By Meredith Nardino
Emily Raleigh, GSB ’16, did not plan on becoming an accomplished businesswoman and entrepreneur straight out of high school. In fact, Raleigh’s Smart Girls Group project simply started as a way to help her younger sister through her freshman year, a kind of field guide to being a strong, motivated and smart girl.
“It was a hobby,” said Raleigh. “So many people told me I could turn this into a business, but that really wasn’t my prime focus.”
Four years later, Raleigh’s mindset has changed completely. Thanks to the unprecedented success of her company, Smart Girls Group. What started as a small, digital magazine grew into a popular website with an audience of ambitious young women from over 50 countries worldwide. The website is full of editorial-style articles and blog posts. Similar to what you might find on Refinery29 or Mogul, created by real smart girls — girls with the desire to be independent and successful. Raleigh was inspired by the website’s influence and was curious to see how the Smart Girls message, which was so powerful online, could translate into real life.
Now, Smart Girls Group is about to undergo another pivotal transformation as it launches a completely rebranded website this week. “We’re raising the volume on everything we’ve done for the last four years,” said Raleigh.
Smart Girls Group will now be known as Spire & Co., a name that has a significant connection to the company’s everlasting mission. Not only does ‘spire’ represent the highest point on a summit, but Raleigh also pointed out that it derives from the word’s meaning, “to be able to breathe a little bit easier.” The second half of the name embodies three key aspects of the business: content, collaboration and community. Throughout the process of rebranding, the company acquired a staff of five editors, four contributing writers and three other part-time employees. In an effort to be fair and appreciative of their hard work, and due to the company’s advertising partnerships with professional clients such as Jamba Juice, the team of editors is now paid. Spire & Co.’s new website will be full of original text posts and imagery to promote an environment of creativity and inspiration for young women all over the world.
Though its name may be different, the company’s message remains the same: “Be Smart. Share Smarts.” Because of the rebrand, this idea will continue to be spread across the globe — in addition to the over 30 Smart Girls campus chapters in the United States and chapters to come the United Kingdom and South Africa. “We’re picking pockets all over the country and all over the world where we can grow our communities,” said Raleigh, “it’s a universal program that has a lot of flexibility.”
The Spire & Co. team wants to help empowered young women become successful by giving them a platform to share their unique ideas and show support for each other along the way. Raleigh was eager to develop the new brand and “continue to serve the needs of the girls in a way that allows us to grow with them.” Spire & Co. may be expanding more each day. But to Raleigh and her team, the preservation of the original Smart Girls group message and sisterhood will always be what matters most.
