Behavioral Economics Today Podcast

Episoade

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  Episode 22: The Quiet Pressure: Why Financial Stress Is a Behavioral Challenge 17.09.2026 46min

  In the latest episode of Behavioral Economics Today, Hugh Massie had a conversation with Dr. Frances Rahaim, Founder of Hug Your Money, about the behavioral side of financial well-being and the quiet pressure that money can create in our lives.Drawing from her personal experiences and professional journey, Frances shares how our emotions, beliefs, habits, and life experiences can influence the way we think about and manage money.In this episode, they explore:• Why money is about more than financial knowledge and numbers• How financial stress can affect decision-making, relationships, productivity, and well-being• How childhood experiences can shape financial behaviors and beliefs• Why personalized guidance, accountability, and positive reinforcement can support lasting behavioral change• How conversations around purpose, values, and life goals can create a healthier relationship with money• Why financial well-being should go beyond education and tools to include practical support and human connection• The role of AI and human guidance in the future of financial well-beingThis conversation highlights why understanding the behavioral side of money is essential to helping people make better financial decisions and build greater financial well-being.
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  Episode 21: The Psychology of High-Stakes Disputes: How to Stay in Control 01.09.2026 49min

  In this episode of the Behavioral Economics Today Podcast, Hugh Massie has a conversation with Arthur Psaltis, Managing Director of VMG Capital, about the complex human, commercial, financial, and behavioral decisions involved in navigating high-stakes legal disputes.Drawing on their own professional and personal experiences, they discuss what can happen when individuals and businesses enter complex legal processes and why the decisions surrounding a dispute can be just as important as the legal case itself.They explore:• The human and emotional impact of high-stakes legal disputes• Why commercial and financial considerations can be overlooked during legal proceedings• The importance of maintaining control over decision-making throughout the process• How sunk cost bias, overconfidence, and emotions can influence critical decisions• Why decision mapping and clear decision gates should be established early• The risks and consequences that can emerge when a legal dispute continues for years• The importance of considering the broader impact on businesses, families, relationships, and personal wellbeingA key message from the conversation is that navigating a legal dispute requires more than a strong legal strategy. Individuals and business leaders also need to understand the commercial realities, financial risks, behavioral biases, and human consequences involved in every major decision.Tune in to discover why staying in the decision room, maintaining perspective, and understanding the full consequences of each choice can make a meaningful difference when navigating high-stakes disputes.
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  Episode 20: From Financial Statements to Financial Intelligence 13.08.2026 44min

  In the latest episode of Behavioral Economics Today, Hugh Massie had a conversation with Ruth King, Founder of Financially Fit Business, about the connection between financial understanding, human behavior, and better business decision making.They explore:• Why financial literacy is essential for business owners and leaders• How behavioral styles influence the way people interpret financial information• Why more than just numbers are needed to understand the financial health of a business• How visualizing financial data can help leaders ask better questions• The importance of understanding trends, margins, cash flow, and working capital• How different perspectives can lead to better decisions• Why understanding behavior is critical to making sound financial decisionsFinancial decisions are not based on numbers alone. How people interpret, understand, and respond to those numbers can have a significant impact on the decisions they make and the outcomes they achieve.Tune in to discover how combining financial intelligence with behavioral understanding can help business leaders make better decisions and build stronger, more profitable organizations.
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  Episode 19: Unique You: How Individuality Works and Why It Matters 30.07.2026 49min

