Kindness, I’d argue, should be a living, breathing lodestar of any creative collaboration. It’s just good business. And if you think kindness is some lofty ideal, lurking in the cotton-candy ethers of the fluffy unknown, you’re wrong. Kindness is as much a real part of any powerful communications strategy as the more traditional components — the deadlines, the metrics and the goals. In fact, it might be the most important part of all.

I wrote that a few years ago for Forbes and the idea of kindness has been on my mind this week after a random email exchange with a vendor (and that’s all the tea I’ll spill). A mentor of mine once said, “Your word is your bond. In business, it’s all you have.”

It’s about kindness of course but it’s also about sticking to what you say. If you tell someone you’re to do something, you do it and in return, you expect the same.

Right?

Well …

Maybe.

Business is still made up of people, people trying to do their best, sure, but people all the same. And when you’ve got that human factor, there’s always going to be some measure of grace necessary to give, or something that needs to give. In a world where robots can converse with you about plot holes in a Netflix thriller, I actually think the messier parts of business should be celebrated, even when they sting.

So, I like what I wrote in Forbes but I almost think, looking back on that sentiment years later, if you encounter someone who is less than kind, or have an interaction that doesn’t sit perfectly on the shelf where you wanted it placed … that’s OK, too.

There’s a give and take to any profession, which imbues a cyclical nature to success and accomplishment. Things work themselves out, eventually. Those who do the right thing, who stick to their word and lead with kindness, will (I believe) be rewarded in the end. And those who don’t might not be, or maybe they figure it out and eventually find whatever success means to them. Such is life, the way of the world. What matters more than the outcome is how you strolled the path along the way. As I wrote in Forbes for that very same article: “Someone’s lack of kindness should never be an erosion of your own.”

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Diary of a Marketing Agency

Dear Diary,

Please remember that follower count is a vanity metric. Sure, it looks nice to have that 400,000 follower count on your Instagram but unless it translates to real, sustainable sales, it doesn’t mean much. It’s far better to build a community, share meaningful stories for a subset of your audience — the people who will show up for you, support you and ultimately, utilize the product or service you offer. You help them, they help you and on and on we go …

We were so thrilled to help our client, Andrew Manning, receive this feature in Robb Report for The Asher Residence by Rodney Walker, Andrew’s iconic listing in Sherman Oaks. Read the full story here.

The Real Estate Rundown

• Buy vs Rent. The 2026 Bank of America Homebuyer Insights Report is out and for the first time since 2023, a majority of respondents favor buying a home (53%) over renting.

• Longevity and Housing. John Hancock recently released the latest Longevity Preparedness Index with suggestions for the ways real estate can help overall well-being and health. Read our client’s take on the results.

• All about inventory. While new home sales decreased on a year-over-year basis this May, the Census Bureau also reports that supply was up month-over-month in May 2026 to 10.3 months, compared with 9.3 months in April. Post a video or Carousel about inventory levels and supply trends in your local market.

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Reader’s Choice

If you’ve been following me for some time, you’ll know Haruki Murakami is one of my all-time favorite authors and The New Yorker just published the short story upon which his latest novel (The Tale of Kaho, out in July 3rd in Japan) is based. According to Reddit, we’ll have to wait another year or two for the translated version but for now, this wonderful short story will do.

Read the Story

Out of the Box

A series about accounts/stories to follow …

Home designer/gardener Ash Mazzina recently purchased a stunning London townhome with his boyfriend and the two have been meticulously renovating it whilst (!!) navigating the guidelines of owning a Grade II listed property. Every Sunday, Ash posts a long vlog-style video that is not only helpful and informative but also aesthetically beautiful!

Kitchen Chronicles

Photo of the Week

Is there anything more satisfying or better smelling than freshly cut grass in the summertime?

—Xx, Melis

P.S. Comment below and share how you celebrated the start of summer!

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In the garden, a change of perspective on the practicality of weeds.

I had my phone on the ground (impractical), it was nearing noon (impossible) and the garden bed was only half finished as the sun blistered in the sky. The weeds still needed to be raked and discarded onto my impromptu trash pile by the fence, but I couldn’t bring myself to drag them over, so they sat there, ugly, mangled and generally, a dirty mess.

“I can’t stand weeds,” I said aloud, into the speakerphone.

“Everything has its purpose,” I hear back from my uncle, wistfully. I’d called him as he was in his garden (in New York), weeding (de-weeding?) the land, too.

He tells me about the parable of the Chinese farmer, who (and I paraphrase here) lost a beloved horse while out in the meadow.

“How sad for you,” the neighbors told him, gathering at his cottage and mourning the lost horse.

“Maybe,” he replied.

The next day, the horse returned — yeehaw! — and brought with it an entire pack of wild horses. “How lucky for you,” the neighbors told him. “You’ve now got seven horses when only yesterday you had one.”

