Melina Palmer

"Our job would be so easy if it wasn't for the customers." Have you ever heard someone say that (or said it yourself)? The bulk of human decisions are made subconsciously (using rules of thumb the become very predictable when you know the rules). Because of this, behavioral economics is being implemented in companies around the world to better communicate with and attract customers.

This fun and engaging presentation, based on Melina's award-winning book, What Your Customer Wants and Can't Tell You, will explain what behavioral economics is, how brain science is being incorporated into everything from hospitals to household products, and how attendees can start applying their learnings in their work immediately using Melina's "behavioral baking" approach.

While there are different personality types, all our brains have a common thread that has been developing for millions of years. The human brain can only work when it uses hundreds of biases and rules of thumb each day. While we cannot completely eliminate bias in the workplace, understanding those key biases - which to try to reduce and which to work with to be more effective - your business can have happier employees and change initiative that are embraced around the organization. Melina uses the key items from her Internal Communication and Change Management course at Texas A&M University (and now the foundation for her second book, What Your Employees Need and Can't Tell You, coming out in October 2022!) to help everyone in business understand the brain to have a better conversations and experiences at work.

When you've got a problem at work, how do you go about solving it? Thanks to our school structure, almost all of us have been taught that "brainstorming" is the best course of action. Unfortunately, even though it has a word "brain" in it...this method goes against the brain's natural tendencies. In this session, Melina will show your team or group why questions are better and how to use them to ensure you work the right projects and problems moving forward to be more effective and efficient.

How to price products is something every business (regardless of size or industry) struggles with. Countless hours have been wasted agonizing over the perfect price, but there is something no one has told you. There is an unwritten truth about pricing - a secret Melina will uncover in this session using her proprietary "it's not about the cookie" method. In this session you will learn: (1) how the brain makes decisions about pricing. (2) why the order things are presented in matters much more than the items themselves - or the price and, (3) specific tips for commanding premium prices for any product. This fun and engaging session provides actionable, concrete tips and mind-blowing revelations about behavioral economics and the human brain that change your business (for the better) forever.

People make 35,000 decisions every day (mostly subconsciously). Is your communication (to customers, employees, teams) working with the habitual rules of the subconscious? Melina’s approachable style unlocks the secrets of the brain to help groups of any size and industry be more brain friendly so customers buy and employees buy in. What could your team accomplish if you knew how the brain made decisions? Let’s find out.

Design is never neutral; it always shapes what people notice, how they feel, and what they choose to do next. In this session, Melina Palmer walks through five science-backed steps for behavior change, showing how context, habits, choice architecture, motivation, and framing influence decisions. Through real examples and research, you’ll see how small design changes can reduce overwhelm, guide attention, and make the right action feel easier. You’ll leave with practical ways to design experiences that convert better, serve users more thoughtfully, and strengthen both your client work and your own business.

Change is constant, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Even with a strong strategy, change efforts often stall or fail. Why? Because the real challenge isn’t the plan...it’s the people. In this practical and thought-provoking session, behavioral economist Melina Palmer shares key brain science insights that explain why change meets resistance, and how leaders can better align their initiatives with how people actually think, decide, and behave. Drawing from real-world examples and behavioral research, Melina will explore: Why our brains instinctively resist change (even when we say we want it), common mistakes leaders make when communicating change, and simple shifts to improve clarity, confidence, and follow-through This session is designed for leaders who are ready to stop fighting resistance and start making change easier for themselves and their teams.