In this episode of Truth Tastes Funny, Hersh Rephun sits down with brand strategist, TEDx speaker, and media expert Steven Seidel for a conversation about connection, creativity, grief, identity, and the stories that help people survive hard seasons.

Steven has spent years helping entrepreneurs, startups, and leaders clarify their message and communicate with impact. But behind the branding and business strategy is a much more personal story.

Hersh’s conversation with Steven explores what happened during the pandemic, when caregiving, fatherhood, isolation, business pressure, and the loss of Steven’s mother all collided at once. Out of that chaos came a deeper understanding of community, vulnerability, and the need for spaces where people can actually tell the truth.

They dive into:

Why connection is the real currency in business and life
How storytelling helps people heal and relate to each other
The creation of Gent’s Journey, Steven’s men’s collective
What COVID revealed about isolation, identity, and relationships
Why brands fail when they skip the human story
And how authenticity creates trust faster than polished messaging ever will

The conversation moves fluidly between business strategy and real life, touching on branding, fatherhood, grief, creativity, purpose, and the strange ways adversity can clarify what actually matters.

Funny, thoughtful, and deeply human, this episode is about learning to build connection in a world that often pushes people apart.

Connect with Stephen:

https:://www.StephenSeidel.com

https://www.TheSeidelAgency.com

@StephenSeidel + @TheSeidelAgency

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/