we built this (velo)city on rock and roll

Our experiment with a new magazine comes full circle with this issue, which represents the culmination of our first year of publication. And what a year it's been! Just over 15 months ago, when we sat down to make decisions on the look, feel and content of DC VELOCITY, we decided to veer from the path established by other business-to-business magazines. As I remarked to one of the venture's partners at the time, we knew we'd be writing for an audience brought up on rock and roll, and we wanted the magazine to reflect that. We wanted something that was graphically appealing and a little bit edgy, something that provided business information needed by readers responsible for their companies' distribution logistics operations in a way that was fresh, lively and sometimes unpredictable.

By and large, we think we've succeeded, and most of the feedback we've received from readers confirms that perception. (As always, we're open to hearing from those who disagree or take exception to stories we've done. We'll gladly accept fan letters, too.)

Look through this current issue, and I think you'll see what we're trying to do. A good example is our story on logistics in China. The topic—the risks and benefits of making your own arrangements for the inland routing of goods you've purchased in China—is an important one to many importers, but it could have been stupefyingly dull. Instead, Contributing Editor Helen Atkinson has produced a lively and entertaining story in a style reminiscent of the '30s tough-guy writers' novels that informs as well. Business writing, as subscribers to Fortune, Forbes or The Wall Street Journal know, doesn't have to be dry or leaden. I suspect you'll enjoy the story as well as learn from it.

As we close out our first year and ring in our second, we hope we've created a magazine that's timely, readable, useful. But we don't intend to stand still. Your business, whatever it may be, is almost certainly changing fast. We intend to keep pace, adjusting and changing direction when necessary to ensure that we stay as fresh as we were when we sent that first issue to press 12 months ago.

Please continue to let us know how we're doing.