This week, Public City turns three.

And to honour this special occasion, I am going to allow myself to do what we’re apparently never meant to do in business. I’m going to get emotional.

Now if emotion in business makes you a little uncomfortable, I suggest you stop reading now, and think. Think about what passion is. Think about what has driven (or forced) change in our society. Think about the best and worst work you’ve ever done. Did emotion play a part in any of these?

See, I started this company at a pretty rotten time in my personal life. I will spare you the details. Not because I’m overly private. Mostly because I plan on writing a book and quite frankly, you’re going to have to pay for that! (If Lara Bingle can demand money for her story, so can I!).

Surrounded by family and friends, peers, colleagues and three priests, one of which is now in jail (long story and unrelated to me, may I add) – I somehow managed to get out of the foetal position enough times to build the foundations of an agency that I can be proud of. And I say foundations because it really is only the beginning.

Albeit still in its infancy, there is no way I could have come this far on my own. The undying support of my family and friends aside, there are two very unlikely heroes in my professional story.

Adrianne Kern, Managing Consultant at Text100 and my first ever boss in a PR agency. Each year of working with Adrianne is worth one university degree! Never in my professional career have I had someone so dedicated to teaching, guiding, supporting staff and I wholeheartedly can say that she has been the greatest influence in my professional life. Thank you Adrianne. And thank you Text100 for giving me solid grounding for a successful career in PR.

Linda Moussa, Senior Media Executive at Public City. Linda joined me while I was working out of my parents’ place in a backyard office, which previously was a table tennis room, which previously was a shed, which previously was an above ground (leaky) pool. She believed in the vision from day one and has been instrumental to Public City’s success to date. And definitely instrumental to my sanity along the way. Linda - if you don’t know by now how much I value you, then I’ve been doing something wrong! And if you do know, then you have Adrianne to thank for my ability to articulate it.

To everyone who has supported Public City from day one; my friends from the IT Journalist community, our accountant Ray and finance manager Linda, the PRIA (thanks for Lloyd, we love him!), the IABC, my former colleagues, IT Studio, The Australian Media and of course, our fantastic clients – we look forward to many more years working with you and making a valuable and meaningful contribution to the ANZ communication landscape.