Severed, Sell Out & Satan

So, I finally watched Severance on Apple TV+, and let me tell you, it was a mindfuck. If you haven’t seen it, here’s the gist: a dystopian workplace where employees undergo a procedure to completely separate their work selves (“innies”) from their personal selves (“outies”). Your innie has no idea who you are outside of the office—no clue what your hobbies are, who your friends are, or if you eat Taco Bell for dinner three nights a week. Meanwhile, your outie has no clue what you actually do all day at work.

Not only do you not know, but essentially you are split into two people. It took me like 4 eps to really get into it, was a bit of a slow burn. But well worth it.

If I were “severed,” my innie would spend all day slinging jeans at Mugsy without knowing why. No context, no backstory, no connection to the brand. Just… denim, all day long. And my outie? Totally oblivious to what goes down during those work hours.

Welcome back to Trust Fun. Where I am most definitely not Sev’d.

Severed Ecomm Bros

Let’s explore why this whole concept wouldn’t work for folks (duh). But especially those who are entrepreneurial.

Context & cultural awareness is EVERYTHING.

Take the concept of personal branding. The best founders in this space are their brands. You’re selling more than a product; you’re selling a lifestyle, a personality, a vibe. If my “innie” were severed from my life outside of work, there’d be no way for my personality to bleed into Mugsy. My innie wouldn’t know what it feels like to try on a pair of jeans that actually fit after years of uncomfortable denim 🙂 . My innie wouldn’t even get the concept of comfort-driven denim because, guess what? He wouldn’t know anything about my life. What an idiot!

And then there’s networking. The off-hours work of grabbing coffee, going to SAAS dinners. Lol. That’s where deals get made, partnerships are born, and ideas take shape. Severed me wouldn’t do any of that.

The other thing that struck me about Severance is how much we take for granted when it comes to knowing what we’re working toward. Sure, work can feel like a slog sometimes, but at least we know why we’re doing it—whether it’s for the paycheck, the creative outlet, the validation, or just the ability to keep buying overpriced decaf almond milk lattes.

The workers in Severance don’t have that. Their innies are stuck in a perpetual loop of 9-to-5 with no greater purpose, no connection to the outside world. And honestly? That’s kind of how some people already feel about their jobs. The difference is, in e-commerce, especially as founders, we have the privilege (and the curse) of our work bleeding into every part of our lives.

It’s messy. It’s exhausting. But it’s also what makes the work meaningful. The ability to connect the dots between what you’re building and how it impacts real people? That’s what keeps us going. The chase is half the fun.

But here’s the kicker: that blend is what makes it fun. If we were severed—if work was just work—it wouldn’t hit the same. We’d lose the passion, the drive, the creativity that comes from letting our work seep into our lives (and vice versa).

So, yeah. Severance? Great show, wouldn’t recommend it as a lifestyle. Unless your goal is to sell jeans soullessly for eternity. Which sounds like hell tbh.

That’s it for this week’s Trust Fun. If you’ve seen Severance, let me know your thoughts. If not, watch it and tell me if I’m overthinking this. Spoiler: I’m definitely overthinking this.