For the best experience with monocle.com, please ensure that your browser has Javascript enabled.

World at your feet

Whether they’re grand business behemoths or single-person start-ups, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to entrepreneurs. We’ve traversed the globe and searched across industries to bring you the stories of where, how and why people have decided to go it alone.
Born to do it

From a blue-sky thinker to a master fashion brand builder, we meet the founders, owners and CEOs who have navigated the rocky road to success and are only too happy to share directions.
Rip up the business plan

The start-up landscape is always shifting and the latest crop of business owners will surprise you. We meet the people who are changing the game and look at the countries, age groups and sectors reshaping business.
Friends in the north

You don’t need a city to start a business. A new generation of greenfield entrepreneurs are planting the seeds of clever companies in the likes of the East Neuk of Fife.
This is what success looks like

Will quitting the nine-to-five to be your own boss mean never having to work into the weekend again? Or will it mean never getting home before midnight? We caught up with eight successful entrepreneurs on a Friday evening to find out whether their end-of-day agendas involve cocktails or spreadsheets.
20 ideas to steal

Where are the new fronts for investment? Is it possible to park your money somewhere that does a bit of good in the world and makes a tidy profit? We’ve done the legwork for you and spoken to 20 business leaders and entrepreneurs around the world to find out where they would invest next. From airport food to art, they’ve got plenty of ideas for your portfolio.
They found a gap

Have you ever come across a product and said to yourself, ‘I wish I’d thought of that’? We all have but successful businesses aren’t always the result of a groundbreaking idea or revolutionary technology. The key is knowing your market and finding a solution to a problem within it. We get some pointers from people who have done just that, from a cyclist offering the chance to ride like a pro to the creators of a debit card that miaows
Back to school

From a baking school helping to cook up a business plan to an arts retreat that will get those creative juices flowing, we pull up a chair at some of the best courses on offer.
Smarter art

The image of the starving artist, or the musician with nothing to show for their efforts other than a million YouTube fans and an overdraft, is well established. But, as these entrepreneurs show, there are ways to make creativity pay – without having to sell out.
20 books in 20 words

It’s a crowded – and potentially profitable – space but do such tomes really teach us anything that we don’t already know? We take a look at 20 books (some old, some new; some serious, some less so) and summarise them in exactly 20 words.
Hot desking

Furniture isn’t just about how your office looks – it’s also about how it feels. Choosing warm materials, striking pieces and plush upholstery will show the world that you mean business.
Scaling up

The actual space in which you work plays a key part in any company’s story; find somewhere that reflects your values, get the details right and think of the future. Here’s our rulebook.
The New York Wardrobe

The rise of trainers and hoodies as acceptable clothing for the workplace, in the West at least, has seen sales of suits and ties decline. But is the blurring of workwear and casual wear necessarily a good thing?
Follow suit

In many offices dress codes have become relaxed. But whether they’re sporting casual kit or are suited up, guys still want to look sharp for their jobs. These brands are doing fine business by catering to working men.
Meal deals

From a rooftop barbecue in Vienna to breaking bread with the neighbours in the Copenhagen district you designed, eating at work doesn’t have to mean a sad sandwich served in the glare of a screen. We meet seven companies– big and small – to find out why sharing a meal can profit everyone.
Get a move on

From a cosy town in eastern France to easygoing Hiroshima, we’ve visited three compact cities with nature on their doorsteps that offer big business potential and quality of life.

Grand Seiko

new to monocle?

Subscriptions start from £120.

Subscribe now

Phone

+44 (0) 20 7725 4349
(view hours)

Email

customerservice@monocle.com

Frequently asked questions

Terms and conditions

Live

Schedule

00:0001:00

Monocle on Design

Our editor in chief on how to build a better business

World at your feet

Born to do it

Rip up the business plan

Friends in the north

This is what success looks like

20 ideas to steal

They found a gap

Back to school

Smarter art

20 books in 20 words

Hot desking

Scaling up

The New York Wardrobe

Follow suit

Meal deals

Get a move on

The name game

Follow the leaders

Revel in the details

Grand Seiko

Want more stories like these in your inbox?