- S5E5: Ying Zeng - Ratings, Risk and the Psychology of Choice
On this episode of the Leeds Business Insights podcast, host Claire Stewart speaks with Ying Zeng, assistant professor of marketing at the Leeds School of Business, to unpack the hidden biases and mental shortcuts that shape consumer decision-making.
Ying explains why tasks feel most exhausting near completion—because people track percentage completed rather than total effort—and suggests batching chores to experience this "end drain" only once. She breaks down common online review biases, revealing how price and platform norms distort ratings, and offers practical strategies for making smarter purchases.
The conversation also explores AI as an emerging decision shortcut for complex purchases, the hidden appeal of risky products, and why marketers must simplify their messaging for "lazy" consumers. Finally, Ying outlines a framework for distinguishing short-lived fads from lasting market trends.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
AI as a tool to reduce cognitive burden
10:39: If you're very tired with shopping, you probably want to take shortcuts, and that's just human. One shortcut people take is using branding information, brands. People have brands that they trust, and they don't think about other things like price, like other consumer reviews, like the product specifications. There are other shortcuts people use. For example, simply relying on ratings. That's another shortcut that starts when the reputation system establishes. Now we have another shortcut that we can also customize for our own needs, which is AI. So, if you are someone who cares, who has all these principles when you select a product, AI can be a tool to help you reduce these cognitive burdens.
On simplifying consumer decisions
13:21: Do not overestimate how sophisticated your consumers are. Consumers are lazy. Consumers are not that intelligent. I am lazy. I am stupid. I am a consumer. So, for business and for marketers, the key part for us to design a successful product or to design something that consumers love is to help them simplify their decisions.
AI as the next trend
20:06: Now I think artificial intelligence is probably the next trend because it has all the features of what we call general-purpose technologies. It has this feature of potentially nurturing new industries, potentially nurturing new ideas, and it has this feature of potentially having this feedback loop of reinforcing itself.
SHOW LINKS:
S5E5 - 21m - Aug 26, 2026 - S5E4: Dave Allen - Embracing AI and Student-Led Innovation
On this episode of the Leeds Business Insights podcast, host Claire Stewart talks with Dave Allen, the CEO of Pure Fishing for Sycamore Partners as well as a Leeds alumnus and Dean’s Advisory Board member.
Dave describes his career path from landing his first job with Unilever to leading turnarounds, emphasizing a strategy of cutting invisible costs, reinvesting in brand building and innovation, strengthening culture, and assessing talent. He cites social media as one seismic consumer-products shift, requiring hyper-local, nimble marketing across platforms.
Dave also says AI in business has turned out more to drive efficiency than replace jobs and encourages businesses and students to “just start.” He details a CU internship partnership that paired business and engineering students to solve marketing and efficiency use cases, including YouTube optimization and AI storyboarding, generating major view gains and $1.9M savings that the organization used to hire full-time AI staff to continue these trends. Dave and Claire also discuss the outdoors industry and what makes it unique.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
An advice for people intimidated by AI
08:10: [Claire Stewart] Is there any advice that you might give to businesses that are kind of intimidated by AI, and they don't know how it's going to impact things?
08:17: [Dave Allen] Start. Just start. You know what? Some things will work, some things won't work. You'll find your own rhythm. I think where we started, you know, it was really around efficiency. How do we go and save money? And I think where we've evolved is, you know, to be able to push it more towards growth. So how can we leverage it to be able to be, you know, drive faster innovation, better innovation, and drive more sales across more channels. So, our journey has sort of taken us through efficiency and now into growth, but I think the most important part is just get started.
AI is a real gift
07:17: I would encourage people to think about AI as a real gift. So they've grown up with AI in a way that, you know, you and I haven't, right? So they've thought about AI in terms of how they approach everything probably since, even the tail end of high school for the batch of seniors that we have right now. And if you take a look at it, you know, if you're probably over 26 or 27 years old, you might as well be 50, because you really haven't used the tool that often. And so I think their ability to be able to take it, solve problems, but also be able to go and then teach a whole generation of people within an organization how to use it, how to leverage it, will give them a huge competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Why CU graduates stands out
16:07: Part of the beauty of CU, I think, is not only the in-class experience, but it's all the other things that CU and Boulder has to offer. And so I think that, you know, I find a lot of those students are really high on the EQ side, and that's a huge differentiator and really important, for people in terms of how far they can go in their career.
SHOW LINKS:
19m - Jul 29, 2026 - S5E3: Mallory Decker - The Collaboration Penalty: Why All-Women Teams Face Unique Workplace Hurdles
On this episode of the Leeds Business Insights podcast, host Claire Stewart talks with Mallory Decker, a Leeds School of Business doctoral candidate in organizational behavior and former U.S. Navy helicopter pilot who served 11 years on active duty, including tours in the U.S. House of Representatives and at NATO.
Mallory explains how being one of the few women in naval aviation and often the only woman in high-level NATO meetings motivated her to study gender and teams at work. She shares research on gender pay gaps showing that not only do individual women face pay-gap challenges in male-dominated workspaces and industries, but women also face a “collaboration penalty,” driven by perceptions that women’s groups threaten the male-dominated status quo.
Claire and Mallory discuss implications for organizational transparency and accountability. Mallory outlines her three-paper dissertation and offers valuable advice on why prospective PhD students should pursue programs aligned with their research interests.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
What inspired Mallory to study organizational behavior?
