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

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 selfish * The difference between being a good man and being good at being a man * How achievement can become camouflage for grief * Why discipline is freedom, not punishment * The danger of masking pain with productivity * How public accountability can become an integrity loop * Why what we consume shapes who we become * How vices quietly become identity substitutes * And 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 [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/selling-the-truth-hersh-rephun/1146878336?ean=9798317660222] 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 [https://calendly.com/hershbrand/the-5-minute-fix]. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/ [https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/]

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 talent * How niche communities become global movements * What sponsors often misunderstand about culture * The balance between commercialization and authenticity * Why relationships outperform transactions * The role trust plays in long-term partnerships * How to recognize opportunity before it's obvious * Why 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 [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/selling-the-truth-hersh-rephun/1146878336?ean=9798317660222] 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 [https://calendly.com/hershbrand/the-5-minute-fix]. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/ [https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/]

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 do * The difference between fashion and identity * Why success often outpaces someone's self-image * How visibility changes what we need from our wardrobe * Why style is less about shopping and more about recognition * The surprising psychology behind confidence and clothing * What AI can imitate... and what it never will * How 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/ [https://calendly.com/url?q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.jennileestylist.consulting%2F&user_uuid=547e8251-8225-4484-8c0c-f5ed6b0b1d75&stage=1&hmac=461cfada40c6e163ee6e00947a4ce5c16ee3e41b573e65319c9296f93ffcf755] -- Hersh's new book, SELLING THE TRUTH: A ‘Semoir’ with Insights for Life & Business [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/selling-the-truth-hersh-rephun/1146878336?ean=9798317660222] 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 [https://calendly.com/hershbrand/the-5-minute-fix]. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/ [https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/]

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 visibility * How AI evaluates authority and trust * The difference between being known and being understood * Why business owners often hide behind their logos * The danger of becoming a generic "smudge" in the marketplace * How specificity creates authority * The role of opinion, conviction, and perspective * And 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 [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/selling-the-truth-hersh-rephun/1146878336?ean=9798317660222] 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 [https://calendly.com/hershbrand/the-5-minute-fix]. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/ [https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/]

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 scale * Why consistency matters more than perfection * How products communicate when the founder isn't present * The difference between a product story and a founder story * Why approachability became a core brand value * How personal values shape business identity * The challenge of being interpreted by distributors, retailers, and customers * And 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 [https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/selling-the-truth-hersh-rephun/1146878336?ean=9798317660222] 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 [https://calendly.com/hershbrand/the-5-minute-fix]. Take the 60-second Get Off Your Assets Quiz, and find other resources here: https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/ [https://www.hershrephun.com/selling-the-truth/]