Stephen Dubner

EXCLUSIVE
  • Bestselling & Award-Winning Author, 'Freakonomics' Series
  • Host, 'Freakonomics Radio' Podcast - 8M downloads a month
  • Co-star, Freakonomics Documentary
  • Author of "the most readable economics blog in the universe"

Award-winning author, journalist, and media personality Stephen J. Dubner is best-known as co-author of the New York Times bestselling Freakonomics series, an instant international bestseller and cultural phenomenon. Hailed by critics and readers alike, it still appears regularly on The New York Times bestseller list. SuperFreakonomics followed to similar acclaim, and a documentary film version of Freakonomics was chosen as the closing film of the Tribeca Film Festival. Dubner is currently the host of the Freakonomics Radio podcast, which gets 5M downloads a month.

Dubner has appeared widely on television, including as a regular contributor to ABC News and as host of the NFL Network's Football Freakonomics, which was nominated for an Emmy. His journalism has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, TIME, and elsewhere, and has been anthologized in The Best American Sports Writing, The Best American Crime Writing, and others. He has been invited to speak to organizations including American Airlines, Xerox, Michigan State University, and more.

 


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Past Hosts Include:
  • BlueMountain Capital Management LLC
  • Jewish National Fund
  • Gratz College
  • Liberty League International
  • MPM Capital
  • Maryland Economic Development Commission
  • ProActive Inc.
  • ASTD International
  • Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia
  • Jewish Federation of Greater Houston
Rave Reviews About Stephen Dubner
Everything went absolutely amazing with Stephen's appearance! HWA was invaluable to the success of this event. Stephen was well aware of what we wanted and was able to cater to our event to the last detail. At lunch, he was the center of attention and was a captivating conversationalist. He was particularly talented at relating to each individual's personal ambitions. During the speech, everyone was enthralled by his accounts of how incentives can motivate and direct society and social behavior, his accounts of a Japanese hot dog-eating champion, the lack of hand-washing at airport bathrooms and major U.S. hospitals, and the developing monkey economy at a Yale research lab. He elicited boisterous laughter, some gasps and generally commanded the stage to perfection. He was very gracious during our Q&A period and the book-signing/reception. I believe the students really enjoyed this personal interaction with him. Everyone who attended this event left happy!

More rave reviews

"Thank you for the amazing discussion!""

-DataRobot

"He did a great job and was a huge hit with the entire audience!"

-Acxiom

"Dubner was great and our attendees thoroughly enjoyed his keynote."

-University of Cincinnati

"We all greatly admired your talk, and were thrilled to see you bring such a positive impact to the event... I have heard from several people how much they liked speaking with you and how appreciative they were of your openness and friendliness. It was this warmth...that helped make the Forum such an enjoyable event for all in attendance... It was a great success and everyone very much enjoyed [your] talk and participation throughout the event on the first day."

-Aspen Abu Dhabi Ideas Forum

"I’m very, very pleased. Stephen’s speech was thought provoking and entertaining. I don’t have any event analytics back yet, but from my own observations in the room, I feel confident saying it was the best-attended keynote we’ve ever held. I spoke with several people afterwards who told me how much they enjoyed it (and no one who told me they didn’t), and a few volunteered that they felt it was the best keynote we’ve ever done. Stephen was incredibly gracious and generous with his time. Our VIPs really enjoyed meeting him after the event; several of them came up to me afterwards to thank me for arranging the VIP reception and show off their signed copies of Think Like a Freak."

-&Company Media Group

"Thank YOU for everything that you did to help us out. The students could not be more pleased with how the program turned out. Stephen was an absolute delight and did an amazing job! We are so incredibly appreciative that he was so understanding and flexible when people kept wanting to talk to him, which made it challenging to get him out by 9 pm exactly. He recorded videos for professors and took pictures."

-Texas A&M

"Stephen’s presentation went really well. He was so easy to work with and people enjoyed his session."

-Institute Of Management Accountants

"Stephen was amazing. He possess this great quality of delivering complex concepts with humor and relevancy."

