About Us:
ThinkLab is Researching the World of Design.
We leverage research on the interiors industry to help you replace assumptions with facts.
Our passion exists at the intersection of business and design.
The interiors industry is complex. We know, because we’ve worked in design firms and manufacturing headquarters. So, we’re uniquely positioned to capture market sentiment, help you track trends, explore emerging markets, validate product concepts, and make your next move well ahead of the competition.
Our Story:
ThinkLab is the intelligence division of SANDOW.
Our global reach expands to millions of A&D professionals who specify $264B annually. That means we have access to thousands of specifiers who offer hundreds of insights that translate into one big dose of perspective. But we didn’t start here.
Originally founded by Amanda Schneider in 2011 as an independent consultancy, Contract Consulting Group (CCG) grew rapidly by 100 percent word of mouth referrals and aided by her role as a blogger for the Huffington Post. As the only market research firm truly focused on the design industry, many discovered that rather than trying to help outside consultants get up to speed on the complexities of our unique industry, CCG could help their businesses through a deeper understanding of the intricacies of the design industry.

In November 2018, CCG was acquired by SANDOW (the parent company of Interior Design Media, Material Bank, Metropolis, and many other design-driven brands in media and beyond) and rebranded as ThinkLab. This move coupled SANDOW’s design industry leadership position and broad reach with CCG’s passions, expertise, and research methodologies. Amanda and much of the core CCG team remains on to grow the company and scale to serve a much broader audience: from commercial to residential, and including product categories from lighting to furniture to flooring and everything in between.
Amanda Schneider, President
Meet the Core Team:
We’re designers who think like researchers, and researchers who think like designers.
ThinkLab’s core team is a diverse group of former product and interior designers, marketing directors, showroom managers, sales reps, and sustainability gurus united by our expertise in, and love for the world of design.
And we leverage our extensive network to curate the expertise needed to solve your most pressing business challenges.
Amanda Schneider
Amanda Schneider
Olga Odeide
Olga Odeide
Erica Waayenberg
Erica Waayenberg
Allison Roon
Allison Roon
Giselle Walsh
Giselle Walsh
Katie Shaykin
Katie Shaykin
Need to make data-driven decisions?
Got A Question?
We've got answers.
We think the better question is, why not? Change is happening fast, and the interiors industry is evolving rapidly. If you want to replace assumptions with facts and make decisions with more confidence, research is key to avoiding investment pitfalls.
Our network is extensive, with thousands of participants and it’s growing every day. As part of the SANDOW family of brands, we leverage their reach to curate expert opinions and advice that help solve your unique challenges most effectively.
Depends on the project, but a good estimate is anywhere from 4-12 weeks from project kickoff. That’s fast enough to let you keep your feet moving, and thorough enough to cover all our bases.
ThinkLab works in all market segments and product categories, from commercial to residential, furniture to flooring, and just about everything in between.
We don’t expect you to know, we’re here to help and can often craft a better solution when we talk first, and plan from there. Contact us to brainstorm!
Join in here, fill out a few simple questions, and we’ll reach out with opportunities specific to your areas of expertise.
Opportunities to get paid for your thoughts and obtain exclusive sneak peek access to the results. We call that influence + information (and a few rewards along the way)!
At this time, they are not. But they’re still packed with insights that are well worth an hour of time. Check out our sister companies, Metropolis and Interior Design, for CEU-approved seminars.