03:05: I was very often the only woman in the room where these large international decisions were being made. And it really struck me as being, "Man, I thought we had come so far as women." And I just realized there were still so many structural issues in place that I did not realize when I graduated college and was going off to enter the workforce. So, over the course of these 11 years serving in the military, I realized, "Hey, these are issues that I am always interested in reading about. These are issues that I kind of have an opinion on based off my experience, and these are things that I really think could be improved and that I would be excited to try to help change." And yes, I could see myself studying these things for the rest of my life.
Advice for those who want to pursue a PhD
16:44: Make sure you really want to do research, because that is what you do in the PhD program. It does require a lot of self-motivation, initiative, drive, and persistence to keep wanting to come back when you are getting negative feedback and being told your paper is not good enough for this journal, and you need to go rerun the experiment another 10 times before maybe it will work or you will find anything interesting. So it does take a lot of dusting yourself off and getting back up from it, and you have to really enjoy the process and not just the outcome if you are going to get into it.
What did her research find about how all-women groups are perceived and penalized?
11:17: So we found that when women work in exclusively all-women work groups, so teams of all women versus teams of all men, the gender pay gap gets worse. So when men work with all men, their pay increases. When women work with all women, that pay gap gets bigger than if they just worked alone, and their pay was taken into account just as a solo employee. And we found, we tested through some online experiments, that this was because groups of women presented a threat to an existing status quo in male-dominated workplaces that solo women workers did not present, and that male workers, either alone or in the same groups, did not present. So we found that when women work together, they present a threat of competition that they do not present when they work by themselves, and that led to lower pay.
SHOW LINKS:
S5E3 - 18m - Jun 24, 2026 - S5E2: Shay Har-Noy - Empowering Entrepreneurs: Insights from Techstars
Today on the Leeds Business Insights podcast, our host, Claire Stewart, sits down with Shay Har-Noy, the managing director of Techstars Boulder. Shay’s enthusiasm for entrepreneurship is undeniable, and he is responsible for raising the fund, recruiting companies, and working with the world's best founders.
Shay and Claire discuss Shay’s path from his education through founding his first company, having it be acquired, leading Uber’s Colorado tech facility, working at Spire through its NYSE listing, and, most recently, joining Techstars to relaunch in Boulder. He explains Techstars’ return after COVID-era consolidation, the renewed, dedicated Boulder fund, and the accelerator model: hundreds of applicants vying for 8–10 slots, a $220,000 investment, a 12-week program, software perks, and access to a global investor network and a 10,000+ founder network.
Shay emphasizes how it’s never been easier to start companies with AI, but many businesses shouldn’t be venture-backed, and he describes the types of businesses he sees being successful and how they can best be ready for the challenges. Shay outlines investability and makes a compelling pitch for Techstar’s upcoming in-person cohort, with applications due June 10 for a September start.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
Why this is the best time to start a company
07:09: It's never been easier and more accessible for people who are exceptional founders, who are passionate about their problem space, who understand and empathize with their customers' pain points. There's never been a better time for them to start a company. And so what's interesting now is a lot of the conversations that I have with founders isn't, “Is your company a nice one or not a nice one?” It's, “It can still be something that VCs wouldn't invest in that would still be a great company for you.”
Making Colorado the best place in the country to build a company
11:57: I think Colorado is a really special place. My goal is to make Colorado, to put it back on the map, and to help contribute to it being on the map, to be the best place in the country to build a company. Okay. There's places with more investors. There's places on the coast with more entrepreneurs. I've lived in both of these places, okay? I think what we have is an amazing ecosystem of business leaders, of mentors, of entrepreneurs, where the culture is such that we are working closely to make these companies successful. And I haven't seen that in many or any other place, where there's just the right density of talent, just the right density of funding, and absolutely the right density of mentorship and support for these companies. And that's unique to where we are now.
Techstars Boulder is not just software as a service
15:48: Techstars Boulder is not just software as a service, right? It's not just software companies. It's also companies that have solved deep technical problems that are bringing them to market. And so now you're like, "Hey, if you squint really hard, Shay's got three jobs, right? Attract, select, and accelerate," right? One, two, three. And this is how CU can help me with, with the talent pool and with the applicant pool, with the selection, and with the acceleration.
SHOW LINKS:
28m - May 27, 2026 - S5E1: Tony Kong - Balancing Humor, Gratitude and Appreciation at Work
Welcome back to Season 5 of the Leeds Business Insights podcast! This season, we welcome Claire Stewart to the hosting chair as she continues to bring you conversations with some of Leeds and Colorado’s brightest voices.
Today, Claire sits down with Tony Kong, professor of organizational leadership and information analytics at the Leeds School of Business. His research examines how we can enable people to take actions intended to benefit others.
How can humor factor into today’s workplace productively? How can the effects of appreciation and gratitude multiply in a workplace? How do you identify opportunities in business for creativity and innovation?
Tony and Claire discuss Tony’s background and academic journey, as well as his personal journey moving from China to the United States, and navigating the differences between the two cultures. Tony explains how his research has led to his understanding of humor, and how it can function both in and of itself, and within the workplace. Tony also shares his findings on how appreciation can be shown to employees in meaningful ways and lets us in on his musical side, and history with singing, revealing his go-to karaoke songs. Take a listen and join us back here for a new episode every month.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
The role of humor in trust
03:34: Humor can build trust between two individuals or build high-quality relationships among people. Humor can also trigger positive emotions. So people actually feel happy. All of that can lead to a range of benefits in the workplace, such as job performance, organizational citizenship behaviors, creativity, commitment, et cetera.
