A lot of my job is saying “no.” There are times when that’s easy: a pitched article doesn’t fit our brand standards, a photoshoot is too expensive, a topic is too political. Other times it’s more nuanced, such as an angle we’ve covered too recently or content that lends itself more to marketing than editorial.

Less often—but often enough—I get to say “yes.” I do have space to feature a relatively new Alaska transporter with a big vision (coming in the December issue); I can help spread the word about a small pet grooming business with a new owner and growth on the horizon (look for it on our website this month); and it is totally appropriate to advocate for strengthening Alaska’s food systems and the businesses operating in them (in the November issue).

My responsibility is to curate the most engaging, accurate, and informative content I can, so while I wouldn’t say I enjoy saying “no,” I do take satisfaction in maintaining the standards of this publication. Saying “no” is what gives me the ability to say “yes.”

The editorial hurdle in publishing would feel familiar to many entrepreneurs. They have a product or an idea, and they know it has potential, but they need someone else to say “yes.” The challenge of launching a product or new business is significant, and the reality is that many good people and good ideas don’t find success.

Less often—but often enough—some do. Some are able to push through a sea of “no” to find the “yes,” and throughout this issue, we have examples of people and businesses that have done just that—and raised the standard of living in Alaska a little bit higher in the process.