2003 Wall Street Journal
"Plots & Ploys" by Sheila Muto

Sensory Stimulation
A bright red wall greets visitors. The games Kerplunk and Mr. Potato Head are stashed on the tables. Hammocks, a chaise lounge and hot-pink and lime-green pillows around a low table offer a host of places to sit.

It may sound like someone's kitschy apartment, but it's a new space recently opened in Chicago where a handful of companies are holding meetings, foregoing the staid conference rooms and hotel suites that some businesses use to host such gatherings. The former site of a sausage smokehouse and a herring-packing plant, Catalyst Ranch offers three meeting rooms ranging in size from 700 to 3,300 square feet.

The business is the brainchild of Eva Niewiadomski, who set up a space similar in style at PepsiCo Inc.'s Quaker Oats unit, her former employer. But that room only accomodated about a dozen people. "These types of informal environments make people energized, and it stimulates them to come up with better ideas," says Ms. Niewiadomski. Still, "a lot of companies don't want to give up space for that type of meeting room."

"The brightly colored walls and the toys transform your way of thinking," says Ellen Taafe, vice president of marketing for Quaker Snacks, who says she has held a meeting and attended two others at Catalyst Ranch.

 

"I think people come up with different ideas than if they were in a formal environment wearing a suit," says Ms. Taaffe. "People are more engaged even though they may have a Slinky in their hands."

2004 Chicago Crains
"Layoff leads to startup" by Lisa Holton
Entrepreneur taps severance for meeting space.

Right before Labor Day 2002, Quaker Oats Co. marketing executive Eva Niewiadomski got the news: After surviving waves of layoffs since PepsiCo's 2001 acquisition of Quaker, she was out. "The place had changed," she says. I was ready to go and start something new."

But what the CPA-turned-product development executive did next is something few furloughed workers would consider in the midst of a recession: She put every dime of her severance and a second mortgage on her house into launching her own business.
Her year-old company, Catalyst Ranch, is positioned to be an antidote to mind-numbing meeting space. Located at 656 W. Randolph St., the 9,000-square-foot loft is separated into three meeting spaces splashed with color and stocked with toys, antique furniture, even a large hammock.

Her total investment was $115,000 but after 15 months, the business is profitable.

"While I was working at Quaker, I always found it a challenge to find space that was comfortable and interesting ...space that was fun and would fuel people's imagination," she says.

Passion is a powerful motivator for entrepreneurs, but it must partner with an intelligent business plan and a reasonable amount of start-up capital. Downsized executives who want to launch a company should poll former clients, vendors and others for insights.

After exiting Quaker, Ms. Niewiadomski started typing out a business plan. She queried her old vendors, primarily meeting facilitators and consultants, to learn their pet peeves about meeting sites. She asked them to rate the top 10 things that would lead them never to book a meeting at the same location again.

"I kept hearing the same things: uncomfortable chairs, bad food, bad service, unexpected charges, your stuff not being set up in the room after you've taken the trouble and expense to ship it," she says. "I set out to do the opposite."

Ms. Niewiadomski decided Catalyst Ranch would make everything but full meals inclusive in the rental price: snack and beverage service, toys and meeting supplies, up- to-date audio/visual equipment, computer, printer and online access.

She charges a daily room rental rate of $1,000 to $1,800 for 25 attendees, depending on the room they choose. So far, the business is running at 30% occupancy and generating about $8,000 per week.

Hotels easily beat her rental rates for meeting rooms, which go for about $250 to $400 per day. But once a la carte items are added – such as snacks and audio/visual gear – Catalyst Ranch is competitive.

The business employs five. She paid off the last of her loans last spring and has paid herself back "all but a small amount" of her own investment.

2005 Chicago Tribune
All About Eva; A life of collecting at home and abroad is reflected in an Andersonville condo
Entrepreneur taps severance for meeting space.

Look around Eva Niewiadomski's apartment and you will know the story of her life.

A goddess statue from Thailand. A bedroom set from a local antiques store. Collections of decorative birds from Eastern Europe. Niewiadomski grew up in Humboldt Park before her family moved to what she says was a "good Polish, Greek, Irish, Italian neighborhood" on Chicago's Northwest Side. Her parents are Polish immigrants who worked hard and taught their children to make do with what they had.

