Another year down...

To mark the occasion as a team we had a quiet dinner together, enjoyed sharing kai and reflected upon all of the awesome that is Firebrand and our diverse, unique, weird and wonderful little whānau, residing (mostly) in this little slice of paradise we call home Ōtepoti, Dunedin. A few words were spoken which I would love to share. 🤩

Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
Ko Bex Twemlow toku ingoa, nō Firebrand Otepoti ahau.
Tekau mā rua whakanui.
Greetings everyone and welcome to our 12th Celebration.
It is not without the mahi of each and every person here tonight and those that have moved on that I stand here before you. No matter how long or short the time with the Firebrand family, everyone leaves a mark, provides a lesson and generates further growth for me and this incredible organisation.
I have pondered recently our early days beginning in 2009 wrapped in blankets to keep warm, wages on credit cards and 18 hour days, 7 days a week. A major business relationship explosion 5 years in - mid 2014 when Paul and I took on FB alone. We faced an incredible battle both financially and emotionally to make it through.
Last month after selling our section we finally paid our family and the bank back the last of the money owed. It is also worth noting it has been roughly 3 years since I have been able to stop waking in the middle of the night with the sole purpose of checking if account receivables had been paid so wages or the IRD would go through as needed.
I do still wake in the middle of the night of course and there are still some very heavy work hours - it's in my DNA I suppose but it feels like it is time for me to do some recovery on myself, hand in that worry card I have been holding so close as it has been proven over and over that good things happen to good people, the universe delivers and by god - do we have an extraordinary team, future and life now.
Paul and I want each of you to know we admire and adore you - this entire group is our “A team” and we both feel blessed to know this.
Our client base is envied, our impact on the wider community real and the recognition by those that matter in Dunedin and NZ is public and proud. We certainly aren’t your run of the mill web, design and marketing agency. We are - in all honesty and with modesty Freaken Awesome!
It is time for a toast - to the Firebrand Whānau, good health, good times and kick ass team work that make the dreams work!

We then (of course) had to extend the celebration somewhat so hosted an Otago Chamber of Commerce Business After 5...yes again! We had a blast and wrote about this back then here. 

One month into our 13th year and we find ourselves navigating a bit of a storm again, covid has rendered our ability to physically connect a no go but the strength, resilience and work ethic of our team is evident - we got this and if we don't, we have each other to support us until we do. 😍

Bex