Lover of lists, puppy-mom, always rockin' a curly do, and completely obsessed with real estate marketing!
ONCE UPON A TIME I LIED
I walked into an interview for what I thought was an assistant position at a real estate office (spoiler alert: it wasn't)
To this day I don't know if I applied to the wrong ad, the company was hiring for multiple positions and just got confused or if the universe just loved me a little more that day, whatever the reason, I walked into an interview for a Marketing Director position at a boutique real estate office and when the interviewer asked if I had any graphic design experience, I lied and said "YES" (I mean Publisher totally counts right?). I was down to my last $500 (or was it $50) and rent was looming, besides how hard could it be to play around in Photoshop all day long? Turns out, it wasn't easy at all, but...
Lucky for me, I found my purpose, helping Realtors create authentic personal brands with style and strategy.
Turns out that was the best lie I ever told. I instantly fell in love with design. The idea of creativity as a job was intoxicating to me. I spent years learning all the design programs around, reading design magazines, attending the University of Google to refine my skills and finally gained the confidence to break out on my own and start a marketing company for Realtors. I haven't looked back since!
Was it totally cheeky to lie at a job interview? YES! But if I had to do it all over again, I totally would because that fib propelled me to where I am today: living my passion by helping realtors create authentic brands (a tad droll coming from the girl who fudged her resume, eh?!) that represent their unique personalities and attract their ideal clients over and over again.
Guilty pleasures: binging new Netflix shows, sandwiches , Pinning home decor inspo, and puppy Reels!
MY REALLY OFFICIAL BIO, the TL:DR VERSION
Melanie is the owner and creative director of Fourth Street Creative, an online space dedicated to helping Realtors create authentic personal brands that attract their dream clients – over and over again.
A real estate marketing expert and DIY design advocate, she’s worked with hundreds of Realtors over the last 16 years, observing, listening, and experimenting. She’s learned what works, what doesn’t, and why some Realtors have way more success than others.
(Hint: It’s more than just hard work.)
Melanie helps Realtors tap into their one-of-a-kind, je ne sais quoi vibe so they can stand out from the competition, wow their clients, and keep their audiences coming back for more. She gives Realtors the tools they need to ditch the designer, create a brand everyone’s obsessed with, and easily churn out eye-catching marketing materials – without the hefty price tag.
When she’s not helping Realtors create drool-worthy brands, you can probably find Melanie lacing up her sneakers for an early morning run and enjoying that sweet, laidback, country life with her cute-as-a-button puppy Chewie by her side.
I created an entire business plan for a skate-dress business when I was 12-years old...once an entrepreneur, always....
I say my favourite show is Ted Lasso, but it's actually Star Trek. #totaltreknerd
I can't roll my R's #secretshame
I hated Canva for years and then fell in love with it in five minutes flat.
A Look Back On the Past Decade
Left my cozy, secure gig at RE/MAX to start my own real estate marketing company.
Started offering more services. Social media design and branding services were added to the docket.
2012
2013
2016
Designed 20 campaigns for realtors across the GTA. Was beginning to be known as "The Real Estate Girl"
Had a full client roster of over 50 agents. Branding projects had become my primary gig.
2014
keep going
This thing called "Canva" kept getting mentioned in client meetings. I didn't like it!
The pandemic came and my business took a huge hit. I decided to pivot and created a template shop with templates Realtors could edit themselves.
2017
2018
2021
Realtors began requesting assets they could edit themselves in Canva. I gave in (reluctantly), checked it out, fell in love in 5 minutes flat!
The shop was a massive success with thousands of templates served and over 2000 clients in the first year.
2020
Created The Marque Collective Membership to help realtors craft their dream brands and market their businesses professionally.
2023
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@TheMelanieGrey