This issue feels a bit weird to me. It’s the first one since Biz’s launch in October 2014 that I did not plan.
It’s strange to give up the reins, even for a short time, to something you’ve been doing so long, but I’m fortunate to work with some incredible people, including fellow editors that rock it every month with their own publications. In this case, the editor of New Orleans Magazine, Ashley McLellan — who also writes our award-winning “Why Didn’t I Think of That” feature every month — jumped in and took over for six weeks as I slipped away for a little time to recover and bond with my new little daughter. Unsurprisingly, she did an awesome job. And honestly, with the kind of sleep deprivation that comes with a newborn, it was just better for everyone that I didn’t have to struggle to put words together. I actually forgot the word for “door” at one point. That was a new low.
It can be hard to give ourselves permission to step away — to trust that someone else can handle things, but if there’s one thing you hear time and time again from great, successful business leaders, it’s that their secret is to surround themselves with kick-ass people and then stand back and let them do their thing. By letting go of that constant need to control everything you enable someone else to spread their wings and find new talents, and free yourself to do the same…or just get a much-needed break.
Speaking of the value of awesome co-workers, I encourage you to check out our Entrepreneur column this month, where Keith Twitchell delves into some great tips to help with employee retention, a particularly hot topic in today’s market.
And speaking of taking a break, Carnival is finally here again, and in its honor, we’re excited to highlight a side of it that doesn’t get talked about as much, the opportunity it creates for camaraderie that can often spill over into professional opportunities. Everywhere else they just have golf courses for this, and, sadly, those are far too often lacking in glitter and killer dance moves.
As I write this in mid-January — with our older kiddo stuck in her room in quarantine doing remote schooling, and my husband and I awaiting our test results — it remains to be seen what Carnival will look like this year. Whatever form it takes, however, I hope it provides some joy, some small sense of normal abnormality that we all love so much.
All the best to you and your loved ones.
Stay safe and happy reading!
Kimberley Singletary
Managing Editor
Kimberley@BizNewOrleans.com