2025: A Year of Pressure, Feedback, and Growth
What we wrote, accomplished, and some things to consider in the future
2025 was a weird year.
In short, it was a challenging year. The kind of year that tests you as a professor, administrator, speaker, and founder of Decode Econ. Amid all the challenges, it was a good year for me to define what really matters to me!
I kept coming back to a quote Dr. Jeni Al Bahrani often shares from Billie Jean King:
“Pressure is a privilege. That’s what makes you.
Mistakes are not failures. Everything is feedback.
Pay attention. Be curious. Be nimble.”
That mindset carried me through the year, and it is how I enter 2026.
A Transition Year for Decode Econ
From the outside, 2025 may look like a year of growth. From the inside, it was a year of rebuilding.
Midway through the year, we officially transitioned from Econ with Dr. A to Decode Econ. That meant rethinking branding, voice, audience, and purpose, while continuing to show up consistently. The shift has been great, and your engagement proves so.
Because of that shift, our “top posts” this year span both platforms. To make it easier, we’ve migrated your favorites from Econ with Dr. A and paired them with the most-read Decode Econ posts below.
Your Favorites from Econ with Dr. A
(now archived on Decode Econ)
Your Favorites from Decode Econ
Collaboration Made This Year Better
This year reminded me that Decode Econ works best when it’s not just my voice.
I had the chance to collaborate with thoughtful educators, practitioners, and creators, including Jordan Peeples, PhD , Brian Page, M.Ed., AFC® , Antowan Batts Michael Prunka, Brandon Sheridan from economics_BS, and Dr. Jeni Al Bahrani.
Working with new people stretched the project in the best way, and I’m excited to open the door even wider in 2026. If you’re interested in contributing, teaching through writing, or experimenting with public-facing economics, reach out. Decode Econ is better when it’s shared. I would love to use this platform to share your work.
By the Numbers
We ended the year with 5,906 followers (4,766 email subscribers).
That number matters, not because of vanity, but because each subscriber represents trust. With your help, I believe we’ll cross 10,000 next year by continuing to do one thing well: making economics accessible, human, and honest.
For next year, we are shifting our focus from subscriber counts as a measure of success to number of views. Currently, Decode Econ averages 50,000 views per month.
Looking Ahead
2025 taught me that progress doesn’t always feel good in real time. Sometimes it feels like pressure. Sometimes it looks like mistakes. Often, it’s just feedback asking you to pay closer attention.
We are looking to build our partnerships in 2026, so if you are interested in working with us, check out this post
Thank you for reading, sharing, commenting, and challenging me this year.
What was your favorite post of 2025?
What a GREAT year for Bearly and the community!!!
It was exciting to see your growth especially after the rebrand. Such strategic moves can be hard to execute but you did so very well. You also pointed me towards some great creators.