Do Business. Do Life. — The Financial Advisor Podcast — DBDL 151: Shasta Nelson - The Science Every Advisor Needs to Know About Human Connection
What if stronger relationships really did come down to just three things?
In this episode, I sit down with Shasta Nelson, one of the most respected voices on the science of connection. She’s a speaker, author, and researcher whose work on relationships has been featured in Harvard Business Review and TIME, whose TEDx talks have reached nearly a million viewers, and whose frameworks are used by companies like Google, LinkedIn, and Walmart.
Shasta breaks down the simple relationship triangle that explains why some connections grow deeper while others quietly drift away. We explore how this framework applies directly to the relationships advisors care about most, including clients, teams, spouses, and close friends.
We also talk about why high-performing advisors can still feel disconnected, how trust is shaped in small moments rather than big gestures, and how you can intentionally start, strengthen, or even repair relationships instead of leaving them to chance.
If you want deeper client trust, stronger teams, and relationships that actually support your life outside the office, this episode gives you a clear way to think about all of it.
3 of the biggest insights from Shasta Nelson…
#1.) The Relationship Triangle Explains Why Connections Grow or Drift
Shasta introduces a simple triangle built on positivity, consistency, and vulnerability. Every relationship, whether with clients, team members, or family, operates on these three forces. When one weakens, trust doesn’t usually break. It slowly fades.
#2.) High Performers Can Be Surrounded by People and Still Feel Lonely
Many advisors interact with people all day and still feel disconnected. Shasta explains that loneliness isn’t about a lack of relationships. It’s about a lack of depth. Without relationships at the top of the triangle, connection feels transactional instead of meaningful.
#3.) Stronger Client and Team Relationships Can Be Designed
Once you understand the triangle, relationships stop being accidental. From first impressions to final moments, rituals, and shared experiences, advisors can intentionally start, strengthen, and even repair relationships instead of leaving trust to chance.
SHOW NOTES
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