The Honest Catapult

What happens when a multi-billion-dollar global enterprise becomes dangerously indexed to a single point of failure? In this episode of The Honest Catapult , we strip away the fan emotion and look at the international football landscape through the lens of pure corporate strategy. As the current World Cup cycle pushes toward an unprecedented $13 billion valuation, we dive deep into the raw economi...

Episode Description: Hacking "Magical Thinking" — The Neuroscience of Turning Coincidence into Mental Health Ever had a coincidence so eerie it felt like the universe was sending you a personalized text message? Maybe you were debating quitting your job and suddenly passed a billboard reading "Time for a fresh start." Or maybe you thought of an old friend, and they texted you two minutes later. It...

Everyone is talking about what Ozempic does to the human body. Almost nobody is talking about what it does to the economy. In this episode of The Honest Catapult, we explore the surprising chain reaction triggered by the rapid adoption of GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy. What begins as a medical breakthrough quickly becomes a story about consumer behavior, delivery platforms, restaurants, l...

Ever get that creeping sense of inauthenticity while updating your professional bio? Like you’re just a fraud acting out the role of a "successful business person" in a highly formulated digital theater? You are far from the only one feeling trapped in it. In this episode, we take a deep dive into "The Performative Professional," an incredibly sharp essay by clinical psychologi...

In this episode "Mercury Blood: Tracking your Health Metrics is Killing You," clinical psychologist Santiago Durán Mejía critiques modern society's obsession with health tracking and relentless self-improvement. The author argues that reducing our bodies to a collection of data points—such as step counts, macronutrient splits, and marathon times—disconnects us from authentic wellness...

Why does a casual hoodie on a video call still trigger corporate rage? Drop the blazer and join us this week as we break down why the shift to remote work didn’t completely erase our obsession with old-school corporate dress codes. In this episode, we unpack the history of "professionalism" and expose how modern dress expectations are deeply intertwined with respectability politics, clas...

In this episode of The Honest Catapult , we dive deep into the recent lawsuits against Meta and YouTube and why they are fundamentally missing the point. We’ve seen this script before: a "War on Drugs" that attacks the substance rather than the compulsion. Now, social media has become the new "Schedule I" substance of the digital age. As a clinical psychologist and marketing sc...

A CEO, a Project Manager, and an HRBP walk into LinkedIn..." It sounds like the start of a joke, but for most professionals, it's the start of a very dry, very bureaucratic Tuesday. In this Deep Dive, we explore a personal (and slightly embarrassing) confession: the time I fell for a flat-earth joke and accidentally discovered the ultimate LinkedIn growth hack. We’re moving past the &quot...

Is waking up at 5:00 AM a strategic masterstroke or just performative exhaustion? In this episode of The Honest Catapult , we catapult one of the most toxic myths of modern hustle culture: the moral superiority of the early riser. We dive deep into the "Agricultural Fallacy" that keeps corporate teams chained to medieval schedules and explain why a rigid 7:00 AM start time is actually a...

The traditional storytelling is dead!. OK, close to its death. In these episode,  Santiago Durán  examines a fundamental shift in modern marketing where traditional, linear storytelling is being replaced by  Affective Vibe Construction (AVC) . New Paradigm: This new paradigm prioritizes  aesthetic cohesion  and emotional resonance over chronological plots to better suit the rapid, fragmented natur...

As #AI has completely depreciated many hard skills (coding, UX, etc.) in the professional market, there is one "Soft Skill" that has arisen: Storytelling. In this episode of The Honest Catapult , we tear down the corporate façade of 2026 to reveal why narrative competence is no longer optional—it is the ultimate competitive advantage. We dive deep into the strategic insights of Santiago Duran, a C...

Is the traditional narrative arc flatlining? In the chaos of 2025, the "hero’s journey" has been hijacked by a new force: The Vibe . In this episode of The Honest Catapult , we attend the highly aesthetic funeral of linear storytelling. We dive deep into the research of Santiago Duran to explore the Affective Vibe Construction (AVC) paradigm. Discover why global brands are losing $1 bill...