  In the latest episode of Behavioral Economics Today, Hugh Massie had a conversation with Professor Nigel Nicholson, Emeritus Professor at London Business School and author of Unique You: How Individuality Works and Why It Matters, about why understanding individuality is more important than ever.They explore:• What shapes every person's unique individuality• The difference between identity and individuality• How character develops throughout life• Why individuality is essential for better leadership, relationships, and organizational success• The impact of social comparison and identity anxiety in today's world• How to embrace uniqueness while avoiding its potential pitfalls• Why unique individuality may become our greatest advantage in the age of AIAs technology continues to transform how we live and work, understanding what makes each person unique will be critical to better decisions, stronger relationships, and more human-centered organizations. Rather than replacing human potential, AI has the opportunity to amplify it when grounded in a deeper understanding of human individuality.Tune in now to discover why our greatest competitive advantage may not be artificial intelligence, but unique individuality.
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  Episode 18: From Data Warehouses to Decision Intelligence: The Next Evolution of Enterprise Data 16.07.2026 49min

  In the latest episode of Behavioral Economics Today, Hugh Massie had a conversation with Snehal Murudkar, Founder and CEO of Goldfriend Consulting, about why the future of AI depends on more than just data.They explore:• Why enterprise AI is only as strong as the data foundation beneath it• The critical role of enterprise data warehouses in the age of AI• Why more data does not automatically lead to better decisions• How semantic debt creates barriers to trust and effective decision making• Why organizations must move from managing data to creating shared meaning• How behavioral intelligence completes the missing layer in enterprise data• The future of decision intelligence powered by AI and human behaviorAs organizations invest in AI, success will depend not only on data quality and governance but also on understanding the human decisions behind the data. By combining strong data foundations with behavioral intelligence, organizations can unlock better decisions, stronger collaboration, and greater long-term value.Tune in now to discover why the future of enterprise AI starts with better data and is transformed by understanding human behavior.
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  Introductory Episode: The Next Frontier of Behavioral Economics 22.06.2026 41min

  In the Behavioral Economics Today Podcast pilot episode, Leon Morales had a conversation with Hugh Massie to introduce the vision and direction of the series.This episode explores the evolution of behavioral economics and its intersection with artificial intelligence, behavioral science, and human decision making. It highlights how behavioral data, personalization, and applied behavioral economics are shaping the future of organizations and advisory systems.Key themes discussed include:• The evolution of behavioral economics over the past decades• The shift from understanding human behavior to leveraging behavioral data at scale• The emergence of AI as a catalyst for behavioral personalization• Why behavior is central to all decisions, interactions, and outcomes• The importance of aligning quantitative data with qualitative human factors• The future of behavioral intelligence in organizations and leadershipHugh Massie shares his perspective on why behavior is everything and how organizations can unlock better decision making by understanding the human behind every data point. The conversation introduces the concept of behavioral data as “liquid gold” and its role in transforming personalization and economic outcomes.This pilot episode establishes the foundation for future discussions on behavioral economics, AI, leadership, and human-centered decision making.#BehavioralEconomics #Podcast #HughMassie #LeonMorales #AI #Leadership #HumanBehavior #DNABehavior #FutureOfWork
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  Episode 17: Human-Centered Financial Advice 14.05.2026 47min

  In the latest episode of Behavioral Economics Today Podcast, Hugh Massie had the privilege of speaking with Frank Corrado, Founder & CEO of Pivot Point, about why behavior should be viewed as the foundation of the entire advisory system.This conversation goes beyond theory and explores what happens when organizations design for real human behavior rather than assumptions.Key topics discussed include:• Why financial behavior is hardwired and most visible under stress• The gap between “knowing the client” and designing for real behavior• The concept of a Behavioral Operating Layer (BOL)• Why humanization, not personalization, is the futureOne of the most powerful insights from the episode:“Understanding does not lead to action. Design does.”If you are in leadership, financial services, coaching, or any field where decisions matter, this episode offers valuable insights into how behavior shapes outcomes.Tune in now and discover why the future of advisory systems starts with understanding human behavior.#Podcast #BehavioralEconomics #Leadership #FinancialServices #HumanBehavior #DNABehavior #HughMassie #PivotPoint #FrankCorrado
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  Episode 16: AI Adoption Must Stay Human First 23.04.2026 44min

