One Ordinary Man: The Hidden Architect of the New Deal with Steve Vesce

Most of us know the names Roosevelt, Churchill, and Stalin, but history has largely overlooked the "ordinary man" who stood at the center of it all. Steve Vesce spent his career as an entrepreneur and CEO before a research project introduced him to Harry Hopkins, FDR's closest confidant and the visionary behind the New Deal. That discovery became his debut novel, One Ordinary Man, a 2025 American Writing Awards Finalist.In this episode, Steve shares the moment during his research that convinced him this had to be a full novel, how Hopkins rose from an obscure Iowa social worker to a pivotal WWII strategist, and what it took to balance a CEO's discipline with the creative demands of writing an award-winning biographical epic.What We Talked About:The research spark that became a 600-page novelHow Harry Hopkins rose from obscurity to FDR's inner circleThe hidden "levers" behind the New Deal and WWII victoryBalancing a CEO's mindset with creative writingWhy the Greatest Generation's story still resonates todayConnect with Steve Vesce:Website: stevevesce.comFacebook & Instagram: linked on his profile