So, how was 2020 for you?

I asked for a steer from some of my connections and here's what they had to say...

"The best year for New Business ever despite the most painful and emotionally distressing year for many. Therefore a year of 'high highs and also low lows'. Brad Smith

"At the beginning of this year, I was poised with excitement, ready to step into what I thought would be the ‘roaring twenties’. Soon after, the world as we knew it changed. Over the last year, working from home has become my new normal, and there have been highs and lows - from moments of sadness, grief and anxiety, to a renewed love of nature, a healthier lifestyle and not taking the little things in life for granted. This has been one of the best years yet for me career-wise, through rewarding work, multiple awards and exciting, unexpected opportunities. 2020 really has been a rollercoaster journey, roll on 2021. Liah Moss

"Times of adversity make us stronger. We'll have all learnt a lot more from 2020 than any other average year. And that will be to our benefit in the future. Even better than that, folks like Adam Graham and Jack Thompson are enabling us to share those learnings with each other, so we can collectively raise our games and raise the bar of what great looks like. Dave Corlett

"Let's be real, 2020 has been a mess of a year. But putting that to one side, I feel very fortunate for the opportunities that I was presented with this year. Primarily, I was able to quickly transition from finishing my degree to a full time design job that I enjoy immensely. The sense of purpose this provided during the long and lonely lockdowns helped motivate me to reach the end of even the hardest days. Landing a graduate design role is hard enough without a global pandemic, so I hope as we move into 2021 everyone does their part to look out for the grads that haven't been as fortunate. David Friedmann

"We just finished the final BD Matters meet-up of the year, and I shared how proud I am of the community. It feels like this year more than ever we've learnt to come together. There's been other great initiatives like the BD100 and Winning Together, The GOODS magazine, The BIMA new biz community - and all the BD people I speak to are loving learning, collaborating, sharing. It's going to help everyone enjoy their role, feel more proud of BD and educate our peers. So bit of a reflective one from me but definitely positive! Adam Graham

"This year, we were pushed to our limits and forced to make big decisions very quickly which was tough, but the alternative was defeat. We've pivoted and taken risks and in the end, we've created a more exciting future. In amongst the daily struggles, we also welcomed my second daughter into the world which makes this year special. It feels like 10 years have been wrapped into one, with a hell of a lot of lessons learned. Ultimately we end 2020 with excitement for what lies ahead and that's more than I could have wished for. Jack De Wolf

And for me... I'm completely, utterly over this year. I'm fed up of how much it has demanded from me and I'm sick of looking out the same window in my living room. We moved into our place at the start of the year and I already know everyone who lives on my block and what time they go to Tesco.

But this f*cker of an experience gave me incredible opportunities that I otherwise wouldn't have had and for that I will always be grateful, which is the best thing I can be.

See you in the next one,

Fleurie