  In the latest episode of Behavioral Economics Today, Hugh Massie speaks with Mark Stelzner, Founder of IA, about why successful AI transformation must remain human-first.They explore:• How leaders build trust during AI adoption• Why organizations must deconstruct how work really happens• The decision-making inflection points that shape transformation• The behavioral biases that derail changeThe future of AI isn’t about replacing humans—it’s about redesigning work so human judgment, trust, and curiosity become the real competitive advantage.#BETodayPodcast #HughMassie #MarkStelzner #AI #Leadership #BehavioralEconomics #FutureOfWork #DNABehavior
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  Episode 15: Trust Flow 09.04.2026 44min

  In the latest episode of Behavioral Economics Today, Hugh Massie had a conversation with Jeff Morris, creator of the TrustFlow™ Method, about how trust impacts team performance.They explore:• Micro-Trust Activations™• The 12 Cs of TrustFlow™• NeuroTrust and behavioral flow• How trust reduces friction and increases performance velocityIf trust lowers transaction costs, building it intentionally may be one of the highest ROI leadership investments.
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  Episode 14: The Hypocrisy Trap 26.03.2026 41min

  In this podcast episode, Hugh Massie interviews Michael Hallsworth, author of The Hypocrisy Trap, as they explore why calling out hypocrisy often feels righteous, but can quietly sabotage progress.Hypocrisy is not always a failure.Sometimes it is the price of learning, changing, and leading.Worth reflecting on, especially in polarized times.
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  Episode 13: Behavioral Portfolio Management 13.03.2026 46min

  In this podcast episode, Hugh Massei interviews C. Thomas Howard, CEO of Athena Invest, about his book Behavioral Portfolio Management, a thought-provoking challenge to traditional investment thinking.They explore why investors don’t actually experience risk as market volatility, but rather as loss, fear, and regret, and how portfolios designed without considering real human behavior often fail at the worst possible moments.Hugh and Tom also examine the limitations of Modern Portfolio Theory, the behavioral flaws of traditional risk tolerance questionnaires, and how goals-based investing provides a more practical framework for long-term success. They highlight the crucial role financial advisors play in helping investors stay disciplined and committed during periods of market turbulence.This episode is essential listening for financial advisors, investors, and institutional leaders who want portfolios designed for how people actually behave, not how theory assumes they should.
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  Episode 12: Golden Behaviors 26.02.2026 42min

  In this podcast episode, Hugh Massie and Sander Palm discuss the principles of behavioral economics, focusing on the concept of nudges and their application in health and decision-making.They explore personal experiences with habits, the role of environment in shaping behavior, and the importance of personalization in nudging strategies. The conversation also touches on the ethical considerations of nudging and how these principles can be applied in organizational change.
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  Episode 11: The Behaviorally Informed Insurance Company 12.02.2026 52min

  In this episode, Hugh Massie interviews Soraya Catoja and Ann-Kathrin Crede from Allianz to discuss how behavioral economics is transforming insurance and business decision-making. They share how Allianz built its behavioral insights unit and uses evidence-based strategies—such as simplifying communication and redesigning customer experiences—to drive measurable results, including increased digital adoption and strong business returns.They also explain how behavioral testing often challenges traditional assumptions, showing that more information or incentives do not always improve outcomes. The discussion highlights how leadership training, AI adoption, and digital transformation can benefit from behavioral science, emphasizing that successful innovation depends on aligning solutions with real human behavior.
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  Episode 10: Founders Keepers – Why Founders Are Built to Fail, and What It Takes to Succeed 12.12.2025 52min