“Maybe,” he replied.

Next morning, the farmer’s son was out riding one of the wild horses when it bucked unexpectedly and he was thrown to the ground, suffering a broken leg.

“How tragic for you,” his neighbors said, gathering in the thatched cottage with homemade soup and herbal medicine for the boy.

“Maybe,” he replied.

That evening, officers of the army came around and told the farmer they were looking for his son. He’d have to join their battle. The farmer said his son had just broken his leg and couldn’t possibly fight. The officers peered inside the see the boy laying in his bedroom, leg wrapped in a cast. They left and bid the farmer goodnight.

“How fortunate for you,” the neighbors declared.

“Maybe,” the farmer replied.

So, the point of it all is (I think) to recognize that there are layers of perspectives to everything. The universe is a vast, interconnected prism reflecting an infinite amount of edges that shape and shift all the time, perhaps. A good turn of events can just as easily be not-so-good, as can a bad bout become a sudden, serendipitous blessing. Persistent weeds might be a total nuisance or, they can be used to break down into the soil, enriching the earth, so that magnificent flowers — roses, nasturtium, calendula — can bloom.

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Also, a sneak peek at my first hybrid tea roses of spring/summer:

Diary of a Marketing Agency

Dear Diary,

Well last week I talked about creating a mood board but how about a scrapbook to help you generate ideas?! Find a few magazines and cut away, adding whatever images make you feel more inspired and energized to do what you set out to do. Then, flip through the pages of what you’ve created and finally, get it done. (Orrrrr …. if you’re still stuck, find a little studio made up entirely of words and I’m sure they can do it for you.)

The Real Estate Rundown

• Homebuilding scores by state. Realtor.com recently published Affordability & Homebuilding Report Cards, giving each state in the U.S. a grade. Content idea! How did your state do, and how can you explain the grade based on what you see in your marketplace? (If it’s a not-so-great grade, put a positive spin on it by explaining the room for improvement in the marketplace.)

• Local eats. The James Beard Award winners were just published, any familiar names on the list? If there’s a winner in your market, talk about the restaurant or consider going there and posting videos about what the experience was like for you.

• Don’t sleep on this acquisition? HousingWire may have won the witty headline game this week with its ‘Bed, Bath & Brokerage’ header announcing the firm’s acquisition of Fathom Holdings, a tech-focused real estate services platform, for $53.38 million.

• Seven billion downloads. Unsplash.com, one of my favorite resources for license-free and beautiful stock images is celebrating seven billion downloads. Make it seven billion and one by searching for your market and seeing what stunning images pop up. Bonus points (in this completely made up game where everyone wins) if you use the photo in a marketing piece or social post next week.

• Peruse the pages. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices’ publication, Prestige, is out now and it features some seriously stunning luxury properties. Read it here.

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Reader’s Choice

I bought an old copy of Meredith Willson’s Who Did What to Fedalia? along with a few other books that Willson wordsmithed. Why? Well, I’ve been on a serious Meredith Willson kick after watching the 1962 film version of The Music Man. (Meredith with help from his wife, Rini, wrote the book and music.) When I opened the copy I bought from ThriftBooks, to my surprise I found it autographed by Meredith Willson himself! I am not sure what it says — For Duck, How all good works (???)- from his friend Meredith Willson 5/18/56 — but if you can decipher it let me know.

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Out of the Box

A series about accounts/stories to follow …

Did you know the Monterey Bay Aquarium has a live feed of jellyfish swimming around and being generally majestic? It is surprisingly relaxing to have on in the background as you work. Follow @MontereyBayAquarium to experience the underwater magic.

Kitchen Chronicles

Photo of the Week

This frog appears on my window every evening, sometimes downstairs by the front door and sometimes by my bedroom, which is on the second floor! Substack, meet Phillip the Frog, Phil for short, Phillip Frogstedian Frogeroottle III for long.

—Xx, Melis

P.S. Comment below and tell me about any cute (or not so cute) creatures that have popped up in your yard this summer!

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Well if it’s hard, keep going.

There is no cheat code for success. I’ve learned after eight (almost nine!) years of running a business, the only way to get anywhere is to keep working, pushing through those difficult times—especially then—to find yourself feeling a lot more confident the next time around. Because there will be a ‘next time around,’ and when it arrives, you’ll be ready.

I really do wish there was some magic potion for whatever it is you want, but everyone started somewhere and in my opinion, the most exciting thing is when a person — you! — finally says, “OK, I’m going to start today.”

(Maybe that is the magic?!)

Then, you show up and do your best, knowing that it’s all a process and you can either choose to enjoy it or you can choose to harp on the hard things. It’s kind of fun to make mistakes, don’t you think? Even the most talented, most influential people in the world were once getting it wrong (probably), making huge, major mistakes and realizing from those monumental errors exactly what they need to get it right.

