Psychology of Business Podcast

From Peer Review to YouTube: Dr. Ben Park on Public Scholarship and American Religious History | #33

In this episode, I’m joined by historian Benjamin Park to talk about public scholarship and American religious history in the digital age. We discuss what it means to take academic work beyond peer reviewed journals, the professional risks and tradeoffs of public visibility, and why history, especially religious history, resonates so strongly with public audiences.Much of our conversation focuses on Mormon history as a case study for understanding broader dynamics in American religion, politics, and culture. We also talk about audience reach versus traditional academic impact, faith sensitive scholarship, and the tension between rigor and accessibility when historians work in public.Ben is an Associate Professor of History and the author of multiple books on American religion. He also runs a widely followed YouTube channel where he brings historical scholarship to a broad audience.Ben’s work:- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BenjaminParkHistorian/videos- Website: https://benjaminepark.com/

The Psychology of Religious and Spiritual Struggles | Dr. Julie Exline #32

In this episode of The Psychology of Business Podcast, I speak with psychologist Dr. Julie Exline about anger at God, doubt, and religious and spiritual struggles. Drawing on decades of research, Dr. Exline explains why these experiences are common across belief systems and why they should be understood as normal psychological responses rather than signs of weakness or failure. We discuss the development of the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale, how spiritual struggles relate to mental health, meaning, and identity, and how these challenges can surface in everyday life, relationships, and work. The conversation emphasizes psychological safety, normalization, and the importance of allowing space for difficult questions without minimizing pain or rushing growth.

From Military Finance to Linden Creek CEO with Alisa Sparks - #31

In this episode, Brandon Griffin talks with Alisa Sparks, Founder and CEO of Linden Creek, about her transition from managing multimillion dollar Navy and Marine Corps budgets to building a nationally recognized home staging and design company. Alisa explains how she discovered her niche, how Linden Creek grew from a solo venture into a franchise model, and why she developed Archd to streamline operations for stagers and designers. She also discusses the challenges and lessons of starting a business as a single mother, the role of mentorship and community in her franchise system, and the leadership principles that guide her work today.

A New Model for Scholarship: Dr. Dana Hermanson on Accounting Research, Fraud, and Capitalism - #30

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Dana Hermanson, an accomplished accounting scholar and longtime faculty member at Kennesaw State University. He is widely recognized in the BYU Accounting Research Rankings as one of the field’s most productive researchers of the past several decades, and he has been honored nationally for his contributions to auditing education. Dr. Hermanson is also known for advancing the Fraud Diamond framework with David Wolfe and for his influential work on fraudulent financial reporting, including major studies completed for COSO. Beyond academia, his public commentary often appears in prominent newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.We talk about what makes research relevant, how Model 2 scholarship expands the reach of academic work, the people side of fraud, the challenges of remote auditing, and broader societal questions involving capitalism, socialism, incentives, and public policy. This is a thoughtful conversation for anyone interested in business, governance, and the real-world impact of research.

Topgolf for Baseball? How Ethan Jensen Built “The Cage” - #29

In today’s episode, I talk with my friend Ethan Jensen, CEO of The Cage, a virtual batting cage experience in Salt Lake City, Utah. We go over how he turned an idea from college into a real business, quit his job, found funding, opened the first location, and built early traction through social media. We also talk hiring, operations, and why Ethan believes courage matters more than capability when you start something new.Connect with Ethan and The CageThe Cage: https://www.thecage-baseball.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cagebaseballEthan: https://www.instagram.com/ep3jensen