In this episode, Jess and Dave dig into the tension between personal authenticity and political polish. For years, Dave preached the importance of having one identity online—but now that he's campaigning, he's being pushed to split his digital presence.

Dave gets candid about the emotional push-pull of maintaining authenticity while entering a world that thrives on control and caution. He also reflects on how his decades in social media strategy inform his unique approach to campaigning—and why he refuses to “sanitize” himself for politics.

This is a refreshingly raw look at what it really takes to show up fully human in a world that prefers its candidates curated.

Topics Discussed in the Episode:

• Why Dave refuses to separate personal and campaign social media

• The emotional weight of staying authentic in a polished world

• Lessons from building one of the first social media agencies

• Why “perfect” doesn’t connect—and “messy” might just win votes

• The cost (and power) of sharing political views in business

Connect with Dave Kerpen: www.davekerpen.com

Connect with Jess + Smart Podcast Solutions: www.smartpodcastsolutions.com