Michael Dargie sits down with Jeanne Omlor, an international business strategist who went from broke single mom to building a thriving coaching business helping others succeed—without paid ads.

This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world.

Jeanne shares her rollercoaster life journey through fashion design, acting, Parisian poverty, single motherhood, and eventually entrepreneurship. From selling watermelon slices on the beaches of Greece to landing high-level CEO clients, Jeanne’s story is one of bold reinvention and real grit.

She explains her method for helping coaches and consultants attract high-ticket clients without using paid ads, why congruence matters when investing in yourself, and how fear disguised as “being cautious” is what’s holding people back from their potential.

This episode is a call to all rebels in waiting: you don’t need to be fixed before you begin. As Jeanne says, “You’re worthy and ready now.”

Quotable Quotes

“There’s no fixing. No waiting. You’re worthy and ready right now.”

“Don’t frame fear as something virtuous.”

“Stop doing things that make you sweat and start creating value.”

“Everything I did before—acting, design, starving artist—it all helps me now.”

“Life keeps going. If not now, when?”

Episode Highlights

Life in Paris | From no money to free pasta and movie nights

Starving Artist | Creating without a backup plan

Creative Roots | Acting, design, and classical singing

Business Shift | Coaching high-ticket clients with no paid ads

Fixers Welcome | Her ultra-premium offer for CEOs

Personal Advice | Get help, invest in yourself, stop negotiating with fear

Food & Fun | Wild salmon, Korean dramas, ice cream, and cheese

Wanderlust | Dreams of Japan and cherry blossoms

Advice for Rebels | Stop waiting. Clarity comes from doing.

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Jeanne’s Website (jeanneomlor.com)

Client Reviews (jeanneomlor.com/reviews)

Jeanne on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/jeanneomlor)

Jeanne on Facebook (facebook.com/jeanneomlor)

Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com

Michael Dargie reconnects with creative rebel and longtime friend David Schmeikal for a raw and deeply reflective conversation about creativity, permission, and building a life that feels right—not just looks right.

This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world.

David talks about the many ways we get stuck doing things we don’t love, believing that “someday” we’ll earn the right to do what we really want. But what if that day never comes? From working on a travel-inspired card deck with Must Do Canada to producing personal story films, David is actively challenging old beliefs and making time for projects that align with who he is today—not who he was expected to be.

They dive into themes of personal suffering, creative courage, and how pain is unavoidable—but we get to choose the kind that leads somewhere meaningful. David shares his experience painting murals with his wife, the reflective exercise that shaped their 10-year life plan, and why going deep with strangers can feel easier than opening up to people we know.

This episode is for rebels who feel like they’re living a “should” life—and are ready to start living a want life instead.

Quotable Quotes

“If pain is unavoidable, I’d rather suffer doing something I love.”

“We don’t give ourselves enough runway.”

“We sedate ourselves to the point of oblivion.”

“We are humans being and doing—it’s about intention.”

“Let’s do some work and then let’s dig in and start building.”

Episode Highlights

Card Deck Project | Collaborating with Must Do Canada on an adventure deck

Creative Boundaries | Only saying yes to projects that truly resonate

Early Stories | Living with a belief that his ideas “aren’t worth doing”

The Film That Started It | Creating a personal film about his creative journey

Redefining Pain | Choosing the pain that leads to growth

10-Year Vision | How a vivid life plan reshaped his priorities

Permission to Create | How to start before you feel “qualified”

Painting with His Wife | Joy in collaboration and art for art’s sake

Going Deep | Meaningful convos with strangers vs. small talk

Advice to Creators | Start with what you want, then do the work

LINKS FROM EPISODE

David’s Website (davidschmeikal.com)

David’s LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/davidschmeikal)

David’s Instagram (instagram.com/davidschmeikal)

Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com

In this episode, Michael Dargie sits down with Lori Pieper—meditation teacher, wellness guide, and spiritual rebel—to talk about what happens when you stop living for everyone else and finally take care of yourself.

This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world.

Lori opens up about her “come to Jesus” moment when she realized that entrepreneurship needed to resonate with her soul—not just be a to-do list of tactics. After retiring from her corporate career, Lori embraced her spiritual side, training in Ayurveda, yoga, and Deepak Chopra’s Primordial Sound Meditation. Now, she guides women to shed decades of social conditioning, say no with confidence, and remember who they were before burnout took over.