-LiveRamp

"We hosted a group of 20 CFOs in late September and Stephen was our keynote dinner speaker. He arrived on time, mingled expertly with our guests, and was incredibly easy-going and approachable. His discussion with our audience was fabulous; tying his comments to the themes of our conference, keeping the group engaged, and focusing on thinking outside of the box (like a Freak!). He signed books for about 30 minutes after the presentation and was patient and conversational with each guest. Would highly recommend him to anyone looking to engage business professionals in a unique and fun evening/session. I got the feeling that Stephen could provide thoughtful insight on just about anything."

-Financial Services Firm

"Stephen was such a great addition to our conference and all the attendees (and employees) really loved his talk."

-Xero

"We were absolutely blown away by Stephen’s knowledge, his professionalism, his speaking ability, the engaging stories he told and his patience in signing so many books and speaking personally with all our attendees. We could not be happier and have received countless positive notes from our clients. The content was the perfect way to set up our entire Summit."

-iProspect

"It was such a pleasure to meet you and hear first hand all of the great stories that I read about in your books. The response from the audience was amazing and it carried on throughout the next 2 days. I’ve received so many emails from clients all quoting a story that you told on stage and it’s always a different story."

-iProspect

"The event went over incredibly well! We had over 400 people attend, mostly students, but also some professors. Stephen held a great Q&A and met several fans/signed their books afterwards."

-Boston College

"Stephen was fantastic – I heard from several sources that customers really enjoyed his presentation. It was funny, full of stories, and on target for our audience. He was also a very engaging, approachable and insightful during the breakfast, the media briefing, and even in the downtimes in between these events."

-Adaptive Insight

"Stephen was fantastic, and we got great feedback from our attendees as well as our senior management team."

-HealthEdge

"Stephen Dubner is intelligent and engaging and friendly and great to work with. And it was refreshing to have him speak off the cuff with no slides. Overall, great talk and I’m a huge fan."

-MECLABS Institute

"We loved working with him. He is terrific and the audience loved it."

-Qualtrics

"It was awesome. Literally he was perfect. "

-Qualtrics

"We loved him! What a nice man and a great speaker too! "

-YPO

"Stephen was amazing! He's such a personable guy and fit in with our team immediately. He can easily read the audience and change focus as needed. His stories were entertaining, relevant and truly resonated with our team. We wanted him to stay all day! ... He truly was the perfect fit for us and kicked off our summit with a bang! "

-Blue Man Group

"As expected, Stephen was a hit. "

-AQR

"Stephen was extraordinary yesterday. There was such a buzz about his keynote at the event, and, as I'm sure you're well aware of by now, Stephen was incredibly engaging and the audience was completely mesmerized for 45 minutes. In my experience, it is a feat to get this digitally-inclined crowd to put down their smart devices for an extended period of time and simply listen...and that is a testament to Stephen's storytelling abilities. I received such great feedback from attendees and many remarks on the impression that Stephen's stories left on them."

-Tapad

"To say that your observations and insights were well received would be an understatement. Based on the attendee survey responses, I believe that you are the highest rated speaker we have ever had at an EIM event. Not only did your message resonate with the group, but you made a personal connection that few speakers are able achieve. Thank you also for taking the time to sign your book. Not only was it a gracious gesture, but the group thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to personally follow up with you after your speech. I am so pleased that we were able to have you address our member companies, and equally pleased at the overwhelmingly positive response we have gotten from the conference attendees. "

-Energy Insurance Mutual

"Our clients and employees loved Stephen Dubner’s presentation and appreciated him including our general themes of problem solving, how media influences decision making, and creative, innovative thinking that directly link back to commercial real estate and forecasting what is to come. Stephen Dubner was a pleasure to work with – very high energy, easy-going and such I really enjoyed meeting him – as I know others did as well!!"

-Cassidy Turley

"It was a pleasure having Mr. Dubner speak at our meeting - he was fantastic!"

-Clark Construction Group

"Delivering a closing keynote can be challenging; and Mr. Dubner did an outstanding job. Some of the comments from our attendees' evaluation included: This was the highlight session of the PLUS conference. Dubner's an outstanding speaker. Great choice. It doesn't get much better than this!"

