YES, BRAND with Hersh Rephun

Hersh Rephun
  • 5.0 (17)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

YES, BRAND features conversations with founders, creators, leaders, and public thinkers at pivotal moments, when the success of what they're building depends on how it's understood. A founder entering a new arena. An author introducing a new idea. A scientist challenging conventional thinking. A CEO redefining a company. An artist reshaping a genre. A leader building a movement. Building it is only the beginning. What happens next depends on how the world understands it. Every episode explores the gap between intention and interpretation, where meaningful ideas meet the real world and take on a life of their own. Welcome to the conversation between what you meant... and what everyone else thinks you meant. Because every idea has two stories: the one you tell... and the one everyone else repeats. Hosted by Hersh Rephun.

  1. 5d ago

    Sharon McLaughlin: When the Title Disappears, What Authority Remains?

    What happens to your authority when the organization, title, and familiar identity fall away? On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with executive coach, leadership advisor, and Change Clarity founder Sharon McLaughlin for a conversation about leadership, identity, transition, and what it takes to move people through relentless change. After more than three decades inside large organizations, Sharon recognized that leadership was never created by rank. The title may grant responsibility, but the ability to build trust, create clarity, and bring people with you comes from somewhere deeper. Hersh and Sharon explore: Why expertise does not automatically translate into leadershipThe difference between managing change and leading people through itWhat remains when professional identity is separated from a titleWhy leaders tend to under-communicate during uncertain timesHow constant change creates fatigue and emotional saturationThe distinction between moving from A to B and leading people all the way throughHow to evolve publicly without abandoning the credibility already earnedAnd why authority ultimately comes back to who you are Sharon also shares what she learned while moving from municipal government leadership into an independent advisory practice and discovering that the value she brought to the organization had never belonged to the organization. At its heart, this episode asks: When the title disappears, what are people still willing to follow? -- Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business is a semi memoir drawing on his adventures as an Authority Advisor and Standup Comedian. It is part business book, part happiness formula for life, and an amuseful read, whether you’re building a business or burnishing your self-image. You can kickstart your own messaging evolution with a one-on-one 5-Minute Fix. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/

    Sharon McLaughlin: When the Title Disappears, What Authority Remains?

  2. Jul 24

    Dr. Angela Zeng: When Science Meets Mission

    Is your product the mission... Or simply the expression of it? On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with scientist, entrepreneur, and Karviva founder Dr. Angela Zeng for a conversation about purpose, trust, branding, and the challenge of building a company without sacrificing its soul. After years in medical research, Angela discovered that creating an exceptional product wasn't enough. The real challenge was helping people understand why it exists. Together, Hersh and Angela explore: Why quality alone doesn't create a successful brandThe growing gap between marketing claims and consumer trustThe difference between selling ingredients and sharing a philosophyWhy founders shouldn't disappear behind their productsHow mission creates meaning beyond marketingThe role of traditional wisdom in a modern marketplaceWhy authenticity is becoming a competitive advantageAnd what happens when a founder finally steps into the story At the heart of the conversation is a simple recognition: People don't build relationships with bottles. They build relationships with belief. https://karviva.com/ -- Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business is a semi memoir drawing on his adventures as an Authority Advisor and Standup Comedian. It is part business book, part happiness formula for life, and an amuseful read, whether you’re building a business or burnishing your self-image. You can kickstart your own messaging evolution with a one-on-one 5-Minute Fix. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/

    Dr. Angela Zeng: When Science Meets Mission

  3. Jul 13

    JonRobert Tartaglione: Influence Begins Before Anyone Says Yes

    Influence isn't about convincing people. It's about helping them see something differently. On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with psychologist, behavioral scientist, and Influence51 founder JonRobert Tartaglione for a conversation about persuasion, perception, positioning, and why even brilliant ideas struggle when people don't know where to place them. After years studying psychology at University College London, the University of Chicago, and Cambridge, JonRobert realized the hardest part wasn't understanding human behavior. It was helping organizations understand why it mattered. Together they explore: Why expertise doesn't automatically create understandingThe difference between influence and manipulationHow people decide what to believeWhy demonstrations outperform explanationsThe challenge of building something that doesn't fit an existing categoryWhy many experts struggle with self-promotionHow trust creates openness to new ideasAnd why changing someone's mind is far more human than tactical Along the way, JonRobert shares how he built Influence51 by translating academic research into practical tools leaders can actually use. At its core, this episode explores a question every founder eventually faces: What happens when your work makes perfect sense... once people experience it? -- Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business is a semi memoir drawing on his adventures as an Authority Advisor and Standup Comedian. It is part business book, part happiness formula for life, and an amuseful read, whether you’re building a business or burnishing your self-image. You can kickstart your own messaging evolution with a one-on-one 5-Minute Fix. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/

