Brands aren’t selling to your brain, they’re selling to your biases.

In this eye-opening episode, Kelly Siegel sits down with behavioral science strategist and author MichaelAaron Flicker to break down how billion-dollar brands influence your choices without you even realizing it.

From why expensive products “feel” better… to why Spotify Wrapped is viral crack… to how Red Bull, Starbucks, Apple, and Kraft hack your psychology, this conversation exposes the real science behind persuasion, pricing, attention, and loyalty.

MichaelAaron also reveals how small businesses can use these same tools ethically to grow without massive budgets. If you’re a founder, leader, marketer, or creator, this is a must-listen masterclass on human behavior and the hidden forces shaping your decisions.

Key Takeaways

🟥 Emotion drives most decisions,not logic.

🟥 Pricing, simplicity, and nostalgia hack the human mind.

🟥 Spotify Wrapped = data + comparison + identity = addiction.

🟥 Small businesses win by testing, simplifying, and using proven psychology.

(00:00) Intro

(01:38) Behavioral Science & Data Mining

(04:48) The Weak Force of Marketing

(07:23) Breaking Price Comparison

(12:58) Why Flaws Make You More Likable

(19:22) Price Signaling: Expensive Equals Better

(29:57) Using AI for Small Business Growth

(45:28) Loyalty Fallacy

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