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“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 BRANDJITSU, 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 ordinary. Brandon runs a business that buys dental scrap—old crowns and bridges—and refines them into precious metals like gold and palladium. It’s a niche market with a 10-to-15 year runway, but for Brandon, the real story is how it led him to launch Gladly Network, a startup built on a mission statement as simple as it is powerful: bless lives .
Gladly is designed to connect small, impact-driven businesses with people in meaningful ways, starting with dental offices as a kind of employee perk system. For Brandon, it’s about more than business—it’s about making sure his company continues to add value long after the dental scrap dries up. He explains the challenges and joys of building something new, calling entrepreneurship “the craziest, scariest roller coaster ever” .
The conversation stretches back to Brandon’s roots: growing up in Arkansas, working in his dad’s RV dealership, and discovering that while cubicle life wasn’t for him, sales and relationships were. He tells the story of how a cousin pulled him into the strange world of dental scrap on his day off from selling RVs—and how eight months later, he made the leap into a whole new career .
Beyond work, Brandon opens up about raising four teenage boys, how experiences like concerts, sports, and camping trips matter more than things, and why his favourite recharge involves disappearing into the Utah mountains to sit under an aspen tree and remember that life’s problems aren’t that serious .
From street tacos in Cozumel to family Halloween costumes, Brandon’s story is one of humour, humility, and hope. His advice to rebels in waiting: you’ve got to love it, believe in it, and remember that failure is just part of the process—so keep throwing the ball in the right direction.
Quoteable Quotes
“It’s just not that serious. Take a breath. Everything’s going to be okay.” — Brandon Sherwood
“Entrepreneurship is the craziest, scariest roller coaster ever.” — Brandon Sherwood
“You’ve got to love it and believe in it—otherwise it’s not worth doing.” — Brandon Sherwood
“Mistakes are only mistakes if you don’t learn from them.” — Brandon Sherwood
“Experiences are the most important part of this whole thing.” — Michael Dargie
Episode Highlights
The Dental Scrap Business | Turning crowns and bridges into precious metals.
The Gladly Mission | Building a company around blessing lives.
The Startup Roller Coaster | Why entrepreneurship is equal parts scary and exciting.
From RVs to Teeth | How a day off changed his career.
Family First | Raising four teenage boys and finding joy in their passions.
Sports & Memories | Why experiences last longer than presents.
Nature Therapy | Grounding himself under an aspen tree in Utah.
Street Tacos | Why he’ll walk miles for the perfect taco.
Fluent in Spanish | How it came in handy during a car sale.
Bucket List Dreams | Attending major sporting events and seeing Tom Waits live.
Advice to Rebels | Love it, believe in it, and don’t take life too seriously.
Links From Episode
Gladly Network (http://www.gladlynetwork.com/)
Brandon on Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/gladly.good/)
Brandon on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/gladly-network)
Brandon on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565968919272)
Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com