In today’s episode of The Real Stuff, I’m sitting down with Brandon Sudduth for a vulnerable and very important conversation.

Brandon is known online for creating joyful, family-centered content alongside his wife, Destene, but behind that joy is a story he carried silently for more than 35 years. For the first time publicly, Brandon opened up about experiencing sexual abuse as a child, the lifelong impact of carrying that experience in silence, and why he finally felt called to share his story — first on his own podcast (which you can watch here) and now with our audience.

We talk about being raised by a single mother and how childhood sexual abuse quietly shaped Brandon’s relationships, sexuality, self-worth, and emotional armor as an adult. He shares how that unspoken pain showed up in his twenties, his first marriage, and later in his relationship with Destene, including moments of fear, avoidance, and deep self-reflection. He also shares the ways in which this experience doesn't impact him on a daily basis and the interesting ways in which it weighs on him.

This episode also dives into Brandon and Destene's IVF journey and how becoming a father ultimately forced Brandon to confront the parts of himself he had long avoided. We explore faith, masculinity, healing, and what it means to break generational cycles — not just for yourself, but for your children.

Most powerfully, Brandon explains why he chose to finally speak out: the responsibility he feels to other survivors, especially men, and the belief that healing begins when secrets are brought into the light.

Follow Brandon: https://www.instagram.com/sudduth84

Follow Destene: https://www.tiktok.com/@itsdestene_

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Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX

To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.

I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod

Find Lucie here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink

Website: https://luciefink.com/

Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential

Executive Producer: Cloud10

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In today’s episode of The Real Stuff, I’m sitting down with Samantha Diamond, CEO and co-founder of Bird & Be, a company born out of her personal experience with PCOS, pregnancy loss, and the deep gaps in reproductive health education. Despite being married to an OB/GYN, Samantha realized she still didn’t understand her cycle, fertility window, or the silent struggles that so many women face—until she became one of them.

We talk candidly about how hormonal birth control masked her PCOS for years, her experience with pregnancy loss and infertility, and why fertility is not just a woman’s issue (hi, sperm!).

We also discuss the shame and confusion so many couples face while trying to conceive, and how she used her background in beauty and CMG to build a company that’s changing the game for modern fertility support.

Bird&Be offers everything from at-home fertility tests to prenatals for both men and women, but this episode isn’t just about products; it’s about empowerment.

Samantha opens up about the emotional toll of TTC, how the packaging of fertility products made her feel unseen, and why redefining pregnancy culture is so important.

Whether you’re navigating PCOS, thinking about your fertility future, or supporting someone through a difficult season, this conversation is for you.

Visit birdandbe.com and use code REALSTUFF for 15% off your first purchase.

Follow Samantha on IG: @startupmamma

Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX

To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.

I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod

Find Lucie here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink

Website: https://luciefink.com/

Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential

Executive Producer: Cloud10

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when you discover your partner has over $400,000 in student loan debt and they didn’t even know it existed?

In today’s audience caller episode of The Real Stuff, I’m sitting down with Brittany, a listener who bravely came on the podcast to share one of the most raw, honest, and financially transparent stories we’ve ever featured.

Brittany opens up about putting herself through college after her parents divorced, graduating with $100,000 in student loan debt, and spending her 20s working nonstop to pay it off while attending a private university surrounded by students from much wealthier families. She had a clear financial plan for her life: get her master’s degree, become debt-free before 30, and feel financially secure before starting a family… then she met her now-husband.

One night, lying in bed scrolling on her phone, Brittany discovered something that completely changed the course of their relationship. The student loan debt her partner believed was around $200,000 was actually more than $400,000, and she was the one who had to uncover it, piece it together, and tell him the truth.

In this episode, Brittany shares exactly how she found the debt, what it felt like to confront the person she loved most, and why this discovery shattered her sense of trust, security, and honesty in their relationship. We talk about why this wasn’t just about money, but about transparency, reliability, and the emotional weight we attach to financial independence. She opens up about how she processed everything, the guilt and shame she felt for questioning her relationship because of money, and how unsupported she felt when others minimized her concerns.

What makes this conversation especially powerful is Brittany’s willingness to be incredibly specific. We talk REAL numbers — student loan balances, salaries, mortgage payments, rent, savings, and the sacrifices required to pay off hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt without letting it completely control their lives. Brittany also shares how navigating debt reshaped their relationship, became the foundation of their marriage, and ultimately forced them to redefine what success and happiness really look like. We also talk about family planning, having their first baby, choosing to leave a three-bedroom house with a low mortgage to live in a one-bedroom apartment in the NYC area, and why she’s never been happier — proving that happiness and fulfillment don’t always come from traditional financial milestones.

If you’ve ever felt ashamed about debt, questioned a relationship because of money, or struggled to balance financial goals with actually living your life, this conversation will make you feel far less alone.

Brittany has recently begun building a platform called Be Loan Wise, focused on helping others navigate the emotional and financial sides of student loan debt. You can follow along at @beloanwise on Instagram!

Sponsors:

Bayer: Check out Bayer's trusted lineup of products, available at Walmart, CVS, Amazon, and Walgreens.

Pique: Unlock 20% off and begin your journey toward sustained wellness today at Piquelife.com/REALSTUFF

Watch this episode in video form on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLjmevEcbh5h5FEX0pazPEtN86t7eb2OgX

To apply to be a guest on the show, visit luciefink.com/apply and send us your story.

I also want to extend a special thank you to East Love for the show's theme song, Rolling Stone.

Follow the show on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealstuffpod

Find Lucie here:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luciebfink/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@luciebfink

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/luciebfink

Website: https://luciefink.com/

Subscribe to my free newsletter "The Lucie List" here: https://thelucielist.beehiiv.com/subscribe

Subscribe to "The Creator Confidential": http://www.luciefink.com/confidential

Executive Producer: Cloud10

Produced by Dear Media.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.