Contact

Stories

June 9, 2024

SHARE:

In today’s digital age, the online world is filled with countless content creators and influencers, all trying to make their mark. Yet, only a few manage to create real impact, and Zoe is one of them.

With over 3 million YouTube subscribers under the name “zoeunlimited,” Zoe has built a dedicated community through her insightful content on fitness, fashion, dating, and navigating the complexities of girlhood. Her work has even caught the attention of celebrities like Olivia Rodrigo, who stated that she watches Zoe’s videos all the time. In just 14 days, Zoe doubled her subscribers from 1 million to 2 million, when she was creating videos as a hobby outside her 9-to-5 job.

Read through as we learn more about Zoe’s secrets to success as she shares it in detail with Asian Hustle Network.

ABOUT ZOE

I am a multiformat creator navigating girlhood with my Gen Z and Millennial community. My goal is to encourage women to tap into their unlimited potential by thinking critically via my pop culture video essays about beauty, fashion, and confidence.

I grew up in China and Canada and came to LA initially to study Business Economics at UCLA. The different cultural environments I grew up in gave me broader perspectives on the various pop culture topics I’m interested in and inspired me to share that vision with the unlimited community to learn and grow together.

ZOE’S JOURNEY AS A CONTENT CREATOR

Growing up, I’ve always been artistically driven and drawn to creative mediums like fashion, film, and fine arts. Scared of becoming a “starving artist,” I didn’t pursue fashion and studied Business Economics instead, but I always felt like something was missing.

I was very fortunate to discover YouTube as a creative outlet after college and began documenting my life in video format. I always make videos on what I’m interested in at the moment, which was a lot of fitness, college, and even CPA content at the very beginning. Throughout time, I discovered that the central theme of all my content revolves around growth – in becoming fitter, healthier, more confident, more reflective, and so on. My community of mostly women feels like a precious friend group to me and I realized through interacting with them, that many of us are going through similar challenges in our girlhood and there’s much more to share and discuss than just my personal journey.

With that, I began creating my video essay series that served as a discussion ground to think critically about topics many could relate to, including beauty standards, dating, and fashion. Girlhood is such an intriguing and confusing experience in the modern setting, and I just hope to create a community where women feel seen, heard, and not alone when encountering the ever-changing concept of how to be a modern woman. I don’t have the answers but I hope to create a safe space for all of us to explore and reflect!

RAPID GROWTH AND STRATEGIC SUCCESS

Although part of the growth (growing subscriber count from 1M to 2M in 14 days) was extremely rapid, the story before the lift-off was a consistent grind of weekly uploads for 3 years as a pure hobby. The tipping point always feels exciting and amazing, but what truly felt rewarding was 3 years of building something I love.

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES AND CELEBRATING MILESTONES

I’d say one of the biggest challenges was the lack of initial support and understanding from my family. It was painful for me to see something I love doing creating a chasm in my relationship with the people I love, but I’m grateful that we have cleared past misunderstandings and grown close again. I’m so grateful for the community that stuck with me as well as my closest friends who believed in me even when I had a lot of self-doubt, especially during the years I felt judged and not understood.

BALANCING AUTHENTICITY AND PRIVACY

I love and respect the people closest to me and want to protect their privacy as much as possible online. When it comes to my own journey, I believe my community comes with a good heart, and I see them as good friends I can confide in. So even when it comes to moments that aren’t the most glamorous and the failures I’m not extremely proud of, I do want to share that experience if I know someone can benefit from it by feeling less alone or could simply learn from the mistakes I’ve made.

That’s the goal with my Healing Diaries series, where I share some of my biggest struggles including my health, mental health, and dating. I hope to normalize talking about uncomfortable topics and reduce any shame or guilt for anyone going through a similar experience.

BUILDING “UNLIMITED THOUGHTS” AND A COMMUNITY

The most rewarding moments are the ones when I get to meet my followers in person and learn about their journeys and goals. I’m beyond grateful for a community of kind and driven women who have allowed me to tag along with them on their growth journeys. Some are in college, some just landed their third job, some are going through heartbreaks, and some are creating amazing art and inspiring many people including me.

It was really sweet when a subscriber told me how one of my videos in the “Unlimited Thoughts” series inspired her to write a final paper that got her an A. That brought me way more joy than hitting my personal milestones. The love and passion for turning ideas into something that others can enjoy watching and perhaps benefit from, make all the blocks and times of doubt worth it.

WINNING A SIX-FIGURE INVESTMENT FROM CREATORDAO

I had a major imposter syndrome moment because I entered the contest without expecting to win.

It was a huge encouragement to be more confident in myself as a creator and a wake-up call to think bigger. An advice I’d share with other creators is to trust that you are way more capable than you think. Do not limit yourself.

LOOKING AHEAD

I wish to continue improving my storytelling and critical thinking as a creator to bring hope and joy that people can feel and pass on.  

Whether it comes to future content projects or a brand that I launch, I wish to uplift my community and support them in building their self-confidence and identity. I’m excited to explore many more unfamiliar areas in content I haven’t tapped into yet, including podcasting, to challenge and expand my own limits.

A MESSAGE OF REPRESENTATION AND EMPOWERMENT

When I first began making videos about pop culture, I felt a little out of place given the limited AAPI representation in beauty, fashion, and entertainment. It is exactly for this reason that I must show up more in this space to bring my unique narrative shaped by my multicultural experience of growing up in China and Canada. 

Authentic self-expression cannot occur without bringing forward the full self, and that includes our beautiful heritage, no matter what that is for each individual. As Lucy Liu said at the Gold Gala “You never know how far just a little bit of support can carry you.”

