From Beanbags to Boardrooms: Greyhound Research Turns 12

Reading Time: 8 minutes

Prefer watching instead of reading? Watch the video here. Prefer reading instead? Scroll down for the full text. Prefer listening instead? Scroll up for the audio player.

P.S. The video and audio are in sync, so you can switch between them or control playback as needed. Enjoy Greyhound Standpoint insights in the format that suits you best. Join the conversation on social media using #GreyhoundStandpoint.

---

There’s a photo that always stops me in my tracks—me slouched into a green beanbag, laughing mid-sentence, Misty nestled in my arms like she owned the place (because, let’s be honest, she did). That was Greyhound Research in the beginning. A small, cosy office. A few beanbags, one beagle, a rough mental playbook, and an unreasonable amount of belief.

Another photo from the same time shows me singing—glass in one hand, mic in the other—in front of a handmade banner that read Greyhounds Turns 1. This is proof enough that we didn’t start this company with a strategy deck. We started it with instinct, joy, and a refusal to follow the script. And twelve years later, as we go from those beanbags to today’s boardrooms, the energy hasn’t changed. The courage hasn’t either.

Greyhound Research turns twelve this week. While the foundation was laid on March 23, 2013, the company only came into being in early April 2013. But more than a milestone, it marks a shift. We’re no longer the new kid—we’re entering our teens. That means sharper instincts, firmer boundaries, and a deeper understanding of who we are and what we stand for. The early years were about survival. The years ahead are about shaping the system—not chasing its approval.

One of my favourite memories from those early days sits on the office wall—a handmade billboard we created when Greyhound Research turned one. It proudly captured every small win, every client mention, and every step forward. One number still stands out: 1 million views in our very first year. That wasn’t a fluke. It was proof. Proof that something real was happening. That people were listening. That belief, when paired with relentless intent, travels. That wall still hangs where we can see it. Not for nostalgia—but for what it taught us: that this company was never built on luck. It was built on clarity and work.

That decision—to back belief over comfort—wasn’t just a professional shift. It was personal. I left a predictable corporate path because I believed enterprise leaders deserved better than templated research and vendor-scripted narratives. I believed strategy should be grounded in reality, not just theory. Greyhound Research wasn’t created in a boardroom—it was built with purpose: to offer clarity where there was noise and honesty where there was spin.

From day one, we’ve been bold, direct, and deeply committed to calling things as they are. That hasn’t changed—and it never will.

We’ve since worked across industries, markets, and mission-critical moments. We’ve grown—advisory, education, products, storytelling—but not into something generic. What’s stayed consistent is how we show up: without baggage, without bias, and always in service of the buy-side. Especially the CIO, who too often faces immense pressure with very little recognition.

Our work isn’t about the spotlight. It’s about being the quiet voice of clarity in rooms full of noise.

We all have a story that we love telling repeatedly—or maybe I’m just getting older. But this is one story I never tire of sharing. Greyhound Research wasn’t named in a branding session. It’s a tribute to my beagle girls—my companions through every pitch, pivot, and painful moment.

While we lost one of them (Misty) to cancer, Elly and Daisey continue to be my force and the emotional centre of everything I do. Their loyalty, intuition, and refusal to be ignored shaped the firm more than any business school ever could. Greyhound Research is built in their image—nose to the ground, ears to the hum, always paying attention.

Over the years, people have called us all sorts of things—“the man and his dog,” “the dog company,” “the beagle firm.” But we’ve never let it get to us. If anything, we embraced it. We wore it like a badge. It reminded us we were building something with a soul. We didn’t just name this firm after our dogs—we built it with their spirit. Fiercely loyal, instinctively sharp, and impossible to ignore.

Of course, the scepticism didn’t stop there. Our credibility has been questioned more times than I can count. People have asked—sometimes in whispers, sometimes in meetings, and plenty of times straight to my face—if CIOs even read what we write. I’ve heard it all. And every time, I’ve done the same thing: smiled, and kept going. We’ve never needed to shout. We’ve never needed to perform.

We’ve just kept showing up—day after day, year after year—and let the work speak for itself. And quietly, it has.

