These are trying and unprecedented times for us all.
As I type this letter, I’m sitting at my dining table working from home. My phone is beside me, buzzing with updates from my team on Slack, messages from my friends and family, and a steady flow of emails arriving in my inbox as the world tries to cope and keep things moving. Understandably, people are worried. They’re worried about their health, but also concerned about their friend down the street who owns a small business, or a family member that must close their doors as mandated by the government, or because of a larger responsibility to the community. It’s all very surreal.
Our parent company, Rathnelly Group Media, is an independent publishing company of seven people, two media brands (Bay Street Bull and GLORY), and an army of freelancers and contributors. At the best of times, we’re competing against industry juggernauts in an arena that is already quite volatile and uncertain.
This is different.
Like many other small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), COVID-19 has left us vulnerable. But it’s times like these that truly test us. Being a small company has allowed us to stay nimble and agile, and make quick decisions where speed is of the essence. While this is certainly a very different kind of hurdle than we’re used to, we’re stepping up to the plate.
Here at Bay Street Bull, we focus on leadership. So, that’s what we’re going to do — lead.
While we will continue with our regularly scheduled programming on BayStBull.com, we’ve also made adjustments to our content plan so that we can place a larger emphasis on supporting our community. What does that mean? Providing larger coverage of local SMBs (especially while their operations are down), highlighting ways to optimize your self care and mental health, and showcasing positive news of other leaders who continue to pave the way.
It’s important during these times that we remember to come together (well, not literally — please maintain your social distance) as a community. I’ve always admired and been inspired by the tenacity of entrepreneurs. If there was ever a time that we needed to harness that sense of grit and resilience, it’s now. I’ve been so moved by the beautiful stories that have come out of this mess, of people in our communities rallying and supporting each other, of humans remembering their humanity.
Pressure makes diamonds. Some of the world’s most iconic companies were born out of challenging times. Take this time to connect with your peers, take care of yourself, be informed, innovate, and exercise compassion.
We’ll get through this together.
Lance Chung
Editor-in-Chief