On establishing trust in the workplace
10:12: One thing managers always assume is, more trust is better. So, my research actually shows that before building trust, people actually need to think about their self-esteem at work. If a manager gives a lot of trust toward an employee, and the employee does not have really high self-esteem at work, then that trust becomes heavy. It can become a psychological burden. It actually disengage the person who received the trust.
Humility as a habit for professional growth
15:37: One habit I would recommend every professional to have is being humble and expressing humility. Like, express your humility. Listen to other people, appreciate other people's strengths and contributions. Of course, everybody has weaknesses, but let us take a look at other people's bright side, like, what they can do for the organization and then for other folks.
SHOW LINKS:
S5E1 - 21m - Apr 29, 2026 - S4E10: Meghan Van Portfliet - Speaking Up: The Role and Realities of Whistleblowers
What are the societal benefits of whistleblowing? What practical advice is there for those considering speaking up within their own organizations on how to best shed light on an issue without exposing themselves to retaliation? How do people become whistleblowers without even knowing it at the time?
Meghan Van Portfliet is an assistant teaching professor at the Leeds School of Business. Her research focuses on whistleblowing and organizational ignorance.
In this episode, Meghan starts by defining what organizational ignorance is and what constitutes whistleblowing. Meghan and Maria discuss the spectrum of risk involved in whistleblowing, and Meghan outlines the potential retaliations whistleblowers might face. She also emphasizes the importance of legal and PR support, media coverage, and how organizations can foster a culture where employees feel safe to report wrongdoing. The discussion highlights the societal benefits of whistleblowing and offers practical advice for those considering speaking up.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
Why do societies need whistleblowers?
16:09: We, as a society, want whistleblowers to expose the wrongdoing that is happening within organizations because there is information asymmetry between organizations and the public. And that speaks again to organizational ignorance. Some of that is fine. We do not want to know everything that is going on. We do not need to know everything that is going on in organizations. But because organizations can slip — they can cut corners, they can cover things up that they think will damage their reputation — they can be incentivized by the wrong thing or be structured the wrong way and have it very easy for people to be engaging in fraud, things like that. We, as a society, benefit from whistleblowers speaking up about this.
How teams can foster a speak-up culture
22:38: If you can catch a problem before it goes public, you are saving yourself money, reputation. It is good for organizations to have whistleblowers, right? Like, we want them. And so, just a little award or a recognition or something like that goes a really long way to showing other people, like, "Hey, we care about this. This is something that we want in our organization, and this is something that we celebrate here." And that does set the culture for, "I am not afraid — that something is going to be done."
What is strategic organization ignorance?
00:45: Strategic organizational ignorance is ignorance that can be produced and sustained deliberately by organizations in ways that serve institutional goals, deflect responsibility, or maintain plausible deniability. So basically, it is the way that organizations use ignorance to achieve their goals, which are sometimes goals that are fine, goals that we are okay with as a society, but oftentimes, goals that are ones that we, as a society, do not want them to be pursuing.
SHOW LINKS:
S4E10 - 23m - Jul 30, 2025 - S4E9: Rich Wobbekind and Brian Lewandowski - Colorado's Economic Landscape: Cooling Growth and Future Prospects
What implications do consumer business and confidence have on the future of economic growth? How does fear of the unknown come into play with tariffs taking effect, and how will that play into the Federal Reserve’s stance on interest rates?
Richard Wobbekind is the Associate Dean for Business and Government Relations at Leeds School of Business, and Brian Lewandowski is the Executive Director of the Business Research Division at Leeds School of Business.
In this episode, Maria talks with Richard and Brian about the current state of the economy. Despite the cooling of Colorado's economy after years of robust growth, there are reasons for cautious optimism. They discuss the impacts of national policy changes, tariffs, and inflation on both the U.S. and Colorado locally. Colorado has seen slower growth in key economic metrics and migration rates, impacting sectors like housing and job market dynamics. Nevertheless, resilience in job growth, positive wage trends, and new business formations show bright spots.
This conversation was recorded on June 12, 2025 and does not reflect any economic news or developments since that date.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
On Colorado’s current economic conditions predictions
28:18: [Richard Wobbekind] We're not in a recession, and we don't think we're going into a recession. We do think a slow growth environment is very likely, but it's a growth environment.
When expectations shape the economy
16:41: [Brian Lewandowski] I think I am cautiously optimistic. I don't think things are all rosy. I think there's many risks that we're keeping an eye on in the economy right now. And personally, I think there are more risks to the downside right now, especially when we think about Colorado. We have some unique exposures to some of the changes happening right now. We may not be as exposed to the tariffs, but I think we are perhaps more exposed in Colorado to the federal restructuring. We have a high concentration of federal labs in Colorado. We have federal space and defense institutions and Colorado that are perhaps at risk. And then our universities receive a lot of federal funding for early-stage research that is also at risk right now. So, I think there certainly are downside risks that we need to be keenly aware of.
Why do tariffs matter?
07:19: [Richard Wobbekind] When we think about them from, sort of, broad macro policy, tariffs impact the supply side of the economy. They raise the cost of production in the economy. And supply-side inflationary types of issues that tariffs would fall into are very difficult to address with policy.