-PLUS (Professional Liability Undewriting Society)

"Things went very well. Stephen was a pleasure and I head conference attendees talking about all things Freakonomics after his speech. Thanks for all your hard work. We would heartily recommend Stephen to other groups. "

-American Academy of Actuaries

"Mr. Dubner was delightful. The speech seemed to be very well received. "

-ACI Event Group

"Stephen was delightful. He was down to earth and easy to talk to. Everybody was raving about his speech. He was very engaging, funny, and shared several interesting points. "

-Property Solutions

"The conference went very well and Mr. Dubner was sensational. We were all very happy to meet him. "

-American School Foundation of Monterrey

"So engaging, informative, interesting and inspiring – Many thanks Stephen for an excellent keynote session!"

-Sharon Yang, Conference Manager, Real Estate Markets – Asia – Terrapinn Pte Ltd

"Dubner was great. He was on message, had great delivery, and the audience loved him."

-International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association

"He was absolutely delightful to talk with, down to earth and had a packed house. He was funny, engaging and held the audience the entire time. Everything went off without a hitch. You are a great team and provided great service. I would use your agency again in aheartbeat. "

-American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons

"I wanted to let you know right away how much all the attendees loved meeting and listening to Stephen. He set the perfect tone for the conference. "

-The National Association of Real Estate Investment Managers

"We had a great time with Stephen. He was courteous and professional through all of the interactions, and as a speaker, he was engaging and entertaining. We enjoyed getting to know him!"

-American Airlines

"This year marked the sixth CASE Summit for Advancement Leaders, and the most successful one to date. This is all due to the thought-provoking sessions and highly talented keynote speakers on the program. Without you, we could not have engaged out Summit attendees in the discussions that make the conference so valuable. Many of our attendees considered your presentation one of the highlights of the program and felt privileged to leave with signed copies of Freakonomics and SuperFreakonomics. For your contributions to the success of the Summit, I am grateful. It was a pleasure having you with us in Chicago. Thank you again for your involvement in the 2011 CASE Summit for Advancement Leaders."

-Council for Advancement and Support of Higher Education (CASE)

"Stephen Dubner was quite entertaining and informative."

-Staffing Industry Analysts

"Just wanted to let you know that our event was a great success, with over 1000 guests, and Stephen was wonderful. We’ve received great feedback on his presentation – he was very engaging and his personal Jewish story, as well as the 'Freakonomics' portion, were terrific. And he was very accommodating with our reception and our book sale as well. Thanks!"

-Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix

"Stephen Dubner did a terrific job. From dinner, to lecture, to book signing – he was engaging, articulate, involved and wonderful interacting with people."

-Temple Israel

"Mr. Dubner was extremely gracious and entertaining. The evening was a great success. "

-Congregation Beth Judah

"Your lively and engaging presentation certainly offered a fresh perspective on the economic issues facing our country. Your understanding of our industry issues was also greatly appreciated by our attendees and helped to make the program a valuable educational event. On behalf of GPhA and its members, thank you for your entertaining and insightful presentation. We were delighted that you could join us and we appreciate your significant contribution to our meeting's success. "

-GPhA

"Dubner was great. He was on message, had great delivery, and the audience loved him. "

-International Dairy-Deli-Bakery Association

"The event was a total success! We ended up with almost 1400 attendees, a record for a lunch event in Anchorage. Mr. Dubner was obviously a large draw for the general public as well as our members. In addition to the phenomenal turn out, we received many positive responses about the event and Mr. Dubner’s presentation...He was very gracious, wonderful to talk to and made himself immediately available to our investors, UAA students and the general public...it was a pleasure to see how well he interacted with the students. "

-Anchorage Economic Development Corporation

"Stephen was a delight. He is an excellent speaker and has some great quirky stories. "

-Apax Partners

"Dubner is one of my favorite speakers; he is warm, engaging, interesting and entertaining. He seems to connect with an audience as if he is sitting in their living room while imparting information as if he is lecturing at a university. It's a tough balance, but he executes that very well. "

-Greenwich Jewish Federation

"Stephen is superbly well-qualified to speak on, well, it appears almost everything and he was a great hit with our community. His talk was both touching and humorous, yet with an underlying serious tone that was very effective in driving home some of his more sobering points."

