2025 ended with momentum.

Sunday Compass grew over 400%. I published 52 consecutive editions without missing a single Sunday. I launched SC Talks and pushed through impostor syndrome to interview people I respect. The MSC edition hit 30,000 impressions and brought readers I never expected.

That momentum isn't an accident. It's the result of showing up every week, even when the numbers didn't move. Even when I doubted if anyone cared.

Now it's 2026. And I'm not slowing down.

This year brings new challenges, new focus, and—maybe most importantly—clarity on what I'm letting go of. Here's what's ahead.

I'm starting a new professional chapter this year.

I won't go into all the details yet, but what I will say is this: I'm stepping into unfamiliar territory. Again. For the third time in my career, I'm choosing discomfort over staying comfortable.

That's the only way I know how to grow.

This new role will test me. It'll put me in situations where I don't have all the answers. Where I'll need to rely on skills I haven't fully developed yet. Negotiation. Communication. Charisma. Building relationships in ways that matter.

It's going to be uncomfortable. And that's exactly why I'm doing it.

I've spent nine years at Berge Maritima moving through different roles—operations, procurement, and now this next step. Each transition taught me something the previous role couldn't. Each one forced me to see the business from a new angle.

This year will be no different. I'll learn. I'll make mistakes. I'll get better.

And I'll bring those lessons to Sunday Compass every week.

Last year was about proving I could be consistent. This year is about building on that foundation.

Here's what I'm focused on:

I want to keep the exponential growth going. More readers. More reach. More impact.

But growth for growth's sake isn't the goal. I want Sunday Compass to reach the people it's meant for: ambitious professionals in maritime and logistics who are tired of the old-school, archaic voices dominating this industry.

And this year, I'm going to start monetizing.

I'll be testing affiliate marketing—recommending tools and products I genuinely use and find valuable. I'll be exploring sponsorships and partnerships with brands that align with what Sunday Compass stands for. Some of those might be paid. Some might be product partnerships in exchange for exposure.

If you're a brand in the maritime, logistics, or productivity space and you think there's a fit, let's talk.

I did three SC Talks in 2025. This year, I'm aiming for six—one every two months.

Last year, I was terrified every time. The technical setup. Speaking in English. Wondering if my questions were good enough. But I did them anyway, and each one got a little easier.

This year, I want to go deeper. Better guests. Better questions. More valuable conversations.

If you know someone in the maritime or logistics world who has a story worth sharing—or if that's you—reach out.

What works, works.

I'm keeping the Main Section as the core of every edition. Deep analysis. Case studies. Strategic thinking. The kind of content that's still valuable a year from now.

Things I Find Interesting will continue—but only when I actually have something worth sharing. No filler. No forced recommendations.

And here's something else: I've been quietly working on a project related to Sunday Compass. Something that's been in the background for a while. I'm not ready to announce it yet, but let's just say it involves making the maritime industry more accessible to people who want to understand it better.

More on that soon.

Some things don't change because they're the foundation of everything else.

52 Sundays. No exceptions. That's the deal I made with myself, and it's not negotiable.

Consistency isn't sexy. It's not a hack. It's just showing up every week, even when you don't feel like it. Even when the ideas aren't flowing. Even when no one's watching.

That's what builds trust. That's what compounds.

I'm not chasing every platform. LinkedIn is where my audience is, and that's where I'm staying focused.

If I expand to other platforms later, great. But I'm not splitting my attention until I've maximized what's working.

I'm not here to cover the latest maritime news. There are plenty of outlets doing that already.

Sunday Compass is a hemeroteca—an archive of ideas, strategies, and lessons that stay relevant. Someone subscribing in 2027 should still find value in what I wrote in 2025.

That's the standard.

This is the part that matters most.

Everyone talks about what they're adding in the new year. Fewer people talk about what they're removing. But subtraction is often more powerful than addition.

Here's what I'm cutting:

I'm not saying never. But I'm saying rarely. The marginal benefit isn't worth the cost—sleep quality drops, energy suffers, recovery takes longer.

If I'm serious about performing at my best, this has to go.

Same logic. I want to be in the best shape of my life this year, and that doesn't happen by accident.

Better food. Better fuel. Better performance.

I've gotten better at this, but there's still room to improve.

Not every meeting matters. Not every opportunity is worth taking. Not every request deserves a yes.

This year, I'm protecting my time more ruthlessly. If it doesn't align with where I'm going, it's a no.

I want 2026 to be the year I hit my physical peak.

That means:

I've spent years optimizing for productivity and career growth. This year, I'm optimizing for health with the same intensity.

Because if the foundation breaks, nothing else matters.

2026 is about building on what worked in 2025 while being honest about what didn't.

It's about stepping into discomfort—again—because that's where growth happens.

It's about monetizing Sunday Compass without compromising what makes it valuable.

It's about doing fewer things, but doing them better.

And it's about taking care of the fundamentals—health, sleep, focus—so everything else has a solid base to build from.

I don't know exactly how this year will unfold. I can't predict which editions will resonate or which opportunities will come from staying consistent.

But I know this: if I show up every Sunday, if I keep pushing into discomfort, if I focus on what matters and let go of what doesn't—the dots will connect.

They always do. You just can't see it until you look back.

If you're reading this, you're part of the journey. Thank you for being here.

2026 starts now. Let's build something worth looking back on.

Cheers,

Fernando