Hey, do me a favor. Grab your most recent issue of Global Traveler — or any issue, for that matter — and take a look at the cover. You’re probably engaged by the gorgeous color photo on the front. But see that little phrase under the magazine’s name? The one that says “The Independent Source for Business Travelers.” The important word here is independent. That little word is one of the many things that drew me to the magazine as a place to work. As a freelance writer and editor, I’ve always been an independent kind of person, even when part of a team. I enjoy working with entrepreneurs and start-ups and free spirits. In fact, my husband and I owned an independent bookstore a few years back — books have been my lifelong passion, and I got to share that passion with our customers. As an independent store, we catered to the needs and wants of our community, hand-selecting every book we stocked. And the most satisfying — and most important — part of the business was getting to know exactly what individual customers liked to read and helping them find just the right book. I’ve always believed that independent business owners — and usually the people who work with them — are passionate about what they do. I’ve been associate editor at GT for less than a year, but I’ve already discovered my instincts were right. Everyone I’ve had contact with at GT is passionate about the magazine and a pleasure to work with. Our editorial team — Lisa (editor in chief), Tracey (art director), Patty (proofreader) and I — are global travelers of a different sort. We telecommute from four states and two time zones, and the emails are flyin’ fast and furious when we’re close to deadline. The jokes start flyin’ too, as we start to get punchy and — well, who knew you could get so many chuckles out of style rule debates and photo captions and editing goofs? But back to the word “independent.” I’m wondering how many readers realize — and appreciate — how important that little word is. Being independent means GT isn’t backed by a large publishing company. It means GT can make changes on the fly to adjust to trends in the travel industry or changes in the economy or, most important, in response to what our readers want. So here’s to five years of independence, and many more to come! As a business owner, I know it is no small achievement to reach this anniversary, and I admire Fran, our publisher, and the staff for their passion and dedication through the ups and downs of growing the magazine. And many thanks to all those who have supported Global Traveler along the way. – Jan Hecht, associate editor