In this essential episode, we go beyond the surface of Santiago Duran's groundbreaking essay, "MASCULINITY: HANDLE WITH CARE." Duran argues that despite talk of "new standards," modern masculinity remains a high-pressure, defensive state. We explore: The meaning of the "fragile cage" and the restrictions it places on male emotional expression. The societal demand...

Ever wonder why Gen Z is leaving TikTok's endless scroll for Pinterest's curated boards? In this episode, we're diving into the paradox of a generation that grew up online but is now prioritizing privacy and mental health over public performance. While platforms like Instagram and TikTok thrive on documentation and self-promotion, we'll explore why Gen Z is gravitating towards Pinterest, a space c...

Media agencies: the misunderstood monsters of advertising. Are they ruthless financial machines feeding off client budgets, or the silent strategists who actually hold the keys to brand growth? In this episode, I take you on a historical journey from the birth of media shops in the 70s, to my own baptism by fire in Colombia’s first media agency, to the digital-first transformations that reshaped e...

Based on the article "The Creative Dilemma: Natural Intelligence vs. Artificial Incompetence," this episode explores the  contrast between human creativity and AI-generated content . The author, a psychologist with experience in advertising,  acknowledges AI's efficiency and utility  but argues it  falls short in producing truly original, impactful creations . The piece highlights th...

In this episode, we explore a sharply critical editorial that tackles the overuse and superficial application of the term “AI” in today’s business and marketing landscape. The author draws parallels to past tech clichés like “there’s an app for that,” expressing frustration at how companies and self-proclaimed thought leaders use the term to signal innovation without substance . While recognizing...

In this episode, a deep dive in to my latest article Primed and Prompted: How I Tricked Myself—and My AI. Here is an extract: "Primes" and "prompts" fundamentally shape perception and behavior by acting as subtle cues or inputs that guide how information is processed and what kind of response is generated, whether in human minds or #AI systems Although their underlying mechanisms differ, their eff...

Is that $6 million banana taped to a wall really "art" — or is it a tax strategy in disguise? In this episode, we dive deep into the shadowy brilliance of the contemporary art market, where creativity collides with capitalism, and a painting’s true value has less to do with brushstrokes and more to do with branding. We explore how the romantic idea of the “mecenas” has been replaced by b...

In this provocative episode, we dive into the complex and often controversial world of data-driven advertising —a system built on our clicks, preferences, and digital behavior. Author Santiago Duran offers a sharp, honest article to inspire our conversation. The question of how personal data powers the modern advertising machine , enabling hyper-targeted campaigns that promise more relevant experi...

In this episode, we explore one of the most transformative economic shifts impacting Latin America today: nearshoring —the strategic relocation of business operations closer to home, particularly to countries like Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil. Host Santiago Duran unpacks how nearshoring is more than just a supply chain strategy—it's a tectonic force reshaping industries, labor markets, and geo...

In this episode, we unpack a provocative article that challenges the current obsession with performance marketing metrics —like clicks, conversions, and ROI—as the sole indicators of success. The author argues that this narrow focus often leads brands to pursue short-term wins without ever establishing a clear direction, comparing it to driving fast without knowing where you're going . We explore...

In this eye-opening episode, we dive deep into one of the most urgent—and often misunderstood—challenges facing the tech ecosystem in Latin America: the widening gap between the surging demand for tech professionals and the limited supply of skilled talent . Author Santiago Duran brings a couple of articles that we unpack, telling the real story behind this talent drought, with a candid conversati...

In this episode, we dive into a recent market analysis exploring the Mexican EdTech landscape —its current size, competitive dynamics, and key players. The discussion centers on TripleTen’s positioning within this environment, highlighting its strengths and the opportunities that lie ahead. We take a closer look at how TripleTen compares to local and global competitors , examining differences in c...

In this episode, we critically examine an article that delves into the complex dynamics of vulnerability, kindness, and generosity in today’s professional world . While these values are often praised as essential for human connection and success, the reality is that practicing them can sometimes come with risks . The discussion explores the role of psychological safety as a key factor in enabling...