Looking at Colorado’s slower population growth as a general concern
06:17: [Brian Lewandowski] Colorado is a state that, for most of its statehood, has had positive net in migration, meaning that more people are moving to the state than moving away from the state. It's rare for Colorado to have net out migration, but for the past few years, we've had very slow migration to the state.
And that's important. And it's a concern because many of those people who are coming to Colorado from other states or even other countries are already trained…[06:56] So, it ended up filling the vacant jobs that we had in the state and fueling a lot of the growth that we've had in Colorado. So, we look at Colorado's slower population growth and slower net migration as a general concern.
SHOW LINKS:
S4E9 - 29m - Jun 25, 2025 - S4E8: Jeremiah Contreras - From Fear to Future: Embracing AI in Education and Business
AI is everywhere, sparking both excitement and anxiety, especially in education. But what if we shifted our perspective from fear to partnership?
Jeremiah Contreras is an assistant teaching professor and the Kala and Shiv Khatri Endowed Faculty Scholar at the Leeds School of Business. Jeremiah is also at the forefront of incorporating the newest AI technologies into business school education across various disciplines.
In this episode, Jeremiah shares his journey into AI, his early experiences with OpenAI's GPT, and using AI in the classroom. Jeremiah and Mariah also discuss the Leeds AI initiative and how AI is being integrated into core business courses to prepare students for the future job market. As a daily user of AI technologies for several years, Jeremiah has developed tactics and techniques for using AI openly and transparently with his students to foster trust in it as a powerful tool to help efficiency when used correctly. The conversation also touches on the Colorado AI Act, the future of AI in various industries, and Jeremiah’s advice for newcomers exploring AI technology.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
Why AI literacy is essential for success
[04:18] AI isn't necessarily just a topic. It's really embedded in everything we do, and it's becoming more and more so. And so, what we decided to do is we have 15 core business classes, and so we made sure that we're adding AI into every single core class that all of our freshmen and sophomores take.
What does it mean to use AI effectively?
[06:11] I would say that it's treating it as a partner, more than a doer. And so, it's a collaborative effort. There's a saying that AI could be reversed and you could call it IA or “intelligence augmented.” And so, when we use it to augment our intelligence, not replace our intelligence, I think that's when it's the best partner.
On preparing students to lead with technology
[16:18] Education oftentimes is a bit lagging. When it comes to incorporating technology. I think we really have an opportunity to help become part of the leadership, as far as predicting and foreseeing what can happen and almost being an incubator space to test some of these business ideas and help students grow these skills so that, when they enter the workforce, they're able to help these companies grow.
How AI boosts productivity in business
[14:39] What this new AI era is doing is businesses are having to really rethink, where can I use it? I think one obvious place is increasing productivity. So, when it's used as a thought partner for people or to create PowerPoint slides as an example, when it's used to make you more efficient, you still own as an individual, as a worker, as an employee, I would still own the judgment. I would still own the product and the output, but I have an assistant or I have a partner who can help me become that much more efficient.
So, in that case, it's definitely changing how people do their jobs.
SHOW LINKS:
- Learn AI Fundamentals with Google AI Essential | Google Course
- MCP vs API: Simplifying AI Agent Integration with External Data | YouTube Video
- AI Explained - YouTube Channel
- Jeremiah Contreras | LinkedIn
- Jeremiah Contreras | Leeds School of Business Profile
S4E8 - 26m - May 28, 2025 - S4E7: Scott Sternberg - The Quantum Wave: Technology, Growth, and Colorado's Role
2025 has been designated the International Year of Quantum by UNESCO, marking 100 years since the creation of quantum mechanics. In that century, the ideas have moved from laboratories and lecture halls to everyday products and a wide general understanding of some principles. How can businesses position themselves to take advantage of the opportunities quantum will create going forward?
Scott Sternberg is the executive director of the University of Colorado Boulder CUbit Quantum Initiative. Scott has an extensive background in leadership and business development, and has a strong commitment to encouraging the long-term sustainable growth of the initiative and Colorado’s quantum economy as a whole.
In this episode, Scott explains the basic principles of quantum science and its evolution over the past century. He highlights how recent advancements have led to practical applications like quantum computers and sensing technologies that promise to revolutionize various industries. With a focus on Colorado's leading role in quantum research and economic development, Scott and Maria talk about the goals and strategies of the CUbit Quantum Initiative. He also emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, student engagement, and community awareness to foster growth in the quantum economy.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
Quantum, explained simply
[01:05] So the word quantum actually relates to the physics or the mathematics that occurs at the very, very small scale—that is to say, at the scale of atoms or even at some atomic levels. And when you start to observe what is happening in terms of the interaction between light and atoms, or atoms with other atoms, you start to see a very different behavior than what we experience in what we call the macroscopic world. So, as we throw a ball and it follows an arc and someone catches it on the other end, we're very in tune with exactly the physics that dominates that trajectory. But when you go into the atomic level and the subatomic level, things behave much, much differently. So, about a hundred years ago, this observation of this new world was starting to come into view, and there was a whole new mathematics around what we call quantum mechanics that was created.
Quantum’s around us
[05:46] Quantum's around us; you may not realize it, but it's this recent awareness that the impacts to society from quantum computing have really brought this to the forefront for conversation.
