Author · Applied Economist · Entrepreneur · Operator

An applied economist who runs and lives what he writes about.

Stephen Deason writes from inside the systems he studies: markets, institutions, recovery, and the choices that shape ordinary lives.

He also takes on a limited number of board advisory, speaking, and podcast conversations.

* Two notes: these subjects are often contentious, and familiarity with Frameworks & Definitions is recommended. I run companies and serve on boards, so I use AI to assist with drafting and editing. It does not substitute for the underlying work: the concepts, positions, and responsibility are my own.

Read the writing →Send an inquiry

Stephen Deason

Cover of The Weakest Link by Stephen Deason

Selected publication

The Weakest Link

A story about the systems we never see, and the handoffs where care breaks down.

Recent writing

All writing →

September 2, 2026The Bias Blind SpotRecovery→August 28, 2026A Bonus That Has Never Been ZeroEntrepreneurship→August 22, 2026Motivated Reasoning Produces Good ArgumentsRecovery→August 18, 2026Why Nobody Owns the Whole ThingSystems→

Browse the work

The series

Essays and stories grouped by the questions they pursue.

RecoveryWriting about the choices, work, and institutions that shape a life in recovery.→SystemsStories and essays about the handoffs nobody owns, and the people who pay for them.→EntrepreneurshipWriting from inside the daily work of building, buying, and carrying responsibility.→EconomicsQuestions of choice, incentives, uncertainty, and the stories people tell about value.→FoundationsThe sources, methods, and arguments that made economic reasoning possible.→ScriptureClose reading and reflection on faith, obligation, failure, and grace.→