In this episode of Magic in the Cloud, host Joe Griffith sits down with behavioral economics expert Chris Heye to unpack a major blind spot in financial advising—and why the future belongs to those who understand people, not just numbers.

From cognitive decline to AI disruption, this conversation dives deep into what truly matters to clients—and how advisors can evolve to stay relevant.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Introduction to Chris Heye

00:50 – What advisors are missing about client priorities

03:20 – Emotional vs analytical financial decisions

04:05 – AI tools as communication coaches

06:10 – Will AI replace financial advisors?

08:30 – Industry pushback and shifting perspectives

11:40 – Compliance vs empathy in financial advising

14:00 – Navigating difficult conversations (safety & aging)

16:20 – Personal story: dementia and its impact

18:15 – Behavioral economics vs traditional economics

20:30 – The power of relationships (Harvard study insight)

24:30 – Chris Heye’s background and upbringing

28:30 – Risk-taking, failure, and career lessons

32:00 – Learning from failure vs success

33:50 – Staying humble and continuous learning

35:00 – Where to connect with Chris

💡 Key Takeaways

👉 Clients don’t lie awake worrying about the stock market—they worry about their health, their family, and their future.

👉 The most successful advisors will be those who combine technical expertise with emotional intelligence.

👉 AI won’t replace advisors—but advisors who use AI effectively will outperform those who don’t.

👉 Ignoring real-life risks like cognitive decline isn’t just a gap—it could be a failure of fiduciary responsibility.

👉 Strong human relationships remain the most valuable asset—both in life and in business.

👤 About the Guest

Chris Heye is a behavioral economics specialist focused on the intersection of health, wealth, and longevity. His work centers on helping financial professionals better understand the emotional and psychological realities behind client decisions—especially around aging and cognitive decline.

🔗 Connect with Chris

LinkedIn: Search Chris Heye, PhD

Website: WealthChat.ai (Health + Wealth tools for advisors and consumers)

Magic in the Cloud explores how technology, strategy, and human connection are shaping the future of business—featuring insights from leaders across industries.

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Most companies are rushing into AI… but very few are actually getting results.

In this episode of Magic in the Cloud, Vince Benz breaks down why AI projects are failing at a higher rate than traditional IT—and what leaders must do differently to succeed.

From unclear ROI to outdated business processes, Vince shares hard-earned lessons from decades of transforming IT organizations and rescuing failing projects.

You’ll also hear how he turned a technical team into business thinkers using a simple (but powerful) book-driven system—and why developers must evolve or risk becoming obsolete in the AI era.

If you're building, leading, or investing in AI… this episode is your reality check.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Vince’s Background

Seasoned IT leader navigating transformation across decades of tech waves

03:12 – Why AI Projects Are Failing More Than Ever

Lack of clear success metrics and undefined ROI

07:45 – The Real Problem: Broken Business Processes

You can’t automate what you haven’t fixed

12:20 – Leadership Mistakes in AI Adoption

“Go automate something” is not a strategy

16:05 – The $1,000 Book Challenge That Changed a Team

How Vince turned technical staff into business thinkers

23:10 – Why Developers Must Understand the Business Now

AI shifts coding from creation → iteration

28:40 – AI Changes the 90/10 Rule of Development

Prototype fast, refine forever

33:15 – Inside Vince’s AI Projects

Digital fact-checking tool

Project rescue platform

Risk Mitigation Quotient (RMQ)

40:50 – How to Predict Project Failure Before It Happens

Using risk scoring to prevent delays and losses

47:20 – The Future of AI, SEO, and Search Behavior

Why AI visibility may outperform Google SEO

52:10 – Career Lessons & Influential Mentors

The power of saying no and lifelong learning

58:30 – Leadership by Original Thought

Why diverse thinking leads to better decisions

If this episode made you rethink how you’re approaching growth, pipeline, or AI…

Don’t just listen—fix it.

👉 At Cloud113, we help companies turn conversations like this into real revenue.

If you want more qualified calls without guessing what works,

book a strategy session:

https://www.cloud113.com/quick-start/

In this episode of Magic in the Cloud, Joseph Griffith sits down with entrepreneur and author Ralph Schonenbach to explore the intersection of AI, relationships, and the future of work.

Ralph is the founder behind Meerkat, an AI-powered platform designed to help teams navigate relationships, track conversations, and turn insights into action. Instead of replacing human interaction, Ralph believes technology should strengthen it.

In this conversation, they discuss:

• Why relationships are still the most powerful driver of success

• How AI can enhance conversations instead of replacing them

• The problem with fragmented communication tools

• The concept of “network intelligence”

• Why leaders need to rethink how they manage relationships at scale

• The personal journey that led Ralph to write Relationships Matter

Timestamps

0:00 – Podcast introduction

0:41 – Meet Ralph Schonenbach

1:34 – Why Ralph built an AI teammate for relationships

3:40 – How Meerkat works inside conversations

5:17 – The story behind the Meerkat brand

7:05 – How Meerkat compares to tools like ChatGPT and Fireflies

8:05 – Is AI replacing human jobs?

10:45 – AI as a “super intern”

12:08 – Who Meerkat is built for

13:04 – Network mapping and relationship intelligence

15:06 – Surprising ways teams use Meerkat

17:21 – Connecting email, calendar, and conversations

19:23 – Ralph’s upbringing in Wyoming

20:01 – Building a network from scratch

21:19 – Writing the book Relationships Matter

23:26 – Why relationships drive personal and business success

25:22 – The illusion of being “connected” online

26:55 – Life outside work: travel, family, and nature

27:34 – Why slowing down improves creativity

30:27 – Mentors who shaped Ralph’s career

32:37 – The power of telling people you appreciate them

34:16 – How to connect with Ralph

35:02 – Closing remarks

👍 Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and share the episode with someone who wants to build stronger relationships in business.

Connect with Ralph:

https://trymeerkat.com