That quiet work? It’s travelled farther than we ever imagined. From Sydney to San Francisco, Greyhound Research has quietly become a trusted voice across the globe. We stopped counting after 150 countries—not because the number stopped growing, but because it stopped being the point. What matters more is that 200,000 professionals now rely on us when the noise gets too loud. From one brave believer to now 500+ organisations served—across boardrooms, briefing rooms, and budget cycles—we’ve had the privilege of working with buy-side CIOs, sell-side vendors, VCs, PE firms, founders, and government bodies alike. Some sought clarity. Others needed counsel. All trusted us when the stakes were real.

That map above isn’t a marketing moment. It’s a quiet reflection of conversations, late-night strategy sessions, and moments of counsel that have travelled across time zones and industries. This reach wasn’t built by shouting. It was earned by showing up—consistently, truthfully, and without compromise.

Truth be told, running this firm hasn’t been easy. It has been anything but. We’ve lived through tight cash flow, silent months, and moments where giving up would have been easier than going on. We didn’t inherit reputation—we earned every conversation, every client, and every piece of trust.

We didn’t build Greyhound Research to chase popularity. We built it to create value that lasts beyond the next trend.

Our research now spans 20 themes, neatly organised into natural clusters that reflect the evolving priorities of global enterprises—from infrastructure and AI to customer experience, sustainability, and digital trust. These aren’t trend-watching exercises—they’re the real conversations happening behind closed doors. The image below depicts this structure. For a breakdown of the full 20-theme taxonomy, sub-themes, and role-based alignment, feel free to get in touch.

Each theme rolls up into a unified architectural perspective we call the Distributed Enterprise Blueprint—our core lens on how modern organisations function across people, platforms, and decisions in an increasingly decentralised world. The Blueprint is built on five dimensions: Distributed Decision-Making at the edge; Distributed Data Ownership that balances local control with global intelligence; Distributed Workflows and Automation powered by modular systems and AI agents; Distributed Governance and Risk embedded across infrastructure; and a Distributed Technology Stack that is composable, federated, and resistant to lock-in. In essence, it’s not just a framework. It’s a diagnostic and design tool we use with Technology Decision Makers to evaluate where they are, and where they need to go.

Having said the above, research is just one part of our work. It’s never been about reports alone—it’s about helping leaders move from knowing to doing. Over time, our work has expanded into what we now call RACE: Research, Advisory, Consulting, and Education. Not a list of offerings, but an interconnected system. A way of supporting decision-makers across the full arc of transformation—from first questions to final execution.

We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach. These elements are woven together differently for every client, based on what matters most to them. Some need clarity. Others need counsel. Many need both—and then the skills to carry it forward. The picture below says it best.

And as the pace of change accelerates, we’ve retooled how we work. We’ve embraced a Human+AI model that helps us move faster, ask sharper questions, and uncover deeper patterns—without ever outsourcing the insight. The thinking, the analysis, the perspective—that remains rooted in lived experience and the judgement that only humans can bring.

We’re not scaling for vanity. No viral campaigns. No valuation theatrics. Greyhound Studios will remain our home for stories that speak to enterprise leaders, not at them. If that difference feels subtle to you, that’s exactly why it matters—and exactly what we’ve spent twelve years pushing against. Greyhound Academy will focus on deep learning, not surface-level skilling. Our products—announcement coming soon—solve real problems our clients face, not imaginary ones from marketing decks. Every move we make is grounded in need, not noise.

To our clients—thank you for trusting us with your most strategic decisions. For letting us say what needed to be said, even when it was uncomfortable. To our team—thank you for carrying this work with courage and clarity. To our partners—thank you for standing by us without asking us to soften the edges. And to my beagle girls—thank you for being my compass. You taught me to lead with instinct and never lose my bark.

We’re teens now. We don’t need to be loud to be heard. We don’t need to be big to be bold. We know who we are. And we’re just getting started.

If you’re building something of your own—a company, a practice, a purpose—you already know it’s not a straight path. It’s messy, emotional, and often invisible to others. But if you’re doing it for the right reasons, you’ll keep going. Not with perfect plans, but with stubborn clarity. Not with noise, but with truth. Say no often. Protect your voice. Stay close to the people who see you—not just your title.

Remember: if it ever gets too loud, know there’s a hound-inspired firm that knows exactly how you feel.

Thanks once again for all the love and trust you’ve given to Greyhound Research. Here’s to many more years ahead.

Cheers,
SVG