The Social-Engineer Podcast

Today we are joined by Shang Saavedra, the Founder and CEO of Save My Cents, an influential personal-finance website and social-media platform. Saavedra teaches readers the key habits and behaviors needed to become less fearful of money and live life with joy. Saavedra was named one of the "25 Most Influential New Voices of Money" by TIME/NextAdvisor in 2022 and is an Expert Reviewer and Contributor at CNET Money. She received her bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard and her MBA from the University Of Chicago Booth School Of Business. Saavedra and her husband finished saving for their retirement by the age of 31 and now live a work-optional life in Southern California with their two boys and two cats. [Aug 11, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:37 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                01:27 - Shang Saavedra Intro 02:23 - Motivation for Success 04:03 - Save My Cents 07:29 - The Feelings Mutual 10:07 - It's Emotional 12:01 - Root Causes of Bad Money Habits 13:02 - Feast or Famine 13:45 - Adverse Events 15:26 - Scarce Immigrant 17:08 - Mind Over (Money) Matters 21:05 - Your Worth, More 24:07 - Book Recommendations -          The Power of Habit - Charles Duhigg 25:06 - Mentors -          Therapist 25:59 - Shang Saavedra Online -          Website: https://savemycents.com/ -          Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savemycents/ -          YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@savemycents -          Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/216282934-wealth-is-a-mindset -          Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Mindset-Change-Your-Money/dp/B0D94QCZL6/ -          Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/p/books/wealth-is-a-mindset/21633491 26:42 - Parting Advice 27:04 - Guest Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Doctor Is In Series – where we will discuss understandings and developments in the field of psychology.   In today’s episode, Chris and Abbie explore the complexities of attraction and the concept of love at first sight. They discuss the biochemical responses associated with attraction, the importance of understanding cognitive biases, and the role of familiarity in relationships. [Aug 4, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:35 - Dr. Abbie Maroño Intro 01:15 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                 03:14 - The Topic of the Day: Love at First Sight 03:22 - Pulling Apart the Fairy Tale 04:26 - Knowledge is Power 05:49 - Why Can't This Be Love? 07:12 - More Than a Feeling 09:28 - May Impair Your Ability 10:59 - The Rickety Bridge Study 13:20 - Head or Heart? 15:04 - Cognitive Biases 16:16 - The Halo Effect 17:19 - Prototypical Matching 18:51 - I Want You to Want Me 21:54 - Retrospective Bias 23:34 - Feels Like Home 28:44 - Keep One Eye Open 30:32 - A Responsibility to Self-Awareness 32:53 - Wrap Up 33:11 - Next Month: Intuition 33:31 - Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-abbie-maroño-phd -          Instagram: @DoctorAbbieofficial -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy     References: Dutton, D. G., & Aron, A. P. (1974). Some evidence for heightened sexual attraction under conditions of high anxiety. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 30(4), 510–517. Fisher, H. E., Aron, A., & Brown, L. L. (2006). Romantic love: A mammalian brain system for mate choice. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 361(1476), 2173–2186. Fletcher, G. J. O., Simpson, J. A., & Thomas, G. (2000). The measurement of perceived relationship quality components: A confirmatory factor analytic approach. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 26(3), 340–354. Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524. Marazziti, D., & Canale, D. (2004). Hormonal changes when falling in love. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 29(7), 931–936.  Nisbett, R. E., & Wilson, T. D. (1977). The halo effect: Evidence for unconscious alteration of judgments. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 35(4), 250–256. Sprecher, S., & Metts, S. (1989). Development of the "Romantic Beliefs Scale" and examination of the effects of gender and gender-role orientation. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 6(4), 387–411. Sternberg, R. J. (1986). A triangular theory of love. Psychological Review, 93(2), 119–135. Zeki, S. (2007). The neurobiology of love. FEBS Letters, 581(14), 2575–2579. Zsok, F., Haucke, M., De Wit, C., & Barelds, D. P. (2017). What kind of love is love at first sight? An empirical investigation. Personal Relationships, 24(4), 869–885.