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Diary of a Marketing Agency

Dear Diary,

If you’re ever unsure where to go, or what direction to take, try a mood board. Collect images from Pinterest, archival sources (old newspapers, magazines), image searches and the like, then put together the “vibe” of the project at hand. Sometimes, the way forward isn’t to keep staring at a blank page. It happens when you spark inspiration through visuals and that set the tone. I put a mood board together for a client this week and it was such a fun experience fitting all the colors, the textures, the vibes into one cohesive place.

The Real Estate Rundown

• Keeping Current Matters x HousingWire. Well! In real estate news, HousingWire has acquired Keeping Current Matters. You can read the official press release here (I always like to go there first because it’s the narrative put out by the actual parties involved). To me, this acquisition signals a shift toward effective storytelling and even more content that’s necessary for agents and brokerages in order to stay top-of-mind.

• What Moves Her. Sue Yannaccone, CEO for Anywhere Brands and Anywhere Advisors, has been a longtime and constant business inspiration (we worked together years ago). In this latest episode of the “What Moves Her” podcast, Sue and Lindsay Listanski interview Neda Navab, the first female president of Compass International Holdings and coincidentally, we graduated college in the same class (go Lions!). It’s a great listen for lessons on leadership, leading with intention and harnessing ambition for the betterment of all.

• Energy cost-cutting for summer. Our client recently published this blog post about cutting your energy costs in summer. It’s a hot topic (ha! ha!) with lots of potential for videos, eCards, even a direct mailer, especially if local energy bills in your market are soaring for summer.

• RealTrends Verified Awards. They’re here! The 2026 RealTrends Verified rankings (nationwide, statewide and citywide) are out for agents and brokerages. If you haven’t already, see where you landed this year (it’s actually for 2025 production) and tell the world! Remember, people who support you love celebrating your success. Also, congratulations to our fantastic clients who made the list!

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Reader’s Choice

Currently reading Musical Stages by Richard Rodgers. What a legend, what stories to tell! And oh yes, the photo above does depict a beautiful morning in Oklahoma!

Out of the Box

A series about accounts/stories to follow …

The Wedge in Newport Beach is experiencing the “swell of the century,” and while the debate is out whether this really is the absolute biggest and baddest swell in years (and it very well might be, you would never catch me out there on 10-15 ft. waves) … documentary filmmaker Brent Weldon, also an avid surf videographer, is live-streaming the action from the beach. You can put this on in the background as you work or, if the live-streaming is over, relive each day of the swell on the YouTube channel @BrentWeldon.

Kitchen Chronicles

Photo of the Week

A moment for this plant!

—Xx, Melis

P.S. Comment below with any marketing questions you have for next week’s Little Word Letters!

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A thought for this week: What you do after a problem says more about your ingenuity than the problem itself.

A friend recently called me up with a tricky situation at work that required some strategic thought. Through absolutely no fault of her own, she had a setback with a project and was wondering if she should explain what happened and potentially sound like she was passing blame, or simply state what the problem was and see how the cookie crumbled after that.

“Neither,” I said. “You’d be looking back. Let’s try to find a way forward.”

In other words, a problem arose that necessitated some kind of articulation to those impacted by the particular challenge (AKA my friend’s bosses). OK, got it. But the mere existence of a problem doesn’t mean much unless you then present some actionable solutions.

So, I suggested she briefly outline the situation then detail two or three potential ways to work through it, being as specific as possible with these solutions and explaining the steps involved for each one. So, she did. And you know what? The situation ended better than anyone could’ve expected.

Problem, solved.

In business, especially when you run one yourself, issues will pop up all the time. It’s a tale-as-old-as-time certainty that something will always go awry (and often when you least expect it) but worrying about the problem won’t get it solved. Instead, train your mind to start brainstorming solutions and approach challenges with forward-moving action. Then, once you land on the best route to take, dance your way right through that little tangle to a much bigger, brighter place on the other side.

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Diary of a Marketing Agency

Dear Diary,

We recently posted on Instagram asking our community how they use email and if they do send out an email, how it’s going. One person wrote they’re seeing “typically greater than 50%” responses from a weekly newsletter, which is amazing.

As algorithms get trickier and the battle for content gets more complex, maintaining an email list and sending out a regular communication (hello, Little Letters) will keep your audience engaged on a 1-1 level. You send an email, they respond, you respond. Bonus? They’ll be interacting with a longer-form version of the stories you tell and through them, will gain a deeper understanding of the services/products you offer.

The Real Estate Rundown

• Mortgage movement. If you aren’t already, I highly recommend signing up for Mortgage News Daily emails. The publication follows rates with incredible detail on a daily basis and breaks down the movement in a way that’s easy to understand.

• Design trends for 2026. Classic modern, quiet luxury … our client recently published this blog post about what’s trending in home design for 2026 and why it matters for homes on the market.