After putting herself through college, Niewiadomski spent four years as an accountant followed by 15 years at Quaker Oats, most recently in product development for snack foods. As a veteran meetings facilitator, she under-stood how a stimulating, colorful space could add spice and creativity to a group meeting.

While at Quaker, she converted a large closet into a "creativity room" where co-workers could meet and brainstorm. In November 2002, after leaving Quaker, she opened Catalyst Ranch, an expanded version of that creativity room and perhaps Chicago's most unusual meeting and special-event space, used by such Fortune 500 companies as Pepsico, Unilever and Wrigley.

Catalyst Ranch's large, vibrant rooms offer abundant sunlight, unconventional furniture and a jamboree of toys and art. Niewiadomski's apartment in Andersonville has the same sweet, quirky look.

Drawn to Andersonville for its ethnic diversity, she found a neighborhood of well-maintained buildings. Her twobedroom condominium is filled with a delightful blend of vintage and ethnic furnishings.

"I have very few new pieces," she says. "Most things are really old, either refurbished or original. I picked up almost everything in my travels or at local markets. Most of the art is ethnic."

Her knack for putting things together enabled her to mix styles easily. In the living room, wicker couches mingle with armchairs from the '40s and '50s.

When she moved in, the apartment was half furnished. "But I wasn't worried about getting it all done in a matter of a month," she explains. "I slowly build up the pieces and, of course, after 15 years of collecting, you retire certain things. It becomes a jigsaw puzzle of switching things around."

Every year she has taken a big trip. Her travels have taken her through most of Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Tahiti, Hong Kong, Thailand and Brazil. "I've lugged and shipped some amazing things," she says.

Her dining room rug was shipped from Greece. Vases, bowls, glasses, a tea set, collections of puppets and flutes and much more hail from every corner of the globe. "I love things that are unique," she says. "It was always about things you couldn't find in the U. S."

What doesn't come from abroad was found in local antiques shops. In a corner of the living room is a turn-of -thecentury rocking chair Niewiadomski says she "dragged home because it was in such horrifying condition."

Refinished with the help of her father, it is now a "nice, solid piece," she says. "My dad and I took apart every spindle and numbered them so we could remember how to put them back together. My dad's got this interesting technique when the varnish is really old and dried-he doesn't believe in using chemical strippers. He takes broken pieces of glass and uses the sharp edge [to scrape], and it comes off with a highly polished finish. Then we restained it, put it back together and he reupholstered it for me."

Decorating her bedroom was another family affair. After years of living with off-white walls, Eva decided she "wanted to play around with color and would practice in the bedroom." She painted the room orange because "I love orange and didn't have orange anywhere else in the house. So I bought tangelo for the ceiling and a Chinese red that's a little more orangey." Her father painted the ceiling, her mother consulted on color.

Eva used a design element from an Indian sari bedspread to create a pattern and hand-painted it around the ceiling of the room. "I created a stencil out of cardboard with an X-Acto knife and then I hand-traced the arch with the stencil and filled in the rest of it by hand," she says.

Always busy with a project, Eva's now pondering what to do with the apartment's two ceiling fans. "I want to either paint or cover each blade with a Mexican art form," she says. Whatever she decides, it surely will be done with her inimitable light touch and unerring eye for whimsy.

 

RESOURCES
Kitchen: 1940s distressed kitchen table-Sandwich, Ill., Antiques Market; Belgian lace curtains by owner, fabric-Vogue Fabrics, Evanston; 1930s green corner bookcase-Chicago Antique Centre, Chicago; Mexican folk art wall hanging-Evanston Ethnic Art Fair. Sunroom: Filipino wicker couch-Raphia, Miami Beach, Fla.; 1940s drapes - Antique and Resale Shop, Chicago; Indian mirror pillow on couch-Dragonfly Collections, Chicago; red silk and silver work pillow on couch-Cassona Home Furnishings, Chicago. Living room: Filipino wicker loveseat-Raphia, Miami Beach, Fla.; antique Irish chest-Sandwich, Ill., Antiques Market; Mexican yarn and Afghan bag- Edgewater Antique Mall, Chicago; antique lamp-Brownstone Antiques, Chicago. Bedroom: hat boxes -T. J. Maxx; wrought-iron bench-Chicago Antique Centre, Chicago; Mexican placemats sewn onto pillows-Pier One Imports; pink and orange pillow -Cost Plus; chenille pillow-Open Air Market, New York City; Indian turquoise pillow-Dragonfly Collections, Chicago; antique Afghan wall hanging-Edgewater Antique Mall Inc.

Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction or distribution is prohibited without permission.
Subjects: Antiques, Collectibles, Interior design
Document types: Feature
Column Name: INTERIORS
Section: Magazine
ISSN/ISBN: 10856706
Text Word Count 1047
Document URL:

News 2008 WBEZ

November 6, 2008
As part of the Eight Forty-Eight Morning Program, Steve Walsh interviews Bobbie Soeder and Paulette Eastman from Catalyst Ranch about Proposition 8 (same-sex marriage ban in California), gay “weddings” and commitment ceremonies.

Catalyst Ranch has been named to the Inc. Magazine's list of 5000 fastest growing private companies in America!

To bring it a little closer to “our home” we’re officially ranked #87 on the list of top 100 fastest growing companies in the great state of Illinois!

We're thrilled to be in the company of such giants!

Thank you to our clients for making it happen!

Focus Group Facility in Chicago
That Drives Real Insights

If you're looking for a focus group facility in Chicago that goes beyond a sterile conference room, Catalyst Ranch offers a dynamic, fully supported environment designed to help you gather deeper, more meaningful insights.

Located in Chicago’s West Loop, Catalyst Ranch specializes in hosting focus groups, user research sessions, and qualitative studies in spaces that encourage openness, creativity, and authentic feedback.

Whether you're conducting market research, testing concepts, or facilitating moderated discussions, our venue is built to support both your participants and your team—seamlessly.

Focus Group Discussion
Chicago Focus Group Facility PDF for Catalyst Ranch

Why Catalyst Ranch is a Top Choice for Focus Groups in Chicago

Not all focus group facilities are created equal. Many feel clinical or rigid—environments that can limit participant engagement.

Catalyst Ranch is intentionally different.

We create spaces where people feel comfortable speaking honestly.

  • Fully Furnished, Flexible Rooms – No blank-slate setup required
  • Distinctive, Comfortable Design – Reduces participant anxiety and encourages openness
  • Multiple Room Configurations – Ideal for breakout sessions, simultaneous groups, or workshops
  • Central Chicago Location – Easy access for both local participants and traveling teams
  • Dedicated Planning Support – Our team helps coordinate logistics so you can focus on insights

The result: better conversations, richer feedback, and more productive sessions.

Designed for Productive Focus Group Sessions

Running a successful focus group requires more than just a table and chairs.

Our space is built to support the full experience:

  • Moderated Discussions & Interviews
  • User Experience (UX) Testing Sessions
  • Consumer Research & Brand Studies
  • Workshops & Co-Creation Sessions
  • Multi-Day Research Programs

We provide the flexibility to adapt each room to your specific research goals—whether formal or highly interactive.

See our Virtual & Hybrid Meeting FORMATS

A Focus Group Facility That Feels Human—Not Clinical

Traditional focus group facilities can feel cold and transactional. That environment can impact the quality of feedback you receive.

At Catalyst Ranch, we take a different approach.

Our warm, eclectic interiors help participants relax and engage naturally—leading to more candid conversations and deeper insights.

It’s a subtle but powerful advantage for research teams who understand that environment shapes outcomes.

TOUR page / Floor Plans

Support That Makes Your Research Seamless

We know that planning a focus group involves many moving parts.

Our experienced team helps ensure everything runs smoothly:

  • Pre-event planning and room setup
  • Vendor coordination (catering, A/V, etc.)
  • On-site support throughout your session
  • Flexible scheduling options

You bring the research objectives—we help create the environment where insights happen.

Oh, and we have you covered for...
Catering - Lodging - Parking 

Conveniently Located Focus Group Facility in Chicago’s West Loop

Catalyst Ranch is located in one of Chicago’s most accessible and vibrant neighborhoods.

