For Amanda Haines, starting her own business was a matter of taking the plunge. “I'm not sure what spurred me on,” she recalls. “I'm normally a pretty analytical person, and this was probably the first time in my life where I went: 'Yep. I'm going to just do this'.”
When Reformation firstopened its doors back in January 2012, Amanda was, in her own words, “a one-woman show” for the first 18 months. But in the years since, Amanda – alongside account director Pam McMeekin and account lead Mallory Oudendag – has transformed the boutique public relations firm into a force to be reckoned with, crafting compelling brand narratives for clients such as Marketplace Events, Famoso Neopolitan Pizzeria and Sandhill Wines. The company has expanded to include clients all over B.C. and Alberta, and has worked with leading brands such as Glowbal Restaurant Group, Jillian Harris Design and Hudson's Bay Company.
“I really wanted to simplify things,” Amanda explains, of the company's approach to public relations. “And at the same time, I wanted to put a different face on PR. I think PR can get a bit of a bad rep – the idea of spin, and all that. I wanted to work with brands that are super authentic, and shine an honest light on them. And just do some good work with some good clients. That's what I was looking for, and that's what happened.”