• QR codes. Did you know that if you put a QR code on a social post and screenshot it, users can then tap on the QR code on the photo? How cool?!

• Median first-time home buyer. A brand-new report from the American Enterprise Institute reveals the median age of the first-time home buyer went down by one year, from 34 during Q1 2025 to 33 in Q1 of 2026. It is also down from Q4 2025. Are you seeing this trend in your marketplace? Whether it’s in a newsletter, video or Story, talk about the challenges and benefits of first-time home buyers entering your residential real estate market now.

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Reader’s Choice

Next up on my reading list is Syd Field’s Screenplay: The Foundations of Screenwriting. It’s so interesting to study different forms of writing and knowing more about the art of screenwriting really helps when writing video scripts for clients.

Out of the Box

Continuing our new series about accounts/stories to follow. Today, it’s @yourfriend.pete, who is (was?) an out-of-work designer. Pete decided to ask his daughter to design a brand for him and the results are actually magical. The videos Pete producers are so cinematic and satisfying. The vibes are just there. You’ll see what I mean when you explore the page.

Kitchen Chronicles

Photo of the Week

I had to look this creature up but apparently it is an Eastern Lubber Grasshopper. I’m not sure the photo does much for you to see its size but this grasshopper is gigantic!

—Xx, Melis

P.S. Any marketing questions I can answer for Little Letters next week? Please leave a comment and let me know!

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A few thoughts on the art of writing …

When you do something noble and beautiful and nobody noticed, do not be sad. For the sun every morning is a beautiful spectacle and yet most of the audience still sleeps.” – John Lennon

Writing, I believe, should have a distinct “you-ness” that draws an audience to your work and (most importantly) keeps them there.

What is you-ness? Did I make that up? Yep, I did. You-ness is a tricky thing to explain but it lives in a comfortable two-bed, two-bath condo inside your mind and it also lives in the thoughts that slip through your fingers; no one else in the world collects words together quite like you do. Own that fact and run with it like you’re a word-smithing Road Runner and a Wyle E. Coyote made entirely from platitudes is biting at your tail.

Then, just when you think you’ve lost Wyle E., keep running some more, far from the conventional to a strange, funky place that only you can see. And it’s hard. I get that. What I’m suggesting is not as easy as picking up your feet and simply escaping public opinion altogether. You couldn’t do that even if you tried; the public will forever be there (the coyote, despite eternal rejection always came back for more), the trick is to learn to work alongside the elements.

Let’s approach this concept another way: Forget about creation, focus on discovery. You’re not taking vast nothingness and turning it into something, you’re assembling the little somethings that already exist within you and setting them free in whatever form they may take.

That’s not to say you should print this Substack post, fold it into the back pocket of your most comfortable jeans and hop on a jet plane to a remote island in Fiji where WiFi can’t begin to dream of working and Snapchat means breaking twigs while attempting to converse with iguanas.

No, you should probably still be aware of what’s happening in the universe in which you work and especially take care to study the greats, those particular artists, authors or people who are at the very tippy-top of their craft. Just don’t let any of the stuff you internalize make you think any less of yourself or your abilities. Because while writing — and really, art in general — may be an expression that comes from within, inspiration is everywhere, meaning all the world’s your stage, and no matter what happens next, when the curtain rises tomorrow, the show will go on.

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Diary of a Marketing Agency

Dear Diary,

Remember that the value you provide in your business doesn’t just mean the products or services you offer. A business can deliver value and become an incredible asset to clients in a lot of ways, like by connecting people in your network who wouldn’t have otherwise ever met. Or, by providing PR opportunities — a media mention, an article feature — from professionals you know. Businesses can map out a path forward, offering solutions to persistent problems rather than rehashing the issues without relief. How about being a quasi-project manager? A business that can proactively assist with the completion of a project makes it easier for a client to feel confident they can take on complex challenges and win every time.

The Real Estate Rundown

• October 15 rate hike for California FAIR Plan. It was recently announced that California FAIR Plan insurance rates will go up (on average) by 29%. Read our client’s blog post detailing the news.

• Your (real estate) thoughts. NAR Research is conducting a survey, asking subscribers what they want to see in the newsletter. Awesome strategy to survey your audience but also your opportunity to shape the content NAR Research (a fantastic real estate data source) shares.

• Extraordinary properties. One more reminder to follow our account @estateandvilla for the latest luxury listings coast to coast!

• Pending Sales. In the U.S., pending home sales increased 1.4% in April (month-over-month) and by 3.2% from year-ago figures. NAR Chief Economist Lawrence Yun called this a sign of “cautious optimism” for buyers, and you can take this information and turn it into a video about market activity — including pending and closed sales — you’re seeing locally.

• Stock-free Smithsonian. Not quite real estate news but Unsplash.com, one of my favorite sites for license-free, beautiful imagery, just announced a collaboration with The Smithsonian, bringing thousands of images of art, science, culture and history to you … and your marketing pieces. How cool?