-Congregation Beth Shalom

"I have heard nothing but rave reviews about your presentation. You have certainly raised the bar for future speakers atthis event!"

-University of North Carolina-Greensboro

"Thanks to you and to Mr. Dubner for a very nice Friends of the UNCG Libraries event. Feedback from the event has been very positive, and Mr. Dubner's presentation was very well received. He was articulate, witty, informative and entertaining."

-University of North Carolina-Greensboro

"Thank you for participating in the India Today Conclave and speaking on the subject of 'Can Ideas Change the World?' Your valuable contribution helped in making the Conclave a great success. Your conclusion that very often the triggers that create change are not big or intricate but simple ones really struck home considering the complexities of the challenges we face. The real life examples you mentioned served to illustrate the point most forcefully. "

-The India Today Group

"Dubner and Levitt spoke to capacity crowds and couldn’t have been more accommodating. They had to do two different programs, one of which was an honors seminar, which was very exciting with lots of probing questions. They completely sold out the evening lecture."

-Ohio State University

"Thank you so much for your stimulating presentation at the Family Firm Institute's annual conference last month in Chicago. We were delighted with both the content and the style and were extremely pleased that you took time for questions. "

-Family Firm Institute

"Reactions to your talk have been extremely positive, which I suspect is usual given your care and effort in preparing and presenting the lecture. We estimate that approximately 1,200 to 1,400 people attended your lecture, and a number really appreciated the opportunity to have their books signed afterward. And our students who attended the question session and everyone at dinner enjoyed the chance for informal discussion. To an old economics teacher like me, the interesting ways that you and Levitt approach and explain relatively sophisticated economic concepts is both refreshing and enlightening. Perhaps I learned a bit that can help make my own classes more interesting and effective. "

-Michigan State University

"On behalf of the board of directors and membership of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to you for joining us at our Awards Luncheon. Your remarks were both informative and thought provoking. Thank you again for sharing your insights with us. "

-Indiana Chamber of Commerce

"Dubner was a delight and very well-received."

-World Affairs Council of Greater Dallas

"Stephen Dubner was very well received by our audience. He tied in his speech with the other two speakers and was very entertaining."

-Rudnick Investment Management

"We very much enjoyed Levitt and Dubner's presentation. Our attendees gave very enthusiastic feedback and it was a great end to our day long conference. Our end of the day attendee retention was the best it has ever been, as everyone wanted to stay for the Freakonomics presentation."

-Buck Consultants, An ACS Company

"Stephen Dubner spoke at a Jewish Federation dinner and was one of the best speakers we have used. He combined a Jewish message as well as a general message by talking about his personal biographical book, Choosing my Religion (formerly published as Turbulent Souls), and his bestseller, Freakonomics. He captivated the audience with his warmth, humor and insights. In addition, he took the time to speak individually with our guests during our reception and at a book signing after the dinner. What a mensch! "

-Jewish Federation of Greater Houston

"Stephen was FABULOUS at our event in Florida last Sunday. He mingled with the guests and stayed until 1:45 pm to sign books. Thank you so much for all your help in making this event special, successful and memorable! "

-Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia

"Thank you again for suggesting Stephen Dubner as our keynote speaker at our annual conference for the Commercial Real Estate Council. We have heard many positive comments about Stephen and the way he presented his information to the audience in both a very entertaining and interesting manner. With his wonderful humor and engaging style, the material he presented was thought-provoking to the attendees."

-Commercial Real Estate Council

"[Dubner's and Levitt's] presentation was a big hit with our audience. They were able to deepen our insight into why people do what they do - with wonderful humor and an engaging style. Both Mr. Dubner and Mr. Levitt were also a pleasure to work with, and we appreciated the time they spent talking to our participants and meeting with our media representatives."

-ASTD International

"Please thank him a hundred times for his participation in our session! He was very interesting, entertaining, and knew this client well. I have heard great feedback from the audience. "

-ProActive Inc.

