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