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Reader’s Choice

I’m on a thriller kick at the moment and The 6:20 Man is the current read. David Baldacci is a wizard of suspense in this page-turner set in New York City’s high-pressure investment scene.

Out of the Box

A new series for Little Letters about cool stories to follow. I’m going to share one account, podcast, person on the radar, so here we go!

This week, @yourowkelsey … attempting to become the first American woman to row solo from California to Hawai’i. I believe Kelsey’s got 70(ish) days left and wow is the world rooting this athlete onward.

Kitchen Chronicles

Photo of the Week

Ooooh, my serrano peppers are growing!

—Xx, Melis

P.S. Any tips for successfully growing cherry tomato plants?

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I wrote down a word in my notebook last week, a nonsensical, made-up word but I think it’s a good one (you tell me).

Shiftback.

I guess there is a word switchback, those dust-laden, windy trails on hikes that bring you up a mountain, and that word is close to this one, but I’m getting a dotted-red line beneath “shiftback,” so I’ll take the red to mean it’s nothing real … except it is.

Recently, I attended a virtual session led by a highly experienced ad man (think Don Draper but for real estate) who had some really fascinating wisdom to spill about the current state of marketing. He spoke about the renaissance happening now that’s all about adding a layer of story, of context, of value to whatever numbers are generated by a computer or dictated by an algorithm.

In a discernible shift back to intentional messaging, he said, (and I’m paraphrasing here), it’s not just that your content should have a point, but also that it should have a point that can only be made by you.

Authenticity leads, authority informs, and if you pursue what feels absolutely spot-on for your particular skills and professional passion, you’ll always create something that’ll make people pay attention to whatever it is you have to say. Awash in a sea of endless content, we return to the calmer shores of what’s truly real. And that, my friends, is what I’m henceforth and forevermore calling the shiftback.

Who’s in?!

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Diary of a Marketing Agency

Dear Diary,

If you want something done, start it on paper. Why? I don’t know. Something about the tactile feel of a pen scraping against the smooth, blank page signifies forward movement, and your brain can say, “Aha! It is getting done!”

A to-do list, a project outline, a brainstorming session, they might all happily live first on the page of a notebook, which makes them far more precarious and precious; lose the notebook, lose the idea. There will be time to transfer your project to your computer … later. For now, let it luxuriate on paper. Keep it there, listen to the rustle of the pages turn. It’s the sound of progress sought and made.

The Real Estate Rundown

• Another day, another scam. Our client has been busy blogging about the latest scams to be aware of and this one is frightening. Bottom line: Stay safe and work with an agent in the know!

• Estate & Villa. In case you don’t already, go ahead and follow our luxury real estate account @estatenadvilla on Instagram. It’s a place to see spectacular listings from the East to the West Coast, and a digital space for some serious design inspiration.

• The Snap. Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices recently released a report called The Snap and our client in Georgia localized the report and shared it with thousands of recipients.

• Investment and vacation properties. If you’re looking for some fresh content, Zillow just released the ‘hottest rental markets list’ for 2026. Maybe your market made the top 10 or maybe you use this report as a jumping-off point to talk about the benefits of passive income/purchasing an investment property in your area. Just sayin’ …

• New construction content. If you work with new construction properties, use this new research from Realtor.com for a video script, Carousel post or eBlast. The gist? Buyers who purchase a new home can expect to save about $25,335 during the first 10 years vs. a buyer who purchases an existing, 20-year-old home. A word to the wise: If you also help clients sell/buy existing homes, I’d probably add some context as to the benefits of an existing home, too.

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Reader’s Choice

A Holmes-and-Watson-style mystery? Fantasy? Intrigue? Sea monsters? Say no more. My latest read is The Tainted Cup by Robert Jackson Bennett and it’s got every element of a perfect story for a fanciful spring reading list.

Kitchen Chronicles

Photo of the Week

This bunny has been living on my lawn all week and I’ve got no complaints. Hello, ADORABLE.

—Xx, Melis

P.S. What should I name it?

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Sometimes I think about this line from Haruki Murakami’s biography where he says that compared with Japanese, the English language is easier for him because it offers fewer word choices with which to tell his story. Creation by elimination. Clarity by removing the unnecessary and leaving only the good stuff behind.

I like that way of working – it’s so intentional. And the deeper I get into my entrepreneurial journey, (seven years and counting!), the more I understand how important intentionality should be.

A while ago, I thought it was enough to focus. If you really focused on the task ahead, then you’d get it done; all would be sunshine-y and bright. But now, with so much going on at one time, focus doesn’t seem to cut it. A layer of intentionality is necessary to bring a certain crispness to the end result.

