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In this episode, I sit down with my lifelong best friend Julia Fisher to explore behavioral science and startup investing. Julia transitioned from Senior Investment Analyst at Village Capital to pursuing her MBA at INSEAD. We discuss founder psychology, gender bias in VC funding (connecting to regulatory focus theory), and practical fundraising advice based on her experience with hundreds of early-stage startups.

Guest Bio

Julia Fisher is an INSEAD MBA with over 7 years of experience in impact investing. As a Senior Investment Analyst at Village Capital, she led six direct investments and supported over 300 impact-driven startups in raising pre-Series A capital. Julia has worked across sustainable finance, fintech ecosystem development, and microfinance initiatives in multiple countries, giving her a unique perspective on startup evaluation and investor psychology. Her work has particularly focused on addressing funding gaps for underrepresented founders, using data-driven approaches to reduce bias in investment decisions. 

Key Topics Covered

Successful Founder Traits:

• Coachability: ability to take advice and act quickly
• Resilience: managing entrepreneurship's emotional ups and downs
• Risk tolerance: embracing failure as learning
• Network building: start investor relationships 1+ years before fundraising

Gender Bias in VC:

• Connection to regulatory focus theory research
• Women's cautious language (prevention focus) vs. startup risk-taking environment (promotion focus)
• Solutions: structured due diligence to avoid biased questioning

Practical Founder Advice:

• "More dangerous to wait too long than start earlier"
• VC is overhyped - consider bootstrapping, grants, other capital sources
• Investment is "art not science" - heavily relationship-based
• 80-85% of VC goes to NYC/Boston/SF, creating opportunities elsewhere

Impact Metrics:

• Climate: CO2 emissions, biodiversity improvement
• Social: people reached, demographic breakdowns
• Early-stage: reach metrics often more feasible than outcome data

Bootstrapping vs. VC:

• Bootstrapping: keep equity, maintain control, flexibility
• VC: scale faster, access networks
• Trade-off: 2 years bootstrapped vs. 4-6 months with investment

Key Insights

• Average founder age is 40s, not 20s
• Entrepreneurship is inherently social - build ecosystems
• Early-stage focus: prove you can make money vs. perfect product
• Current market (2025): funds deploying slower than 2020-2021

Connect with Julia

• LinkedIn: Julia Fisher

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy, we dive into the messy, fascinating world of human behavior in product design with behavioral product manager Yael Mark. From military intelligence to tech consulting, Yael brings a rare lens to how we build digital experiences that truly work for real people.

Yael shares how her time building internal platforms in the Israeli military shaped her understanding of friction, user resistance, and behavior change—even in highly controlled environments. Now, she applies behavioral science to help product teams design user journeys that feel intuitive, motivating, and deeply human.

We explore her approach to mapping messy decision flows, why context matters more than motivation, and the behavioral design tweak that drove a 1,400% increase in user engagement.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why user resistance exists even when you “control” the environment
• How Yael approaches product flows with behavior in mind (and without analysis paralysis)
• Why it’s not enough to reduce friction—you need to understand why it exists
• The small UX copy tweak that drove dramatic engagement in a cybersecurity platform
• How behavioral science complements qualitative user research (and why interviews aren’t enough)
• How to use behavioral insights to focus your testing and prioritize product changes
• Why framing matters more than friction—and how to use both to drive outcomes

Featured Guest: Yael Mark

Yael is a behavioral product manager and consultant with a background in military intelligence and behavioral science. She previously led product at Cyberbit, where she drove 14x engagement through behavioral interventions. Today, she helps health tech and mental health companies build more effective, human-centered digital experiences. She’s also a contributing writer at The Decision Lab and a bold, beloved voice on LinkedIn, known for breaking down behavioral science with humor, honesty, and heart.

Connect with Yael

• LinkedIn – Yael Mark
• Yael’s Newsletter

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy, we explore the future of branding, identity, and influence with Kai D. Wright—brand strategist, Columbia lecturer, and author of Follow the Feeling.

Kai shares insights from his research into 1,500 fast-growing brands and introduces the LAVEC framework (Lexicon, Audio, Visuals, Experience, Culture)—a systems-thinking approach to building emotionally resonant brands that thrive in noisy, complex markets. We also explore the ACE method (Activate, Condition, Execute), his new personal strategy for navigating change, building resilience, and owning your voice in an AI-driven, creator-powered world.