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The 4th Monday Series with Chris Hadnagy and Mike Holfeld. Chris and Mike will be covering cutting edge global news to help people remain safe, secure and knowledgeable in a world where it is hard to know what is real and what is fake news.   Today Chris and Mike are joined by Congressman Darren Soto. Darren Soto is the representative for Florida’s Ninth Congressional District, covering Osceola and parts of Orange and Polk Counties. He currently serves on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Natural Resources. Additionally, Darren is the Deputy Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and a proud member of the New Democrat Coalition, Future Forum Caucus, Problem Solvers Caucus, Congressional Progressive Caucus, LGBTQ Equality Caucus, and others. [July 28, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:34 - Mike Holfeld Intro 01:32 - Today's Guest: Rep. Darren Soto 02:55 - The Shield Act 06:24 - The Take It Down Act 08:34 - A Duty of Care 12:03 - A Cat and Mouse Chase 13:12 - Violating Terms of Service 14:55 - Bad Nation States 16:02 - The Pendulum Swings 17:34 - Adjusting to the Evolution 19:08 - The SunPass Scam 20:07 - Protecting Our Seniors 22:53 - Millions a Second 24:41 - It's About Disclosure 26:40 - A Vulnerable Future 28:15 - Find Rep. Darren Soto Online -          https://soto.house.gov/ 29:53 - Wrap Up 30:27 - Next Month: Bobby Knost 31:08 - Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          Chris Hadnagy -          Twitter: @humanhacker -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy

Today on the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Security Awareness Series, Chris is joined by Trent Waterhouse. Trent is the CMO of GlobalMeet, a leading virtual event technology company with a scalable, flexible, and secure hybrid event streaming platform built and supported by experienced event experts. Trent has a proven track record of driving growth and innovation with 35 years of expertise leveraging a field sales marketing model that aligns sales, marketing, and R&D to think like a customer, act like a partner, and measure success through customer satisfaction and net promoters. Built for growth, Trent’s unique blend of technology understanding and B2B marketing skills have been proven to help companies grow revenue profitably, improve customer experiences, build new partnerships, and expand opportunity pipelines. [July 21, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:50 - Intro Links: -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                                02:30 - Trent Waterhouse Intro 03:11 - Starting Out Pre-Video 04:53 - A Brave New World 08:07 - Going Public 10:21 - Rise of the DeepFakes 13:03 - Video Watermarking 15:23 - A Simple Warning Will Do 19:11 - Staying Up to Date 21:22 - Insider Threat 23:42 - Find Trent Waterhouse Online    -          Website: https://www.globalmeet.com/ -          Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/globalmeet/ -          LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trentonwaterhouse/ 24:44 - Book Recommendations -          Pattern Breakers - Mike Maples, Jr, Peter Ziebelman 27:16 - Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org

