by Kris Makuch May 2015
“I think I want to start an online magazine”
Famous last words as a thought turned into a Facebook post, which turned into an eager email exchange, which turned into an expectation.
Well, that went better than intended.
The thought came whilst I was laying out an article for a client brochure on the effects of technology on the wealth management sector. I was completely on auto-pilot, internally debating if a fifth coffee before 2pm is excessive, when a little neuro-notification started to bounce in my skull.
“You could do this…
“You know loads of interesting people, who have loads to say on a whole load of weird and wacky topics, which are more reader-friendly than the regulatory concerns of investment bodies”.
All I would need to do is capture their thoughts, neatly package them up and release them online. Simple! If ever there was a prize for people that get carried away, they’d have to send it to me tied to a helium balloon.
Because I have no idea what I’m doing. I’ve never produced a magazine before. I can barely produce myself for work every morning. It turns out to be a lot trickier than I’d thought (both getting to work and the magazine). This became evidently clear when I was asked such questions as: “What’s the theme?/ How are you going to release it?/ How will you get people to read it?”
To which the answer was nearly always the same. “Ummm… Well… What do you think we should do?” Fortunately, to this I was always provided with unique responses that I’d never have thought of myself.
And as if by magic, there sat the underlying intention of my initial thought…
It’s an open brief.
It’s a collaborative project. It’s a creative platform. It’s a digital playground where imagination writes the rules. It’s an opinion piece. It’s a review. It’s a drawing. It’s a confession. It’s an insight into the lives of people that have something to say.
And so here is Issue 000, the template to build upon, the kick to get the ball rolling.
So I implore you to read on my friend. Take notes. Send feedback. Write an article. Get involved. Let’s do something different for a change.