    JonRobert Tartaglione: Influence Begins Before Anyone Says Yes

  4. Jul 8

    Hakeem Bourne Mcfarlane on Choosing Yourself Before the World Chooses for You

    In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Hakeem Bourne McFarlane for a raw, powerful conversation about addiction, identity, masculinity, discipline, and what it actually means to choose yourself. For Hakeem, “Choose Yourself” is not a slogan. It was born from grief, collapse, masking, substances, jail, and the long work of rebuilding a life from the inside out. Hersh and Hakeem explore: Why choosing yourself is not selfishThe difference between being a good man and being good at being a manHow achievement can become camouflage for griefWhy discipline is freedom, not punishmentThe danger of masking pain with productivityHow public accountability can become an integrity loopWhy what we consume shapes who we becomeHow vices quietly become identity substitutesAnd why your story should be the root of your brand Hakeem also shares the five-pillar Choose Yourself process, his path through addiction and recovery, and how he turned personal transformation into a community, movement, and message. At its core, this episode asks: What version of yourself are you choosing when nobody is watching? -- Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business is a semi memoir drawing on his adventures as an Authority Advisor and Standup Comedian. It is part business book, part happiness formula for life, and an amuseful read, whether you’re building a business or burnishing your self-image. You can kickstart your own messaging evolution with a one-on-one 5-Minute Fix. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/

    Hakeem Bourne Mcfarlane on Choosing Yourself Before the World Chooses for You

  5. Jul 3

    Rick Stark: How to Spot the Next Big Thing Before Everyone Else

    Some people follow trends. Rick Stark has spent his career finding them before they have names. On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with action sports entrepreneur, media executive, and brand builder Rick Stark for a conversation about timing, trust, category creation, and why the biggest opportunities often begin as communities everyone else overlooks. From launching the National Inline Skate Series before the X Games existed to helping grow World of Dance into a global phenomenon, Rick has repeatedly found himself at the intersection of culture and commerce, recognizing potential long before the market catches up. Together they explore: Why timing matters as much as talentHow niche communities become global movementsWhat sponsors often misunderstand about cultureThe balance between commercialization and authenticityWhy relationships outperform transactionsThe role trust plays in long-term partnershipsHow to recognize opportunity before it's obviousWhy entrepreneurs need people who believe before everyone else does Rick also shares the surprising story behind the return of the National Inline Skate Series and why building Team USA for rollerblading may become the next chapter in a career built on seeing what's possible before others do. At its core, this episode asks: How do you recognize a movement before the rest of the world calls it one? -- Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business is a semi memoir drawing on his adventures as an Authority Advisor and Standup Comedian. It is part business book, part happiness formula for life, and an amuseful read, whether you’re building a business or burnishing your self-image. You can kickstart your own messaging evolution with a one-on-one 5-Minute Fix. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/

    Rick Stark: How to Spot the Next Big Thing Before Everyone Else

  6. Jul 2

    Jenni Lee: What Your Closet Knows About Your Personal Brand

    What if getting dressed wasn't about fashion? What if it was about recognition? On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with celebrity stylist Jenni Lee for a conversation that starts with clothes and ends somewhere much deeper. After decades styling actors, musicians, and public figures, Jenni discovered the real transformation never happened in front of the camera. It happened in the fitting room. Together they explore: Why clothes tell your story before you doThe difference between fashion and identityWhy success often outpaces someone's self-imageHow visibility changes what we need from our wardrobeWhy style is less about shopping and more about recognitionThe surprising psychology behind confidence and clothingWhat AI can imitate... and what it never willHow getting dressed can become an act of self-trust instead of self-consciousness Along the way, Jenni shares stories from Hollywood, New York Fashion Week, and the dressing rooms where she's watched people see themselves differently for the very first time. At its heart, this episode explores a simple idea: Your best outfit doesn't change who you are. It helps other people meet the version that's already there. Website: https://www.jennileestylist.consulting/ -- Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business is a semi memoir drawing on his adventures as an Authority Advisor and Standup Comedian. It is part business book, part happiness formula for life, and an amuseful read, whether you’re building a business or burnishing your self-image. You can kickstart your own messaging evolution with a one-on-one 5-Minute Fix. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/

