We are seven years old today! Since we started it has been an incredible adventure and we’re looking forward to the next seven years.
We’ve survived some challenges, we’ve grown our business and evolved our business model…and we’re proud of who we are and what we provide to our clients. AHA has a great culture, each person on the AHA crew is world-class and our clients are exceptional. We are also extremely grateful for our AHA friends—those people that recommend us to their colleagues and business associates, those that go out of their way to support us and to help us grow and improve.
As those of you who know us are aware, we’re not your average PR firm—our website home page is one example of that. We took the photos on a sunny spring day. We thought it would be a piece of cake—in the ocean, get the shot, out of the ocean and back to our Tim Horton’s coffee. Well, the ocean had other ideas. It was windy and the waves were wild. The water was REALLY cold, but we decided we wanted the photo anyway.
It took over an hour to get the shots. The waves were so rough that they broke the desk. The rocks were slippery and both Paul and I ended up on our butts with the waves crashing over us…When Paul got hit by a wave, he was so busy trying to save the laptop from going under (the laptops are props, by the way), he didn’t protect himself from the fall and needed first aid for his cut hand. By the time we finished the shoot, a little crowd had gathered trying to figure out who we were and what on earth we were doing.
In a lot of ways, that photo and the taking of that photo are symbolic of who we are at AHA. We’re a small agency, but we play in the big leagues. We’ve had our share of waves crashing in at us here: the recent economic downturn, bigger agencies targeting us to take our clients (so not cool, but our clients are extremely loyal!), the ever changing face of PR with social media, and several personal challenges for both Paul and I. None of that stopped us. We kept moving forward, focusing on doing great work and growing our business. We turned challenges into opportunities, setbacks into learning experiences. And day-by-day, we evolved as a company and became who we are today. AHA not only survived, we are thriving!
We wouldn’t change a moment of the last seven years because it brought us to this point. We get into the office pretty early because we often deal with east coast media or clients. And from the moment I step into our VERY orange AHA office, I feel energized and excited for the day. Our clients are smart, caring, considerate people who bring us on as a part of their team. They are open to new ideas and approaches, and they count on us to deliver excellence. They want us to actively participate in the success of their organization and that means we’re proactive as well as reactive—we are involved in their world.
I love the work I do. I am engaged, inspired and challenged every day and am always grateful for the opportunities we have here at AHA.
The partnership Paul and I have is at the heart of AHA. It is encouraging, engaging and it demands excellence for our clients and to AHA. Our crew is the cream of the crop. We have an office in Gibsons, BC (on the Sunshine Coast) and one in Vancouver. How many people can say that their commute is one of the most beautiful scenic trips in the world—and on a ferry!
So, on our seventh anniversary, I would like to say thank you. Thank you for visiting this blog. For checking us out. For working with us. For bringing us on-board. For recommending us. For supporting us. For everything!