Life & Work with Melissa Van Oss of DC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Melissa Van Oss

Hi Melissa, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My beginnings can be traced to a small town in the Midwest, where the population of soybeans outweighed the people. We had one traffic light, and if you blinked, you missed it. My hometown was quintessentially all-American, with Friday night lights being one of the highlights of the week. From my backyard, I could hear the cheers of football fans and the referee whistles, with the smell of popcorn and the concession stand filling the night air.
My summers were spent on my grandparents’ farm, completing a wide array of 4-H projects. Many of the lessons I learned during that time have stayed with me to this day. Fast forward, I graduated cum laude from Kent State University—go Golden Flashes!—while maintaining a full-time merchandise management role with Brooks Brothers.
After college, I worked for various Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. Fast-forward, like many others, during the pandemic, I had time to explore and work on a wide array of projects on my “bucket goals list,” one of which was writing a bestselling book. During COVID, this goal became one of the highlights of my life achievements when it became a reality—the years of secretly longing to become a bestselling author finally happened. This became one of many exciting turning points that set me on a path I hadn’t planned but have loved every minute of.
Within a year, I wrote, launched, and published three books that achieved #1 international bestseller status in multiple categories on Amazon. As a result of doing my launches live on social media, many people reached out to ask, “How did you do that?,” this led to the birth of Trust the Process Book Marketing.
Together with my co-founder and fellow bestselling and award-winning author, Frank Zaccari, our program now boasts a track record of 15 (and counting*) titles hitting #1 bestseller status, with four of them also winning National Book Awards.
My passion lies in the art and craft of storytelling. I love not only sharing stories but also working with authors to bring their visions to life, enabling them to make a bigger ripple effect with their messages. I believe that when we all aspire to do good work and help others share their positive messages, we contribute to creating a happier planet for everyone.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has not always been easy, straight, or even paved—nor have I always been using the right map. But with perseverance, resilience, and a never-give-up, get-back-up attitude, progress somehow happens. Like most people, I’ve had my share of struggles and difficulties. It’s funny, though, how your own lived experiences don’t always “shock you” the way they might shock someone who hasn’t lived through them.
For example, I was reminded of this simple truth and the power of sharing a story from my childhood. Looking back years later, it could certainly be viewed as a dark or even sad time in my life, but I didn’t necessarily see it that way at the time. I was sharing this story with a crowd at a conference, and their responses afterward were powerful.
I talked about a childhood memory of going on my paper route one day after school and coming home to find my house on fire. We lost everything in that fire. Sadly, this happened to us twice while I was growing up—two fires where all was lost, at least possession-wise.
What I learned from sharing this story is that, even after all these years, I still carry the same mindset I had as a child: I will figure this out. There will be many times in life when circumstances occur beyond our control. In those moments, we have a choice: to become a victim of the situation or to rise up, figure out a way forward, and come out on top.
There is always a way to turn an obstacle into an opportunity. It’s our perspective and our decision to view it that way that allow us to get up, dust ourselves off, and begin again—or, in my case, build again. When everything, literally or figuratively, “burns down all around you,” it’s how you rise up that will determine your path in life and how successfully you navigate the uncertain road ahead.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am proud of writing, publishing, and launching my books to the #1 international bestseller list, with my first book also winning a National Book Award from The Authors Zone (TAZ). However, what I am most proud of is being the Co-Founder of the Trust the Process Book Marketing Program alongside my fellow bestselling and award-winning author, Frank Zaccari. Together, we have developed a program with a proven track record of successful campaigns for our authors.
The Trust the Process Book Marketing Program boasts 15 consecutive #1 international bestselling titles across multiple categories. Additionally, four of those titles have won national awards. What sets us apart from others who claim to help authors with marketing campaigns is that we create and craft completely customized and curated 90-day marketing campaigns that are all-encompassing.
While some simply tell authors what to do to reach the top of the rankings, we do the heavy lifting. As an author, all you need to do is focus on building relationships and spreading the word—essentially, ‘shake hands and kiss babies.’ If you can copy and paste for posting on social media, we have everything ready for you to hit the ground running.
Our campaigns include everything an author needs to launch their business successfully. We provide a realistic game plan and actionable strategies that focus on achieving the author’s end goals while building their brand, visibility, and residual income opportunities. We also help dispel the myths and misconceptions many authors or aspiring authors have about the differences between writing, publishing, distributing, and marketing a book. Most people lump these steps together, which can lead to trouble even before the first word is written.
This is why savvy authors seek us out before completing their books. By doing so, they give themselves a fighting chance to avoid the dreaded “book graveyard.” With over 10,000 books released every day on Amazon, it takes more than a Field of Dreams approach—wishing and hoping that “if you build it, they will come.” Instead, you need a clear strategy and plan to achieve the results you desire for all the time, effort, and hard work that goes into writing a book.
I love working with authors to help them achieve #1 bestseller status. This accomplishment is invaluable in opening doors and creating opportunities for them, allowing their stories and messages to make the ripple effect they’ve envisioned.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
While I have yet to visit Phoenix, my business partner splits his time between Phoenix and San Diego and cannot speak highly enough of it. Coming from the Midwest and East Coast, I’m eagerly looking forward to experiencing the city and enjoying a refreshing change of pace from cold and snow.
I’m especially excited to bask in and soak up the energy of Mother Earth in the desert. I can’t wait to fill my camera with postcard-perfect images of breathtaking sunsets, stunning desert landscapes, and the peace and quiet of nature.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.authorstrusttheprocess.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authormelissavanoss/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/melissa.vanoss.7/
• Other: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/back-to-school-can-have-its-challenges-new-college-students-van-oss/

Image Credits
Photo Credits: Self- Melissa Van Oss, Ingo Dotsey, and logo by Richard Reimer