Today we are joined by Doug Thorpe. Doug is an experienced leadership coach, business advisor, and speaker who focuses on helping small to mid-size business owners and executives develop their leadership capabilities. With decades of experience in banking, finance, and business management, Thorpe transitioned to coaching and advisory services to help others navigate their professional growth journeys. [July 14, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:16 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                01:35 - Doug Thorpe Intro 02:20 - Consulting to Coaching 04:18 - Student of Leadership 07:40 - A Hunger to Serve 09:12 - Respond Rather Than React 12:11 - Controlling an Emotional Response 17:06 - Choosing the Right Club 22:43 - Thinking About Legacy 25:57 - Find Doug Thorpe Online -          Website:  https://dougthorpe.com/ -          LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dougthorpe/ -          Instagram: https://instagram.com/dougthorpe_com -          Business Website: https://headwayexec.com -          YouTube: https://youtube.com/@dougthorpe 26:54 - Mentors 30:17 - Book Recommendations -          Lincoln on Leadership - Donald T. Phillips 32:06 - Guest Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Doctor Is In Series – where we will discuss understandings and developments in the field of psychology.   In today’s episode, Chris and Abbie are joined by Dr. Paul J Zak. Dr. Zak is in the top 0.3% of most cited scientists. For over two decades Paul’s research has extended the boundaries of behavioral neuroscience and that has taken him from the Pentagon to Fortune 500 boardrooms to the rainforests of Papua New Guinea. Besides his academic appointment, he is a 4-time tech entrepreneur.   In 2017 he founded Immersion Neuroscience, a software platform that allows anyone to measure what the brain loves in real-time, that is used to improve outcomes in entertainment, education, advertising, and emotional health. He is a regular TED speaker and has appeared on many news programs and TV Shows. His newest book is The Little Book of Happiness and he’s here today to discuss more about that. [July 7, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:23 - Dr. Abbie Maroño Intro  01:11 - Dr. Paul Zak Intro 02:06 - The Little Book of Happiness -          pauljzak.com/books 04:52 - High-Value Experience 06:35 - Neuroscience x Stoicism 08:50 - We Are Interdependent 14:10 - We Can Adapt 16:41 - Single Rider Experience 21:29 - Out of the Comfort Zone 23:30 - It's the People 26:46 - The Hotel Hack 32:00 - Bring the Fun! 34:11 - Absorbing the Vibe 35:18 - We Don't Have to Suffer Alone 37:22 - Find Dr. Zak Online -          Website: getimmersion.com -          App: your6.com -          Email: paul@pauljzak.com                           37:47 - Wrap Up 38:35 - Next Month: Love at First Sight 39:10 - Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/dr-abbie-maroño-phd -          Instagram: @DoctorAbbieofficial -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy

In this discussion, Agent Brad Beeler, a 25-year veteran of the Secret Service, shares his expertise on credibility assessments and elicitation techniques used in high-stakes investigations. He explores the alarming rise of online child exploitation and the crucial role empathy plays in confronting offenders. The conversation also delves into the complexities of nonverbal communication during sensitive dialogues. Additionally, Beeler emphasizes the mental health challenges faced by investigators, advocating for support systems and mentorship in this demanding field.

Welcome to the Social-Engineer Podcast: The 4th Monday Series with Chris Hadnagy and Mike Holfeld. Chris and Mike will be covering cutting edge global news to help people remain safe, secure and knowledgeable in a world where it is hard to know what is real and what is fake news.   Today Chris and Mike are joined by Lisa Miller, a former Deputy Insurance Commissioner for Florida who is a disaster insurance and recovery expert. She consults with insurance companies that represent about a quarter of Florida’s six million personal and commercial residential policies.   Her Tallahassee, Florida-based firm, Lisa Miller & Associates, produces a twice-monthly newsletter on all these subjects. Lisa also hosts the Florida Insurance Roundup podcast. She also helped launch the Hurricane Claims Mediation Program, an initiative that has helped consumers expedite the settlement of residential and commercial insurance claims [June 23, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:43 - Mike Holfeld Intro 01:07 - Today's Guest: Lisa Miller 01:57 - It's Hurricane Season! 04:32 - Assurance of Insurance 07:23 - The Reasons for Rising Rates 10:52 - Know Your Agent 12:30 - In Come the Floods 14:45 - Openings & Roofs 18:24 - Hurricane Supply Tax Break 18:49 - Know Your Home              21:59 - Hanging Your Shingle 25:13 - Strapping the Roof 26:56 - Florida Office of Insurance Regulation -          www.floir.com 28:04 - Don't Answer the Door 29:18 - Find Lisa Miller Online -          lisamillerassociates.com 30:12 - Next Month: Congressman Darron Soto 30:28 - Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org   Find us online: -          Chris Hadnagy -          Twitter: @humanhacker -          LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/christopherhadnagy

