Rebels are the ones who live by another set of rules, who push boundaries, right injustices, and take the hard road in order to stand up for their convictions. It’s in their nature to throw a middle finger to the status quo, to buck tradition and forge a new path. Rebels are the ones who change the world. In this podcast, Rebel & Reason’s, Nicola Smith, is on a mission to discover what drives these change makers and understand how we can all harness the power of rebellion  to create change. This is a character study of constructive nonconformity; leaders, creators, rule breakers and pioneers from all walks of life share their stories, their insight, and their invaluable outlooks. This is Rebel.

‘Rebel’ is coming soon to your favorite podcast app.

Nicola Smith has always had a fascination with rebels. Born in South Africa during apartheid, a country whose entrenched  systemic injustice was met by the courage of strong men and women who stood up and rebelled for change. She knew that it was these people who pushed back, these rebels, who brought about real change in the face of a smothering and unjust status quo. Throughout her life she’s seen the same actions and attitudes show up in various forms in different people, but the throughline has always been the same. The world benefits from rebels, those who push boundaries to  drive humanity forward.

In 2016 Nicola launched Rebel & Reason to help others develop strategically rebellious habits that do more than just command attention; she partners with business owners and brands  in a multitude of industries to wield corporate rebellion deliberately and command results. Nicola provides customized workshops, training and consulting services that leverage the power of constructive nonconformity to create and reinvigorate  strong, rebellious brands, build insights-based customer experience strategies and develop unique, sustainable corporate cultures focused on diversity, equality and innovation. Her strategies and techniques empower entrepreneurs, leaders and teams to incorporate  strategic rebellion into the creative problem solving process to redefine “business as usual” and elevate the brand, customer and employee experience. From startups to Fortune 500 companies (and every size business in between), Nicola teaches corporate leaders how to unleash their inner rebel and break boundaries leading to exponential change.

Before launching REBEL & REASON, Nicola spent 15 years leading strategy around first-to-market opportunities in social media, mobile marketing and content development, gestural, voice and touch-based interfaces, augmented reality and virtual reality, and other emerging technologies for a wide variety of clients including: Verizon Wireless, Maybelline, Coca-Cola, PUMA, Microsoft, 20th Century Fox, Nestle, GE, Carter’s, Chick-fil-A, Cisco, Toyota, AT&T, Nike, Pepsi, L’Oreal, IHG, Cox Media Group, P&G, and HP.

Nicola lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her husband, two young daughters, and their cat Billy Bones. When not spending time at home with her family, Nicola loves giving back to the Atlanta community. She serves on the Advisory Board for the Alliance Theatre, the largest producing theatre in the South East and the ChooseATL Council, a recognized part of the Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce. Nicola is also a founding member and advocate of Digital Divas, a community organization that promotes and mentors women in digital and technology-based fields.