She shares her early creative quirks (Nancy Drew live-action role play in her backyard), her Gen X rebel streak, and what she’s learned from watching women in her life push too hard for too long. The conversation gets real about habits, grace, and the danger of confusing productivity with worth. Lori’s not afraid to talk about wine, Netflix marathons, and why pineapple does not belong on pizza.

This episode is a reminder that rebellion can be soft, self-loving, and absolutely essential. As Lori says, “Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish. It’s critical.”

Quotable Quotes

“Taking time for yourself is not selfish. It’s critical.” – Lori Pieper

“You cannot take care of anyone else if you’re not taking care of yourself.” – Lori Pieper

“Our brains are wired to keep us safe—and to tell us we’re doing something stupid.” – Lori Pieper

“Give yourself the grace you’d give a baby learning to walk.” – Lori Pieper

“Let your freak flag fly.” – Michael Dargie

Episode Highlights

From Corporate to Conscious | Lori’s pivot to entrepreneurship and self-care

Primordial Sound Meditation | How Deepak Chopra’s method changed her mornings

Wellness Work | Ayurveda, yoga, and healing from burnout

Rebel Women | Teaching women to say “no” without guilt

Creative Childhood | Nancy Drew mysteries in the backyard

Networking & Growth | Overcoming fear through Success Champion Network

Pizza Preferences | Pineapple is not invited

Bookshelf Staples | Bliss Brain and The Miracle Morning

Wine + Northern Exposure | Guilty pleasures and cozy nights

Advice for Rebels | Take small slices, give yourself grace, and stop trying to eat the whole pie

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Lori’s LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/loripieper)

Lori’s Facebook (facebook.com/lori.pieper.16)

Lori’s Instagram (instagram.com/loripieper23)

Journey to Inner Joy Website (https://www.journeytoinnerjoy.com)

Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com

In this episode, Michael Dargie connects with Alan Lazaros, co-host of Next Level University, a podcast with over 1,900 episodes dedicated to helping people grow 1% every day. Alan shares his journey from achievement-obsessed engineering grad to purpose-driven coach, sparked by a near-fatal car crash at age 26.

This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world.

That moment forced Alan to face mortality and triggered a radical shift: from external success to internal alignment. He began pursuing self-mastery, and built a career around helping others do the same. Alan talks about what it really means to design a life you don’t need a vacation from, how personal responsibility is the key to freedom, and why most people are playing not to lose instead of playing to win.

He gets candid about childhood trauma, drinking to fit in, and the fear of being different. Today, Alan’s all-in on designing optimal days, running a podcast network, and building a life with intention, discipline, and love—plus two cats, a dog, and a projector-fueled Star Wars movie marathon setup.

This one’s for rebels who feel like they don’t fit in, and know they’re meant for more.

Quotable Quotes

“Personal responsibility is where all good things start.”

“You don’t need a vacation from a life you love.”

“There’s an expiration date on blaming other people for your stuff.”

“At least if I’m going to be disliked now, it’s for being who I really am.”

“Alan 3.6 is way more capable than Alan 1.6.”

Next Level University | 1,900 episodes and counting

The Car Crash | A wake-up call at 26

Self-Mastery | Turning discipline inward

Daily Design | His 3-part day model

Life Alignment | Doing the work every day

Guilty Pleasures | Star Wars, Swedish fish, and surround sound

Rebel Movies | Lion King and Good Will Hunting

Advice to Rebels | Don’t play to not lose

Favorite Place | Home in New England forests

What He Wishes People Knew | You control more than you think

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Next Level University Website (nextleveluniverse.com)

Alan’s LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/alanlazarosllc)

Alan’s Facebook (facebook.com/alan.lazaros)

Alan’s Instagram (instagram.com/alazaros88)

Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com

In this episode, Michael Dargie connects with Simone van Neerven, founder of ReBella, a Dutch-based consultancy helping organizations harness their internal rebels to spark meaningful innovation.

This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world.

Simone shares how her journey started in corporate aviation, where she pushed boundaries and challenged the status quo—eventually leading a turnaround initiative at KLM that saved €100 million without spending a cent. That project showed her the power of working differently, and the importance of creating space for rebels to thrive.

Simone now helps companies, from Chanel to Dutch social impact organizations, understand and leverage the curious, creative, courageous people often labelled as troublemakers. Through her newsletter, “Ask Dr. Rebel,” and her self-published booklets, she offers insights to rebels, their managers, and anyone who needs help navigating change.