Why Colorado needs to be at the center of this innovation hub
[09:18] We have been recognized by the Economic Development Administration through a technology and innovation hub grant that was submitted by an organization called Elevate Quantum as the tech hub for quantum science in the nation. And so, it's this long history that we have—investing in fundamental science, growing into engineering, growing into the interdisciplinary spaces in the other colleges and departments—that has spawned these companies to come out that have kind of taken traction here in the region. And that was, quite frankly, the core of our argument as to why Colorado needs to be at the center of this technology and innovation hub.
SHOW LINKS:
S4E7 - 22m - Apr 30, 2025 - S4E6: Ryan Heckman - From Olympic Slopes to Entrepreneurial Success
What does it look like to move from a life of intense athletic competition into the realm of business? What aspects of being an athlete translated well into entrepreneurship, and what strong career motivation can be derived from understanding a simple bell curve?
Ryan Heckman is a two-time Olympian, Leeds Business School Alumnus, and a longtime entrepreneur. Ryan co-founded Rallyday Partners, an investment firm dedicated to providing holistic support to company founders and their employees, where he serves as CEO and managing partner.
In this episode, Ryan discusses his unique career path to the world of private equity. Ryan shares personal anecdotes about his college journey, career challenges, and his midlife crisis-turned-awakening that led to the founding of Rallyday. He emphasizes the importance of integrating left brain, right brain, heart, and soul in business, and how Rallyday Partners is shifting the paradigm within the private equity industry through its focus on humanizing the journey and fostering aggressive humility among its leaders. Check out this fascinating conversation.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
The higher the goals the greater the humility
[12:11] The higher we set our goals, the more humility we generally have because the chances of you reaching those goals are very slim. And so, I think I've shown up, particularly the last 10 years, with a great deal more humility because of the audacity of the goals that I had established for myself seems so farfetched most of the time.
What differs Rallyday from traditional private equity firms?
[14:48] “We lead people. We don't manage assets.” And what I mean by that is the objective is obviously professional. We want to create a lot of value, but the journey is very personal, you know. Whether it be for the CEOs that we partner with or their executive teams, the middle managers, the employees, they're showing up at our workplace. And we treat that like the privilege that it is. And our obligation is to not manage them. No one likes to feel managed. We want to earn their followership, and we want to be their leaders and take them personally to places they didn't think they could before meeting us and take their companies even further because they're growing so much as individuals. And so, when we talk about what we do for a living, it's all about humanizing that journey very personally.
What does it mean to be aggressively humble at the same time
[15:51] I think that everybody at Rallyday strives to be two things at the same time. We strive to be aggressively humble. And what that means, there's a lot of people that I know who are super aggressive and super not humble. I also know people that are really humble, but typically not very aggressive. And so, we look for this duality of character. And, you know, as it turns out, it works because there's nothing more special than someone that is both of these things at the same time.
SHOW LINKS:
S4E6 - 33m - Mar 26, 2025 - S4E5: Rebecca Mitchell - Aligning Intentions and Actions: Enhancing DEI in Organizations
Recent events have put more of a spotlight on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and its role in all organizations. What can research tell us about how these initiatives affect institutions, and what could change were they not in place?
Dr. Rebecca (Becca) Mitchell an Assistant Professor of Organizational Behavior at the Leeds School of Business at University of Colorado Boulder. Her research seeks to understand how organizations can improve the effectiveness of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion practices, and how time influences team hierarchy and team affective processes.
Becca breaks down key concepts in DEI, explaining visible “surface level” and invisible “deep level” diversity characteristics. She provides insights into each facet of DEI, including the historical and theoretical background, and how the elements work together. The conversation explores Becca’s research motivations, inspired by her personal experiences and desire to create better organizational environments. Maria and Becca talk about cross-training, mentoring, and social accountability, and Becca presents some of her research findings on affective diversity—the mix of emotional states in teams—and employee resource groups, emphasizing the need for strategic alignment and community building.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
How diversity, equity, and inclusion intersect today
[04:53] Diversity is really beneficial, but we get the most out of diversity when we also have equity and inclusion. If we don't have those pieces in place, then we really can't realize the full value of the diverse perspectives that we have in the room.
Navigating the gap between DEI intentions and impact
[06:54] One trend that I've noticed recently is more research is happening on what we call performative diversity management. I'd like to think that a lot of it isn't that folks are not committed to DEI, but maybe just don't have the resources or the confidence to do it well. So, I think there's a lot of work on initiatives that maybe sound really good but, in practice, don't actually do a lot.
Why a diverse team needs both positive Paulas and negative Nancys
[24:17] What we found is that teams really benefit from having both—like what I call the positive Paulas and the negative Nancys on the team, right? We want both of them on our teams because the people with positive emotions, we found, really help us to seize opportunities. So, we're seeing those opportunities and going after them. We're taking those risks. And then, our negative Nancys are helping us be a little bit more cautious. They're helping us bring things back in and recognize where there might be some threats or pitfalls in our environment. And so, that combination really helps teams navigate complex tasks that require a bit of both, right? We want to be taking risks, but we also don't want to be too risky in our decision-making.
SHOW LINKS:
S4E5 - 31m - Feb 26, 2025 - S4E4: Olivia Omega - Navigating Personal Brands and Professional Growth
It’s never too early to start building your personal brand and to be aware of the social footprint you are creating. Why does it pay to get specific when it comes to your own branding, and what ways can you maximize your brand for your professional growth?
Olivia Omega is a personal branding specialist, author, and the Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at the Denver Scholarship Foundation. er upcoming book shares a title with her new podcast, Through Her Eyes.
