The RebelRebel Podcast
“Create the things you wish existed.” What happens when a little girl obsessed with animals grows up, faces down fear, and builds a vet clinic on a dream? In this episode, Beth Barrett shares her story of grit, independence, and what it really means to live in alignment with your values. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In This Episode In this episode, Michael Dargie talks with veterinarian and entrepreneur Beth Barrett about her decades-long career, her passion for animals, and the power of doing hard things. From...
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“Weight loss isn’t controversial in science, only on social media.” What happens when a former smoker and self-described non-athlete turns into one of Canada’s most refreshing voices in fitness and habit formation? In this episode, I talk with Oonagh Duncan about Gen X women, body neutrality, the power of pleasure, and her dream of fronting an 80s hair band at brunch. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In This Episode In this episode, Michael Dargie talks with Oonagh Duncan—fitness coach, author of Healthy as...
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“It’s never going to be as hard as you think it is.” What happens when a theater nerd from Appalachia drops out of college, moves to Hong Kong with $200, and discovers people will actually pay her to write? In this episode, I talk with Rachel Allen about words, travel, and building a business from scratch. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In This Episode In this episode, Michael Dargie talks with Rachel Allen, a writer, fractional CMO, and founder of Bolt from the Blue Copywriting. Rachel’s path has been...
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“You have a finite number of heartbeats. There are infinite possibilities.” What happens when a seven-time founder who once built a company around landing on the moon steps into the arena as herself? In this episode, I talk with Mary McCorvey about moonshots, stand-up comedy, and living life on your own terms. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In This Episode In this episode, Michael Dargie speaks with Mary McCorvey, a seven-time founder, Army veteran, broadcaster, author, and stand-up comic based in Philadelphia....
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“Kindness is never wasted—it expands into greatness.” What happens when a broadcaster-turned-salesman discovers that giving is the fastest path to success? In this episode, I talk with Bob Burg, co-author of The Go-Giver, about kindness, influence, and building a life around service. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In This Episode In this episode, Michael Dargie speaks with Bob Burg, speaker, author, and co-creator of the international bestseller The Go-Giver. Known for its simple but powerful message—that...
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““You shouldn’t use words to burn. They should be for light and for warmth.” Richard has spent the last 19 years running a near-shore bilingual contact center that thrives on empathy, communication, and human connection in an era dominated by automation. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In this episode, Michael Dargie sits down with Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center. Richard has spent the last 19 years running a near-shore bilingual contact center that thrives on empathy, communication, and human...
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“Entrepreneurship is the craziest, scariest roller coaster ever.” What happens when selling RVs leads to buying dental scrap, melting it down for precious metals, and then launching a startup with a mission to bless lives? In this episode, I talk with Brandon Sherwood about entrepreneurship, family, and why it’s just not that serious. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In This Episode In this episode, Michael Dargie chats with Brandon Sherwood, an entrepreneur from Heber City, Utah, whose path has been anything but...
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In this episode, Michael Dargie sits down with Jodi Krangle, a professional voice actor, singer, and host of the Audio Branding podcast. Based just north of Toronto, Jodi has been a full-time voice actor for nearly two decades, lending her voice to clients around the world while exploring the psychology and power of sound . Jodi shares how her journey started in the mid-90s when she volunteered at CNIB, recording articles to reel-to-reel tape for the visually impaired. Years later, after burning out in SEO and internet marketing, she returned to the idea of voice acting and built a thriving...
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“Speed reading doesn’t work. Speed learning works.” What happens when a kid from Brooklyn grows up to become the world’s fastest reader and teaches others to learn 100% faster in just four hours? In this episode, I talk with Howard Berg about speed learning, knowledge, and why smarter decisions could change the world. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In this episode, Michael Dargie sits down with Howard Berg, officially recognized as the world’s fastest reader by the Guinness Book of Records. Howard reads at a...
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“Your value proposition is the reason people choose you.” What happens when Michael Dargie hands over the mic to branding legend JP Lacroix? In this takeover episode, they unpack the lessons behind BrandJitsu and why truth and clarity are the foundation of every brand story. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In this special takeover episode, Michael Dargie flips the script and lets branding veteran Jean Pierre Lacroix take the host’s chair. The focus is Michael’s book BrandJitsu, which JP describes as one of the...
info_outline“I wish people would just know that their fear is what is stopping them”
A misfit. A filmmaker. A disruptor for good.
Guillermo Barraza is building a future where creators know their power—and how to use it responsibly.
This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world.
In This Episode
Michael Dargie welcomes Guillermo Barraza to the studio—filmmaker, founder of the Homegrown Arts and Media Collective, and passionate advocate for ethical media creation. From growing up in Calgary in a traditional Latino family to building a brand-new platform for mentorship and media literacy, Guillermo shares a raw and compelling journey of purpose, burnout, resilience, and reinvention.
What began as a film festival to help underdog creators has grown into a non-profit collective aimed at helping young people—and new grads in particular—learn how to create and consume media responsibly. The show dives into his belief that everyone is a media producer now, whether they realize it or not, and the stakes have never been higher.
We talk about what it means to be the minority, how travel changes everything, and why fear of the unknown might be holding you back more than you think. Guillermo shares the trials of job hunting, the accidental magic of film festivals, and the turning point when he watched his four-year-old instinctively start vlogging—and realized he had to do something.
This episode is a rallying cry for rebels, misfits, and creators who know there’s a better way.
Quotable Quotes
“I’ve always shone in destabilization. I’m always the one throwing a monkey wrench into things.”
“My purpose was never more solidified than when I saw my four-year-old daughter instinctively start vlogging.”
“All knowledge is essentially self-knowledge. What you don’t know is where you grow.”
“Lean into your ignorance—there’s invincibility in not knowing what’s ahead but knowing you can handle it.”
“I wish people would just know that their fear is what is stopping them.”
Episode Highlights
Homegrown Arts & Media Collective | Mentoring the next generation of ethical creators
Four-Year-Old Vlogger | The moment that changed everything
Firelight Film Festival | A love letter to underdog creators
Calgary Life | Growing up in a city of sovereign quadrants
130+ Job Applications | The journey that pushed him to build something new
Early Travel | Realizing Calgary <> El Salvador isn’t all there is
Rubber the Movie | Weird cinema and why it matters
Tennyson & Bruce Lee | Unlikely combo, deep philosophy
Existential Crisis at 27 | Learning who he is by becoming who he wasn’t
Comfort Food | Mini-Wheats, cereal stress eating, and Italian tomato sauce
Favourite Films | Godfather Part I, Dead Man, Mission: Impossible as cinema history
Cuba Cigar Quest | Street smarts, Santa Claus, and the ultimate hustle
Advice for Rebels | “Head down, get through it.”
Links from the Episode
Homegrown Arts & Media Collective *Under Development* (http://wearehomegrown.ca/)
Guillermo on Insta (https://www.instagram.com/weare.homegrown/)
Guillermo on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/WeAreHomegrownYYC/)
Guillermo on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/we-are-homegrown/?viewAsMember=true)
Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com