OPENER / ANDREW TUCK
Setting the pace
There we were at the start of 2020, limbering up for the year, wondering how many twists and turns there would be on the way ahead but actually feeling pretty jolly and confident that there would at least be some pleasant refreshment stations en route to the finishing line. Then, just as we headed off into the year, news came through that didn’t sound so good, got worse and kept on coming. It felt as though you had signed up for a fun run only to discover that life had, without your permission, entered you into an ultra-marathon and that there were definitely not going to be any refreshment stops.
That memory is not good for people’s confidence as we face the start of 2021. Many readers will be wary of getting too carried away with new plans until the coming months properly reveal what the terrain ahead looks like. But plans are needed, even if they do have to be rethought or fine-tuned along the way.
Last year, Monocle’s ambitions were certainly made and remade at pace. But it worked. It also means that we start the new year with some important successes notched up. Our books team delivered the two fastest-selling titles we have ever printed; we launched the Digital Editions and several new email newsletters; [Konfekt}(https://monocle.com/shop/product/1833475/konfekt/) found its place on the newsstand; the commercial team met ambitious partners; the shops bounced back after various lockdowns. Nobody would have wished for the pandemic but, luckily, Monocle belongs to that group of businesses that somehow became stronger in the face of all the challenges. The adversity wasn’t desired but it helped us to focus as never before, be clear of voice and, in turn, find a growing audience of subscribers, listeners and supporters who got us through it all.
While there are no doubt some surprises in store in the months ahead, and while recent weeks have cast more gloom in Europe, we look at 2021 with optimism. We’ll be expanding our books business (new titles on homes and Italy are imminent), taking Monocle 24 up a gear and adding new print and digital projects. So as we hit play on the year, thank you for all your support and here’s hoping that life doesn’t enter any of us into another year-long ultra-marathon. I’m not sure our knees could take it.