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““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 BRANDJITSU, 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 connection in an era dominated by automation .
Richard’s story begins in Philadelphia, where childhood trips to Mexico sparked his love of Spanish and culture. After studying Spanish in college, he took what was supposed to be a short trip to Costa Rica to teach English at a friend’s center. Instead, he fell in love—with the country, with the culture, and with the woman who would become his wife. That leap of faith became a lifelong adventure, culminating in the creation of Costa Rica’s Call Center .
He explains why call centers aren’t just about dialing lists—they’re about rhetoric, persuasion, and the art of speech. For Richard, the real skill lies in listening, building rapport, and finding those rare “positive escalations” where a customer compliments an agent to their supervisor. He compares communication to fire: it can burn, but it can also light and warm, and the best agents know how to use it for encouragement and clarity .
The conversation ranges widely, from his love of 1970s electromechanical pinball machines and jukebox rescues in the Costa Rican mountains, to his passion for movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and The Maltese Falcon. Richard also shares the daily joys of Costa Rican life—warm rain in a convertible, fresh seafood at the market, and the surreal beauty of the rainforest .
At the heart of it all is his philosophy: rebels in waiting should remove unnecessary weight, play the long game, and find balance. Business doesn’t require shortcuts or being number one—it requires integrity, patience, and compassion. His advice is simple: plan ahead, stay curious, and make space for yourself so your best ideas can surface.
Quoteable Quotes
“It’s a luxury trade—where else can you speak to hundreds of people a day?” — Richard Blank
“You shouldn’t use words to burn. They should be for light and for warmth.” — Richard Blank
“If you can’t find ways to decompress, you’ll never last as an entrepreneur.” — Richard Blank
“They need more compassion—it starts with simply acknowledging existence.” — Richard Blank
“You’re Canadian, that’s fun.” — Richard Blank
Episode Highlights
Costa Rica’s Call Center | Building a near-shore bilingual hub of empathy and communication.
Spanish Major to CEO | How a short trip turned into a lifelong adventure.
Pura Vida Life | Why Costa Rica feels like paradise.
The Art of Speech | Listening, persuasion, and positive escalations.
Pinball Collection | Rescuing 1970s electromechanical treasures from the mountains.
Jukeboxes Too | Preserving vintage machines as cultural artifacts.
Movie Buff | From The Maltese Falcon to Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
Rain in a Convertible | Everyday magic in Costa Rica.
Compassion First | Why acknowledging existence is the start of connection.
Advice to Rebels | Remove weight, play the long game, and find balance.
Links From Episode
Website (http://www.costaricascallcenter.com/)
Richard on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/costaricascallcenter/)
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