Wear Your Inside on the Outside with Stacey Gonder

"People don't belong in boxes" A disruptor. A costumer. A soul stylist. Stacey Gonder fuses fashion and mindset to help people stop hiding—and start showing up as themselves. 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 connects with Stacey Gonder—a creative rebel, transformational coach, and custom costume designer based in Toronto, Canada. Known for reinventing herself, Stacey is now blending two of her passions: clothing and coaching. Her mission? To help people walk through the world fully expressed, from the inside out. Stacey shares how her career evolved from professional dancer to costume designer to intuitive coach—and how those disciplines intersect in powerful, surprising ways. We explore what it means to shed the "beige" of conformity and design a wardrobe (and life) that aligns with who you actually are. Through coaching, couture, and conversation, Stacey helps clients ditch the mainstream script and embody their truest selves—feathers, sequins, and all. She speaks openly about burnout, beauty, resistance, contrast, and the courage it takes to show up differently. There's also some potato theft, a lot of laughs, and maybe a little rage against frogs. Whether you're on the verge of a reinvention or just wondering why your clothes don't feel like you, Stacey's rebel journey is your permission slip to do the thing that scares you—and dress like you mean it. Quotable Quotes "The thing that you're most afraid of? That's the thing you do." "Move toward the fear. It's either the thing in your way—or the thing that teaches you." "You don't have to be beige just because you work in beige places." – Stacey Gonder "People don't belong in boxes." "You get to be that all the time—not just when you're off the clock." – Stacey Gonder "We're not human doings. We're human beings." "Built by pierogies, cabbage, and hard work ethic." "Let's break the machine." Episode Highlights Stacey's Latest Reinvention | Coaching meets custom costuming From the Stage to the Studio | Life as a pro dancer turned designer Born a Rebel | Why she never fit the mainstream model Inside/Out Work | Matching inner truth with outer expression Closet Coaching | Why most wardrobes don't reflect who we are Getting Loud with Style | Contrast, creativity, and permission Retail Reimagined | Revamping her Toronto studio Frame Game | Why glasses are an underrated accessory Driving to Think | Cross-country road trips and Morkie copilots Frog Phobia | Don't ask, just accept Ukrainian Roots | Built by grandmas and pierogies The Thing You're Afraid Of | A rebel's roadmap to action RuPaul & Reflection | Why quiet time and drag shows both heal Deep Sea > Space | Where Stacey would rather explore Entrepreneur Energy | Wearing who you are, wherever you go Links from the Episode Stacey's Website (bystaceyg.com) Stacey on Instagram (https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceygonder/) Stacey on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/stacey.gonder) Stacey on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/staceygonder/) Get Your Copy of Michael's Book: "BrandJitsu™: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable" Indigo | Barnes & Noble | MichaelDargie.com