Whether you’re a strategist, behavioral scientist, UX researcher, or creative entrepreneur, this episode is packed with frameworks, real-world stories, and practical strategies to help you elevate both your career and your personal brand.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• Why today’s most successful brands feel more like rituals than campaigns
• How to apply the LAVEC framework to both brands and personal presence
• What Peloton, Duolingo, and Liquid Death can teach us about emotional connection
• Why communities—not companies—are now the center of brand power
• How to “ACE” your next move and future-proof your career
• The most common mistake smart people make when building a personal brand
• How to turn failure into feedback and momentum in the creator economy

Featured Guest: Kai D. Wright

Kai is a global brand strategist, educator at Columbia Business School, and author of Follow the Feeling: Brand Building in a Noisy World. He was named to the Thinkers50 list of top global business thinkers and has helped shape the growth of brands like American Express, Merck, Ford, and IBM. His upcoming book Hotshot: How to ACE Change helps professionals navigate change with clarity and creativity.

Resources & Mentions

• Follow the Feeling on Amazon (also available on Audible, Spotify, and Apple Books)
• How to Hack Brand Building in a Noisy World (for methods behind the LAVEC framework)
• Ipsos Study: The Power of You
• SXSW Talk: Brand Building in the Age of AI (start around minute 33)
• Brand Builder Lab – Kai’s LinkedIn newsletter for creative strategy

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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In this episode, we explore the intersection of behavioral science, habit formation, and AI with Samuel Salzer—behavioral strategist, founder of Habit Weekly, and co-host of The Behavioral Design Podcast.

Sam shares how he went from studying finance in Australia to becoming a leader in digital behavior change, impacting over 350 million users worldwide. We talk about the science behind habit formation, the story behind Habit Weekly, and practical ways behavioral scientists and researchers can work smarter with AI—without losing their unique perspective.

We also dive into Sam’s recent benchmarking study of 20+ AI tools for literature reviews and explore what behavioral scientists can bring to the evolving AI landscape.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

• How Sam helped his mom build a 100-day meditation habit (that stuck for 15+ years)
• Why behavior change starts with stable context, not motivation
• The origin of Habit Weekly and how it grew from a LinkedIn post
• How to use AI as a brainstorming partner and productivity tool
• What to look for (and avoid) in AI-powered research tools
• The "Human-AI Sandwich" method to keep your work grounded
• Four ways behavioral scientists can add value in an AI-driven world

Featured Guest: Samuel Salzer

Sam is a behavioral strategist and one of the leading voices in applied behavioral science. He founded Habit Weekly, the world’s largest behavioral design newsletter, and co-founded Nuance Behavior, a collective helping teams apply behavioral science at scale. His work spans digital health, sustainability, finance, and AI.

Resources & Mentions

• Habit Weekly Newsletter
• Nuance Behavior
• The Behavioral Design Podcast – Season 3 is all about AI
• Nuance Behavior's AI tools benchmarking report 

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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Teams are shrinking, AI tools are multiplying, and suddenly, it feels like anyone can call themselves a researcher. But what gets lost when businesses over-automate the human side of insight? And how do real researchers stay valuable in a world that’s moving this fast?

In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy, I sit down with Adam Paton Stanley-Smith, CEO and co-founder of an AI research startup, to unpack the real risks and opportunities of this moment. Adam’s journey from the US Marine Corps to research tech gives him a unique vantage point on what companies get wrong—and how to get it right—when integrating AI into their insights practice.

Episode Highlights

• The Changing Role of the Researcher: How AI is empowering more teams to reach the voice of the customer, and what that means for traditional research roles
• Risks of Over-Automation: Stories of companies that cut research teams in favor of AI and suffered the consequences
• Research as Strategy, Not a Deck: Why actionable insights require context, critical thinking, and storytelling
• The Human Edge in an AI Era: How researchers can stay indispensable by moving from analyst to strategist
• Career Resilience in a Shifting Industry: Navigating layoffs, new tools, and the push toward cross-functional, flexible roles

About Adam Paton Stanley-Smith

Adam is the CEO and co-founder of Meaningful, a startup helping organizations quickly analyze and act on qualitative data. His unconventional career spans military service, geopolitical risk, and research tech entrepreneurship, giving him a rare perspective on how AI can support (but never fully replace) human insight.

