TOP 100 MAGAZINE

Kai K. Fuentes

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A Multicultural Lens on Market Research

 

Kai K. Fuentes describes herself as a “market research brat.” As the daughter of a market researcher, she was immersed in the field at a young age, conducting her first interview at just 12 years old. Over time, that early exposure blossomed into a stellar career.

 

After garnering more than 20 years of experience in qualitative and quantitative research, Kai developed a unique expertise in uncovering the cultural and linguistic nuances that shape consumer behaviors. Yet she recognized a critical gap in the industry: very few firms were conducting meaningful market research within multicultural and multilingual communities. Determined to fill that void, she founded Ebony Marketing Systems Inc. (EMS) in 2011.

 

Today, EMS stands as a certified MWBE, DBE,  SBE, WOSB, and 8(A) company headquartered in New York. Its mission is to provide creative, innovative, and reliable research solutions, especially in multicultural and multilingual settings. The firm primarily serves transportation agencies, healthcare organizations, government bodies, nonprofits, and corporations, going beyond numbers to capture the experiences of diverse populations across the U.S.

 

The company’s core philosophy is simple yet profound: traditional, one-size-fits-all research methods no longer suffice. With people of color now representing four in ten Americans, Hispanic and Asian individuals comprising nearly a quarter of the population, and linguistic diversity at historic highs, a multicultural approach is not just valuable—it’s imperative.

 

Q&A

 

What inspired your desire to specialize in a multicultural approach to market research and focus much of your work on the transportation industry?

 

I’m a Queens girl. Queens, New York is the most diverse borough in the world, and I had the privilege of growing up there. I spent so many formative years riding the 7 Train, where 35 languages are spoken within a 10-stop radius. I went to a high school where only ten of us spoke English. Even in elementary school, my closest friends were from all different religious backgrounds. I was intrigued, and we’re still connected today. Growing up as a young Black woman surrounded by such cultural diversity shaped me. That experience gave me a front-row seat to how people from different backgrounds live, work, and interact—and it showed me early on that a one-size-fits-all approach never works. When I founded Ebony, I wanted to capture those nuances and lead authentically, not as a corporate version of myself. Transportation became a natural focus because mass transit touches everyone, every culture, every community. It’s where diversity is most visible and where equity in service delivery matters most. I wanted to bring my multicultural lens into that space and do meaningful work that directly impacts communities, everyday people’s lives, and generations to come—work that makes my soul sing.

 

How critical is a multicultural market research approach to the success of organizations now and going forward?

 

It’s not just critical, it’s a necessity. By 2030, Gen Z will be the first U.S. generation with more people of color than not. To succeed, organizations must understand these audiences—how they think, how they spend, how they want to be communicated with. For example, mass transit agencies face declining ridership and revenue post-pandemic. To survive, they must adapt, connect with diverse riders, and understand their needs. That’s where we come in.

 

What makes your company’s approach unique?

 

We blend social science with multicultural research. We don’t just ask what people do—we uncover why. Our team is multicultural and multilingual, which allows us to connect authentically with target audiences. For one government client, we conducted 30 focus groups in 30 different languages via Zoom, covering everything from English to Tagalog, Hmong, Mandarin, and Haitian Creole. We also meet people where they are—whether that’s a coffee shop in Brooklyn or a San Joaquin Valley community center. That kind of cultural and linguistic alignment creates trust and richer data.

 

Ebony has succeeded where many traditional research firms fail. How is your approach different?

 

Traditional firms often assign anyone to multicultural projects, without cultural alignment, and the research falls flat. We do the opposite—we enlist moderators and field researchers from the specific target community. A 65-year-old Latina interviewing unacculturated Latina teens won’t yield honest insights. But when the interviewer shares the participants’ cultural background, trust develops and the data is richer. We once declined a subcontracting offer from a large firm with no multicultural expertise. They tried to run the project themselves and failed. The client came back to us, and we delivered exactly what was needed. That’s the power of our approach.

 

The transportation sector is a big focus for EMS. How are you helping agencies at this critical juncture?

 

We’re one of the few firms still doing in-person field research post-COVID. Our team conducts origin and destination studies, evaluates customer experiences, and gathers community feedback. We don’t just bring back numbers—we report what people actually say: “This stop needs more cleaning,” “Increase accessibility here,” or “Add a stop in this neighborhood.” This helps transit agencies make informed, strategic changes that reflect riders’ needs.

 

Can you share some projects that really made your soul sing?

 

In healthcare, our research contributed to the development of once-a-month HIV medication because patients told us they valued time more than reduced side effects. That was powerful. We also worked on anti-smoking campaigns targeting urban youth, where we discovered which messages and platforms would resonate most. In disaster preparedness, we studied how Black, Latino, and API communities wanted to be communicated with, and now I see commercials we helped shape. Those moments remind us that our work has a tangible impact.

 

Tell us about your company culture and your leadership style.

 

I don’t lead from the top down. I see myself as part of the team. We’re collaborative and supportive, and I encourage my staff to try new things—even if they fail, it’s not failure, it’s learning. My secret sauce is creating a respectful, diverse, and loving environment where different perspectives make us stronger. I’m proud of the team we’ve built, and everything we achieve, we achieve together.

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Kai K. Fuentes
President and Founder
Ebony Marketing Systems Inc.
Website: www.ebonysystems.com

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/kai-k-fuentes-b80b2929/

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Photo Credit: Yasmine Anderson Photography