REPLAY (Original Air Date Oct 21, 2024)   Today on the Social-Engineer Podcast: The Security Awareness Series, Chris is joined by Stacey Edmonds. Stacey is a multi-disciplinary EdTech innovator and Digital Safety Pioneer, driven by a commitment to democratizing knowledge. Stacey's expertise, encompassing social science, education, EdTech, and multi-platform screen production, culminated in the founding of Lively, which we will hear all about on this podcast. Since 2002, Stacey has been designing and delivering enterprise-wide cyber safety upskilling programs. In 2023, embodying her mission to make knowledge accessible, Stacey launched 'Dodgy or Not?' – a social enterprise offering an engaging approach to digital safety education.   She continues to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and practical education, driving innovation in AI ethics and digital literacy - she is also known for deepfaking herself. [Oct 21, 2024]   00:00 - Intro 00:19 - Intro Links: -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                                03:00 - Stacey Edmonds Intro 04:18 - Teaching, Trains & Turkeys 08:43 - Toilets vs Videos 11:16 - Dodgy or Not? 15:15 - Social Engineering for Good! 17:46 - Pause for the Cause 20:17 - Training in Real Time 24:11 - Real Time Threat Detection 27:49 - Culture is Everything 30:33 - Find Stacey Edmonds online -          LinkedIn: in/staceyedmonds/ 31:28 – Mentors -          Carolyn Breeze -          Chris Hadnagy -          Janine Thompson -          Steve Rowe -          Shane Bell 33:58 - Book Recommendations -          Feel The Fear and Do It Anyway - Susan Jeffers -          The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams -          1984 - George Orwell -          Man-Made – Tracey Spicer 35:51 - Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org

Today we are joined by Lonnie Marts. Lonnie is an American creator, entertainer, and host known for his magnetic charm and comedic storytelling. His unique ability to engage audiences has catapulted him to digital stardom, with nearly 3 million highly engaged fans tuning in daily for his comedic skits and feel-good content on social media.   A graduate of Embry-Riddle with an MBA, Lonnie’s impact goes beyond content creation. He’s been featured in “Forbes” and “Rolling Stone” and recently earned recognition for his work in DoorDash’s Cannes Award-winning Super Bowl campaign.   Lonnie continues to expand his reach and has received recognition for his work as a speaker and thought leader, representing major social platforms like TikTok, and Meta on stages like VidCon, and AdWeek. [June 9, 2025]   00:00 - Intro 00:16 - Intro Links -          Social-Engineer.com - http://www.social-engineer.com/ -          Managed Voice Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/vishing-service/ -          Managed Email Phishing - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/se-phishing-service/ -          Adversarial Simulations - https://www.social-engineer.com/services/social-engineering-penetration-test/ -          Social-Engineer channel on SLACK - https://social-engineering-hq.slack.com/ssb -          CLUTCH - http://www.pro-rock.com/ -          innocentlivesfoundation.org - http://www.innocentlivesfoundation.org/                                01:36 - Lonnie Marts Intro 03:21 - Attention-Seeking Behavior 05:17 - Don't Tell Mom! 07:47 - From the Super Bowl to Waffle House 11:07 - Building a Community 16:00 - Finding Common Ground 17:59 - Making it Count! 21:31 - People Need People 24:56 - A Tool to Use 27:22 - Mentors -          Parents -          Richard Thorpe Jr -          Gary Vaynerchuk -          Mitzi Gaitan 29:26 - Book Recommendations -          Why Nations Fail - Daron Acemoglu, James A. Robinson -          The Inheritance Cycle - Christopher Paolini -          A Promised Land - Barack Obama -          Rich Dad Poor Dad - Robert Kiyosaki 32:16 - Find Lonnie Marts Online -          Website: https://lonnieiiv.com/ -          TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@lonnieiiv -          Facebook: https://facebook.com/Lonnieiiv -          Snapchat: https://snapchat.com/add/Lonnieiiv -          YouTube: https://snapchat.com/add/Lonnieiiv -          LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lonniemarts3/ -          Instagram: https://instagram.com/lonnieiiv 33:00 - Guest Wrap Up & Outro -          www.social-engineer.com -          www.innocentlivesfoundation.org