No Professional Respondents.
Just the right people—Sourced with imagination and integrity.
Beyond Quotas.
Our approach to recruitment is about finding people with skin in the game. People who aren’t just qualified, but captivating. The ones who live the category, care more than the average Jane, and would be talking about your topic even if they weren’t part of a study.
We knew we were onto something with our approach when the very first person we ever recruited didn’t even want to accept the money we offered them for participating in our research. They were just thrilled someone noticed their obsession and wanted to hear about it.
With the AI-powered tools we’ve developed to scale this kind of hands-on recruitment, we’re able to rapidly find people who make exceptional respondents.
Where We Source Respondents From:
Tech-Enabled Online Sourcing
Online Platforms
Reddit, X, YouTube, TikTok
Professional Networks
GitHub, LinkedIn
Private Groups
Discord, WhatsApp, Slack
Expert Networks
Intro, GLG, Warrior Group
1:1 & Local Networking
Sometimes we need to take less high-tech routes. But, creativity is the ultimate recruitment tool, and we’ve got plenty of that. Some of our prior recruits have included things like:
Working with personal trainers and gym owners to find specific types of athletes.
Partnering with bar and cocktail supply stores to reach enthusiasts who make cocktails at home.
Tapping into LGBTQIA2S+ spaces to connect with people who have diverse gender identities.
Specialized Global Partners
When projects require it, we work with trusted freelancers around the world who share our recruitment philosophy and bring their local context to the table.
Our Recruitment Process
1.Your Brief or Business Challenge
Every project starts with your tension, your questions, and the outcomes you need to drive.
2.Framing & Hypothesis Generation
We map the issue, the stakes, and the types of people most deeply connected to it—then identify where we’re most likely to find them.
3.Recruitment Spec & Screening Criteria
We build a recruitment spec that balances traditional filters—like demographics or region—against attitudinal and behaviour-based indicators tailored to your challenge.
4.Signal Scanning & Profile Search
We use tech-enabled scanning to spot 23 key indicators of behavioural or topical intensity across platforms—so we can quickly zero in on high-potential voices.
5.Outreach & Pre-Qualification
We contact potential participants, gauge their relevance through real conversation, and confirm their interest and availability.
6.Respondent Assessment
Every participant is vetted one-on-one or through a video task that demonstrates their expertise, passion, and ability to hold an engaging conversation. We’re good with shy introverts—but two-word answers make for tough research.
7.Identity Verification
We use Stripe Identity for biometric verification—ensuring every participant is who they say they are, and actually fit the recruitment spec.
Whether you’d like to learn more about Faster Horses, or you’ve got a specific project in mind, we’d love to hear from you.
How our Online Recruitment Tech Works
Our tech-enabled profile search process uses 23 unique signals to identify people who are likely to be high-quality respondents. With these as the starting point, our system scans and scores potential respondents based-on their online activity, so that we can quickly discern who is really in to… whatever it is they’re in to.
Engagement Intensity Signals
High comment-to-post ratios (people who engage more than they create)
Rapid response times to new posts in their interest areas
Consistent activity during unusual hours (suggesting they prioritize
this over sleep/work)
Multi-platform presence discussing the same topics
Content Depth Indicators
Extremely long posts or comments with technical detail
Use of specialized jargon or insider terminology
References to obscure facts statistics
or historical details
Creation of detailed guides, tutorials, or resource compilations
Community Behaviour Patterns
Moderating or heavily participating in niche communities
Cross-posting the same content across multiple relevant subreddits/groups
Consistently being among the first commenters on new posts
Having strong opinions about community rules or "proper" ways to engage with the topic
Collection & Documentation Behaviours
Sharing extensive photo collections or catalogues
Maintaining detailed spreadsheets, lists, or databases
Creating comparison charts or analysis posts
Documenting personal progress/statistics over time
Social Signals
User flairs, bios, or usernames that centre entirely around the interest
Profile pictures related to their obsession
Mention of the interest in unrelated conversations
Defending the interest/community against criticism with detailed responses
Temporal Patterns
Posting consistently over long periods (months/years)
Activity spikes around relevant events releases or news
Maintaining engagement even during "off-seasons" for the interest