communities', November 2004.
- 'For Profit Development' White Paper, coauthored with Charles Spinosa, for CEMEX, 2001
- Stanford Social Entrepreneurship Course Advisor, 2003-2004
- Taught Consumer Behavior Seminar December 2005 at Adolfo Ibanez University in Chile.
- Editor of book Conversations for Action and Collected Essays
- Member of Northwestern University Kellogg/MMM Design Program’s Board.
- Co-author of middle grader book called Javi’s Opportunity Manual.
Languages
Spanish, Fluent (Spoken and Written)
Timeline
Research Lead
Pluralistic Networks
01.2017 - 01.2025
Consultant
Kellogg Graduate School of Management
01.2014 - 12.2014
Consultant
Kellogg Graduate School of Management
01.2008 - 12.2010
Consultant
Letelier Associates
01.2008 - 12.2010
Mexico Representative
CHESKIN
01.2003 - 01.2008
Partner and Co-founder
MARKET EXPANSION PARTNERS LLC.
01.2001 - 12.2003
Strategic Innovation Practice Leader
BUSINESS DESIGN ASSOCIATES
01.1998 - 12.2001
Master of Management degree (MBA, honors) - Marketing Major
J.L. KELLOGG GRADUATE SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
Bachelor of Arts - Philosophy
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY