At my 50th birthday, I was asked to share a song or a moment that shaped me. I didn’t expect the question to stay with me, but it did.

And now, as we celebrate Faulhaber’s 25th year, it feels even more meaningful. Because what we build in business is never separate from who we are in life. I’ve always believed in work-life integration, not balance, but overlap. Entrepreneurs especially don’t get to compartmentalize. The lines blur, and over time, that becomes a strength.

We are the sum of our surroundings: our upbringing, our opportunities and hardships, our education, our exposure, our travels, our friends and family, our hard work, and of course, our teammates.

That’s true of a person. And it’s true of a company.

For years, I lived by a simple standard: it’s never good enough until it is. It came from a place of high expectations and resilience. It taught me to push harder, to stay hungry, to never get too comfortable. It built discipline, and it built this business.

But f25 feels like a turning point. It’s time to also say: it’s enough. It’s good. We are great!

Along the way, I’ve carried a set of lessons that quietly shaped how I lead, build, and think:

that you have to believe in your own worth;

that sometimes the right move is to build something yourself;

that presence matters;

that kindness and generosity go further than you think;

that not everything deserves equal weight;

and that if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

These ideas aren’t just personal, they’ve become part of how we operate. They are what makes up the Faulhaber way.

It’s how we show up for each other inside the agency, with trust, partnership, and accountability. It’s how we work with clients – collaborative, candid, and always pushing for what’s best. And it’s how we exist outside of the business, connected to culture, to community, and to the bigger picture.

But what excites me most now is what comes next. fxm & PoweredPR® set the stage for a bright future, one that is built to evolve, to expand, and to stay deeply connected to culture.

This next chapter is already being shaped by exceptional leadership. Our President & Partner, Lexi Pathak, who has championed this brand in various roles for 16 years, continues to lead with clarity, ambition, and a deep understanding of who we are becoming, not just where we’ve been. She brings consistency, strength, and vision that has helped define who we are today, and where we’re going next. It is a privilege to know her.

And Megan Taylor, SVP & Associate Partner, brings something equally critical…a direct connection to the next generation. She has an instinct for what’s resonating, what’s shifting, and what will matter next. That perspective doesn’t just inform our work, it keeps us relevant, forward-looking, and in tune with what makes the next generation tick.

Together with our broader leadership team, they point to a future that’s built to last. An agency that will keep growing and evolving well beyond me. That’s the real milestone. I couldn’t have done it alone, partners at work and in life made this what it is.

And then, there’s music. I started singing in grade school, experimenting, figuring things out. My mom’s R&B groove, her Streisand obsession, plus my father’s jazz albums offered a lot of inspiration. There was a moment when I even thought I might pursue it! The ’80s and ’90s shaped my taste, my energy, my sense of rhythm. That rhythm stayed.

You can see it in how we move as a company. In how we create. In how we bring ideas to life. In how we connect brands to culture in a way that feels real and human. f25 isn’t just a milestone, it’s a reflection of every person, every lesson, every risk, and every win that brought us here.

And it’s also a launchpad for what comes next.

To everyone who has been part of that journey, those who came before, and those who continue to shape what we’re building, thank you. For shaping me. For shaping us. We’re just getting started.

—Christine Faulhaber, Founder & CEO