Olivia shares how to be intentional about building your brand, sharing her journey from CU Boulder to her career in marketing, and how developing her personal brand was integral. Olivia clarifies common misconceptions about branding, defines what a personal brand is, and explains why a personal brand is relevant in both entrepreneurial and corporate settings. Olivia also provides practical advice on how to start building a personal brand. Additionally, Olivia and Maria discuss Olivia’s advocacy for diversity and inclusion and her collaboration on a generational memoir with her daughter.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
What truly is branding?
[02:08] Brand goes so far beyond visuals, logo, colors, photos; I think that's a lot of the fun stuff that people like about what a brand is, but a brand is sort of this gathering of emotions, promises—we call them value propositions—qualities, tangible versus more emotive, are perceptions. It could come in the area of sounds even that all come together to make up how much we're willing to pay for, champion, support one thing, one brand, over another.
Lessons Olivia is learning from today's youth
[18:20] I have learned that young people, this current generation, are so incredibly inclusive and empathetic—way more than I think my generation was at that age or is now. And so, it's a breath of fresh air to see that. I also think that this current generation and young people are extremely ambitious in their dreams and imaginative in what they want to do and where they think they can go. Because we have this world of social media and influencers, we've seen people go from no one to someone over what appears to be overnight. We've seen people make their dreams happen. And so, I think they have that—the example in the visual of what that could look like. And so, their dreams are real. Sky's the limit, which I definitely, truly admire.
Examining who you are through the lens of other people helps build your personal brand
[09:52] Find the person—there's probably usually one or two people—that you truly feel like you could be yourself around and that know you really well, and ask them to describe who you are; ask them to write down words that describe you. Because a lot of times, we can't see our differences because it's us, and we live with us every single day. And so, stepping outside of our body can be hard, and you'll learn a lot when you start asking these questions about just really the impact you have on people's lives and how you make them feel.
SHOW LINKS:
S4E4 - 21m - Jan 29, 2025 - S4E3: Jason Bennett Thatcher - Managing Tech Overload and Technostress
Technology is an integral part of work for most of us, but it’s also an undeniable cause of workplace stress. So how can we avoid burnout and start trying to find balance?
Jason Bennett Thatcher holds the Tandean Rustandy Esteemed Professorship at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder and researches how the interaction of people and technology change the world we work in
Jason explains how the interaction of people and technology affects work dynamics. Maria and Jason cover different types of technostressors like techno-overload, techno-invasion, and techno-ambiguity, as well as strategies to manage these different stressors. The discussion also delves into the impact of remote work, the importance of setting boundaries, and how employers and employees can take proactive steps to mitigate stress caused by technology.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
Understanding technostress and why stress affects everyone differently
[05:24] We were really interested in this core set of five variables that are looked at in technostress, like techno-invasion, techno-complexity, and whatnot, and how combinations of those led to job satisfaction and burnout. What was really cool about the study was that we found that, for every person, it's not the same. So, it's different combinations of stress that result in different outcomes for different people. And this was a really important thing, even though it's a very simple finding, right? Because what it lets you think about, as a manager, is, okay, what do I need to give my employee to manage the specific set of things that they're facing that result in them feeling more or less stressed out?
On the different types of technostressors
[02:02] There's this general idea that just all the ways the technology touches me is technostress in general. And then you have different consequences, like, you have techno-overload where technology makes me feel like I have too much going on. I have techno-invasion where I feel like the technology is letting people intrude into my life and it's causing me stress. I can have ambiguity introduced by technology. So, before, I knew what I was doing, and now I have all these competing demands placed on me, which makes me feel harder. So, this ambiguity about what I should be doing, or I may even have, like, techno-conflict where I feel like I'm getting competing demands sent to me by different people at the same time, or I have different technologies asking for different things.
What are the biggest barriers to reducing workplace stress caused by technology?
[19:43] I think one of the barriers is really establishing healthy patterns for your communication because we're habitually… this came into our lives; none of us were trained. We set up these high-speed, 24/7 cultures. We said, “Hey, go work anywhere you want to,” but the tax for that was, “Be available all the time.” We've got to change that culture. We've got to become much more mindful, a little bit slower so people can get that reflection and the release from constant pressure so that they can actually do good work. Because what we know is if you're not super busy all the time, you feel better and you do higher-quality work.
SHOW LINKS:
27m - Dec 18, 2024 - S4E2: Jamie Saunders - Innovative Approaches to Attainable Housing
This episode is all about attainable housing, and how innovation may be able to help first-time home buyers with new options.
Jamie Saunders is a Leeds MBA alumna and the founder of Affix Communities, a startup with a mission to create new ways for potential home buyers to become homeowners. Jamie was inspired by her sister's struggles with fluctuating income and rent increases, shifting from architecture to developing innovative, smaller homes in Colorado for people also struggling.
Jamie explains how the concept of prefabrication, creative land use, and designs that allow for short-term rental income can help make housing more affordable. This episode delves into zoning laws, the housing market, and the strategies being implemented to address the affordability crisis. Jamie also outlines what her company's future could look like, aiming to create a replicable system for developers nationwide and foster accessible homeownership.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
On innovative paths Affix is taking to affordable homeownership
[19:37] One thing that we learned that was kind of mind-boggling while we were doing all of these interviews of potential homebuyers is that it came up again and again that younger folks, they're like, I would love to offset some of the cost of my mortgage by renting out a room, maybe not all the time, maybe just occasionally, maybe just on weekends, whatever works for them. But it did come up quite a bit that that's something that the younger buyer is interested in. So we listened to that, and we designed our pilot home with an area in the back that can be locked off that has its entry bedroom and a private bathroom. So that enables people to make the decision if they want; they can just lock off that area and rent it whenever they want.