The modern mode of everyday social interaction is — for better or worse — digital connection. With a cold screen separating human warmth, intention amplifies the difference between authentic and hollow, or as a speaker said in a Zoom meeting this week, between showmanship and genuine storytelling.

Intentional content has an enticing otherness about the story you’re telling that draws people in and keeps them engaged. Intentionality, when summoned, transfers quietly from your fingertips to the page or screen. You can’t define what it means but you know when it exists.

The shift can be subtle, slight changes that compound over time. Get rid of an unnecessary emoji here, distill the essence of your video script there, choose the right music for the right time, and before you know it, the work is purer. Yes, you focused and you probably put the right amount of positive energy into whatever it was you were doing, but you were intentional about the finale. The curtain fall after the last sentence is punctuated by the unmistakeable sound of your particular truth.

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Diary of a Marketing Agency

Dear Diary,

I remember when Instagram first rolled out some new fonts for Stories and the design/communications world couldn’t believe they included Comic Sans. “It’s not chic! “It’s so unsophisticated,” people said … and guess what? Now in 2026, squiggly, whimsical, “cute” fonts are absolutely everywhere. If you’re looking for an instant warming-up of your brand, try one out for your headers or sub-heads. Some of my favorites (available on Canva) are: Yuji Maj, Sk Moralist, LJ Studios MB, Distillery Caps, Campground, Veles and of course, Comic Sans. Happy designing!

The Real Estate Rundown

• Zoom link scams. Cybercrimes are getting so much more sophisticated. Check out this new blog post from our client about a Zoom link scam that can take over your computer and access your personal/sensitive files. Yikes!

• Website. We recently wrote and designed a website for a real estate client and it was such a fun experience working out the best ways to share the agent’s competitive differentiators and services in an engaging, visual way. Can’t wait to see the site go live!

• Stories over show. As mentioned above, I attended a really interesting Zoom meeting mid-week led by a prominent real estate marketer who talked about the idea of using social media for authenticity vs. showmanship. Do it, yes! 100% agree. You can dance (if you want to ) but ultimately, you’ve got to do what feels most natural and comfortable for you.

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Reader’s Choice

On a mission to read more from Daphne du Maurier, have decided on The Scapegoat as my next read. I’m only a little ways through it but I recommend (already) if you’re looking for an example of exquisite storytelling.

Kitchen Chronicles

Photo of the Week

A vine in all its purple glory that makes me think of Bridgerton every time I walk by … I have been told this is creeping myrtle by some, wisteria by others. Do you know what it is?

—Xx, Melis

P.S. What is your favorite springtime flower?

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If you’ve been a longtime follower of little word studio, you’d know that every Friday we would send out a newsletter called The Weekly Wrap, and this went on for years and years.

I’ve been meaning to pick The Weekly Wrap back up, but in the busy-ness of running a business, our newsletter instead tumbled feet-first into the shadowy inbox abyss.

Well, let’s fix that now.

To set the stage: The plan is to release something every Friday. A little bit of marketing trends, some client updates, real estate content ideas to get the mind zinging, our recent projects, recipes that involve arugula, the works. I sincerely hope you enjoy the return of what is going to be called “Little Word Letters,” my ode to little words on the digital page and my (new!!) weekly message to you. Subscribe to receive these each week — it’s freeee and always will be.

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We begin.

Diary of a Marketing Agency

Dear Diary,

I came across a post this week with a phrase that stopped me in my tracks: slow brain content. A gardener on Instagram was talking about how much better his content performed when it was focused on this idea of the “slow brain” versus anything else. Foregoing the quick cuts or rapid scene swipes, the gardener let gentle sound of birdsong and bumblebees fill the screen, in no hurry to skip to the next clip, hence the “slow brain” theme. It was a glorious experience, soothing to the mind. I predict not only will we see more of this type of narrative as the digital scene gets increasingly jam-packed, but also that true long-form content is going to take center stage. I’m talking content series, blog posts, two-minute Reels, Substacks, multi-article newsletters … they’re coming back, so be ready with a platform to populate and a good story in hand.

The Real Estate Rundown

• Quarterly report. Each quarter, in collaboration with our clients in the Pacific Northwest, we turn the numbers provided into stories about the major markets serviced by the brokerage. The Q1 2026 report is out now.

• Content idea. In late April, the FBI released the 2025 Internet Crimes Report, and you could break it down if you’re in real estate. (Numbers to know: 12,368 complaints related to real estate crimes, total loss in 2025 was $275,110,419.) Write a blog post about ways to mitigate potential wire fraud, deed fraud, phishing, impersonators online, etc. Keep the language soft like “help mitigate,” as no plan is foolproof, but utilize the report to show your expertise guiding clients safely through one of the largest transactions of their lifetime.

• A relevant read. Ever timely with advice, our client published a blog post about the real estate scams that were most prevalent in 2025 and what to watch out for in 2026.

