In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer welcomes Steve Phillips, CEO of Zappi and co-author of The Consumer Insights Revolution. Steve shares his extensive experience in consumer insights and discusses the evolution of the field, emphasizing the importance of leveraging technology and AI to enhance decision-making processes in organizations. Melina and Steve explore the challenges companies face in understanding consumer behavior and the high failure rates of new product launches. They explore how Zappi aims to transform the consumer insights landscape by providing faster ..read more

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer welcomes Eva van den Broek and Tim den Heijer, co-authors of the intriguing new book, The Housefly Effect. Join the conversation as they explore the fascinating concept of how small, seemingly insignificant factors can have a profound impact on behavior—much like the annoying buzz of a fly that suddenly demands your attention. Eva, a behavioral economist and founder of Behavioral Insights Netherlands, shares her expertise on applying behavioral science to improve public policy, while Tim, a creative strategist and founder of Brain C ..read more

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer engages in a thought-provoking conversation with Eric Johnson, a leading expert in choice architecture and behavioral decision-making. They explore the critical elements of choice and how the way options are presented can significantly influence decision outcomes. Eric, a faculty member at Columbia Business School and director of the Center for Decision Sciences, shares insights from his extensive research, including the implications of defaults, the paradox of choice, and the importance of framing in decision-making. Gain a deeper ..read more

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer is joined by Dr. David Daniels, a Presidential Young Professor at NUS Business School, as they dive into groundbreaking research on the value of gender diversity in companies. David discusses his extensive work that quantifies the impact of workforce gender diversity on company performance, revealing that a mere 1% increase in gender diversity can lead to significant financial gains—up to $152 million for tech companies and $18.7 million for financial firms. The conversation explores the long-standing debate around the business case ..read more

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer dives into the essential topic of setting up experiments in your business. While many organizations may shy away from testing due to intimidation or lack of experience, Melina shares her top tips to make experimentation accessible and effective. Drawing from her own academic and professional journey, she emphasizes the importance of small, focused tests that can yield significant insights without overwhelming your resources. Listeners will learn how to design experiments that provide clear evidence of what works and what doesn't, mo ..read more

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer welcomes Oliver Burkeman, author of the New York Times bestseller 4000 Weeks: Time Management for Mortals and the newly released Meditations for Mortals. Oliver shares his insights on embracing the finite nature of life and how recognizing our limitations can lead to a more fulfilling existence. Throughout the conversation, Oliver and Melina explore the themes of productivity, time management, and the pursuit of happiness. They discuss the importance of accepting our limitations, the power of making decisions, and the benefits of fo ..read more

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer dives into the psychology of setting and achieving goals. As the new year resolutions may start to fade, this episode offers a timely reminder and practical guidance to re-energize your goal-setting process. Originally aired in October 2019, the episode provides insights into setting "brainy goals" and the steps necessary to not only achieve but exceed them. Melina outlines three essential tips for setting and achieving brainy goals: defining and limiting your goals to three, breaking them down into small steps, and saying no to dis ..read more

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer is joined by Barry Conchie and Sarah Dalton, co-authors of The Five Talents that Really Matter. Barry and Sarah share their extensive research on leadership effectiveness, revealing the five key talents that drive extraordinary performance. Their work, based on studying over 58,000 executive leaders, aims to dispel the myths in leadership literature by focusing on traits that truly predict high performance. Barry and Sarah share the importance of talent assessment in the hiring process, emphasizing how innate talents are stable, res ..read more

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer is joined by Dr. Agnis Stibe, a renowned expert in behavioral economics and transformation design, to explore the concept of hyper performance. Agnis shares insights from his work, including his involvement with the innovative company, The Littery, which uses behavioral economics to turn litter into lottery tickets, and discusses the Stibe Method for achieving hyper performance by removing psychological obstacles to success. Melina and Agnis dive into the role of artificial intelligence and technology in enhancing human performance ..read more

In this episode of The Brainy Business podcast, Melina Palmer is joined by Ann Chow, the former CEO of AT&T Business, for an insightful discussion on what it means to "lead bigger" and how to incorporate inclusive leadership in today's evolving work environment. Ann, who made history as AT&T's first woman of color to hold the CEO position, shares her experiences and the lessons she learned throughout her 30-year career in telecommunications and technology. Ann delves into the importance of understanding the different aspects of one's identity and how they contribute to effective leader ..read more