Global Academic, CEO of YellowFryum NY, Marketing Leader – A Dialogue with Dr. Sunaina Shrivastava

Brainz Magazine Exclusive Interview

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Dr. Sunaina Shrivastava, BEng., MBA, PhD, is a well-known, accomplished academic and business leader with over a decade of experience in Behavioral Marketing and Growth Strategy. She currently serves as a Faculty of Business & Consumer Behavior at New York University (NYU), where she teaches and mentors future leaders in the Master´s program.

Previously, she held academic positions at Manhattan University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute–NY, and the New Jersey Institute of Technology, further solidifying her reputation as an experienced business educator. Dr. Shrivastava’s research has been published in leading journals, including the Journal of Consumer Marketing, Judgment and Decision Making, and the Journal of Marketing Communications, reflecting her profound impact on the field of marketing.

Beyond academia, Dr. Shrivastava is the Co-founder and CEO of YellowFryum Inc., a premier growth advisory firm based in New York. Her approach blends consumer behavior insights with data-driven strategies and advanced analytics to craft high-impact marketing and growth solutions that deliver measurable outcomes. Her firm operates across two specialized verticals: YellowFryum-Fin, partnering with fintechs, asset management firms, and financial institutions to drive investor growth, build trust, and strengthen investor engagement; and YellowFryum-Med, accelerating growth for medical aesthetics, healthtech, and telehealth brands through innovative digital marketing techniques. 

Dr. Shrivastava holds a Ph.D. in Marketing and Consumer Behavior from the Tippie College of Business at the University of Iowa, an MBA in Marketing, and a Bachelor´s degree in Electronics Engineering. She previously served as a Senior Behavioral Scientist at Ipsos Inc. and as Chief Behavioral Advisor to a New York-based market research firm, strengthening her expertise at the intersection of consumer psychology and market strategy.

Dr. Sunaina Shrivastava BEng., MBA, PhD

You have successfully built a dual career across academia and consulting. How do you balance being a professor and running YellowFryum Inc., and how do both roles enrich each other?

My academic work and consulting career are deeply interconnected, and each profoundly enhances the other. As a professor, particularly at New York University, I engage with evolving theories in consumer behavior, behavioral science, and market strategy. Teaching sharpens my ability to distill complex ideas and ensures I stay on the cutting edge of research and innovation. On the consulting side, leading YellowFryum Inc. brings a strong real-world lens to my academic perspective. Every strategic decision, client engagement, and market challenge we navigate at YellowFryum provides rich, tangible insights that inform my teaching and research. Balancing both requires discipline and a clear sense of purpose, but it ultimately makes me more impactful in each role. I view it as a synergistic relationship - academic rigor enriches strategic thinking, and business practice keeps theory grounded and applicable.

How do you leverage your expertise in Consumer Behavior to create impactful growth strategies for your clients at YellowFryum Inc.?

At YellowFryum, consumer behavior is at the heart of every strategy we craft. We don't just focus on "what" consumers are doing - we dive deep into "why" they behave a certain way. Understanding underlying psychological triggers, decision-making biases, and behavioral patterns allows us to build marketing and growth strategies that are not only data-driven but human-centric. For example, when designing investor acquisition campaigns for a fintech platform or crafting patient journeys for a telehealth practice, we apply principles from behavioral economics - like loss aversion, framing effects, and choice architecture - to influence outcomes meaningfully. It´s about engineering experiences that align with how people naturally think and behave, rather than forcing traditional marketing tactics that often miss the mark. That´s where the real acceleration in growth comes from.

Data becomes truly powerful when it’s grounded in an understanding of human behavior—it’s this blend that turns insight into lasting impact.

Behavioral marketing has evolved dramatically over the past decade. In your view, how has it changed, and what role does innovation now play in this evolution?

