YES, BRAND with Hersh Rephun
by Hersh Rephun
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.
Episodes
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Karlyn Ankrom: The Finish Line That Isn’t
You wrote the book. You launched it. You celebrated. Now what? For too many nonfiction authors, publication becomes the finish line. The excitement fades, the marketing slows, and a book that could have fueled an entire business ends up gathering dust. Karlyn Ankrom wants to change that. On this...
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Jessica Rhodes: When You Become Bigger Than What You're Known For
Jessica Rhodes helped pioneer podcast guesting as a business strategy. Since founding Interview Connections in 2013, her company has booked more than 50,000 interviews and helped over 1,000 entrepreneurs build visibility through meaningful conversations. But what happens when the business you've...
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TSK and IDOSY Reinvent Luxury, Making the Extraordinary Feel Effortless
Reinventing Luxury: Making the Extraordinary Feel Effortless Luxury has always promised extraordinary experiences. But what happens when the process of accessing those experiences hasn't kept pace with the expectations of today's customers? In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun brings...
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Scherrie L. Prince: The Attorney Was Never the Destination
Scherrie L. Prince has spent nearly two decades practicing law. But before she became an attorney, she was an entrepreneur who learned some expensive lessons about what happens when ambition outpaces preparation. A handshake partnership gone sideways. A family inheritance complicated by the…
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TSK × TripWix Scale Luxury With the Human Touch
What good are gold taps if there's no hot water? It's a fair question. And a surprisingly useful way to rethink luxury. On this installment of YES, BRAND's continuing series following the emergence of The Sovereign Kingdom (TSK), Hersh Rephun brings together the core team from TripWix, an...
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Bailey Rankin Barclay: When Being Busy Stops Being Successful
Being booked and busy sounds like success. Until the bookings stop. On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun welcomes Bailey Rankin Barclay, founder of Rankin Design, a design studio helping short-term rental investors turn ordinary properties into competitive, revenue-producing destinations....
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Like Father, Like Founder? Mark & Malachy Mitchnick Build Burnd
A father invents technology that helps change an industry. Decades later, his son builds a consumer brand around it. On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun welcomes Mark Mitchnick and his son, Malachy Mitchnick, the father-son team behind Burnd, a science-driven skincare brand. Mark spent...
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YES, BRAND Field Test: Why Aren’t People Buying? | with Estie Starr & Nancy Zare
This is not a conventional episode of YES, BRAND. It’s an experiment inspired by First Contact Live, Hersh Rephun’s weekly event where one participant takes the hot seat, shares what they’re building, and hears from the gallery about what they actually think they’re seeing. Because what we intend...
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Saahil Mehta: You Changed. Did Anybody Notice?
At 36, Saahil Mehta had done what he was supposed to do. The education. The career. The money. The business. The family. The lifestyle. No debt. He'd checked the boxes his 20-year-old self believed would make him successful. There was just one problem. He wasn't particularly happy. On YES, BRAND,...
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Ms. K. Derhem: Building The Sovereign Kingdom
A note from Hersh: In interviewing so many fascinating entrepreneurs, many of whom are launching new ventures, we are selecting a handful of businesses to follow as they make their mark. The Sovereign Kingdom, founded by Ms. K. Derhem, is the first of these. Four more episodes with TSK will…
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Tim Klitch: How Do You Build a Brand People Want to Belong To?
After 35 years in financial services, Tim Klitch could have retired. Instead, he became Chief Fun Officer of a pickleball ranch. On YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with the founder of Austin Pickle Ranch to talk about second acts, community, and what happens when everything you learned about...
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Cody Lee: What If People Don’t Understand What You’ve Built?
Cody Lee has a problem plenty of founders would love to have. People want what he's built. They just don't always understand what it is at first. On YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Cody, co-founder and CEO of Food Truck Club, a marketplace connecting companies with vetted food trucks for...
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James I. Bond: Why Some Ideas Stick and Others Disappear
You can have the better product, the smarter argument, even the better idea. And still be the one nobody remembers. On YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with behavioral management specialist and Brain Glue author James I. Bond to explore one of branding's most important questions: Why do certain...
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Zolal Habibi: When the Facts Aren’t Enough
Facts can tell us what happened. They don't necessarily make us understand. Zolal Habibi has spent more than two decades advocating for democracy, women's rights, and freedom in Iran. For her, that work has never been abstract. Her father, a writer, was executed during Iran's 1988 massacre when...
