The Relationship Advantage: How Human Connection Drives Better Business Insights with Rachel Ousley

In this episode, we explore how behavioral science, empathy, and relationship-centered leadership come together to shape modern insights work — with Rachel Ousley, behavioral scientist and B2B Marketing Research Lead at Canva.

Rachel has worked with brands including Google, Chanel, Vans, and Adidas, and her path from communication strategy to behavioral science has given her a rare blend of academic rigor and practical storytelling skill.

We talk about how relationships can be a superpower for researchers, how to bridge the gap between stakeholders and data, and why empathy and authenticity are key to lasting influence. Rachel also shares how behavioral science can decode human experience — from understanding aging and identity to designing better conversations between brands and consumers.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn →

• How Rachel’s path from PR and brand strategy to behavioral science shaped her research style
• Why empathy and relationships are the foundation of effective insights work
• Practical ways to build trust with stakeholders (and prevent “order-taker” research)
• How behavioral science and cultural intelligence reveal what women really think about aging
• How to prioritize and scale research when timelines and budgets are tight
• The underrated power of virtual qualitative research and neuroscience-based methods
• How AI is changing stakeholder communication — and how researchers can use it as a creative partner
• The future of insights leadership: simplifying without oversimplifying

Featured Guest: Rachel Ousley
Rachel Ousley is a behavioral scientist and consumer insights leader who blends psychology, research design, and brand storytelling. She earned her MSc in Social Cognition from University College London, where she studied empathy toward refugees, and has since led research for global brands at Canvas 8, Google, and Canva. Her mission: to decode the “human in the data.”

Resources & Mentions

• Women Engaged in Behavior (WEB) Network
• Follow Rachel on LinkedIn