• New work. We collaborated with a fantastic new builder/real estate agent client to create a gorgeous property project portfolio for his construction business. It’s an editorial-style, 8.5x11 inch print or digital piece that showcases previous projects with intriguing photos, on-brand headlines and descriptions of each project, and some background on the construction company (and its leader). I recommend a portfolio/brochure to a lot of clients as a kind of warm touch prior to a listing presentation (for agents) or just a brief introduction to your business/services before that first meeting, allowing the client to get to know you better and feel confident about working with you.

• Open House campaign success. After several months of a campaign to win two beach cruisers by attending brokerage open houses, our lovely clients in Georgia ended “Cruise Into Summer” with huge results! Dozens of entrants—and thus, dozens of Open House attendees—participated and the winner was announced on social media. Congratulations!

• On set at home. Check out the story behind our client’s recently sold listing, featured on ‘24,’ ‘Beverly Hills 90210’ and in the Getty Museum.

• Same builder, same seller, two absolutely jaw-dropping homes in Sherman Oaks that are accepting buyer offers now.

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Reader’s Choice

Just finished reading Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and it’s an exquisite story, quite literally the twists and turns will take your breath away. Highly recommend this classic gothic tale if you’re ever looking to dive into a sumptuous world of love and intrigue on the English countryside.

Kitchen Chronicles

Photo of the Week

This morning, the first rose from the new rose garden awakens just in time for spring.

Variety: Pope John Paul II hybrid tea rose.

—Xx, Melis

P.S. What do you think about the idea of “slow brain” content? I’d love to know!

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Hello, holiday season. I don’t know about you but at my small business, this time gets busy. Clients have a lot of marketing projects to wrap up their year and we support them every way we can, which often means a very hectic December.

So! How to deal? Habits.

Ever since I read Atomic Habits, I realized the potential of these small, habitual activities that compound over time and create a real sense of forward movement, despite our innate desire to rest. Despite our yearning to make a cup of cocoa and rot (relax?) by the warm, crackling fire as Nora Jones/Michael Bublé/Jane Monheit plays. Despite everything, with habits by our side, we forge on. Also, what is it about the holiday season that screams JAZZ?!

In case you find yourself wandering through the winterland abyss this month, here are three little habits that have helped me feel grounded and more importantly, helped me stay steady in my resolve to still get things done:

ONE - Work sprints. I used to think setting a timer was antithetical to creativity but giving yourself a definitive time block puts very nice goalposts around whatever its you need to complete. One hour? Sure. An ambiguous amount of time? Meh. Personally, I like to do two-hour sprints, sometimes broken into 1-4 sessions for a given project but that’s just me. If you’d like, you can even block out tiny, itsy bitsy sprints — ten minutes, fifteen minutes. Once you sit down and begin, you’ll realize that was the hardest part.

TWO - Background noise. If you work in an at-home office like me, you might sometimes miss the friendly camaraderie of cubicle life. (Who woulda thunk it?) I like to work to the tune of classical music, which might be why my Spotify wrapped age was 85, or sometimes I’ll put on my favorite LawTuber, because for whatever reason untangling legalese of complex cases is soothing background chatter for my mind.

THREE - Self-care activity. Take a shower, do your nails, put your hair in a perfectly middle-parted bun. The more you feel put together, the more likely you are to feel productive, too.

More soon but until then … back to work!

—Xx, Melis

P.S. What’s fueling your productivity this month? I’d love to know!

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To some, writers are caricatures of real people. They sit hunched over leather notebooks in dark corners of dimly lit coffee shops, stealing brilliant ideas from the cinnamon-spiced air to scribble down and publish. Sometimes, they don’t show up. The inspiration isn’t there. In the montage section of the Writer’s story, they rise before the sun, walking on a beach against the brassy light of sunrise, thinking, working out an idea, writing with their minds. How lovely! Maybe they buy a villa in Tuscany, open their aged laptop and wipe off their reading glasses, tapping on the keys as the butter flies against the brick garden of lavender and rosemary.

From what I’ve ascertained, the caricature of the writer is just that. To write with longevity, you have to put in place a system that’s firm and unassailable, which frees you up in all sorts of other ways to create unharmed. Like the buttress protecting the medieval fort that is your mind, rigid structure is necessary for creativity to flow free. (As a concrete example, I work from 9-5, every day, no matter what. I’m at my desk working.)

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I’m also inclined to think writers are people with an esoteric ability to take the feelings inside them — Haruki Murakami likens these to a kind of toxin — and spill their particular brand of poison onto the page. Other people might express this emotional toxicity another way. Their toxin, for example, is released on a surfboard carving ocean waves, or with a hammer nailing boards to rooftops or through the stroke of a paintbrush on a canvas still bare and dry. I don’t know. If you’re a writer, the toxin is dripped out in words.

