It’s time to turn the page

It has been an up-and-down year for businesses, so perhaps now is the time to change lanes, seek new inspiration, be bold and get out more. Our editors and correspondents scoured the globe for stirring stories, captivating case studies and entrepreneurs on-the-up: 100 of them to be precise.
Forward thinkers

How are industries changing now? Our interviewees offer their predictions on what the future holds in their industry, from our need for convivial restaurant spaces to a profitable private media company in Vietnam and a start-up incubator with faith in bricks-and-mortar offices.
Banking on it

From investing exclusively in ethical causes to helping small businesses access emergency funds, these three socially conscious lenders are helping businesses to succeed with a human touch.
Little by little

You need to be at the heart of a metropolis to sniff out an opportunity, right? Wrong. What these compact cities lack in size they make up for in entrepreneurial flair. We meet the folk whose big ideas have taken root in smaller cities.
How to get out of a tight spot

The past few months have put a huge strain on businesses but also presented them with a unique opportunity to shake things up. We meet five firms that have shown an ability to think on their feet.
Who’s open for business?

Those looking to get their start-up off the ground with the minimum of fuss will be scouring country rankings for good business regulations, a solid labour force and financial transparency. And the nations that come out on top might not seem obvious at first. Here we report on two places in which to put down business roots.
Window of opportunity

When competition is rife and industries are slow to evolve, it takes a smart business leader with a strong vision to reposition their brand – or come up with an entirely new take on a ubiquitous product. We meet three brands that have come out on top thanks to their unique offering.
Fair traders

Nolan Giles reporting from London: Byron and Dexter Peart have taken a stand against disposable design by providing a global shop window for sustainable, ethically sourced homeware. And theirs is a model that the retail industry is finally having a conversation about.
How to get a job

Nic Monisse reporting from London: In an increasingly competitive labour market, applicants must find more inventive means to stand out among stiff competition. So we’ve enlisted some of the best in the professional sphere to offer their practical tips for finding gainful employment in a company you actually want to work for.
If you do one thing...

It’s probably a safe bet that you know all about the product you’re launching but forming a firm that’s destined to thrive requires additional focus. Three business leaders share the key lessons they learnt on the route to success.
Put your own stamp on it

From takeaways that arrive in biodegradable sugar-cane-pulp packaging to perfume in an ice-cream van, here’s how to create an impact while a product is on the move. After all, it’s all in the delivery.
Remote working

Entrepreneurs relocating to rural outposts have been welcomed with a community feel and desirable living and working spaces. Whether it’s Upstate New York, the Basque Country or a Norwegian archipelago, inspiring under-the-radar creative hotspots are providing an altogether higher quality of life.
Perks of the job

Entrepreneurial leaders need to focus on their staff too. Here are our tips for how to make the nine to five a pleasure rather than a chore for your team, from making the commute an attractive prospect to welcoming furry friends in the office for a bit of playtime between meetings.
Words of wisdom

Chiara Rimella reporting from London: Lessons about how to run your firm more effectively don’t always come from straight-up business books: enlightenment and inspiration can strike at any time and be gleaned from even the least likely of tomes. Here we meet successful company leaders and entrepreneurs who share the takeaways that have helped them to achieve their career goals – with a little help from Karl Marx and Frodo Baggins.
Notable purchases

Hester Underhill reporting from London: For those requiring a stationery-cupboard reboot, these brands elevate the humble pencil, rubber and stapler to great heights. Whether you're after an elegant steel hole punch or a chic airmail envelope, this kit is top drawer.
The homely office

If you’re contemplating scaling up or sizing down, or simply working from home, smart design should be at the forefront of your plans. Why? Well, whether you’re running a one-man show or piloting an ever-expanding corporate headquarters, a comfortable workplace will enhance the work that’s produced there – and a welcoming office reflects a brand that’s ready for business. So if you’re kitting out a home office or an office that feels like home, here’s our round-up of the items you should employ.
Space exploration

Creative businesses need studios where people come together. These three companies show how you can create inspiring projecs and still have money left in the bank. Steal their ideas.
The view from here

An open, shared working space can promote creativity and open discussion within teams. But as a CEO, how do you foster collaboration with the rest of your office? Here, three company leaders in different fields let us into their unconventional set-ups.
Go go gadgets