She also shares her love for finding surprising rebel stories (like why the Air Max exists), her rebel childhood origins, her adopted street-cat-turned-roommate, and why slow mornings with coffee and podcasts matter. Her advice to rebels in waiting? It’s not about you. People resist because you shake up what feels safe. But keep going—we need you.

Quotable Quotes

“It’s not rebels who make trouble. It’s trouble that makes rebels.” – Simone van Neerven

“People don’t resist you—they resist what you shake up.” – Simone van Neerven

“I want your boss, not someone from your team.” – Simone van Neerven

“We need people who are wired differently to solve wicked problems.” – Simone van Neerven

“Just like that. 30 minutes on the dot.” – Michael Dargie

Episode Highlights

ReBella Roots | From corporate job to rebel consultant

Spotting Rebels | Curious, creative, courageous, and full of care

Corporate Turnaround | How she saved €100M at KLM

Ask Dr. Rebel | Her bi-weekly newsletter for rebels and their teams

Unexpected Clients | From Chanel to Down syndrome inclusion orgs

Rebel Story Origins | Trading dolls for toy trucks at age four

Solving Wicked Problems | Why we need weird thinkers

Publishing Her Way | Bypassing Amazon to go direct

Comfort Starts | Coffee, podcasts, and slow mornings

The Cat Next Door | Basje moves in—no questions asked

Advice for Rebels | Resistance isn’t personal. Keep rebelling.

LINKS FROM EPISODE

ReBella Website (https://rebella.la)

Simone on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sneerven)

Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com

In this episode, Michael Dargie connects with Venezuelan-born filmmaker, photographer, and educator Gustavo Bernal from his home in Austin, Texas.

This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world.

Gus shares how a childhood obsession with Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer” led to a lifelong love affair with storytelling. He talks about his first editing jobs—literally cutting film by hand in Caracas—and how a short sci-fi film helped him earn an artist visa to move to the U.S. His path hasn’t been easy, but it’s been fuelled by curiosity, resilience, and a refusal to give up on creating meaningful work.

The two talk about storytelling foundations, the thrill of teaching kids and adults alike, and what Gus learned walking the streets of Austin while connecting with friends around the world. He opens up about soup as metaphor, his guilty pleasure for one-hit wonders, and the story behind those iconic Lego glasses.

This episode is packed with insight, humour, and reminders that being a creative rebel means honouring your weird, chasing what moves you, and making something new—even when it’s hard.

Quotable Quotes

“Never stop believing in your abilities to create.” – Gus Bernal

“You need challenges to grow.” – Gus Bernal

“Cooking is like editing film. It’s about the ingredients, timing, and selecting the best parts.” – Gus Bernal

“You’re a walker. I love that.” – Michael Dargie

“These glasses were magical… a kind of super power.” – Gus Bernal

Episode Highlights

Caracas to Austin | Cultural shocks, kindness, and pedestrian life

Gus Bernal Film | Building a business in film, photo, and education

Teaching Film | Kids, structure, and emotional storytelling

Software Choices | From Avid to Adobe, and learning DaVinci

Sledgehammer Moment | Peter Gabriel changes everything

Award-Winning Short | Sci-fi, festivals, and a visa to the U.S.

Creative Walks | Nature, messages from afar, and mental health

Lego Glasses | Personality, power, and classroom magic

Top Film Picks | 2001, La Haine, Leon, and The Great Beauty

Cassettes & One-Hit Wonders | Pure 80s and 90s nostalgia

Soup Mastery | Why French onion is the king of soups

What His Son Should Know | The world isn’t always easy

Advice to Rebels | Believe in your voice, be resilient

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Gus’s Website (gusbernal.com)

Gus on LinkedIn (linkedin.com/in/gustavobernal)

Gus on Instagram (instagram.com/gus_bernal_film)

Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com

In this episode, Michael Dargie connects with Beatrice Gutknecht, a brand strategist, former hotel manager, and founder of Badass Reby B. Now based in Valencia, Spain after a decade in Myanmar—including living through a military coup—Beatrice is helping people badass their brands by doing the exact opposite of what the world expects.

This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world.

Beatrice opens up about the personal journey that shaped her, from a precocious kid who made fake ad jingles to losing both parents and rediscovering her voice. She shares the pivotal moment that led her to say “yes” to discomfort and finally stop waiting for permission. She created a tool that diagnoses brand problems and gives businesses a clear path to improvement—and she’s giving it away for free.

