If you’ve been stuck in a content rut or wondering how to stand out on Instagram without making yourself cringe, this episode your permission slip to do things differently.

Chelsea and Kayla are chatting all things current content obsessions, the trends they wish would disappear, and why your personality is your most powerful marketing strategy. Think of this as the little nudge you need to stop blending in and start building a brand people actually want to follow.

Also, you might walk away wanting to rewatch Legally Blonde. Just saying.

Chelsea’s Movie Club, Legally Blonde, and the Power of Personal Branding

Okay, we know everyone’s heard of a book club, but have you tried a movie club? Chelsea has, and honestly, we’re obsessed. What started as a Halloween scary movie night has turned into the ultimate low-pressure girls’ night.

The latest pick was Legally Blonde. And as Chelsea reminded us, Elle Woods is basically a walking personal branding masterclass. From her signature pink, to her heart-shaped notebook and that iconic orange MacBook, she never once tried to blend in with the sea of gray Harvard suits. She showed up exactly as herself, and that is what made her unforgettable.

Currently Reading

If you’re anything like us, your Kindle is never far, your nightstand is stacked, and there’s always one book you’re reading just for fun… and another that’s trying to change your life.

Chelsea:

• Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon- a murder mystery set in 1789 Maine
• In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros – which starts with a plane crash… and Chelsea is reading right before her upcoming flight. Probably not the best timing.
• You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay – a transformative book about the mind’s impact on your health and well-being
• Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros – upcoming read because Chelsea wants to get more into fantasy

Kayla’s:

• The Fall Risk by Abby Jimenez – while she waits for Say You’ll Remember Me to hit her Kindle in April
• The Unplugged Hours by Hannah Brencher – a book she’s reading slowly andtaking her time to think about

Podcasts We’re Loving Right Now

Chelsea is fully in her “feminine energy” era, and it shows in her podcast queue. Giggly Squad is a favorite for laughs, but if you want a masterclass in how to sell something just by talking about it passionately, look no further than The Skinny Confidential. Lauryn Bosstick is the queen of selling through storytelling — seriously, just listen to one episode and you’ll be ready to launch a new product, like tomorrow.

She’s also loving Life’s a Tripp by Shannon Tripp, a former ER nurse turned mom educator who helps other moms feel more empowered (and way less panicked) about everyday medical stuff. Think: what to do when your toddler touches a hot candle. Her podcast is part motherhood inspo, part real-life resource, and her husbandis absolutely hilarious.

Meanwhile, Kayla is vibing with #IMOMSOHARD, and even though she’s not a total pop culture junkie, she does keep an eye on Pop Apologists, but only when they’re talking about Taylor Swift. (Relatable.)

Other faves in her rotation: School of Sales for business inspo, The Inspired Media Podcast for content ideas, and Office Ladies — she’s a year behind, but she’s living for the behind-the-scenes commentary. Because there’s just something about reliving your favorite TV shows with the people who were actually there.

Which brings us to a surprisingly deep marketing insight: people are obsessed with recap podcasts. Why? Because we want to hear from people we relate to. Chelsea listens to the White Lotus recaps by @Betches, and Kayla still dreams about launching a Friends rewatch pod (and manifesting a cast interview, obviously).

The Problem with Everyone Doing the Same Thing on Instagram

Is your Instagram scroll lately giving “copy and paste” or is it just for us? If you’ve seen one trending reel, you’ve seen twenty.

Kayla brought this up during the episode, and it’s a big one: when everyone’s using the exact same trend with the exact same audio and slightly tweaked captions, it stops being creative and starts being white noise. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with jumping on a trend once in a while, but where’s the twist? The originality? The actual you?

Take that “What my 80-year-old self told my 37-year-old self” trend. It’s everywhere. And it could be powerful, but only if you take it somewhere new. What if you flipped it and wrote a letter to your 80-year-old self? What if you stopped trying to slap a real estate spin on every viral sound and just… said something genuine?

It’s not that trends are bad — it’s that when we see the same thing on repeat without personality, it stops connecting.

That’s why we’re so passionate about helping agents inside Modern Agent Social Club create content that doesn’t feel like everyone else’s. We’re not here to crank out cookie-cutter captions. We want your people to stop scrolling because they see you.

When you post content only you could make, you become uncopyable.

That’s the kind of content that builds trust, connection, and loyal ride-or-die clients.

