THE BUZZ: A YEAR IN REVIEW

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TIME FLIES

There’s so much I want to say, so many people I want to thank, and while it’s seemed like a blur as it was happening, as I sit down to write this and review past stories, the flashbacks are, well, hitting me straight in the heart.

I want to go back and tell you about every single person (hundreds!) and experience (dozens!) over the past year that has given me the courage and the encouragement to keep pressing on, especially in those moments when I thought about quitting (which isn’t even an option).

My mantra this entire year has been….

JUST KEEP SWIMMING

I equate entrepreneurship to climbing up the highest high-dive every day, being scared to death, pushing myself off, and then getting up the next day to do it all over again. A year in, the high dive has only gotten higher.

And I should probably clarify: yes, this is my business — not a hobby, not a side-hustle, but my 24/7 hustle. Every single issue, every single Thursday, is the product of countless hours of writing, planning, connecting, and… napping!

So reaching this milestone feels surreal! It’s forced me to pause, look back at how far I’ve come, and reflect on how much has changed since this all began. And, hopefully give you a glimpse into what life’s like from my side of the screen.

Which all started with launching…

ISSUE NUMERO UNO

After two months of formatting and reformatting the design of the newsletter, I finally pushed myself off a cliff on September 12, 2024, and decided to send the first issue later that night. At the time I made this decision, I had 4 subscribers: me, Mr. Buzz, my brother, and a random stranger from a webinar I attended that day.

By the time Issue No. 1 was sent out later that evening the list had grown to 28 subscribers.

My original plan at the start was that I’d share two feature stories each week and that very first issue included:

• Spotlight: Kane Aquino: If not for meeting Kane, I wouldn’t have launched The Buzz when I did. His story not only inspired me but was also wildly popular, holding the title as the top story of the all the way until December of 2024.

• Review: Mom’s Poké & Sushi: Still one of my favorite restaurants in Buckeye. I know at least one of you dared to try it (and now love it) because of this story.

By 12:01 AM the next morning, I had 101 subscribers. That was the moment I decided to go all-in. I joined a class with several hundred other “newsletter operators” from all over the world and committed to do whatever it takes to become the number one publication in the west valley.

One month later, on October 20, 2024, the morning of my 24 wedding anniversary, we hit 1,000 subscribers!

IT WAS ABOUT THEN THAT I LEARNED…

Writing feature stories takes a lot of time and creative focus. Some articles take me 8+ hours to write, with the average being around 6. As a one-woman show, it was a lofty goal to think I could churn out multiple feature stories a week and still handle everything else that goes into producing The Buzz.

That’s why there’s only one feature story a week. I’ve also learned that’s the reason why no one else write a community newsletter like I do (which initially I was wearing as a badge of honor). Silly me.

So, while I have a long list of feature stories, places I want to visit and things I want to share with you here, I have to balance it with the time it takes to pull everything together. I dream of being able to hire my dream team, so I can go back to focusing mainly on writing.

And, because I launched before I was “ready,” I also don’t have a library of stories that I pull from. I write every story in one pass, start to finish, always under the wire of a looming publication deadline. It’s not ideal but I’ve also found, I work best under pressure. Ha!

SPEAKING OF STORIES

Now let’s turn the spotlight back on The Buzz itself. Here are a few of my favorite features (and yours!), including some you may have missed from the early days:

FOOD & DRINK

• Rosie’s Taco Shop [Issue 2 & Issue 30]: I love Rosie’s so much and I still visit often! And, not just for the food, I also like to get a smile & a squeeze from Anissa who has been so supportive of The Buzz since Day 1!

• Mr. Lucky’s 19th Hole [Issue No. 34]: Truly, the neighborhood’s best kept secret. That gluten-free pizza is one of my top 5 meals of the year.

• Saucy Lukes Craft BBQ [Issue 43]: I can’t fit my feelings about all that Saucy brings to the Wild West Valley in one sentence. You’ll have to read the article. Also the 4th most popular article of the year.

HIDDEN GEMS

• Blue Sky Organic Farms [Issue No. 5]: Organic produce and a fun little farm right in our own backyard! If you haven’t heard of this before, you’re going to be surprised it’s been right here all along.