We talk about her favourite brunch spots, obsession with dark chocolate, passion for questioning industry norms, and the global experiences that shaped her approach to business and life. Beatrice even shares how her human design type helped her embrace the way she processes decisions (hint: talking is everything).

Whether you’re building a brand or figuring out who the hell you are, this episode is a refreshing and rebellious reminder to stop blending in and start showing up.

Quotable Quotes

“Pushing back against the norms will only help you. It won’t detract from you.” – Beatrice Gutknecht

“Do I even have a voice? That’s how deep under the mud I was.” – Beatrice Gutknecht

“You’re not going to be persecuted for doing things differently.” – Beatrice Gutknecht

“Question the shoulds.” – Beatrice Gutknecht

“This was freaking amazeballs.” – Beatrice Gutknecht

“Just show the tree your pancakes.” – Michael Dargie

Episode Highlights

Valencia Life | Beatrice shares why she chose Spain

Free Branding Tool | A prescription for brand problems

Operations-Led Branding | Her unique approach to strategy

Origin Story | From hotel manager to real estate to rebel

Losing Her Voice | How school, culture, and loss silenced her

Getting Uncomfortable | Why saying yes changed everything

Leaving Myanmar | Surviving a coup and starting over

Dark Chocolate & Brunch | Guilty pleasures and Sunday rituals

Branding Truth | Stop copying your industry, look elsewhere

Rebel Advice | “Question the shoulds”

Favourite Place | Valencia vs Myanmar vs Florence

Pet Pirate Dreams | Parrots, pirates, and planning

Human Design | Projector mode: talk first, think after

Maple Syrup | Field trips, taps, and Canadian trees

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Badassery by B (https://www.youtube.com/@badasserybyb)

Beatrice on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/beatricegutknecht/)

Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com

In this episode, Michael Dargie sits down with Sandra Kokotovic, immigrant entrepreneur and co-founder of Snap Advantage, a boutique marketing agency helping health and wellness brands scale to seven figures and beyond.

This episode is sponsored by my new book BRANDJITSU, helping you find, shape, and share your story with the world.

Sandra shares her journey from moving to Canada as a teenager—struggling with language, culture shock, and fitting in—to building Shopify stores from scratch and eventually launching her own successful agency. Along the way, she’s learned that success isn’t handed to you. It’s earned through trial, error, and a willingness to fail fast and often.

This is a story of hustle without entitlement. Sandra opens up about the early days of cold calls, getting laughed out of rooms, and learning to pitch herself with confidence. She also shares what makes a successful online business today, how to market without wasting money, and why understanding your audience always comes first.

We also learn about Sandra’s guilty pleasures (Harvey’s poutine and pool hall hustles), her love for Croatia, the magic of quiet Sundays, and her personal wish for the world.

Whether you’re building a brand, launching a business, or just tired of Instagram fluff, Sandra’s no-nonsense approach to marketing and life is exactly what you need to hear.

Quotable Quotes

“You’re not worth a million dollars unless you solve a million-dollar problem.” – Sandra Kokotovic

“You have no idea how smart I am in my own language.” – Sandra Kokotovic

“Take whatever opportunities you can so you can fail as fast as you can.” – Sandra Kokotovic

“You don’t have to follow the regular path in life. You can be a rebel. A rebel rebel.” – Sandra Kokotovic

“That’s kick ass. Thank you so much.” – Michael Dargie

Episode Highlights

Calgary Clients | Sandra visits Abria Labs for content creation

Snap Advantage | Building a boutique agency with her husband

Marketing Origin Story | From HR to Bali beach epiphany

Online Store Truths | Shopify success isn’t what influencers promise

Cold Plunge Sundays | Biohacking and rest in her Zen “Bolly Room”

Poutine & Pool | Harvey’s and hustling guys at the bar

Immigrant Experience | The struggle and strength of starting over at 14

Language & Identity | “You have no idea how smart I am”

Love for Croatia | A blend of East and West she calls perfect

Rebels in Waiting | Why failure is your best teacher

Real Talk | Success takes humility, hustle, and heart

LINKS FROM EPISODE

Snap Advantage ( https://snapadvantage.com)

Sandra Kokotovic On LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrakokotovic?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app)

Get Your Copy of Michael's Book:
"BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable"
Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com