My brother came to visit me during Father’s Day weekend, and at some point I asked him if he reads my newsletters.

His answer?

Basically: “They’re too long.”

Noted. Implemented. Slightly humbled.

So this week’s Rise + Rebel note is shorter, easier to skim, and built with sections so you can jump to what actually interests you.

I’m building Rise + Rebel in real time, and you are witnessing a lot of it while it is still raw, messy, exciting, unfinished, and becoming.

So I want to know:

What do you want more of? Less of?

What makes you sign up for a newsletter?

What makes you unsubscribe?

What makes you actually open, read, click, reply, or share?

Seriously. Hit reply and tell me.

There is no new Rise + Rebel episode this Sunday, but a new one is coming next week, yay!

So if you’ve been meaning to catch up, this is your sign.

Listen to an episode, leave a comment, send me your thoughts, or share it with someone who needs it. Every listen, comment, rating, reply, and share helps more than you know.

Not as a Rise + Rebel Shop vendor this time, but as me. Aya. Human in the room. Connector. Creative. Podcast host. Commercial real estate woman. Person who loves meeting other people building interesting things.

On Tusday, June 30, I’ll be at the Creative + Tech Meetup. This is a great space for local creatives, technologists, entrepreneurs, builders, and curious people to connect.

On Tuesday, July 7, I’ll also be part of a local meetup geared toward aspiring podcasters and speakers. If you’ve been thinking about starting a podcast, using your voice more, meeting local talent, or getting around people who are creating, this would be a beautiful room to be in.

If you come to either one of these events, please come say hi. It would be an honor to see you!

I’m working on getting the Rise + Rebel website finalized behind the scenes.

Better site features. A better shopping experience. A clearer brand world.

And honestly, I’m still learning who Rise + Rebel is and who she is not.

That process is stretching me. It is pushing me past my own limits in the best and most uncomfortable ways.

This week, I want to feature one of my personal summer go-to pieces: the Watercolor Muse Button-Up.

It is a free-size cotton and linen top that can fit Small to Large, and it has been one of those pieces I keep reaching for in this summer heat.

It immediately makes you look gorgeous while you are secretly melting deep inside, but no one can see.

That is the kind of magic I support.

I chose this piece because it represents how I select items for Rise + Rebel. High quality. Expressive. Easy to wear. A little dramatic. A little effortless. An expression of me in some way.

If you want to check it out, visit the shop below. And if you have questions about fit, fabric, styling, or anything else, just reply to this email.

As always, I wish you the best because you deserve the best.

With Love,

Aya

Founder of Rise + Rebel
Podcast Host
Commercial Real Estate Advisor
Woman building it in real time