Former CIA officer Andrew Bustamante introduces the concept of the economy of secrets, where every withheld thought and every shared opinion carries leverage. In this hidden system, those who understand the rules gain power, and those who don’t become easy targets.

00:00 The economy of secrets

01:00 The construct of fairness

03:30 Leveraging secrets

05:04 Different types of secrets

06:01 CIA’s classification of secrets

08:53 Information superiority

10:18 Using open questions

About Andrew Bustamante:

Andrew Bustamante is a former covert CIA intelligence officer and decorated US Air Force combat veteran. In 2017, he founded EverydaySpy.com, the first digital platform teaching real-world intelligence techniques to everyday people. Drawing from his 20 years running human and technical operations globally, Bustamante empowers individuals to break social, financial, and cultural barriers using proven spy skills. He's a Fortune 10 corporate advisor, cybersecurity expert, and author of "Everyday Espionage: Winning the Workplace and Social Game." Together with his wife Jihi, also a former CIA officer, Andrew hosts the EverydaySpy Podcast.