In this episode of Truth Tastes Funny, Hersh Rephun sits down with Heidi Johnson, and from the first minute, it’s clear, this isn’t just another conversation. Heidi shows up with heart, perspective, and the kind of grounded wisdom you can’t fake. A truly wonderful guest in every sense.

Heidi is a nonprofit founder, storyteller, and the force behind Charity Matters. She’s also the bestselling author of Change for Good. But titles aside, what makes her compelling is the way she’s lived her story.

After a devastating family tragedy, Heidi was handed the kind of moment that changes everything. What she did next is what makes this conversation stick. Instead of staying in the loss, she turned toward service, co-founding the Spiritual Care Guild at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Today, it stands as a national model, proof that purpose isn’t theoretical, it’s built.

Hersh and Heidi dig into that pivot. Not the polished version, the real one. The kind where pain doesn’t disappear, but it gets repurposed into something that helps other people breathe a little easier.

They also get into what’s gone sideways in modern life. Too much surface, not enough substance. We’re “connected but not connected,” and paying the price for it. Heidi makes the case for going smaller, not bigger. Start local. Start human. Start with one person.

Because the truth is simple, and a little inconvenient:

If you want to feel better, help someone else.

What they get into:

The moment that changed Heidi’s life, and what she did with it
Turning grief into something useful
Why service isn’t selfless, it’s essential
The illusion of connection in a hyper-connected world
Rebuilding real community, one small act at a time
How purpose shows up when you stop looking for it and start doing

The takeaway:

Forget the overhaul. Forget the grand plan.

Do one small, decent thing for someone else. Then do it again tomorrow.

That’s how change actually happens.

Find Heidi:

Website: https://charity-matters.com

Instagram: @CharityMatters and @HeidiJohnsonOffical

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CharityMattersLA

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-mcniff-johnson-7758b225/

Twitter: @Charity_Matters

Podcast: Spotify for Podcast- https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/charity-matters

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CharityMatters/featured

Change for Good Book: https://www.sherisesstudios.com/heidi-johnson

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/

Heidi Johnson: When Loss Hands You a Card, Play It for Good