What’s In Our Saved Folders

Chelsea kicked things off by sharing a current favorite: The Cheese Gal’s vibe-forward graphics. One post said, “A wine stem so thin it could break from a gentle breeze” and it was paired with all the cozy, classy, indulgent energy we’re here for. Another slide in the same post: “Clean sheets and two episodes of White Lotus.” The dreamy, swipeable content just gets you. You can’t help but find yourself in one of the slides and think, yep, that’s my whole personality this weekend.

That’s exactly why we’ve been creating more of that swipeable, savable content inside Modern Agent. Kayla pointed out how these bite-sized, scroll-stopping visuals are performing so well on the Modern Agent account because they’re simple, relatable, and designed to be shared.

But sometimes when we suggest content like this, it feels too easy. Like, really? Just post that? Don’t I need to include interest rates or a full list of local events?

Kayla went on a little (epic) rant that we fully co-sign. The point of Instagram isn’t to instantly land a client or close a sale. It’s not “Insta-closings.” It’s connection. That little “gram” you post each day? It’s like a dollar bill. Small. But valuable. And when you show up consistently, delivering value, building your brand, and letting people see who you really are, those daily “grams” start adding up like compound interest.

Here’s the twist: when you layer your marketing with strategy and personality (hi, Modern Agent members — you already get this!), your one-dollar content starts packing hundred-dollar value. And that’s the kind of marketing that builds a brand people trust.

Building Community Through Content

Chelsea dropped a truth bomb here, one that every agent needs to hear.

If your audience doesn’t care about you, they won’t care about your content. Period. And if they don’t care about your content? They’re probably not hiring you.

So how do you fix that? You build a community.

You create content that isn’t just about your newest listing or the interest rate updates. You show up like a real human and give people a reason to connect with you.

Instagram is not a place to just plop down your sales pitches and hope someone takes the bait. Instead, it’s your chance to invite people in. Let them get to know you. Talk about the things that matter to them. Give them something they want to be part of.

It’s the same energy as showing up to your neighborhood block party or sponsoring your kid’s baseball team, except now you’re doing it on Instagram. And instead of handing out business cards (please don’t), you’re having real conversations, listening to what people care about, and becoming part of their world.

That’s where the trust starts. That’s how referrals happen. And that’s how you become the go-to girl in your market without ever feeling salesy.

Stop the Performative Marketing

You know what we’re REALLY over? Performative marketing.

You’ve probably seen those TikToks — the ones where someone pays for a stranger’s groceries or hands a meal to a homeless person… with a camera in their face the entire time. And sure, there’s a feel-good moment, but it also makes you go, “Wait… who is this really for?”

Kayla and Chelsea got into exactly that kind of marketing ick, and how it shows up in the real estate world, too.

You don’t need to post every kind thing you do. You don’t need to brand every good deed. Just be a good human in real life. Support your school. Sponsor your kid’s baseball team. Host the neighborhood Christmas party. But let the people around you do the talking.

As Kayla put it,

“Do so many nice things in real life where you areout there serving, not just on Instagram, but in real life where you actually serve and rub shoulders with people that when you get on Instagram, your people do the talking for you. Let them brag you up.”

That’s the power of proximity and presence — not performance.

If Your Life Was a Rom-Com… Which One Would It Be?

Chelsea’s pick: The Holiday (and yes, it totally counts as a rom-com — cozy fireplaces, wine, and life-changing trips across the world? Come on!). She’s all about that Nancy Meyers aesthetic. Slow mornings, soft music, candles glowing, and sipping wine while watching the snow fall.

Kayla, on the other hand, went with You’ve Got Mail, because how could she not? She and her husband met on eHarmony and emailed like crazy for two solid weeks before they ever met in person. A friend of hers actually tried to set them up a year and a half earlier and pulled up his Facebook profile saying, “He’s totally your type.” Fast forward to meeting him online and realizing, yep, same guy. It’s giving Meg Ryan meets algorithmic fate.

Our Favorite Part About This Podcast (Hint: It’s You)

Want to know the best part of this whole podcast thing? It’s you.

What makes this podcast so special isn’t just our wonderful converations. It’s the community we’re building with all of you.

Every DM, every tag (or “TIG” if you’re Chelsea), and every message reminding us that you’re out there doing the work, showing up differently, and building a brand you’re proud of… That’s what keeps us going.

We’re so grateful you’re here, and we’re not just saying that. So if you’ve been listening and haven’t introduced yourself yet, this is your sign! Slide into our DMs, tell us what episode you loved, what you want more of, or just say hi. We really do read every single one.

This episode was edited by Adrienne Cruz.