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What makes a space feel right? Why do certain environments help us thrive while others drain our energy? And how does our intuition—not just logic—guide us in career transitions?

In this episode, I sit down with Stephanie Beams, founder of Highstone & Co., to explore the psychology of home design, career decision-making, and the courage to take the leap into entrepreneurship. Stephanie started her career in New York’s fashion industry before following her intuition into interior design and launching her own business. Now, she helps people create spaces that support well-being, productivity, and creativity—using insights from psychology, neuroscience, and nature.

We dive deep into:
🔹 How to know when it’s time to make a career pivot—and how to overcome fear
🔹 Why successful entrepreneurs rely on intuition as much as strategy
🔹 The science of Neuroaesthetics—how spaces affect our brains, stress levels, and focus
🔹 Why natural elements like plants, textures, and light can transform a home (and a mindset)
🔹 Practical design tips for anyone feeling uninspired in their space
🔹 Lessons from entrepreneurship—biggest wins, failures, and what Stephanie would do differently

Key Takeaways:

✨ Great design is psychological – It’s not just about looks; it’s about how a space makes you feel.
✨ Your environment shapes your productivity – Small changes can dramatically shift your energy, creativity, and mindset.
✨ Taking the leap isn’t as scary as it seems – If you’re considering a major career pivot, Stephanie’s journey is proof that intuition and calculated risk can go hand in hand.

About Stephanie Beams:
Stephanie is the founder of Highstone & Co., where she designs consciously curated interiors that enhance well-being. Her background in fashion, psychology, and Neuroaesthetics gives her a unique perspective on how people connect with spaces. When she’s not designing, she runs a boutique farm with her family in Orange County, NY—bringing nature’s principles into her work and lifestyle.

Resources Mentioned:

• Book Recommendation: Beauty, Neuroscience & Architecture: Timeless Patterns & Their Impact on Our Well-Being - Donald H. Ruggles, AIA

Connect with Stephanie:

🔗 Instagram: Highstone & Co
🔗 Portfolio and website: Highstoneandco.com

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Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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What does it mean to stay human in a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence?

In this episode, I’m joined by Nick Smallman, founder and CEO of Working Voices, whose decades of work with global organizations (JP Morgan, Sony, Barclays, Goldman Sachs) has focused on improving leadership, communication, and engagement in times of profound change.

Now, he’s turning his attention to the individual. His forthcoming project, The Sustainable Human, is a training program designed to help people reclaim their agency, humanity, and purpose in the face of accelerating tech and cultural shifts. Together, we explore how we can thrive—not just survive—as the lines between human and machine get blurrier.

Episode Highlights

• The Sustainable Human: Nick dives into his newest project, a training program that gives people the essential skills that they need to boost confidence and improve relationships in a fast-changing world.
• Mission-Critical Soft Skills: Why empathy, creativity, and adaptability are essential in an AI-driven world.
• The Risks of Transhumanism: How to avoid a dystopian future and keep technology in service of humanity.
• Thought Experiments for the Future: Envisioning the risks of over-reliance on technology and creating a better path forward.

About Nick Smallman
Nick Smallman is the founder of Working Voices, where he’s spent 25+ years training leaders in communication, inclusion, and engagement. His new initiative, The Sustainable Human, is a call to action—for people to reconnect with their values, with others, and with what makes them uniquely human.

Resources Mentioned

• The Sustainable Human (Nick Smallman’s forthcoming program)
• How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy by Jenny Odell
• Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkemam
• Stolen Focus by Johann Hari

Connect with Nick Smallman

• LinkedIn: Nick Smallman

Get in Touch

Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.

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Gamification isn’t just about badges and points—it’s about designing systems that make difficult behaviors feel doable, even fun. In this episode of Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy, we’re joined by Dr. Jacqui Nortje, a behavioral scientist and gamification expert based in Johannesburg, South Africa. With over a decade of experience in South Africa’s wellness and financial services industries, Jacqui blends academic rigor and real-world product design to explore how we can build systems that drive meaningful and sustainable behavior change.

From understanding motivation to reframing goals to self-experimentation with exercise and sugar habits, this episode is packed with insights for anyone working in behavior change, digital health, or simply trying to build better habits themselves.

Episode Highlights

• Gamification Demystified: What it really means (hint: it’s not just about “fun”) and why effective gamification design centers on motivation and human needs.
• Framing Goals to Match Readiness: Why performance goals can backfire too early, and how Jacqui’s PhD research reveals the power of learning and hybrid-framed goals.
• Designing for Real Life: How stress, seasonality, and shifting routines derail good habits—and how games can help people get back on track.
• Motivation on a Spectrum: What self-determination theory teaches us about moving from extrinsic to intrinsic motivation—and what product teams often miss.
• When Gamification Fails: Why point systems and leaderboards often fall short, and what to do instead.
• Self-Gamification in Practice: Jacqui shares personal experiments with home workouts and sugar reduction—and what she learned when her goals succeeded (and when they didn’t).

Why You Should Listen
If you're designing a health or fitness product, leading a behavior change initiative, or simply trying to build a better habit system for yourself—this episode will challenge and inspire you to rethink what makes motivation stick. Jacqui blends science, strategy, and humanity in a way that’s refreshingly real.

Connect with Dr. Jacqui Nortje

• LinkedIn
• Substack: Long-form reflections on gamification, habits, and behavior change
  
  

Get in Touch

Have thoughts about this episode? Connect with Dr. Michelle Handy on LinkedIn and follow Deep Thoughts for more insights at the intersection of behavioral science, tech, and design.

Deep Thoughts with Michelle Handy explores the intersections of behavioral science, tech, and design through engaging conversations with thought leaders. Whether you're building products, leading teams, or navigating your own career journey, each episode delivers practical insights to inspire personal growth and drive innovation.