    Jenni Lee: What Your Closet Knows About Your Personal Brand

  7. Jun 22

    Jimi Gibson: What Happens When the Marketplace Decides Who You Are

    In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Jimi Gibson, visibility strategist, researcher, and former professional magician, for a conversation about perception, authority, AI, and why being excellent at what you do is no longer enough. Jimi's core belief is simple: Invisible owners create invisible companies. But this conversation goes far deeper than social media tactics or personal branding advice. After studying hundreds of businesses and their visibility across search engines, AI platforms, and digital ecosystems, Jimi discovered a growing divide between organizations that are easily found, understood, and trusted, and those quietly disappearing from consideration altogether. Hersh and Jimi explore: Why expertise alone no longer guarantees visibilityHow AI evaluates authority and trustThe difference between being known and being understoodWhy business owners often hide behind their logosThe danger of becoming a generic "smudge" in the marketplaceHow specificity creates authorityThe role of opinion, conviction, and perspectiveAnd why AI increasingly favors people over brands Along the way, Jimi shares the childhood story that shaped his view of identity, a bank campaign called Thumb Buddy that taught him the value of embracing what makes you different. At its heart, this episode explores a question many leaders avoid asking: If someone encountered your business tomorrow, would they find you... or a generic version of everyone else? -- Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business is a semi memoir drawing on his adventures as an Authority Advisor and Standup Comedian. It is part business book, part happiness formula for life, and an amuseful read, whether you’re building a business or burnishing your self-image. You can kickstart your own messaging evolution with a one-on-one 5-Minute Fix. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/

    Jimi Gibson: What Happens When the Marketplace Decides Who You Are

  8. Jun 22

    Mara Smith and Inspiro Tequila: What Happens When the Founder Isn't in the Room?

    In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Mara Smith, founder and CEO of Inspiro Tequila, for a conversation about founder-led brands, perception, scale, and the challenge of building something that can stand on its own. Mara didn't set out to build a tequila company. A former attorney, corporate strategist, and stay-at-home mom, she set out to build something of her own. What she discovered was a gap in the market: a premium, additive-free tequila that reflected her values and appealed to consumers who wanted quality without pretension. But building the product was only the beginning. As Inspiro grows, Mara faces a challenge familiar to every founder: How do you make sure people understand what you've built when you're no longer there to explain it? Hersh and Mara explore: The founder's dilemma of control versus scaleWhy consistency matters more than perfectionHow products communicate when the founder isn't presentThe difference between a product story and a founder storyWhy approachability became a core brand valueHow personal values shape business identityThe challenge of being interpreted by distributors, retailers, and customersAnd what happens when a brand starts developing a personality of its own Along the way, Mara shares the story of launching a tequila company during the pandemic, building a woman-led brand in a traditionally male-dominated industry, and learning to let go of the need for everyone to tell the story exactly the way she would. At its heart, this episode explores a question every founder eventually faces: When people encounter your brand without you there, what version of the story are they meeting? https://inspirotequila.com/ -- Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business is a semi memoir drawing on his adventures as an Authority Advisor and Standup Comedian. It is part business book, part happiness formula for life, and an amuseful read, whether you’re building a business or burnishing your self-image. You can kickstart your own messaging evolution with a one-on-one 5-Minute Fix. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/

    Mara Smith and Inspiro Tequila: What Happens When the Founder Isn't in the Room?
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5
out of 5
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About

YES, BRAND features conversations with founders, creators, leaders, and public thinkers at pivotal moments, when the success of what they're building depends on how it's understood. A founder entering a new arena. An author introducing a new idea. A scientist challenging conventional thinking. A CEO redefining a company. An artist reshaping a genre. A leader building a movement. Building it is only the beginning. What happens next depends on how the world understands it. Every episode explores the gap between intention and interpretation, where meaningful ideas meet the real world and take on a life of their own. Welcome to the conversation between what you meant... and what everyone else thinks you meant. Because every idea has two stories: the one you tell... and the one everyone else repeats. Hosted by Hersh Rephun.

Information

  • Creator
    Hersh Rephun
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    175
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 YES, BRAND with Hersh Rephun
  • Show Website
    YES, BRAND with Hersh Rephun