Ash ElDifrawi – Wild Business Growth Podcast #137: Happiness Researcher, Clinical Psychologist Marketer

What exactly is happiness? How does it affect the way we live our lives? And what does it mean for marketers? These questions have all been studied deeply by this week’s Wild Business Growth Podcast guest, Ash ElDifrawi. He’s the Clinical Psychologist, Marketing Executive, Author, and Father-Son Podcaster. Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, and your other favorite podcast platforms.

• Episode Summary & Player
• Show Notes
• Wild Business Growth Podcast Summary

Episode 137: Ash ElDifrawi – Happiness Researcher, Clinical Psychologist Marketer

Ash ElDifrawi, the Clinical Psychologist, Marketing Executive, Author, and Father-Son Podcaster, joins the show to share his journey from writing a book on the psychology of happiness to leading marketing for Aspen Dental, Redbox, Gogo, and more. Hear the science behind happiness, the key marketing lessons Ash has learned, how Moore’s law applies to different industries, the most surprising thing about happiness, and the thought-provoking podcast he does with his son. This episode covers everything from what makes people happy to comedy routines. Here’s a small sample of what you will hear in this episode:

• What is something surprising about happiness
• What are the most common Worlds of Happiness
• How did Ash get into Clinical Psychology
• How was his time at MicKinsey & Company
• What are the top marketing lessons he’s learned
• Why is it important for marketers to unlearn what they know
• What is discussed on Hold Me Back
• What is Ash’s favorite part about living in Chicago

Listen to Hold Me Back at HoldMeBack.com and get Ash’s book at TheTenWorlds.com.

Enjoy the shooooow! Check out the show notes below for much more detail.

Show Notes

• Intro & Happiness
  • [0:34] Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool
  • [0:48] Listen to Hold Me Back at HoldMeBack.com and get Ash’s book at TheTenWorlds.com
  • [0:54] Cynical Psychologist lolol
  • [1:42] Ash Ketchum
  • [1:56] Clinical Psychologist, Marketing Executive, Renaissance Man
  • [2:20] Hold Me Back
  • [2:38] What drew Ash to the world of Psychology in the first place
  • [2:56] Ramen Noodles, Kraft Mac & Cheese
  • [3:08] Consumer Research, Focus Groups
  • [3:24] Consumer Psychology
  • [3:35] Product Development, Advertising, Customers
  • [3:58] Family Counseling, Marriage Counseling
  • [4:11] McKinsey & Company
  • [4:23] That joke came in hot
  • [4:34] APDs (Advanced Professional Degrees)
  • [4:49] What was the training like at McKinsey
  • [5:21] Nike, Problem-Solving
  • [5:44] Impact Thinker, MBA (Masters of Business Administration)
  • [6:11] NBA (National Basketball Association)
  • [6:27] The Ten Worlds: The New Psychology of Happiness
  • [6:48] Where did Ash’s fascination with happiness come from
  • [7:43] Ash’s Co-Writer Dr. Alex Lickerman
  • [8:17] Michael Jordan
  • [8:24] What is something about happiness many people would find surprising
  • [8:42] Way too pedantic, Ash
  • [9:49] Life Condition
  • [11:26] Glass Half Full (it is)
  • [11:43] What are the most common Worlds of Happiness
  • [11:55] Gen Xers, World of Tranquility
  • [13:43] World of Hunger
  • [14:05] Promotion
  • [15:11] Entrepreneur
• Marketing Lessons
  • [16:33] Marketing, CMO (Chief Marketing Officer)
  • [16:50] Aspen Dental, Redbox, Gogo, Shutterfly, Wrigley, Google
  • [17:08] When did Ash know his knowledge and skills would translate to a career in marketing
  • [17:58] Innovation, Finance, Supply Chain, Branding
  • [18:19] Brand, Product
  • [18:53] Business Owner, Commercial Leader
  • [19:08] What are the key marketing lessons Ash has learned
  • [19:34] Service, Customer Experience (CX)
  • [19:52] Consumers
  • [19:55] Marty Neumeier
  • [20:13] Amazon
  • [20:26] Household Name, Word of Mouth (WOM)
  • [21:00] Social Media
  • [21:10] Review Sites
  • [21:28] Unbelievable
  • [21:53] Bandwidth
  • [22:25] Brand Challenge, Product Experience
  • [22:40] Investing
  • [23:02] Customer Satisfaction Scores
  • [23:30] Product Organization, Customer Experience Organization
  • [23:49] Uber, DoorDash
  • [24:31] Spotify, Instagram
  • [24:53] Twitter
  • [25:38] Louis C.K. In-Flight Internet
  • [26:36] Technology (Tech)
  • [26:54] Moore’s Law
  • [27:11] Barriers to Entry
  • [27:22] Industries
  • [27:30] eCommerce
  • [27:42] iPad
  • [28:03] Private Equity (PE), Unicorns / Small Horses 🙂
  • [28:35] Blockbuster, Netflix, Disney+, Streaming Services
  • [29:26] What is Moore’s Law
  • [29:35] Processing Speed
  • [30:28] Keyword Bidding
  • [30:38] Why does Ash teach marketers to unlearn what they’ve been doing
  • [31:15] Media, Endorsement, Sponsorship, Consumer Positioning
  • [31:41] Associate Brand Manager, Brand Manager, Consultant, DNA
  • [32:00] Vertical
  • [32:35] Organizations
  • [33:00] Segmentation, Channels
  • [33:28] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool

• Hold Me Back
  • [34:10] Ash’s son Aidan
  • [34:43] Where did the idea for doing a podcast with his son come about
  • [35:22] Parenting, Education, Belief Systems
  • [35:51] Gen Z (Generation Z), Boomers, Millennials
  • [36:15] Internet
  • [36:32] Psychosocial
  • [38:51] G-Rated, R-Rated
  • [39:40] What is a topic Ash is really excited about
  • [39:52] Swearing Episode
• Wild Business Shoutout of the Week
  • [40:31] The Infamous Delayed Laugh
  • [40:37] Creative Marketing
  • [40:47] Tesla, Elon Musk
  • [41:53] Status Quo
  • [42:23] Hyperloop

• Rapid-Fire Q&A
  • [42:50] What is Ash’s favorite hobby
  • [42:56] What is his favorite part about living in Chicago
  • [43:03] What is his biggest pet peeve
  • [43:21] Listen to Hold Me Back at HoldMeBack.com and get Ash’s book at TheTenWorlds.com
  • [43:40] Mars
  • [43:41] What are Ash’s final thoughts
  • [43:52] Your product is your Branstetter
  • [44:02] Follow the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about the podcast
  • [44:31] Check out the Wild Business Growth Podcast on GoodPods, where you can see what your favorite people are listening to
  • [44:34] Connect with me on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn at @MaxBranstetter
  • [44:37] Save time with your high-quality podcast. Email me at to bring your podcast to life and use it as a business-building tool
  • Theme music: Freestyle Percussion Magik – Jungle Tribe – provided by Jamendo

What is the Wild Business Growth Podcast?

Wild ideas. Wild growth. Every Wednesday morning a new entrepreneur or innovator joins the Wild Business Growth Podcast to share the crazy creative and unusual ways they grew their business, and provides tips for you to do it, too. Hear the woman who became the voice of Siri, the man who’s reinventing the sandcastle, how GaryVee’s partners are turning the wine world upside down, and more wild stories. Hosted by Max Branstetter (that’s me), Founder and Podcast Producer at MaxPodcasting.

How do you start a podcast?

Interested in starting a professional-sounding podcast for your brand, but don’t want to deal with the time commitment? I’ve got you covered. Email me at to save time with your high-quality podcast and use it as a business-building tool.

Thanks for listening to Ash ElDifrawi on the Wild Business Growth Podcast. To hear more Wild stories like this one every Wednesday morning, subscribe to the Wild Business Growth Podcast and tell a friend about it. Until next time, Let your business Run Wild…and Bring on the Bongos!!