Behavioral marketing has undergone a significant transformation from being an auxiliary field to becoming a core strategic driver. Ten years ago, understanding consumer psychology was often seen as a "nice to have"; today, it´s non-negotiable. Innovation has supercharged this shift. Advanced analytics, AI, and machine learning now allow us to observe and predict consumer behavior at an unprecedented scale. Personalization algorithms, dynamic content delivery, and predictive modeling have made behavioral insights operational in ways that were once theoretical. However, the fundamentals remain unchanged - it`s still about empathy, context, and understanding human motivations. Technology now allows us to apply those insights with precision and agility, turning behavioral marketing into a true engine for sustainable growth.

Your specialized vertical, YellowFryum Fin, focuses on accelerating growth for fintechs & financial firms. What makes marketing financial products particularly challenging?

Marketing financial products is uniquely complex because it involves high-stakes decisions, strict regulatory environments, and deeply personal emotional drivers. In financial services - whether we work with fintech platforms, asset management firms, or investment houses - the need to build trust, convey credibility, and simplify complex offerings is critical. There´s also the complexity of segmenting investors - not just by demographics, but by psychographics: risk appetite, investment horizons, financial literacy, generational values, and behavioral biases. At YellowFryum Fin, we design segment-specific strategies that address these nuances. For example, the messaging and platform engagement for a millennial first-time investor looks very different from strategies aimed at seasoned institutional investors. Navigating these intricacies requires deep behavioral insight and the ability to craft differentiated, trust-building narratives that still drive measurable outcomes.

YellowFryum Med specializes in accelerating growth for the medical aesthetics and healthtech sectors. What inspired your expansion into healthcare?

The decision to enter the healthcare space was both purpose-driven and intellectually challenging. I was drawn to the complexity of the sector, where decisions are shaped not just by logic but by deeply personal emotions and lived experiences. Medical aesthetics and telehealth, in particular, are fast-growing fields that demand a nuanced understanding of patient psychology, ethical communication, and high-stakes decision-making. Unlike other sectors, marketing in healthcare isn´t just about visibility - it´s about earning trust in a space where the perceived margin for error is incredibly narrow. That makes it uniquely challenging, but also deeply fulfilling. At YellowFryum Med, we craft strategies that are rooted in behavioral science and built to connect authentically with patients, while ensuring our clients grow responsibly and sustainably.

As the leader of a global team, how do you approach leadership and cultivate a values-based culture at YellowFryum Inc.?

Leadership, to me, is about creating alignment between vision, values, and action. At YellowFryum, I have intentionally built a culture rooted in excellence, empathy, and innovation. Leading YellowFryum’s global team across the U.S., Europe, and India requires embracing cultural intelligence while maintaining a unified core ethos. Clear communication, mutual respect, and empowerment are non-negotiables. I believe a values-based culture is not imposed - it’s lived daily through decisions, behaviors, and the way success is defined. I encourage my teams to take ownership, challenge norms, and continuously innovate while staying grounded in the fundamental principle that real growth must create real value for clients, communities, and ourselves.

Business should be a force for good, and leadership should be measured not just by profits, but by impact.

Your professional success is matched by your strong commitment to community impact. Could you tell us more about your work in service and how it shapes your leadership philosophy?

Community impact is deeply personal to me. As a dedicated member of Rotary International, I live by the Rotary motto of "Service Above Self." In recognition of my commitment to community service, I was honored with the prestigious Paul Harris Fellow award in 2024 from the Rotary Foundation—one of Rotary’s highest honors. I am also a proud Polio Plus Society member, contributing to the global fight to eradicate polio in collaboration with the Gates Foundation. Beyond global initiatives, I actively support Children´s International, where I sponsor children in need to access healthcare and education, and work closely with Kids in Crisis in Greenwich, Connecticut, to help create safer environments for vulnerable youth. These experiences ground my leadership philosophy: true success is not just measured in business milestones but in how deeply and meaningfully we uplift others.

For more information, visit www.yellowfryum.com and visit Dr. Shrivastava’s social media pages at www.linkedin.com/in/sunainashrivastava and https://www.instagram.com/shrivastava_sunaina