For anyone who thinks PR is glamorous, these two anecdotes from Deborah Ivison won’t change your mind.

Deb, the 96th person I’ve met on my quest to have lunch with 500 strangers, has a fond memory from years ago, when she was working in London, and her team won an account with a resort in Antigua.

The boss told everyone to pack their bags, because they would be flying to Antigua the next day to celebrate. 

On another occasion, Deb was told to go to a random field, because a helicopter would be along to pick her up and whisk her to a client appointment. 

Deb grew up in the north of England before moving to London for greater career opportunities. After jobs at Penguin and the BBC, she set out on an epic backpacking adventure that eventually brought her to Sydney. 

When Deb compared sunny Sydney with her old life – going to work and returning home in the dark – she decided to move, even though it was tough to leave her family behind.

Deb has owned her own PR agency, Bay PR, since 2004. While Deb is passionate about her job and industry, she says it’s not all helicopters and Antiguan getaways. Winning accounts, delivering for clients and running a business is very hard work.