"Mr. Dubner was FANTASTIC! His remarks were interesting, entertaining and he was funny, too. He was very personable and friendly and nice. Thank you so much for helping me make the arrangements to have Mr. Dubner at our Economic Outlook Conference. The Conference was a huge success. "

-Maryland Economic Development Commission

"Stephen Dubner created a talk based on FREAKONOMICS that was clearly tailored to our audience of healthcare CEOs and thought leaders. We were absolutely delighted with how he weaved the Freakonomics approach into new ideas and stories. We were really impressed with Stephen’s ability to both challenge and entertain the luminaries in our audience."

-MPM Capital

"Stephen was great! Perfect for this group. Looking forward to our gig next month [with him]! "

-BNP PARIBAS

"Your information was exactly what we were looking for...The Summit Conference is only held once a year, and based on the comments we received, it was by far the best we have ever done. I believe that most of the credit goes to you and the other speakers who delivered your presentations with inimitable flair and style. It was our privilege to have you on the stage and look forward to doing it again! "

-Liberty League International

"Stephen Dubner was absolutely fantastic. His talk was engaging, interesting and entertaining. He discussed both Choosing My Religion and Freakonomics and was perfect for our Jewish audience at Gratz College. Afterwards, Mr. Dubner signed books and generously took time to speak with everyone including the staff, who was so engaged by his stories, they didn’t want to let him go home. Stephen Dubner was a pleasure to work with and I would wholeheartedly recommend him as a speaker."

-Gratz College

"Stephen was absolutely fantastic! The honorees were especially pleased with him."

-Jewish National Fund

"Last evening’s BlueMountain event in Boston was a success and Stephen Dubner certainly topped it off with a dynamic and interesting speech!"

-BlueMountain Capital Management LLC

"Stephen’s presentation was the best one we have ever had! Everyone was riveted and the photo’s of the meeting reflect that! I so enjoyed meeting him as did all of our leadership. He was so gracious throughout the entire time as we dragged him from spot to spot. I am sure the book sales soared after the meeting too. Thank you again for recommending him, we can’t thank you enough."

-American Academy of Dermatology
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Stephen Dubner: A Freakonomics Take on 2020 | Innovative Entertainment - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Stephen Dubner
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Author Talk: 'Freakonomics' Franchise

Each idea presented by STEPHEN DUBNER of Freakonomics illustrates a story or example, providing audiences with illuminating thoughts for profitable thinking. With a trademark blend of captivating storytelling and unconventional analysis, Dubner takes us inside his process and teaches us all to think ...

Each idea presented by STEPHEN DUBNER of Freakonomics illustrates a story or example, providing audiences with illuminating thoughts for profitable thinking. With a trademark blend of captivating storytelling and unconventional analysis, Dubner takes us inside his process and teaches us all to think a bit more productively, more creatively, more rationally—to think, that is, like a Freak.

Information on book buys and signings is available upon request.

Freakonomics: Business & Management

Tailored to your industry interests, preeminent journalist STEPHEN DUBNER aims to provide insights specific to the marketplace, elucidating his opinion on risks of the future and the best practices for today. By sharing the stories the data is telling, Dubner educates audiences on the latest cases a ...

Tailored to your industry interests, preeminent journalist STEPHEN DUBNER aims to provide insights specific to the marketplace, elucidating his opinion on risks of the future and the best practices for today. By sharing the stories the data is telling, Dubner educates audiences on the latest cases and research relevant to their organization.

Freakonomics: The Power of Incentive

In this engaging presentation, journalist STEPHEN DUBNER addresses the fact that the old rules of business just don’t apply anymore. It’s a new world, and that demands a new way of thinking. Dubner offers audiences a method for digging beneath the surface of modern business practices to address what ...

In this engaging presentation, journalist STEPHEN DUBNER addresses the fact that the old rules of business just don’t apply anymore. It’s a new world, and that demands a new way of thinking. Dubner offers audiences a method for digging beneath the surface of modern business practices to address what good management looks like today.