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What Will You Give Me for This Expertise? with Karen Howard
People will spend thousands of dollars on a piece of jewelry, then balk at paying an expert to tell them what they actually bought. Karen Howard has always found that fascinating. On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with veteran gemologist, former appraisal business owner, and...
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Ben Butcher: After Pixar and Funko, Building a World of His Own
Ben Butcher spent nearly three decades helping shape some of the most recognizable entertainment brands in the world, including five years at Disney, twelve at Pixar, and ten as SVP of Creative at Funko. Then he decided to build something of his own. On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun…
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T.A. Thompson: When the Category Is Too Small
What happens when the life that pays the bills is only part of who you are? On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with author T.A. Thompson, who has spent more than a decade in commercial insurance while building a very different creative life as a fiction writer. His novel, The...
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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...
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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...
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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…
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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,...
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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…
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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...
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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…
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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...
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Sébastien Night and the Gap Between What You Built and What They Think You Built
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Sébastien Night, founder of One Take AI, for a conversation about positioning, perception, product evolution, and the challenge of building something people haven't seen before. One Take AI started as a video editing platform. At least...
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Don Weber and the Discipline of Seeing Clearly
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun gets smart with Don Weber, executive coach, communication advisor, and former intelligence professional, for a conversation about trust, perception, leadership, and what people reveal without realizing it. Don spent more than 15 years working in...
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Hadley Nightingale on Rebuilding While the Storm Is Still Happening
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Hadley Nightingale, founder of New Zealand Property Buyers, for a conversation about control, resilience, identity, and what happens when life refuses to wait until you're ready. Hadley launched his business during one of the hardest...
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Jonathan David Lewis: the Space Between Clarity and Character
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with author and organizational advisor Jonathan David Lewis for a conversation about leadership, identity, uncertainty, and what happens when the problem isn't the strategy. For years, Jonathan helped companies solve positioning and branding...
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Stop Waiting for the Perfect Time: Jonathan Ostenson on Business Ownership and Calculated Risk
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun rolls out the insight with Jon Ostenson, CEO of FranBridge Consulting, investor, author of Non-Food Franchising, and two-time Inc. 5000 founder, for a conversation about entrepreneurship, ownership, and the misunderstood world of franchising. While many...
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The Algorithm Thinks It Knows You: Kurt Uhlir on Personal Brand, AI, and Identity Lag
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sizes things up with Kurt Uhlir, globally recognized growth operator, CMO, speaker, inventor, and servant leadership advocate, for a conversation about personal branding, leadership evolution, visibility, and the growing tension between who we are and…
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Your Product Isn't the Problem. Your Positioning Probably Is. | Nik Hall
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Nik Hall, founder of Revive Marketing Partners and former CPG founder, to talk about scaling brands, building teams, and what separates sustainable growth from expensive mistakes. After building and exiting an eight-figure consumer…
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Your Brand Story Isn’t About You: John Elbing Explains Why
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with business storytelling consultant John Elbing, creator of the Story Building methodology, for a lively conversation about empathy, narrative, marketing, and why so many companies tell the wrong story. With a background spanning software...
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Peter Thomas on Mortality, Momentum, and Why Reinvention Can’t Wait
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Peter Thomas, Head of Higher Education at the Conversation Design Institute and advisor to AI coaching platform DignifyX, for a thoughtful conversation about reinvention, technology, relationships, and what happens when time stops feeling...
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From Disney to Carpet Cleaning: Vance Morris on Turning Customers Into Lifelong Fans
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with former Disney leader and customer experience strategist Vance Morris for a conversation about loyalty, systems, culture, and why customer experience is never accidental. After rising through leadership roles at Disney, Vance found himself...
