By Mike Carlon, Editor-in-Chief, QRCA VIEWS Magazine, Vertigo Partners, LLC, Stamford, Connecticut, mike.carlon@vertigopartners.com
Well, here we are, a full year since our world (and industry) was upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. In the past twelve months, we’ve experienced and witnessed anxiety, fear, outrage—fueled not only by the pandemic but also by social injustice. We must remember that the people we interview every day do not live in a vacuum; they, like us, can’t help but see, hear, and feel all of the flaws of the world that have been placed under a microscope, it seems, in the past year.
While all of this is true, I continue to be inspired by the people who so eagerly want to share their opinions—and their lives—with me on a regular basis. While I’ve listened to people talk about how they feel uncertain about the future and anxious over their own health and safety, as well as that of their loved ones, I also hear stories of how people have found silver linings in these dark times.
People have told me that they’ve taken this “forced slowdown” to reinvent themselves and their relationships. Many have taken up new hobbies (cooking is a big one) and feel blessed to have more time at home with their families. While they’ve had to adjust to working from home and managing homeschooling for their children, many appreciate the extra hours they have found by not commuting or having to travel for business. I also hear stories about how they feel hopeful and optimistic about their future and anticipate feeling a sense of freedom of movement when they can leave their house without having to consider potentially trading off their safety in order to go to the store, meet up with a friend, or—gasp—get on an airplane.
I’m also inspired by fellow QRCA members who work tirelessly to move our industry forward. I typically use this space to promote all of the great content in this issue—and believe me, this issue is one of our best—but this spring I want to simply tell you how grateful I am for your attention. Putting together each issue is a labor of love, and I couldn’t do it without a truly fantastic group of professionals who bring their creativity and insight to each and every article you will read in this issue.
You inspire us to put our all into every column. Whether we are sourcing books to review, topics to help you run your business better, or tools for you to consider in your practice, please know that you are at the heart of everything we do in VIEWS.
If you are a QRCA member and you are looking for a way to get more involved with the organization, we’d welcome you with open arms on the VIEWS committee. If you have an idea for an article, pitch it! Ultimately, VIEWS is your magazine, and we’d love your help making it the best it can be.
