Rebel of the Month: Bel Caruso.

With so much going on in the creative world, it’s pretty easy to lose sight of the individuals who keep things ticking along and kicking goals at every turn. In the past two years alone, we’ve met some absolute trailblazers who have some pretty fascinating stories to tell.

We’re firm believers that knowledge is worth nothing unless you can share it with those around you. With that in mind, we’ve decided that we’re gonna take a look at one person each month who we feel deserves the spotlight so that they can share some valuable insight into who they are, what they do, and how they got to where they are today. The rebels with a cause, if you will.

We’ll be revealing the journeys of a whole bunch of folks in the coming months. But to kick things off, we’ve decided to start close to home and take a look at our Fearless Leader, Isobella Caruso. Bel has been the driving force behind everything that Rebel Yell is today, so it feels like a pretty fitting place to start for this ongoing deep-dive into the movers & shakers in our corner of the world.

Isobella Caruso. Photographed by Morgan Sette.

Isobella Caruso
Founder/Director of Rebel Yell.

How did you start your journey to where you are today? 

My journey has been a big one with lots of stepping stones that all link up with one another, so bear with me…

The start of my career began in March 2005 when I started my first job selling chips and icecreams at live concerts at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. My very first shift was at a Norah Jones concert. I was super shy and really nervous, but there was no doubt that I knew I wanted to be a bigger part of this industry. Over 17 years in a variety of roles and departments at the Enty, I worked at 1000’s of events – everything  from 10,000 PAX concerts, to corporate dinners to weddings and everything in between. This experience gave me a unique insight into the entire live entertainment ecosystem, as well as the hospitality industry that supports it. 

I continued working here to support myself while I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Management (a fancy name for a Marketing and Publicity degree). When I graduated in 2012 I moved over to London to try and make it over there as a publicist (spoiler alert: I didn’t). I ended up working in a popular American-style diner in Camden where a lot of touring bands came in for a feed before their shows, which resulted in me scoring heaps of free tickets to gigs. I moved back to South Australia after 12 months later with a newfound passion for the beautiful place that I'm lucky enough to call home, and with the desperate vision of being a bigger part of it.

Bel captured knocking back a cheeky Pirate Life sour by Samuel Graves.

After a few internships and volunteer roles producing live events in Adelaide, I scored my first real job at Rip It Up magazine and worked there as an Advertising Executive until the SA icon shut down a year later. I was devastated, but used my experience from a short stint in the Employment Industry to hunt down my next dream job, which landed me in the marketing team at the Adelaide Fringe, Australia's biggest open-access arts festival. I owe everything I know about Marketing, consumer behaviour, event promotion and loyalty programs to my time at the Fringe.

In 2019, I moved on to a number of other arts organisations. In March 2020 I found myself redundant from my role as a Marketing Executive at the Adelaide Festival Centre due to the global pandemic. I was crushed, burned out, and terrified of what this meant for me financially. But, I saw it as an opportunity to turn a difficult situation into something positive and I worked tirelessly every single day to turn my dream of owning my own business in the music and events industry a reality.

What are you most proud of in your career? 

Having a chinwag at the One Of One Women In Music Breakfast in Adelaide, 2022.

Pushing through the many challenges that I've faced in my life & career to ultimately create my own dream job and become a bigger part of what makes South Australia f*cking fabulous.

I was also pretty stoked to be asked by the Australian Independent Record Labels Association to deliver a presentation to the women of the Sydney music industry in 2022.

What's the biggest risk you've taken as a professional? 

Starting Rebel Yell instead of finding a secure full-time job in another industry. It’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done financially and professionally, there’s SO much that could have gone wrong.

What inspires you to do what you do? 

A desire to help others to believe in themselves and live out their own dreams. I'm also super inspired by other small business owners and creatives around me that are paving their own paths.

What advice would you give yourself if you were starting out today?

Be clear about what you want. I’m a big believer that the thoughts, emotions and intentions become your reality one way or another, so you need to be super precise about what you want the universe to dish up for you. That way you avoid ending up with what you thought you wanted versus what you actually want. Make sense?

I’d also recommend soaking in inspiration from everything and everyone around you. Even the sh*t you don’t like – use that as inspiration for what you don’t want to do and don’t want to be.

Got any life hacks?

A squeeze of lemon juice on your watermelon takes the flavour up to an 11. Trust me.