Resources Mentioned

• https://www.meaningful.app/
• Connect with Adam on LinkedIn

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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In this episode, I’m joined by Thomas Stokes, UX research thought leader and co-founder of Drillbit Labs consultancy.

Together, we explore the state of AI adoption in UX research today—from the hype in job postings to the real, uneven use on teams—and how practitioners and leaders can take a more principled, intentional approach.

We also dig into quantifying UX impact (even when metrics are elusive), evolving career paths in a changing market, and practical, mindset-shifting ways researchers can prepare for an uncertain but opportunity-rich future.

Episode Highlights

• Meta-Research on UX Trends: How Thomas and Drillbit Labs analyze job postings and industry signals to uncover emerging practices and gaps in AI adoption.
• The Paired Framework: Drillbit Labs' principles for AI integration (Principled, Accountable, Initiated, Reviewed, Enabled, Documented) designed to help teams use AI intentionally, ethically, and securely.
• Best Practices for Researchers: Concrete tips like using “articulate antagonist” prompts to avoid sycophantic AI outputs and foster critical thinking.
• Measuring Impact and ROI: How researchers can think about quantifying their influence, even without direct business metrics, and Thomas’s approach to making ROI calculations accessible.
• Future of UX Research Careers: Navigating uncertainty in a changing job market, the possible shift in researcher-to-designer ratios, and the enduring need to understand human interaction with technology.
• Career Development Advice: Thomas’s three-pronged approach to skill-building: Know what interests you, observe what’s in demand, and learn through informal mentorship.

About Thomas Stokes

Thomas is the co-founder of Drillbit Labs, where he and Lawton Pybus help clients make research-led decisions about digital strategy and share their investigations into the UX research field itself, from AI integration trends to advanced methods for demonstrating research impact.

Connect with Thomas Stokes

• LinkedIn: Thomas Stokes
• Newsletter: Depth by Drillbit Labs
• Website: Drillbit Labs

Resources

• How AI is Changing User Research Jobs  
• Use of AI in UX 
• Bad Research Doesn't Stink 
• Research Impact Framework 
• Calculate ROI for UX Research 

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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What happens when you've spent over two decades in UX research—witnessing everything from eye-tracking rigs strapped to foreheads to today’s AI-powered research tools?

In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Cawthon, founder of Gauge and a true OG of the UX world. Nick has worked with some of the most innovative companies on earth, taught data narratives at the California College of the Arts, and spoken at Google, Stanford, and NYU. His vantage point is rare: he’s lived the transformation of UX from its messy beginnings to a discipline that’s now grappling with the promises (and perils) of AI.

Together, we explore not just how UX research has changed, but what’s at stake as the field faces layoffs, AI hype, and questions about its human core. This episode is a deep dive on why staying connected to real people—and asking the right questions—still matters more than ever.

Episode Highlights

• From Subjective Art to Systematic Discipline: Nick explains how UX moved from design as personal expression to a research-driven, standardized practice—and why that shift was essential for business impact.
• The AI Elephant in the Room: Nick reflects on how AI is changing UX research, from building searchable repositories to threatening the human connections that drive real insights. Why we need to be critical, but also learn to use these tools wisely.
• Risks of Over-Reliance on AI: A frank discussion about the industry's push to replace real conversations with synthetic users—and why that’s a mistake that threatens strategy and product outcomes.
• Staying Relevant in a Rapidly Changing Industry: Advice for researchers on cultivating curiosity, flexibility, and an openness to new tools—without losing sight of foundational humanist skills.
• CX vs. UX: What's the Difference?: Nick clarifies the distinction between customer experience and user experience, and why both matter for delivering meaningful products and services.
• Adapting to Industry Change: We discuss the current job market, the importance of networking in a world of algorithmic hiring, and why human connection is more critical than ever.

About Nick Cawthon

Nick Cawthon is the founder of Gauge, a consultancy that helps companies de-risk their product development through a human-centered research approach. He has over 20 years of experience in UX, has taught in California College of the Arts’ MBA program, and has been a featured speaker at Google, Stanford, NYU, and more. He’s passionate about reframing research work from selling services to delivering real business outcomes.