Our working life is going through changes and that’s partly down to the advancements in technology that just keep on coming. From noise-cancelling headphones and wireless chargers to portable speakers and an electric bike to ease a hilly commute, we size up the latest gizmos and gadgets surfacing around the globe.
That’s settled then

As the world gets moving and deals continue to be struck, we profile a handful of new openings and time-tested hotels that still mean business. From a decadent affair in a former bank in Washington to a private residence turned hotel in downtown Mexico City, these stopovers are ideal settings for talking shop – and having a good kip when you’re done.
Make a meal of it

We trade video calls for the dining room in a hungry homage to the joys of the business lunch. Great that the company’s paying, of course, but more than that there’s no better place to get to know a business partner or scope out a new one. Deal? We’ll drink to that.
Three getaways

In search of a place to take stock? Find inspiration with a swim in the Danube, on a French-inspired break in Menorca or exploring what it means to run a small and meaningful business in Japan’s Hiroshima prefecture.

Introduction / Global

Making that idea a reality

Our editor in chief, Tyler Brûlé, on how businesses can make the best of their lot this year.

If this issue catches you in the southern hemisphere then it’s likely that you’re shaking off the winter (given our distribution I’m assuming that you’re in New Zealand, Australia, South Africa or Brazil) and are now ready to give your business a final jolt before holiday season sets in. Up here in the northern hemisphere it’s full-speed ahead as we leave behind a disjointed summer and hurtle into Q4, year-end re-forecasts, cash-flow remodelling and the other essentials that come with keeping businesses nimble, responsive and, most importantly, solvent. But no matter what hemisphere you’re sitting in, this is the moment to do the following:

Give your existing business a shake-up and be in front of your customers more than ever. And we mean in person, if possible.
Quit your unfulfilling corporate job if it’s not delivering. Yes, you can certainly hold on for a payout but don’t wait so long that you lose your fire to do something new.
Pull together all the outstanding elements for the brilliant idea that you had a few weeks ago and make it happen – team, business plan, investors, architects – whatever it takes to get your idea off the ground.

Should you still find yourself stuck and unable to unlock the idea that has managed to get lodged above your left earlobe, then try this little exercise. If you already know how to play “house” by fantasising about your dream set-up, mentally decorating it and eventually turning it into reality, then why not devote a weekend to playing “village”. All you need is the makings of a settlement (butcher, baker, high-speed broadband and so on), decent property prices, a very open mind and an informed guide.

In the days running up to the completion of this issue, my friend Andreas showed me around his village in the Lower Engadine region of Switzerland. I was dazzled by the amount of opportunities. Due to a transition between generations in the village, a few people are selling their properties, while many folk from Zürich and elsewhere are looking for a not-too-time-intensive return to the land. After coffee and fresh apricot cake, Andreas took us for a stroll around town (I cannot say its name as he fears an invasion). I spotted at least five ideas to establish businesses that could range from micro to massive. We saw one building that could be a perfect little 12-room hotel and café; a dairy beyond the town square with all the charm and potential to become an international cheese brand if it had the right branding; and those slopes full of wildflowers and pines could surely act as a base for a beauty and wellness business with super-regional reach.

By the time I got back in the car, I had not only mentally decorated a mini-headquarters and farmhouse but thought about semi-rural life in the Alps: felt caps, boiled-wool vests and goats – but still good rail connections. If you want to dream about a similar set-up, you’ll enjoy meeting the men and women who’ve opted for less-urban arrangements and many more informed, daring and wise characters in this issue of The Entrepreneurs. Remember, we’re around every week on Monocle 24 with our radio programme and podcast of the same name, which is where it all started. Enjoy!

Editor’s Letter

Sunny outlook

It’s time to turn the page

Forward thinkers

Banking on it

Little by little

How to get out of a tight spot

Who’s open for business?

Window of opportunity

Fair traders

How to get a job

If you do one thing...

Put your own stamp on it

Remote working

Perks of the job

Words of wisdom

Notable purchases

The homely office

Space exploration

The view from here

Go go gadgets

That’s settled then

Make a meal of it

Three getaways

Work in progress

Business class

The new business playbook

The Monocle shop

Want more stories like these in your inbox?