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