How to Think Like a Freak

Using humor and first-rate storytelling, STEPHEN DUBNER discusses the sort of topics that are on every businessperson’s mind these days: the ways to create behavior change, the incentives that work and don’t work, and the value of asking unpopular questions. ...

Using humor and first-rate storytelling, STEPHEN DUBNER discusses the sort of topics that are on every businessperson’s mind these days: the ways to create behavior change, the incentives that work and don’t work, and the value of asking unpopular questions.

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Rave Reviews: Stephen Dubner delivers beyond audience expectations

Journalist STEPHEN DUBNER consistently receives rave reviews for his events: 

  • Institute Of Management Accountants: "Stephen’s presentation went really well. He was so easy to work with and people enjoyed his session."
  • American Airlines: "We had a great time with Stephen. He was courteous and professional through all of the interactions, and as a speaker, he was engaging and entertaining. We enjoyed getting to know him!"
  • Michigan State University: "Reactions to your talk have been extremely positive, which I suspect is usual given your care and effort in preparing and presenting the lecture. We estimate that approximately 1,200 to 1,400 people attended."

Watch Stephen Dubner at the Aspen Ideas Forum >>

Watch Stephen Dubner at the Economic Club of Grand Rapids >>

Stephen Dubner hosts 'Freakonomics Radio'

Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and radio and TV personality STEPHEN DUBNER hosts hit Freakonomics Radio podcast, uncovering the hidden side of everything. From Google executives to composers, Dubner and his guests find a fresh perspective. Freakonomics Radio is heard by millions across NPR and other outlets. Dubner's hosting is a mix of just the kind of wit, in-depth research, and out-of-the-box thinking he's heralded for at each of his speaking engagements. 

Watch Stephen Dubner at the Economic Club of Grand Rapids >>

Watch Stephen Dubner tell the story behind Freakonomics >>

Event Success Story: Stephen J. Dubner honors teachers at The Economics Center

Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author, journalist, and radio and TV personality STEPHEN DUBNER was invited to speak at the University of Cincinnati's The Economics Center's Annual Awards. The Center requested Dubner for his keynote address due to his pragmatic approach to finance and economics, which has made the Freakonomics series a household name. The University of Cincinnati said, "Dubner was great and our attendees thoroughly enjoyed his keynote."

Watch Stephen Dubner give the Appalachian State University Commencement >>

Watch Stephen Dubner at the Aspen Ideas Forum >>

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Biography

Stephen J. Dubner is an award-winning author, journalist, and radio and TV personality. He is best-known as co-author of the Freakonomics book series, which have sold more than 7 million copies in over 40 countries. He is also the host of Freakonomics Radio, which gets 8 million monthly downloads and airs on NPR stations and elsewhere. 

Freakonomics, published in 2005, was an instant international bestseller and cultural phenomenon. SuperFreakonomics followed to similar acclaim in 2009, and in 2010 a documentary film version of Freakonomics was chosen as the closing film of the Tribeca Film Festival. Think Like a Freak, published in 2014, immediately took up a long residency atop the international bestseller lists, and was followed by When to Rob a Bank, a collection of posts from the Freakonomics blog, which has been called “the most readable economics blog in the universe.”

Dubner has appeared widely on television, including as a regular contributor to ABC News and as host of the NFL Network's Football Freakonomics, which was nominated for an Emmy.

His other books include Turbulent Souls (1998); Confessions of a Hero-Worshiper (2003), and the children's book The Boy With Two Belly Buttons (2007). His journalism has appeared in The New York Times, The New Yorker, Time, and elsewhere, and has been anthologized in The Best American Sports Writing, The Best American Crime Writing, and others. 

The eighth and last child of an upstate New York newspaperman, Dubner has been writing for a long time. (His first published work appeared, at age 11, in Highlights magazine.) As an undergraduate at Appalachian State University, he started a rock band that was signed to Arista Records, which landed him in New York City. He ultimately quit playing music to earn an M.F.A. in writing at Columbia University, where he also taught in the English Department. He worked at New York Magazine and The New York Times before launching his book and radio career.

He lives in New York with his wife, the documentary photographer Ellen Binder, and their two children.