There’s another misconception about writing (and maybe all art) that the greats will readily dispel, which is the notion of a silk-gowned woman who visits you in the pearly hours of dawn with green leaves stuck to her long hair, a pretty flush to her cheeks, and whispers into your right ear on a tone smoother than buttered scat, “Here it is. Here is the idea you need. Take this special gift from me, your Muse.”

Sorry to burst any bubbles that might’ve been set afloat but that’s garbage. There is no Muse. There is only you, your ever-growing ability and what you choose to do with that. You might think a sudden realization comes by way of the silken hair Muse but she is part of your memories, your experiences, your you-ness. Layered on top of the idea-generating portion of creativity is the ability to focus on that Thing You Do with a dogged focus that ensures it’ll always get done. (Warren Buffett said, “Intensity is the price of excellence.”) Call it Writer’s Block, call it a Muse, but teetering between focus and procrastination is no long-haired temptress of fates. It’s you. Do the thing, reap the reward, which is to write another day.

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—Xx, Melis

Well speaking of!!

A few things happening right now that are playing on my creative energy …

1. I bought a house. It’s got blue shutters, two (!!) ponds, a stained-glass door and stained-glass windows, and a few cobblestone paths that are perfect for sitting down with a blank notebook and an open mind. Yet here I am, inside, at my computer, staring at said path curving through the bamboo trees out the window. Exploration tomorrow. Maybe.

2. It’s the holiday season. Enough about the pressures of the holidays or the entanglement of actually getting lights to sit straight on a curved porch. There’s joy in the air and expectation in the mood. We delight, we dine, we figure out how to hang a wreath on a moving, solar-powered fence … or a decorative activity that’s nearly as fun.

3. I’m writing The Thing. It has no name, or if it does, it’s a tentative one, but 130 pages of (somewhat) edited lines seems like a better head start than I’ve ever had. It’s a daily grind, a “mulish obstinacy” (Ken Follett’s words, not mine) and onward we tick-tick-tick, across the foggy, winding mountaintop roadway of this tale, until THE END draws near and the rewriting begins.

4. I have no furniture. This is a silly one. My bed arrives in February. My couch is unordered but might be green. The rooms in the house I bought are unfilled and there is a strange compulsion to fill them with blow-up chairs and bean bag poufs and be done with it. Decorating is a jigsaw puzzle, no? I will find joy in piecing together the perfect wood stains and chandelier types but until then, takeout on the floor.

OK there goes the list. And what do you know? A post has arrived. Anyhoo, it’s time to return to the work at hand. Above, enjoy a photograph of an 1860s New York City Dance-House (courtesy: New York Public Library) as it stood years ago, in case there’s something in the crinoline and high hats that puts your imagination at ease.

Comment below with your list of whatever it is shaping your creativity at the moment. I’d love to know what’s on your holiday mind.

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—Xx, Melis

I received that exact text from a client and of course, I did know the perfect person, also a client, who serviced those markets and could help with the request.

The response once I texted back with a solid contact?

“Love it. I’m so excited if I can get this referral placed. I always feel like when you know someone it’s better, so thank you very much.”

That’s how a beautiful referral relationship began.

After seven years of business ownership, I’ve realized one of the most effective and underrated services I can offer clients is my network. The reach and depth of this network is like a powerful, secret value clients receive when working with my agency … and it’s a value that can generate real profits for them.

In a world of marketing, when gains can be qualitative or longer-term, (someone sees a video, remembers it fondly and recalls your business months later when needing that specific thing you do), this is a big deal. A client entering your orbit is a client now gaining from the benefits of your world. In the words of the incomparable queen of the holiday season Ina Garten, how easy is that?

But wait, there’s more!

Another anecdote: I was contacted about a The Wall Street Journal series that required specific stories to fit within the theme. “Do we know anyone who might have that kind of experience?” They asked.

Absolutely.

So, an email went out to several clients I thought would be an excellent fit. Aaand a giant turtle named Jumby was thus given a chance at journalistic fame. (We’ll save the turtle story for another time.)

At little word studio, I’ve purposely positioned the agency as a “connector” so people reach out to us for the resources they need. Then, clients receive the advantages of these connections (like a feature in The Wall Street Journal) ... at no additional cost to them. It’s not anything line-itemed into our invoices but it’s a known perk of working with our team.

OK, OK … one final story: A client was hosting a big celebration and needed a videographer to cover the grand affair. I set her up with an experienced industry professional I’d worked with for years, and his services were exactly what she needed.

When you have those trusted professionals, industry movers and shakers available at a moment’s notice, you can expand the value of your business by helping clients get all their needs met through you. It’s a one-stop-shop model of business that creates a seamless experience for your clients – and that’s worth a lot.

For a small business, the little things are the big things. If you’re consistenly somebody’s go-to, (even when the small thing they’re asking for isn’t necessarily on the list of services you provide) they’ll keep going to … well … you.