My Journey Through Two Years in PR

As I look back on the past 2 years, it feels almost surreal to see how much has changed since I started my professional career across two different public relations (PR) agencies.

When I first entered the industry, I’ll be honest, it was because a friend suggested I give communications and PR a shot, since I didn’t have a concrete plan in sight.

PR was a world where I had minimal background, and I often wondered if I would burn out quickly or fail to sustain interest once the novelty wore off.

As the Chinese saying goes, 三分鐘熱度, it described exactly what I feared, a burst of short-lived enthusiasm.

Strangely enough, looking back, my overall experience reminded me of the One Piece reference: “3D2Y.”

The “3D” felt like those fleeting three minutes of energy I feared I would lose, while the “2Y” (two years) has instead come to represent the long arc of training, growth, and development.

And while I’m not saying I’m the protagonist of any story but my own, just as Luffy had Rayleigh to guide him during those two years, I’ve been fortunate to have a constant mentor in our Managing Director Jose Raymond, whose guidance has challenged me, grounded me, and shaped the way I approach both work and leadership.

New beginnings at SW Strategies

After a very short stint in my first PR agency, I honestly wondered if I would return to the world of PR and communications. I spent some time on holiday, enjoying my youth, not quite sure what would happen next.

That was when Jose Raymond gave me the opportunity to join SW Strategies, and from there, the trajectory of my career began to change.

A year ago, my role looked very different.

Much of the work was about drafting media releases, pitching stories, and media monitoring.

Fast forward to today, and my responsibilities have evolved significantly.

While the initial responsibilities remain, my role has since expanded to coordinating media engagements across multiple markets, keeping track of evolving news cycles, and managing the expectations of clients.

Each of these requires me to move beyond execution and start to think more strategically.

Lessons From Remote and Cross-Border Work

One of the most transformative experiences came when I had the opportunity to work remotely from overseas in early 2025 with my then colleague Danial Halim.

Navigating time zones, managing media without being physically present, while keeping both clients and colleagues aligned on tasks have taught me the importance of communication, discipline, trust and planning.

That experience also made me reflect on how different people live and work under very different circumstances.

In Singapore, I had always taken for granted the ability to get home quickly, hop online over the weekend, and deal with urgent matters almost instantly.

But in other parts of the world, something as simple as leaving your home might mean being two to three hours away from reliable access.

It was a reminder that geography, infrastructure, and lifestyle shape the way people balance their personal and professional lives.

Managing media remotely also reshaped how I think about planning and foresight.

I learned that it’s not just about securing a “yes” from someone, but anticipating what comes after.

For example, there was an event where a journalist had confirmed her attendance, and I thought everything was fine.

But managing it remotely, I quickly realized that confirmation alone wasn’t enough, I also needed to provide additional details, such as what she had to do once she arrived and who she should connect with.

It was a valuable reminder that when you’re not physically present, clarity, preparation, and over-communication becomes non-negotiable.

Adapting Across Markets

Most recently, I had the opportunity to travel alone for a work trip to Bangkok, where I worked alongside my Thai colleague, Paul Songsri, to manage media engagements.

It was an eye-opening experience that showed me just how different the media landscape can be from country to country.

From the way journalists approach interviews, to the pace of communication, to navigating language barriers and cultural nuances, there were many layers I had to quickly adapt to.

It reminded me that while the fundamentals of PR remain the same, the execution depends heavily on local context, and success often comes down to respecting those differences and entrusting my colleagues who understand them best.

Final Reflections

Looking back, what I once feared would be just 三分鐘熱度 (a short lived enthusiasm) has instead become my own “2Y”, a two-year development arc of growth, challenge, and discovery.

As I continue on this journey, I hope to keep pushing my own boundaries and carry on the same curiosity and resilience that motivated me during my two years.

More than anything, I’ve learned that growth rarely happens in comfort.

It happens when we keep pushing ourselves to adapt when out of our comfort zones. I’m deeply grateful for colleagues, and clients who have trusted me along the way, and I’m excited to see if I can find the One Piece on my continued journey.