  • Easy access from downtown Chicago
  • Close to hotels, restaurants, and transportation
  • Ideal for both local participants and national research teams

This makes it simple to recruit attendees and host multi-day sessions without logistical headaches.

And, we are a GREEN Meetings and Events Venue!

Feel good about who your company does business with! The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) uses a 14 point check list when considering meeting and conference space, and we are proud that Catalyst Ranch meets and exceeds all applicable standards!

Learn More about our Green Meeting, Events, and Focus Group Practices

Book Your Meeting

Unique and Dynamic Focus Group Spaces and Options

Our variety of large spaces allows your clients to be right in the room with the consumers either actively interacting or quietly observing.

TOUR page / Floor Plans

Click on the images to enlarge.

Mambo & Foxtrot Respondent & Client Viewing Rooms:

Focus Group Viewing Room

Viewing Room

Focus Group Respondent Room

Respondent Room

Or, they can choose to be tucked away in their own private and super comfortable viewing room, watching all the action through mirrors. The rooms are flexible and can be tailored to your needs.

Our Spacious Focus Group Room Options and Capacities:

Jitterbug Focus Group Setup

Jitterbug – 35

Mambo Focus Group Setup

Mambo – 25

Foxtrot Meeting and Events Space for Rent

Foxtrot – 10

Focus Group Facility FAQs

What should I look for in a focus group venue?

Look for a space that supports comfort, flexibility, accessibility, and logistics. The environment plays a key role in the quality of feedback you receive.

Can Catalyst Ranch support multi-day research sessions?

Yes, Catalyst Ranch regularly hosts multi-day focus groups, workshops, and research programs with full planning and on-site support.

Is Catalyst Ranch centrally located in Chicago?

Yes, Catalyst Ranch is located in Chicago’s West Loop, one of the city’s most accessible neighborhoods. It’s convenient for both local participants and out-of-town research teams, with nearby hotels, restaurants, and transportation options.

What types of research sessions can be hosted at Catalyst Ranch?

Catalyst Ranch supports a wide range of research formats, including moderated focus groups, user experience (UX) testing, interviews, brand studies, workshops, and co-creation sessions.

Do you provide support for planning and logistics?

Yes, the Catalyst Ranch team offers hands-on planning support, including room setup, vendor coordination, and on-site assistance. This allows research teams to focus fully on their objectives and participants.

How many participants can your focus group facility accommodate?

We have room for anywhere from 10 to 35 participants. Catalyst Ranch offers multiple rooms with flexible layouts, allowing for both small, intimate groups and larger sessions. The space can also support simultaneous focus groups or breakout discussions.

Is catering available for focus group sessions?

Yes, catering can be arranged as part of your event. Providing food and refreshments can enhance participant comfort and engagement, especially during longer sessions.

How far in advance should I book a focus group facility in Chicago?

It’s recommended to book as early as possible, especially for multi-day sessions or peak times. However, Catalyst Ranch can often accommodate shorter timelines depending on availability.

Catalyst Ranch is a Chicago event venue located in the West Loop that hosts Focus Groups – as well as meetings and conferences, weddings, private events, and corporate gatherings. The venue is known for its colorful, fully furnished spaces and hands-on planning support.

How Catalyst Ranch Compares to Other Chicago Focus Group Facilities

When searching for a focus group facility in Chicago, you’ll likely come across a range of options:

When searching for a focus group facility in Chicago, you’ll likely come across a range of options:

Traditional Research Facilities
Offer one-way mirrors and built-in tech, but often feel sterile and restrictive.

Hotel Meeting Rooms
Convenient, but typically lack personality and flexibility for engaging discussions.

Coworking Spaces
Modern, but not designed specifically for moderated research or structured sessions.

Catalyst Ranch
Combines flexibility, comfort, and intentional design—creating an environment where participants open up and conversations go deeper.

Compared to Traditional Research Facilities

Examples:

  • Schlesinger Group Chicago
  • Fieldwork Chicago

How they compare:
Traditional research facilities are purpose-built for focus groups, often featuring one-way mirrors, recording capabilities, and controlled environments.

