Stephen Kraus is co-author of The New Elite: Inside the Minds of the Truly Wealthy. Based on a ground-breaking series of studies, The New Elite busts the myths about wealth in America, and provides a research-driven look at the attitudes and lifestyles of the wealthiest 1% of Americans. Learn more about the book, and why Publisher’s Weekly called it “indispensable to marketers,” at www.TheNewElite.net.
Steve is also author of Psychological Foundations of Success: A Harvard-Trained Scientist Separates the Science of Success from Self-Help Snake Oil. His articles have appeared in BrandWeek, AdWeek, the San Francisco Chronicle, Contemporary Psychology and a variety of scientific psychology journals.
Steve is a featured speaker at conferences across the country, where he discusses his insights into human behavior and their marketing implications for fields as diverse as technology, financial services, retail sales, and packaged goods. He has also spoken at numerous scientific conferences, including those held by the American Psychological Association and the Society of Consumer Psychology. His insights are regularly quoted in the media. He has been interviewed on CNN/fn, Fox News Channel, and dozens of radio stations. He has also been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily, the Chicago Tribune, the Philadelphia Daily News, Parents magazine, and other national publications.
With over 15 years of market research experience, Dr. Stephen Kraus directs custom research projects for Fortune 500 companies, and provides senior leadership to Harrison Group's innovative syndicated studies of the wealthiest 1% of Americans. He also leads the firm’s sales training practice. Prior to the Harrison Group, Steve spent six years as a Partner with Yankelovich Partners, where he directed the Yankelovich Monitor -- the longest continuously-running study of consumer attitudes and lifestyles in America. Steve also worked at Marketing and Planning Systems (MaPS) and National Analysts, where he developed expertise in custom market research services such as market segmentation, customer satisfaction, and product/price optimization.
Steve received his Ph.D. in social psychology from Harvard University at age 25, and twice won Harvard's award for excellence in teaching. Steve taught psychology at the University of Florida, where he was a campus favorite thanks to his teaching style of busting popular myths, illustrating psychological principles with vivid demonstrations, and translating scientific research findings into practical learning. His academic research on the relationship between attitudes and behavior is one of the most widely referenced works on the topic in the psychological literature, and is cited in major psychology textbooks.
Steve lives in San Francisco with his wife and four-year-old son.