It resonated with me so much because I cannot imagine how far I’d come without that initial bit of support. I hope to be that supporter for my community and help them break out of their previous limiting beliefs.

FINAL THOUGHTS

It warms my heart to see more and more women and members of the AAPI community daring to dream big, not just in content creation, but in all facets of entrepreneurship. I hope to use my platforms to further support these creators and entrepreneurs, who are sharing the spirit of breaking limits and redefining what’s possible.

CONNECT WITH ZOE

YouTube: zoeunlimited

Instagram: @zoeunlimited

TikTok: @zoeunlimited

LinkedIn: @zoeunlimited

Related Articles

Image Source: Shark Tank

Stories

Software Engineer Turned Crocheting Hobby Into A Six-figure Business Takes $450k Deal on ‘Shark Tank’

Justine Tiu, a former Google Classroom software engineer, started crocheting to unwind after work. After realizing its appeal, she and her ex-Wall Street director husband, Adrian Zhang, launched The Woobles, a crochet kit company.

On Friday’s “Shark Tank,” the two explained the hobby’s vast appeal. The firm made $3.1 million last year and $5.3 million since launching two years ago.

All five Sharks quickly decided they wanted a piece of the company, and they showed they were willing to betray their business partners to get it.

The Woobles is a crafting kit company that offers patterns, step-by-step video tutorials, and all the materials needed to do amigurumi crochet, a Japanese fiber art form, even if you are a complete beginner. Once your kit arrives with all the materials, a login code gives you step-by-step written and video instructions to make your craft and helpful hints when you get stuck.

Tiu and Zhang ultimately received a $450,000 investment offer from sharks Mark Cuban and Lori Greiner. In exchange, the company, which at the time of filming was on pace to generate $7 million in yearly sales, gave Cuban and Grenier a split of 6% equity.

  • 1 min read
Image Source: FOX5 New York

News

Manhattan’s Chinatown Receives $20M Funding For 11 Post-pandemic Revitalization Projects

Manhattan’s Chinatown is one of the neighborhoods that has been impacted the most severely by the pandemic.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul unveiled eleven transformational projects that would be part of the initiative to help the Chinatown community reopen corridors, restaurants, businesses, and cultural institutions. 

The projects include:

  • Renovating Kimlau Square
  • Beautifying the Park Row connection to Chinatown
  • Upgrading a section of Sara D. Roosevelt Park
  • Installing murals and light projection art throughout Chinatown
  • Expanding light-up Chinatown street lanterns
  • Opening a community health & wellness center
  • Reopening the childcare and family support center at Smith Houses
  • Creating a Building Upgrades Fund
  • Creating a Chinatown welcome arch/gateway
  • Establishing Asian Culinary Arts of New York
  • Establishing the Chinatown Cultural Welcome Center

“These critical investments will transform the neighborhood and create a more vibrant and inviting destination for locals and visitors alike while enriching the neighborhood by improving foot traffic, economic and cultural activity.” Governor Hochul said in a statement.

  • 1 min read
Image Source: K.M. Cannon / Las Vegas Review-Journal

News

Rochelle Nguyen Sits As The First Asian American Nevada Senator

Clark County Commission appoints Nevada’s first Asian American senator, Rochelle Nguyen, a state assemblywoman. 

“I plan on working hard to ensure we are adequately funding our public schools, that health care is affordable as well as accessible, and that all voices are represented,” Nguyen said, who will replace former state Sen. Chris Brooks for a job in the private sector.

Nguyen was nominated by Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, D-Las Vegas. The new Nevada senator’s appointment to the Finance, Judiciary, and Health and Human Services committees for the next parliamentary session was made public by the Democratic caucus. She will hold the position’s vice chair.

The caucus acknowledged her efforts on “landmark” legislation, which included reforming the criminal justice system, regulating short-term rental agencies, and advocating for victims of domestic abuse.

When Brooks was elected to the state Senate in 2019, Clark County made the decision to nominate Nguyen to replace Brooks in the Assembly. She eventually won the election for the seat in both 2020 and 2022.

  • 1 min read
Image Source: Vedant Fashions

News

Vedant Fashions Founder Made It To India’s Richest List From Selling Affordable Indian Wedding Couture

Ravi Modi started Vedant Fashions in 1999 with the Manyavar brand, selling pajamas, saris, sherwanis(long-sleeved outer coats), kurtas, lehengas (ankle-length skirt), and salwar sets (trouser-and-tunic combination).

Vedant Fashions designs clothes but outsources bulk of the manufacturing. It currently has 590 outlets in 228 Indian towns and 13 in North America and the UAE. 

Manyavar is its flagship men’s line, while Mohey is its 2015 women’s collection. Both are mid-premium or affordable aspirational.

According to Forbes, Modi listed 15% of the company on the Indian stock exchanges in February—the basis of his $3.75 billion fortune that adds him to the ranks of India’s richest this year for the first time.

Modi grew up with three sisters in Kolkata. His father was a first-generation entrepreneur who opened a clothes company in 1975. Kolkata’s AC Market is one of the city’s earliest air-conditioned markets, including clothing, jewelry, and electronics retailers. 

The 45-year-old billionaire lives in a big bungalow on the outskirts of Kolkata where he grows his own fruits and vegetables. With 30 years of retail expertise, he provides a fresh perspective on money and career. “Earning wealth without earning time is meaningless,” he told Forbes.

Moreover, according to Forbes, he spends a quarter of his time on business, asset management, and philanthropy, and the rest on health, relationships, and learning. His daily activities include meditation, yoga, and studying strategies of retailers such as LVMH, Nike, and Uniqlo.

  • 2 min read