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Kian Saneii on Aging, Technology, and Why Independa Is Rebranding Care Around Connection
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Kian Saneii, founder and CEO of Independa, for a powerful conversation about aging, technology, trust, and the emotional infrastructure of caregiving. After more than 25 years leading major technology companies including WebSense, AT&T…
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Justin Giuffrida: Why Smart Founders Slow Down Before They Scale
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Justin Giuffrida, founder of Citizens, for a conversation about growth, culture, mentorship, and the hidden risks of scaling too fast. Citizens has grown rapidly in a hospitality industry where culture is often the first thing sacrificed…
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Jennifer Dalton: Why Your Personal Brand Matters More Than Your Resume
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Jennifer Dalton, founder and CEO of BrandMirror, to unpack what personal branding really means in today’s rapidly changing professional world. With more than 20 years of experience in brand and business strategy, Jennifer helps…
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The Heated Kilt? Charlie Schertz and Stephanie Yeager on Building Mosey From 41 Failed Designs
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with inventor Charlie Schertz and marketing strategist Stephanie Yeager to talk about innovation, entrepreneurship, and the challenge of bringing an entirely new product category to market. Charlie, a seasoned medical device engineer with more...
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Taqua Malik on Gulf Business Culture, Hidden Signals, and Why Deals Fail Quietly
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Taqua Malik, founder and CEO of FreedomVisory, to explore the hidden cultural dynamics behind business, trust, and communication in the Gulf region. Based in Dubai, Taqua helps founders, executives, and global organizations navigate the...
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Nicole Powell: Why Throwing Money at Marketing Doesn’t Build a Brand
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with certified brand strategist and neuromarketing expert Nicole Powell, founder of Halcon Marketing Solutions, to talk about what’s broken in modern marketing and why brand strategy still matters. Born in Manila and raised in the Bronx before...
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Daniel Trujillo: What You Wear Carries More Than Style
We don't buy products. We buy what they represent. In this episode, Hersh sits down with Daniel Trujillo, founder of Miami Links, to talk about what it actually means to build something that carries weight beyond the surface. Dan grew up in a first-generation Cuban family in Miami, where Cuban…
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You Don’t Have a Customer: Zac Stucki on the ‘Wallet on Legs’ Mistake Killing Growth
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Zac Stucki, founder of IgnitionPoint Strategies, to unpack a fundamental flaw in how businesses think about their customers. What starts with a hilarious grocery store story quickly turns into a powerful framework. Zac challenges the idea...
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Stop Wearing Every Hat: Kirsten Graham on VAs, Visibility, and Actually Making Money
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Kirsten Graham, a business strategist who helps entrepreneurs reclaim their time, sharpen their visibility, and finally stop trying to do everything themselves. Kirsten shares how her journey from running a mortgage company led to…
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Christian Hansen: Why People Don’t Choose You (And How to Change That)
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with bestselling author and influence expert Christian Hansen to unpack a question that sits at the heart of every brand: why do some people get chosen… while others get overlooked? Drawing from years spent in university admissions, corporate...
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Lori Asbury: Why Most Businesses Don’t Need a CMO… They Need This Instead
In this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Lori Asbury, founder of CMO Co, to talk about what it really takes to build, scale, and sustain a marketing agency in a constantly shifting landscape. With over 25 years in media, branding, and marketing leadership, including senior roles...
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Aaron Ryan on Writing 40 Books, Sci-Fi Storytelling, and Why Creativity Beats Validation
Award-winning and bestselling author Aaron Ryan joins YES, BRAND to talk storytelling, creativity, and the imagination behind his prolific body of work. Based in Washington with his wife, two sons, and a lively mix of pets, Aaron has written nearly 40 books across genres, from sci-fi thrillers…
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From Military Orders to Personal Freedom: Rewriting the Rules of Work with Rob Harrison
In this episode of the YES BRAND Podcast, Hersh Rephun sits down with Rob Harrison, a British military veteran turned sales entrepreneur and founder of Magnified Academy. After 12 years in the military, Rob faced a crossroads familiar to many veterans: follow the expected path into structured...
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The Story Oracle: Amanda Johnson's Turning Pain Into Power Through Narrative
In this episode of the YES BRAND Podcast, Hersh Rephun sits down with Amanda Johnson, also known as the “Story Oracle,” to explore the transformative power of storytelling in personal branding, healing, and human connection. Amanda shares how she helps individuals uncover their “sacred code” by...
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Don’t Burn It Down: Anna VanAgtmael and How to Pivot Without Losing Everything
On this episode of YES, BRAND, Hersh Rephun sits down with Anna VanAgtmael, founder of Wandering Roots, a company that hosts adventure retreats for women around the world and helps entrepreneurs create profitable retreats of their own. Anna’s path didn’t start with wanderlust. She built a...
About this show
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.
Hosted by
Hersh Rephun
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