Speaking – Matt Wallaert

I believe that speaking is an incredibly important part of how knowledge is shared in the world. It has survived millennia and countless educational revolutions because there is nothing quite like hearing someone both knowledgeable and passionate about a topic. Having given hundreds of talks, I still find it energizing. Here are the guidelines for where I choose to speak:

Talk Types. I am happy to speak at both in-person and virtual events but do require that there is a way for me to interact with the audience; if virtual, this can be a Q&A platform, chat, local microphone, etc. My talks are interactive by nature and I generally refuse most “talk at”-style events. Talks range from 30-60 minute keynotes to several hour or day workshops, depending on the audience and goals.
Applied Behavioral Science. I exclusively give talks about applied behavioral science, often applied to a specific context. So, for example, I would decline an invitation to talk about “Being a Male Ally in Diversity and Inclusion” but would agree to talk about “Using Applied Behavioral Science to increase Inclusive Behaviors”.
Speaker Diversity. If you claim to be selecting speakers on merit and still end up with an overrepresentation of white males, you are implicitly saying you believe that white men are simply better than others. I don’t believe that and suspect you don’t either. So I will not speak at your event unless you have created an inclusive environment with a diverse speaker set; benefits like on-site childcare make me much more likely to participate and are a potential place to redirect fees (see below).
Fees: In lieu of speaker fees, I ask that you donate to VIP Mujeres or a similar domestic violence prevention program in your area; typical donations range from $10k-$50k depending on event type, but I also give free talks depending on the audience, topic, and diversity commitment. I’d rather you spent money providing on-site childcare then paying me. If your event is in-person, you cover travel (economy flights, a hotel without bedbugs, a plate of good nachos). I also accept small, unique gifts for my son Bear, who loves to be involved.

If your event meets the above requirements, simply reach out to team@mattwallaert.com and my team will work with you to coordinate details.

Bio

For almost 20 years, Matt Wallaert has been applying behavioral science to practical problems. After leaving academia, his career as an executive lead from startups (Thrive, Churnless) to the Fortune 500 (Microsoft, CapGemini) and back again, before founding BeSci.io (Behavioral Science in organizations), where he and the world’s most experienced behavioral science leaders help companies grow applied behavioral science capabilities within their organizations.

These days, he is the Chief Experience Officer (CXO) at Oceans, helping to bring high-quality job opportunities to international markets so that talented people don’t have to emigrate to grow.

In his book Start At The End and other writings, as well as hundreds of talks from the UN to SXSW, Wallaert details how the cycle of behavioral strategy, insights, design, and evaluation can help us build products and services that change behavior. From the janitor to the CEO, his approachable frameworks show how everyone can incorporate behavioral science into what they do, no PhD required.

Wallaert’s side projects consistently focus on creating greater equity in the world, like GetRaised, which has helped underpaid women ask for and earn over $3.6B in salary increases, and his research reports, like MediocreWhiteMen, blend humor and science to help work toward change. He can usually be found wearing cowboy boots and gesturing wildly.

Sample Talk: Designing for Behavior Change

Competing Pressures: Designing for Behavior Change

When we build products, we often have very specific behavioral goals in mind, things we want users not just to think and feel but actually do. And yet our design process so rarely takes what we know about changing behaviors into account. Join behavioral scientist Matt Wallaert as he talks about how the cycle of behavioral strategy, insights, design, and impact evaluation can help us build products and services that change behavior.

Sample Talk: Uniqueness and Belonging

Snowflakes in a Blizzard: Uniqueness, Belonging, and marketing to the individual

If users don’t feel special and unique, they tend to get unhappy. At the same time, they need to feel like they are part of a group and have things in common with other people. In this talk, behavioral scientist Matt Wallaert lays out some of the psychological theory behind how we form our identities and the role that products play in reinforcing identities with brands, goods, and services.

Sample Talk: Building a BeSci Team

Behavioral Science In Organizations: How to build a team and what to do with it

Many organizations have recognized the need to incorporate behavioral science in their work, as a replacement to traditional Innovation teams. But how do you actually do that? Is it a centralized team or a network of embedded scientists? Who do you hire? How do you derive value? How do you support them? Join one of the most experienced behavioral scientists in industry as he walks you through the various models, their risks and advantages, and what he believes works best and why.

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