on our desks & in our browsersLike a “what’s in my bag” video for brand nerds
We’ve had clients and colleagues alike ask what we use for emails, contracts, and how we keep our studio (and ADHD brains) organized—so here’s the full rundown. The software that runs Merit & State, the gear that keeps us functional, and a few things we’d be genuinely lost without. If it’s here, we use it.
And because we’re all about transparency, some of these are affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission if you sign up or buy—always at no cost to you.
our TECH STACkRunning the business side
These are the four tools we’d rebuild Merit & State around if we had to start from scratch tomorrow. Not sponsored. Just really freakin’ good.
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Need a site you can actually use?
We build on Squarespace because it's the rare platform that doesn't make you choose between beautiful and functional. It's where every Merit & State site lives—and where yours should too.
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Tired of chasing invoices?
Proposals, contracts, invoices, and payment reminders — all in one place. Honeybook runs our entire client pipeline so we can focus on the actual work instead of the admin spiral.
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Want emails that don’t look like 2004?
Beautiful templates, easy automations, and zero pricing tiers based on your list size. It's the newsletter tool we enjoy using, and the one we recommend to every client who asks.
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Need a contract that’s legally legit?
Not a substitute for a lawyer, but a very solid starting point for anyone who's been copying and pasting contract language and hoping for the best (been there, done that ourselves).
The desk drawerEverything within arm’s reach on a typical Tuesday
The things that make the hours in front of a screen slightly more bearable. Think less “productivity aesthetic,” more “this actually helps.”
For staying on task
Because “I'll check one thing” is never just one thing.
For the vibes
Who knew a candle could make all our work better?
For looking fab on Zoom
Good lighting is better than Botox, promise.
For the brain dump
We both still write our to-do lists by hand. Don’t @ us.
For the World’s Best Boss
Awarded to yourself. By yourself. As it should be.
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1:1 office hoursNeed a quick sanity check?
Sometimes you don’t need a full website build or a brand overhaul. You just need two strategic (and seasoned) pairs of eyes on your draft copy, your Squarespace layout, or your offer suite before you hit publish.
Book an hour with us. We’ll roll up our sleeves, hop on a live screen-share, and untangle the exact bottleneck holding your launch back.
(Think of it like bouncing ideas with your two brand besties).
Book club recsThe books & strategies we keep coming back to
Business books that don’t read like business books. These are the ones we always recommend to clients who ask what they should be reading.
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Platform
Cynthia Johnson
The no-fluff guide to building a personal brand that actually gets you somewhere. Practical, direct, and surprisingly rare in a space full of vague advice. -
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Essentialism
Greg McKeown
The book that gives you permission to stop doing everything and start doing the right thing. Required reading for any founder who's been saying yes when they mean no. -
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Building a StoryBrand
Donald Miller
The framework behind half the good websites you've ever landed on. If your homepage copy isn't working, this is probably why—and this is how you fix it. -
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Hello, My Name Is Awesome
Alexandra Watkins
The fastest, most entertaining read on naming your business, offer, or product without accidentally creating a liability. Funny, practical, and done in an afternoon. -
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The Let Them Theory
Mel Robbins
Two words that will quietly reorganize how you spend your energy. We resisted this one longer than we'd like to admit. We were wrong. -
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The 12 Week Year
Brian P. Moran & Michael Lennington
For anyone who sets ambitious annual goals and then wonders in November where the year went. Reframes how you plan, execute, and actually finish things.