• Coldwater Coffeehouse & Bakery [Issue No. 24]: It’s more than a coffee shop, they have an organic garden out back. I love everything that the Coldwater’s about! Plus, they have gluten-free waffles!

• Potato Barn [Issue No. 37]: Just a fun and totally unique place that everyone needs to experience at least once. While some of the offerings may be on the more spendy side, there are still bargains to be found. Plus, it’s a great spot for gifts.

SPOTLIGHTS

• The American Legion - Post 53 [Issue No. 9]: An incredible organization doing incredible things for our community. And this is also where I met Trina Stark, who is a true pillar in our community.

• All Faith Community Services [Issue No. 29]: Besides all the good they do for our community, this story stretched me as a writer. I didn’t even interview them until the day before publication (Wednesday), came home and typed like my fingers were on fire. The result? One of the most in-depth, meaningful, and well-received stories to date.

THE TOP 3 STORIES OF THE YEAR

And to round it all out, here are Buzz Readers’ three most-loved stories of the year:

1. Christmas: A Love Story [Issue 15]: I’m not even a holiday person, but this story really blew my bubble. You have to see it in person yourself this Christmas! [In the lead by 4 clicks!]

2. 10 Things I’ve Learned Since Moving to Buckeye [Issue 47]: The one I thought would flop… ended up being one of the most popular stories of the year. Your comments and messages after this piece meant everything to me, and also had me laughing!

3. Tie: Bubba’s 33 [Issue 42] and The Heritage @ Old Town [Issue 46]: Both served exceptional meals and service. If you haven’t tried one or both by now, you should!

HONORABLE MENTION

One of the highlights of my year — and a big part of finding my spark again — was taking part in Buckeye Civic Institute (BCI). The program, run by Janene VanLeeuwen at the City of Buckeye, gave me a front-row seat to learning about our community from the inside out.

Janene has been one of The Buzz’s biggest fans since nearly the very beginning (in fact, she knew about me before I even knew about her!). Being part of BCI not only deepened my connection to Buckeye but also reminded me why I love sharing stories that bring our neighbors together and connect our community.

I strongly encourage you to take part in the next BCI which I believe will launch in January 2026. Of course, when I have more info on that, I will be sharing it in The Buzz.

Q OF THE YEAR

In case you’re curious, one question that I’ve been asked more than any other is:

“How do you decide what to write about?”

The short answer: I follow my intuition and the nudges I get from above. The Buzz has always been divinely guided. Whenever I try to force my own plan, I run into roadblocks that eventually lead be back to my heart for direction.

One of the best examples of that is what happened prior to my writing “Christmas: A Love Story” which I actually talk about in depth in the article. Seeing as how that turned out to be one of the Top 3 in Buzz history, I’d say my “guidance” has pretty good ideas.

THE BEE BEHIND THE BUZZ

Because I can’t say everything I want to in the limited space I have available here, if you’ve made it this far and want to know more about my personal story — how my family landed in Buckeye, my professional background, and the winding road that led to The Buzz — you can check out this recent interview I did with Voyage Phoenix. Sharing this is way out of my comfort zone… which is exactly why I tucked it here at the very end. 🙈

THAT’S A WRAP… 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this walk down memory lane with me. I’m overwhelmed with emotion and gratitude that I get to serve the community in this way and living my calling.

Thank you for supporting my work. Your comments and emails have uplifted me and carried me through some of my hardest days, always arriving at just the right time. (I’ve collected & shared some of them on our testimonial page, which you can read by scrolling down on this page.)

And, a special thank you also goes out to the readers who are advertisers. Your partnership has given me the resources to invest in growing The Buzz. If you’re here because you saw a Buzz ad on Facebook or Instagram, that’s thanks to them. ❤️

And with that, I’m off for an adventure. If it’s as great as I’m hoping it will be, I’ll be sharing all about it in next week’s Buzz.

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Publication Disclaimer: Everything included here is accurate to the best of my knowledge at the time of publication. It is always best to double-check links to be sure event information hasn’t changed if you plan on attending something.

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