Writing Through The Darkness with Corey Croft
The RebelRebel Podcast
“Let the ego shrivel up and die on the vine.” In this episode, Michael Dargie sits down with Vancouver-based independent author and publisher Corey Croft for a candid conversation about writing, depression, ego, and the strange compulsion to finish terrible books. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. Corey shares how his path to becoming a novelist began not with ambition, but with anxiety. During a difficult stretch marked by depression, he realized he always had “time” to write — he just wasn’t using it. A...
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Mr. Incredible's Business Case for Boldness with Robert Schmidt
The RebelRebel Podcast
“Awesome hides on the other side of fear.” In this episode, Michael Dargie talks with Robert Schmidt—brand strategist, educator, and senior skydiving instructor based in Calgary, Alberta. Robert runs a national brand strategy firm called Box, where he helps organizations figure out who they are, what they stand for, and how to connect with the people that matter most. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. Robert’s superpower? Helping brands be something for someone—not everything to everyone. He shares the...
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The Biker's Voice Goes Global with India Hayes
The RebelRebel Podcast
In this episode, Michael Dargie talks with India Hayes, founder of Bikers Hangout—a grassroots global movement for motorcycle riders. Broadcasting from Warrington, England, India shares how her idea to connect riders around the world began in a hospital while recovering from pneumonia. Frustrated by the lack of an international biker network, she started a Facebook group. That seed grew into Bikers Hangout, a multimedia platform complete with its own radio station, live shows, club directory, and growing global partnerships. India opens up about riding through personal health struggles,...
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From Academia to Identity with David Mendes
The RebelRebel Podcast
“Sometimes just doing more is not the solution.” In this episode, Michael Dargie talks with David Mendes, a bilingual podcaster, medical writer, and creator of Papa PhD. Originally from Portugal, raised in Belgium, and now based in Montreal, David shares his journey through academia, translation, and eventually podcasting as a form of rebellion and reinvention. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. After completing his PhD in biology, David faced the all-too-familiar crossroads many graduate students encounter: a lack of...
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Prompt Like a Pro with Tris Hussey
The RebelRebel Podcast
“Curiosity is what keeps me moving forward.” What happens when a former scientist becomes Canada’s first pro blogger, publishes four books, and now builds custom AI marketing tools for fun? In this episode, I talk with Tris Hussey about curiosity, content, and building a life around technology that empowers people. 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 Tris Hussey, a lifelong technologist, educator, author, and self-described curiosity-driven geek. Based in...
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Neurodivergent by Design with Rebecca Prejean
The RebelRebel Podcast
In this episode, Michael Dargie talks with Rebecca Prejean, an artist, instructional designer, and fierce advocate for neurodivergent people in corporate learning. Based just outside Austin, Texas, Rebecca brings her lived experience as a mother of an autistic child into her work—designing training that’s inclusive, accessible, and actually usable by everyone, especially folks with ADHD, autism, and dyslexia. She shares the deeply personal story of her son’s diagnosis, how doctors told her he would never walk or talk, and how that experience shaped everything that came after. From early...
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Life Lessons from the Arctic with Heather Thorkelson
The RebelRebel Podcast
“You don’t need to know how—just know that it lights you up.” What happens when a creative rebel says yes to a fluke invite to Antarctica? In this episode, I talk with Heather Thorkelson about wild pivots, polar travel, and building a business with impact. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. In this episode, Michael Dargie speaks with Heather Thorkelson—entrepreneur, polar expedition guide, and founder of PolarTracks Expeditions. From growing up as a third-culture kid to building a pair of polar travel...
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Keep the Cocktail, Fix The Brand With Shawn Soole
The RebelRebel Podcast
“I help people stop working in their business and start working on their business.” In this episode, Michael Dargie chats with hospitality veteran and industry provocateur Shawn Soole. With a career spanning nearly three decades, Shawn has seen—and done—it all. From washing dishes at 13 in Australia to building bar programs, authoring books, consulting internationally, and running a podcast, his journey is nothing short of relentless. And that’s exactly how he likes it. This episode is sponsored by my new book , helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world. Their...
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Life as an Independent Vet with Dr. Beth
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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Gen X Women Who Kick Ass with Oonagh Duncan
The RebelRebel Podcast
“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...
info_outline“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 BRANDJITSU, 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 most insightful books on positioning he’s read in his 40+ years of brand transformation work .
JP probes the origins of the book—how it accidentally shifted from a West Coast adventure narrative into a hands-on branding guide—and why Michael felt compelled to put decades of client work into a framework anyone could use. At the heart of the conversation is the metaphor of jiu jitsu: fast, effective techniques to defend against brand confusion, grounded in truth and clarity .
The two explore the fundamentals of the BrandJitsu model: defining purpose and values, clarifying value propositions, and using archetypes to shape brand personality. Michael explains why brands need to know who they are, what they do, who they serve, and why anyone should care. They discuss the importance of storytelling—how even one short line, like Nike’s “There is no finish line,” can hold more power than a thousand ad campaigns .
Along the way, Michael shares stories from client work, including how a funeral home found its voice in a campaign called Life by Mary, shifting focus from grief to celebration. He also explains the “brand playbook” process he uses with companies: two intensive weeks of truth-finding, alignment, and clarity that result in a living guide to identity and positioning .
The episode underscores why branding isn’t about logos or taglines, but about aligning internal purpose with external storytelling. For entrepreneurs, executives, and creative rebels alike, BrandJitsu offers a way to cut through the noise and build something meaningful.
Quoteable Quotes
“Truth and clarity—that’s all the bottom stuff is.” — Michael Dargie
“Your brand is the Yoda, not the Luke Skywalker.” — Michael Dargie
“It’s not as complicated as you think. Branding is simple—it’s just a bunch of little pieces.” — Michael Dargie
“Your value proposition is the reason people choose you.” — Michael Dargie
Episode Highlights
RebelRebel Takeover | JP Lacroix interviews Michael about BrandJitsu.
Accidental Author | How a planned adventure book became a branding manual.
The BrandJitsu Metaphor | Fast, effective, story-driven branding.
Purpose and Values | Guardrails for how a company shows up.
Value Proposition vs Values | Why most businesses confuse them.
Brand Archetypes | Creator, Explorer, and finding your tribe.
The Iceberg | Story lives below the surface.
The Brand Playbook | A two-week process for truth and clarity.
Life by Mary | Reframing funerals as celebrations of life.
Storytelling Matters | Why one line can define a brand.
Advice to Rebels | Branding isn’t a logo—it’s your story, told with clarity.
Links From Episode
Michael Dargie on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaeldargie/)
Michael Dargie on Instagram (https://instagram.com/michaeldargie)
BrandJitsu Book Website (https://brandjitsu.com)
Make More Creative Website (https://makemorecreative.com)
Michael Dargie Website (https://michaeldargie.com)
Jean-Pierre on LinkedIn (http://linkedin.com/in/jeanpierrelacroix)
Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com