How Affix is trying to create affordability in housing
[20:29] There's only two ways to make housing more affordable. The most common way that we see right now is through government subsidy. That's what people usually think of when they hear “affordable housing.” And in that scenario, a house is built, same house, same materials, same, in a lot of cases, almost the same finish quality, even. And then the government will just pay for a portion of the construction costs, which makes the end product cheaper to the consumer. That is not the way that Affix is trying to create affordability. We're trying to create naturally occurring affordability, which means that we are looking for innovative ways to build, more affordable ways to build the actual construction costs, basically. And land costs themselves are actually lower. So, we're not using any kind of government subsidy to accomplish this.
On the impact Jamie hopes to create for Affix in the coming years
[24:32] In five to 10 years, my hope is that we've created a system that can be replicated by developers across the country. And I'm really hoping that we can all work together to bring real starter homes back to America. I think, historically, homeownership has been one of the top ways that Americans have built wealth for themselves and for their families. And that's something that everyone deserves access to. I think there are a lot of developers out there who share my opinion on that. And I think if we all work together, we could really make a big difference in this.
SHOW LINKS:
S4E2 - 26m - Nov 27, 2024 - S4E1: Ethan Poskanzer - The Politics of Truth: Exploring Moral Flexibility
Our guest’s latest research is focused on how voters relate to the concepts of truth and factuality, and how personal moral values tend to drive voters more than facts.
Ethan Poskanzer is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Leeds School of Business at the University of Colorado Boulder. Ethan studies how organizations can select and connect people to develop innovative ideas and is particularly interested in how the opportunity to innovate can be democratized and made more inclusive.
In his second appearance on the show, Ethan joins our new host Mariz Kuntz to chat about the latest paper he co-authored. We’ll dive into how moral flexibility influences political parties and challenges the efficacy of fact-checking, and ultimately shows us how across political parties, people are more similar than they are different.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
How can we improve our political environment?
[16:55] In the political environment, it would be better if we tried to support candidates who we thought would conduct themselves in a way conducive to the American political system we want to see. Which I would say, frankly, it's not that easy, because I think there's always shades of these behaviors going on, but it's a new variable in my “who am I going to support?” equation.
Politicians reflect what voters reward
[17:44] As voters, I think the point of a democracy is that politicians are going to do what gets them votes, so we're going to get the things that we have demand for in the world. And so, if you say that, hey, there's too much distrust in politics, and there's too much misinformation in politics, you probably shouldn't vote for a candidate to do that because that's going to keep happening. I think this is a case where the politicians do what is rewarded by the voters, so we have the power to kind of create a political environment.
Seeking leaders who value facts over political agendas
[12:08] We see that politicians are not really penalized for saying things that aren't true. And politicians generally are going to do what gets them votes. So to an extent that we want to see this stop, the voters have to hold politicians that do this accountable and not vote for them.
SHOW LINKS:
S4E1 - 19m - Oct 30, 2024 - Season 4 - Trailer
The fall semester is well underway and we are BACK with a brand-new season of Leeds Business Insights!
We know it’s been a minute since we gave you new episodes, and we’ve made a few changes. First, we have a new host, Maria Kuntz! Maria is an inclusive communications and marketing professional, storyteller, and now—podcast host!
In Season 4, we’ll continue to explore the challenges and opportunities facing business leaders and share LBIdeas, key takeaways and actionable insights from each episode.
So meet us right back here on October 30th, and on the last Wednesday of every month. In the meantime, check out past show episodes already available on your favorite podcast platform.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
1m - Oct 23, 2024 - S3E10: Brian Higgins - Sales Is Really About Building Relationships
Our guest today says sales is all about helping buyers make informed purchase decisions and giving them the information they need. But there is so much more nuance behind that simple definition, and what goes on in the day to day of a salesperson.
So we are thrilled to be discussing applicable lessons from sales that can be useful for any professional with Brian Higgins, a Teaching Assistant Professional at Leeds Business and sales and business development executive.
Brian joins host Amanda Kramer to talk about misperceptions many have about working in sales, the art of a good conversation, surprising skills taught in sales courses at Leeds, and the unique mentorship opportunities available here.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor for sales students at Leeds, and have 5 years experience employing a sales process with good results, we would love to have you reach out! You can email Brian directly at Brian.Higgins@colorado.edu to learn more.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
The illusion of good and bad personalities
[00:10:02] You know what's interesting is that we suffer from this illusion that we have good personalities and bad personalities. There really is no such thing as a good personality and a bad personality. It's that I have a certain kind of personality, and you have a certain kind of personality. And if we're going to get along, we're probably going to need to flex a little bit so that, you know, we can come together in the middle.
The value of building relationship in sales
[00:02:54] I think what's important is that people understand that no matter how well you communicate, if you don't have the ability to develop some relationship with a person or the people you're selling to, your ability to communicate is not going to be very valuable.
On understanding how to sell
[00:08:12] Even though you may not be employed to sell, understanding how to sell and understanding what's important in order to sell yourself or your ideas can be very, very helpful in your life.