Resources Mentioned

• Dead on Arrival Framework 
• Just Enough Research by Erica Hall

Connect with Nick Cawthon

• LinkedIn: Nick Cawthon

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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Before Season 2 launches this fall, I’m planning something a little different: a special Q&A episode.
And I’d love to include your voice in it.

If you’ve ever had a question about:
 – Perfectionism or impostor syndrome
 – Being the only behavioral scientist on your team
 – Career transitions, whether you’re leaving academia or just feeling stuck
 – Or even how to make behavioral science land in the real world...

Now’s your chance to ask. I’ll be answering your questions and reflecting on what I’ve learned this season—plus giving a little preview of what’s ahead.

To submit a question:
 Just DM me on LinkedIn or email me at [email protected].
 You can write it out or even send me a voice memo if you want to be featured.
 Deadline is June 6th!

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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What makes a space feel right? Why do certain environments help us thrive while others drain our energy? And how does our intuition—not just logic—guide us in career transitions?

In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Beams, founder of Highstone & Co., to explore the psychology of home design, career decision-making, and the courage to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Stephanie started her career in New York’s fashion industry before following her intuition into interior design and launching her own business. Now, she helps people create spaces that support well-being, productivity, and creativity—using insights from psychology, neuroscience, and nature.

We dive deep into:
🔹 How to know when it’s time to make a career pivot—and how to overcome fear
🔹 Why successful entrepreneurs rely on intuition as much as strategy
🔹 The science of Neuroaesthetics—how spaces affect our brains, stress levels, and focus
🔹 Why natural elements like plants, textures, and light can transform a home (and a mindset)
🔹 Practical design tips for anyone feeling uninspired in their space
🔹 Lessons from entrepreneurship—biggest wins, failures, and what Stephanie would do differently

Key Takeaways:

✨ Great design is psychological – It’s not just about looks; it’s about how a space makes you feel.
✨ Your environment shapes your productivity – Small changes can dramatically shift your energy, creativity, and mindset.
✨ Taking the leap isn’t as scary as it seems – If you’re considering a major career pivot, Stephanie’s journey is proof that intuition and calculated risk can go hand in hand.

About Stephanie Beams:
Stephanie is the founder of Highstone & Co., where she designs consciously curated interiors that enhance well-being. Her background in fashion, psychology, and Neuroaesthetics gives her a unique perspective on how people connect with spaces. When she’s not designing, she runs a boutique farm with her family in Orange County, NY—bringing nature’s principles into her work and lifestyle.

Resources Mentioned:

• Book Recommendation: Beauty, Neuroscience & Architecture: Timeless Patterns & Their Impact on Our Well-Being - Donald H. Ruggles, AIA

Connect with Stephanie:

🔗 Instagram: Highstone & Co
🔗 Portfolio and website: Highstoneandco.com 

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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What does it mean to stay human in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence?

In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Smallman, founder and CEO of Working Voices, whose decades of work with global organizations (JP Morgan, Sony, Barclays, Goldman Sachs) has focused on improving leadership, communication, and engagement in times of profound change.

Now, he’s turning his attention to the individual. His forthcoming project, The Sustainable Human, is a training program designed to help people reclaim their agency, humanity, and purpose in the face of accelerating tech and cultural shifts. Together, we explore how we can thrive—not just survive—as the lines between human and machine get blurrier.

Episode Highlights

• The Sustainable Human: Nick dives into his newest project, a training program that gives people the essential skills that they need to boost confidence and improve relationships in a fast-changing world.
• Mission-Critical Soft Skills: Why empathy, creativity, and adaptability are essential in an AI-driven world.
• The Risks of Transhumanism: How to avoid a dystopian future and keep technology in service of humanity.
• Thought Experiments for the Future: Envisioning the risks of over-reliance on technology and creating a better path forward.

About Nick Smallman
Nick Smallman is the founder of Working Voices, where he’s spent 25+ years training leaders in communication, inclusion, and engagement. His new initiative, The Sustainable Human, is a call to action—for people to reconnect with their values, with others, and with what makes them uniquely human.

Resources Mentioned

• The Sustainable Human (Nick Smallman’s forthcoming program)
• How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
• Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkemam
• Stolen Focus by Johann Hari

Connect with Nick Smallman

• LinkedIn: Nick Smallman

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Get in Touch

Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.