Rebel Dispatch

Fresh off a P.T. Barnum-style week in Nashville, the host recaps Rebel Audio’s launch, the chaos of raising money, shipping product, and marketing all at once, plus some hilarious street-mic feedback from CMA Fest on Broadway. Then it’s off to Cannes Lions, where creators are running the show, and Rebel’s taking its circus international.

Jingle Jared takes a cue from *The Color of Money* and makes the case for “staking yourself and hitting the road”, because fundraising doesn’t happen from Instagram posts and endless Zooms. He also gets real about confidence, rebrands, and focus, sharing lessons from raising money for Rebel Audio and the Jingle Punks earn-out (don’t let your dreams derail the goal in front of you).

A quick Rebel Dispatch from LAX as I head back to Nashville for the Rebel Audio launch at the Rebel Chateau. I’m also gearing up for a live taping of Meet the Drapers with Tim Draper, where Rebel Audio is competing for a $1M investment, plus an open invite to the launch and a CMA Fest barbecue (work like hell, always advertise).

The Vibe Code Cowboy, Jared Gutstadt, shares their Rebel Audio founder journey and why chasing funding outside Silicon Valley and New York can be a real edge, especially in less saturated markets. They break down what Launch TN taught them about backing unique startups and how “Silicon Country” is about standing out in a crowded media world while building a community (and a better day-to-day life) beyond the coasts.

Jared tracks his creative reboot from “Jingle Jared” to the “vibe code cowboy,” after a Lovable hackathon win lit the fuse and rebuilt his confidence. It’s a fast, honest riff on learning new tools (even when you don’t want to), ditching gatekeeping, and building a personal brand that lets your ideas travel.

Jingle Jared (aka the Vibe Code Cowboy) riffs on how Podcast 1.0 turned into splashy, unsustainable mega-deals, and why that Hollywood-advance model was never built to last. He maps the music industry’s distributor wave to what’s coming next in podcasting: native basement-born creators, video everywhere, and platforms that help rebels ship without gatekeepers.