Questions are powerful
[00:14:54] Questions are so powerful. The ability to ask questions that are purposeful and meaningful puts the focus on the other person. It's not about us. It's more about you. Tell me about this. Tell me about that. So the ability to ask questions in a conversation is incredibly powerful.
SHOW LINKS:
Brian Higgins Faculty Profile at the Leeds School of Business
S3E10 - 21m - Jul 19, 2023 - S3E9: Brock Weatherup - You Don’t Get Lucky If You Don’t Work Hard
Brock Weatherup is a Leeds alumnus and consumer growth board executive, three-time Exit Startup CEO founder, multi-billion dollar C-suite leader, an active early-stage investor.
He was a dedicated startup guy, who went from churning out successful businesses in the pet food & wellness industry, to receiving a diagnosis that changed the entire course of his life.
In this episode, he sits down with host Amanda Kramer to discuss his accomplishments, reflect on getting diagnosed with multiple sclerosis just 18 months ago, finding comfort in risk, and diving into opportunities even if you don't feel 100% prepared.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
Take the risk and embrace the knowledge that comes with it
[00:25:24] If you don't take risks and don't take stride, you don't know what will happen in life. And it doesn't have to be necessarily a medical thing, but all those other things—how are you going to end up and what are you going to do with it? And the reality is: take the risk and embrace the knowledge that comes with it.
How do you build your comfort with risk and live with a risk forward mentality?
[00:13:06] If you have that personal infrastructure and the intentionality in your life, those two things allow you to find success if you're willing to be open for it. But you have to be ready to go do that and know that, hey, things fail all along the way. Okay. How are you going to get out of it?
On finding the right support system
[00:10:56] Find the people that are supportive, and by supportive, it doesn't mean people who are like, "Yay! You're the best Brock." It doesn't mean that it's the people who are truly there for you and care about you genuinely.
SHOW LINKS:
S3E9 - 24m - Jul 5, 2023 - S3E8: Alix Barasch - Crafting Immersive, Enjoyable Experiences
So much of our free time is consumed with posting on social media, sharing our day to day lives and crafting a personal narrative or brand online. But how is the effecting our day to day lives, and is it effecting our possibility to truly live in and experience the moments were in?
Today we are discussing the intersection between technology and consumer experiences with Alexandra Barasch, an associate professor at the Leeds School of Business.
She sits down with host Amanda Kramer to talk all about what makes customers enjoy their experiences, how companies can then create experiences that make consumers more immersed or more engaged in the moment, the pros & cons of 5G and more immersive content, as well as posting posed vs candid photos.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
Authenticity is always the winning strategy
[00:27:30] Authenticity, in my view, is always going to be a winning strategy. How to do that is changing. How to signal that you care about that depends on the segment, it depends on the technology, but it's always going to be what people care about.
How do you find the most genuine content?
[00:19:25] You want to let consumers speak for you. In order to do that, you have to be able to let go. You have to be able to not have full control over your content, and that is how you get the most genuine, authentic content that consumers are sharing and really believe in the product and the brand, and other consumers can judge that very well.
Reducing frictions leads to better conversions
[00:16:46] Reducing friction is only good when consumers are ready to process it, ready to act, and this is going to also lead to better tracking of conversions, better data and metrics, and analytics as well.
You can't compare one social media or type of technology to another.
[00:18:18] There's no one social media or type of technology that's better or worse than the others. It's about the selection effects, where certain types of consumers—younger consumers and consumers that are more technologically savvy—are able to embrace and engage with more varied and diverse formats and more interactive content.
SHOW LINKS:
Alixandra Barasch Faculty Profile at Leeds School of Business
Alixandra Barasch - Google Scholar
S3E8 - 26m - Jun 21, 2023 - S3E7: Ethan Poskanzer - The Gender Gap in Predicting Entrepreneur Success
In this episode, we are discussing innovation and inclusivity in entrepreneurship with Ethan Poskanzer.
Ethan is an Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship in the Leeds School of Business, and studies how organizations can select and connect people to develop innovative ideas and how the opportunity to innovate can be democratized and made more inclusive.
Host Amanda Kramer sits down with Ethan to discuss his latest research: the science behind matching entrepreneurs and mentors, some striking data in how gender factors into mentor/mentee relationships, and what we can learn from pitch evaluation & sequencing.
Leeds Business Insights Podcast is a production of Leeds School of Business and is produced by University FM.
EPISODE QUOTES:
Why do entrepreneurs need to stick to their convictions?
[00:07:38] One thing that I would encourage entrepreneurs to do is stick to their convictions about what they need help with and to reach out to people who they think can help them, because they know what's going on under the hood more than other people do.
Gender differences in funding referrals
[00:17:42] Women mentors are about equally likely to make a referral for a man, entrepreneur, or a woman entrepreneur. But men mentors were much more likely to make referrals for men. So that meant that through those same-gender relationships, men had greater access to this super coveted resource of introductions to investors and the opportunity to pitch their businesses for funding.
Something to keep in mind in the entrepreneurial process
[00:24:31] That's something important to keep in mind that an organization is designing a process to select new ideas to fund an investment that you think of. We need to be really careful about defining the criteria that we're going to use to select this.
SHOW LINKS:
Ethan Poskanzer Faculty Profile at Leeds School of Business
S3E7 - 24m - Jun 7, 2023