While these spaces are highly functional, they can feel clinical and formal, which may influence how comfortable participants feel sharing openly.

Catalyst Ranch difference:
Catalyst Ranch offers a more human-centered, welcoming environment—helping participants relax and engage naturally, often leading to more candid feedback and richer insights.

Compared to Hotel Meeting Rooms

Examples:

  • Hilton Chicago
  • Hyatt Regency Chicago

How they compare:
Hotel meeting rooms are convenient and widely available, especially for out-of-town teams. They provide standardized setups and on-site amenities.

However, they often feel generic and impersonal, which can make it harder to create an engaging atmosphere for focus group participants.

Catalyst Ranch difference:
Catalyst Ranch delivers a fully furnished, visually engaging space that sparks interaction and keeps participants more involved—without requiring extensive setup or customization.

Compared to Coworking Spaces

Examples:

  • WeWork Chicago
  • Industrious Chicago

How they compare:
Coworking spaces offer modern, flexible environments and are great for casual meetings or small team sessions.

But they are typically not designed for structured research, and may lack privacy, customization, or the atmosphere needed for moderated discussions.

Catalyst Ranch difference:
Catalyst Ranch combines flexibility with intentional design and privacy, creating an environment specifically suited for focus groups, workshops, and in-depth research sessions.

What is the best focus group facility in Chicago?

Catalyst Ranch is a top-rated focus group facility in Chicago, offering flexible, fully furnished spaces designed to encourage open discussion and deeper participant engagement.

Why This Matters for Your Focus Group

The environment you choose directly impacts:

  • How comfortable participants feel
  • How openly they share
  • The quality of insights you gather


Catalyst Ranch is designed to optimize all three—making it one of the most effective focus group facilities in Chicago for teams that want more than just a room.

Tour Our Spaces
BusinessRate Best of 2025 West Loop Gate Award in the Best Event Venue
Best Place in Chicago for Meetings and Events 2012
Best Place in Chicago for Meetings and Events 2013
Best Place for Small Businesses

Imagine more IDEAS with Catalyst Ranch!

Superb Customer Service

"The entire experience was amazing from the moment we walked in. The team that was on site was utterly superb customer service and just truly friendly. The food was all good and filling. The snacks were a nice mid-day sugar rush and loved how the fridge and beverages were stocked. We will definitely be seeing you again for more meetings in the space whether they come through me or my other team members that are based in Chicago.

Other small items that I have to mention which the team said several times throughout the days:

1. The bathrooms were beautiful and well sized
2. The entire space is a sensorial delight!

By the way you were right the room size was perfect and even a bit large but we used a lot of the break out spaces!”

- Nicole, Ipsos

Focus Group Discussion

Hassle Free

"Catalyst Ranch provided all the hassle free administrative aspects that you would want from a market research viewing facility with the size of rooms that you could only get at a hotel. The creative environment really helped our respondents to be fully engaged. Whilst the hotels can be very helpful and attentive, they less often ‘get’ our needs – you simply don’t get the same stress free experience that you do at the Ranch. At the Ranch there is certainly a ‘wow’ factor but it is a fun, accessible one; whilst waiting for the session to start, the surroundings give the respondents something to talk about and help break any awkwardness."

- Rachel Harsant, Mojo Brand Development

Excellent Results Each Time

"My design firm has conducted research in this space twice in the past few months. We love the space, and have gotten excellent results each time. The atmosphere is so much nicer vs. the usual, dull conference room space with the one-way mirror. The participants were so enthusiastic, which in turn made my team more enthusiastic. I think a lot of it had to do with the casual atmosphere, and the fact that they could see us, the people who were trying to learn from them. The food was excellent. I was very impressed. ”

- Stacy, Business Owner

Book Your Focus Group Facility in Chicago

If you’re planning a focus group in Chicago and want more than just a standard meeting room, Catalyst Ranch offers a space designed for real connection and better insights.

Let’s create an environment where your research truly works.

Contact us today to check availability and start planning your focus group.

SCHEDULE YOUR FOCUS GROUP
Chicago Focus Group Facility PDF for Catalyst Ranch