The people
What they build
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Working at Captivate
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On the TechTO stage
Every talk is searchable — ask the archive about Captivate ↗
About
Captivate publishes a free monthly newsletter that takes one idea from behavioural science and turns it into something a reader can use in their next meeting — persuasion, negotiation, storytelling and communication, rather than theory. It is run by Ben Wise, head of programmatic media at Google in Canada with fifteen years in the industry, and Darren Chiu, a strategy lead at Google with more than twelve years in the field who also performs as a comedic storyteller. The two speak at industry events and run corporate training on the same material, and are represented by the National Speakers Bureau. Wise took TechTO's Sales Toronto stage in November 2025 to argue that up to 90 per cent of buying decisions are emotional, walking through the elephant-and-rider model of decision-making and what it means for a sales team that pitches with feature lists.
Backers
A side practice run by its two founders alongside their day jobs; no outside investment is on the public record.
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Quick answers
What is Captivate?
A free monthly newsletter and training practice on persuasion, negotiation and storytelling, translating behavioural science into one practical tip per issue. Subscribers also get a pre-meeting checklist.
Who runs Captivate?
Ben Wise, head of programmatic media at Google in Canada, and Darren Chiu, a strategy lead at Google. Both work on it alongside their roles there.
What was the TechTO talk about?
Why buying decisions are emotional rather than logical — the elephant-and-rider model, what makes a pitch land, and how to avoid a presentation that is a list of features.