#161 Navigating the Post-Truth Era: Building Brand Trust with Emotional Inquiry

Is it really possible to build trust with customers in a business landscape overflowing with misinformation and emotional volatility?

That burning question is at the heart of my conversation with Michael Forsberg, Director of Client Experience at BrandTrust. In an era many call "post-truth," business leaders face steep challenges in distinguishing what's real from what's noise—especially when it comes to understanding their customers' motivations. Michael's work focuses on uncovering the human truths and emotions driving decisions across industries from tech to healthcare to financial services. The impact? When brands neglect the emotional drivers beneath surface behaviors, they risk eroding loyalty, losing relevance, and missing out on real, meaningful relationships with their customers.

Why should you listen to Michael Forsberg? Michael brings a rare combination of practical expertise, academic rigor (he's an MSU grad in Customer Experience Management and a former student in my class), and heartfelt real-world perspective. From navigating literal wildfires in Los Angeles to helping Fortune 500 brands reimagine their connection with customers, Michael understands both the stakes and the solutions for brands that want to break through "empathy gaps" and drive bottom-line results through emotional insight.

Here are three essential questions Michael answers on the show:

1. What do emotional inquiry and human truth really mean—and why do they matter for business leaders and marketers?

2. Why is it so dangerous to rely exclusively on quantitative data when diagnosing customer challenges and designing solutions?

3. What practical steps can organizations take to uncover emotional insights and apply them to improve experience, retention, and loyalty?

Don't miss these eye-opening insights! Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your favorite podcast platform—just search for "Mark Slatin." Every episode is designed for leaders who want to move past the surface and start creating truly delighted customers.

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Meet Michael Forsberg

Michael Forsberg is Director of Client Experience at BrandTrust, a leading brand strategy and research firm. Michael specializes in leveraging applied social sciences and behavioral economics to uncover the hidden emotional engines powering consumer decision-making. With expertise spanning tech, healthcare, CPG, financial services, and more, he partners with organizations to identify and address the core emotional narratives shaping their customers' behaviors.

Michael began his career in advertising as part of a media agency before moving client-side at an international humanitarian organization, which gave him a global view of human needs and motivations. He has since spent over five years at BrandTrust, helping clients design emotional inquiry research, develop brand strategies, and drive meaningful organizational change grounded in deep emotional insight. Michael holds a Master of Science in Customer Experience Management from Michigan State University and brings real-world empathy to every conversation—something that started with his own experience of responding to wildfire evacuation in Los Angeles.

Connect with Michael Forsberg on LinkedIn or learn more about his work at BrandTrust.com.

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Show Notes & References

• BrandTrust: brandtrust.com

• Emotional Inquiry Research Methodology: More on BrandTrust's approach

• Michael Forsberg's LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelforsberg/

• All Time restaurant in Los Angeles, CA (Michael's customer delight story): All Time on Hillhurst

• Michigan State University Customer Experience Management program: MSU CXM