I am a very nosy person (probably all journalists are?) so I have thoroughly enjoyed reading all the 'Year in Review' stuff being published this week. It's nice to see people taking stock of their success, but I learn more when they're vulnerable enough to share 'failures'. There are no peaks without valleys, etc etc.

In the spirit of sharing, here's my 2022 Year in Review for Zee Feed.

I promise it's not one of those pieces that only shares the highlights. I'm pretty honest about the areas of the business that aren't working... and without being too clickbait-y about it, I did put my October wedding on the list of struggles. But there was an important lesson in it!

Ultimately, in our second year I think Zee Feed did kind of flop, but in a slay way. A cheat answer, but it's the honest truth.

If you're reading this, thank you for being here! Please know that I don't take it for granted. It really hit me in the smallest, most mundane way a few months ago: I was sharing one of our articles on my Instagram story. Looking at the link sticker proudly displaying zeefeed.com.au, I had a real 'Moment'. It was the grounding realisation that this thing I’ve created exists and is being read and trusted and shared by other people. It's not just in my head, it's real.

I always forget that this is a baby business, just a fetus compared to the other publications I admire. The fact that you're here, watching it go through the growing pains of these incredibly early stages means so much. In 2023, I’m going to keep coming back to that little moment of awe and gratitude whenever I need a boost.

This is the last email for the year, so I can free up my brain to do some T H I N K I N G. But please email me if you think of anything you'd like to see more or less of on Zee Feed in 2023. I'm all ears!

Take care of you & yours over the next few weeks. I'll be back in your inbox mid-January.

– CrystalFounder & Chief of Everything at Zee Feed

Good stuff on Zee Feed rn:

Algorithms have really accelerated that Boomer-esque idea that there's just "no good [music/movies/art/books] anymore!" What's most profitable is usually not the most interesting or even good, so we've gotta put in a little bit of work to find pop culture gems. I've been trialling the tips from our music expert in this piece, they're solid. CLICK HERE TO READ.

And a couple more:

Content I loved this week 💭

If you follow Zee Feed on Instagram, you’ll know every Sunday I share content from around the web that made me think, smile, or have an ‘aha!’ moment. Here are this week's goodies:

A Complete List of Every Sunday Recommendation in 2022 on Zee FeedBecause we really, really love you, Simran put in the hours to compile and categorise every single article, podcast, and video recommendation we made this year. Come back to this list whenever you've got a lazy summer afternoon to fill!

The 5 Biggest Stories We Published in 2022:1. Iran Protests Are Demanding Justice For Mahsa Amini & Calling For Revolution2. Here’s How You Can Help In The Wake Of Cassius Turvey’s Murder3. What’s the ‘Real’ Theme of International Women’s Day 2022? It’s Complicated…4. The Indomitable Human Spirit Trend Is Kinda Cringe, But It’s The Meme We Need Right Now5. Why Soft Living On TikTok Isn’t Just a Trend – It’s An Act of Rebellion

If you found this email thought-provoking, will you share it with a friend? Sharing helps us grow 🌱 and makes you look really smart.