  In this episode, Hugh Massie interviews Rich Hagberg, psychologist, long-time leadership researcher, and author of Founders Keepers. Rich shares deep insights gathered from decades of working with founders and executives, using psychological data, 360 assessments, and global leadership research to uncover why so many founders struggle as their companies grow.Rich explains that while founders are creative, independent, and visionary, they often lack the emotional intelligence, structure, and collaborative skills needed to scale a business. He highlights adaptability as the strongest predictor of founder success, followed by the ability to work through others and the willingness to establish systems and processes. Rich also emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, resilience, and mission-driven leadership—traits that separate high-performing founders from those who burn out. His upcoming book explores the founder’s inner journey and the personal growth required at every stage of building a company.
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  Episode 9: Using Synthetic Participants for Research 04.12.2025 43min

  In this episode, Hugh Massie speaks with Chiara Cappellini, Principal Behavioral Scientist at the Behavioral Science Group, and co-author of "A New Tool for Behavioral Scientists" in the Behavioral Economics Guide 2025.The Behavioral Science Group (BSG) is a specialist unit housed within the UAE’s Office of Development Affairs (ODA), mandated to use behavioral science to deliver positive social impact in the UAE and beyond.Chiara shares BSG’s research on using AI-generated synthetic participants—virtual models informed by demographic data—to help researchers test ideas and anticipate attitudes and behaviors. They discuss how this approach could make policy testing, public opinion research, and experimental design more inclusive, efficient, and timely, while also addressing where human studies remain essential and the ethical questions teams should consider.
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  Episode 8: One Nudge Is Not Enough 25.11.2025 49min

  In this episode, Hugh Massie speaks with Professor Jörn Basel from the Lucerne School of Business, co-author of “One Nudge Is Not Enough” in the Behavioral Economics Guide 2025. Jörn explores why isolated nudges rarely change long-term behavior — especially in sustainable tourism — and how combining behavioral design with structural, motivational, and policy measures can create lasting impact.Together, they discuss how to move travelers from intention to action, the role of boosts in building autonomy, and what behavioral science can teach us about designing more sustainable systems for the future. 
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  Episode 7: The Integrated Ideation Model for Data-Use Culture 18.11.2025 59min

  In this episode of Behavioral Economics Today, Hugh Massie sits down with Akinyi Odera and Ariam Hailemariam from ThinkPlace Africa to explore how behavioral science, human-centered design, and data innovation are transforming Ethiopia’s healthcare system.Drawing from their groundbreaking work on the Integrated Ideation Model, they discuss the cognitive, social, and emotional barriers behind data quality challenges and how solutions like the DataStars recognition model and the EYTA digital chatbot are reshaping motivation, leadership behavior, and real-time data use.Together, they unpack what it takes to build a true data-use culture, the role of intentional leadership, and how these insights can drive organizational transformation far beyond healthcare.
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  Episode 6: Preventive Screening and Habit Formation 11.11.2025 48min

  In this podcast episode, Hugh Massie and Deepak Patel discuss the intersection of behavioral economics and health, focusing on the Vitality program, which aims to improve health outcomes through innovative incentives and personalized approaches.Deepak shares his journey in the health sector, the importance of behavioral change in health, and how the Vitality program leverages data and machine learning to enhance member engagement and health outcomes.The conversation emphasizes the significance of understanding human behavior in designing effective health interventions.
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  Episode 5: What Lies Behind Our Behavior – An Approach to Understanding Human Decision-Making 04.11.2025 48min

  In this conversation, Juan De Rus discusses the evolution of understanding customer behavior through data insights. He highlights the limitations of traditional surveys and the need for incorporating unstructured information and behavioral insights to gain a deeper understanding of customer satisfaction and attitudes.
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  Episode 4: Behavioral Economics and Pay Practices 28.10.2025 34min

  In this episode, Hugh Massie and Minh Hua discuss the intersection of behavioral economics and workplace practices, particularly focusing on pay and bonuses.Minh shares his personal journey and insights into how understanding human behavior can lead to better decision-making in organizations.They explore the implications of bonuses on motivation, the importance of data in decision-making, and how empowering managers can lead to more effective pay allocation.The conversation emphasizes the need for self-awareness among employees and the role of behavioral economics in fostering a positive workplace culture.