Meet GEM
GEM Media is the brain child of Gabrielle Higbie. Gabrielle has been involved in media since she graduated from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst campus in 1994. Cutting her teeth in publishing for Miller Freeman in New York, she quickly rose through the ranks of the magazine world. Being so young, she knew that she did not want to climb that corporate ladder and landed at gorp.com. It was risky, but she liked it. She got involved in the internet industry in 1997 and rode the wave of all of the highs and lows. She helped launch over 5 internet business in 4 years. Her last work in the industry found her working at a Venture Capital firm as a project manager which launched her into the world of boxing. She worked on a syndicated television show called Thunderbox and developed the internet integration platform between the show and the internet users. In addition, she developed a boxing "lifestyle" brand called Blast Box that was an offshoot of the audience developed through Thunderbox.
At that time, she became very entrenched in video and began taking film classes. During her tenure with the boxing company she met a production partner and developed a film production company called I-70 Productions. I-70 Productions produced and award winning short-film that was invited to the inaugural Tribeca Film Festival. The short went on to several other festivals achieving awards and further recognition.
After 9/11 in New York City, Mrs. Higbie decided to move back to the mountains of Colorado which she called home. She worked with the local newspaper for 4 years in their internet, sales and marketing departments. She helped launch the magazine division for the company with their first two magazines, House to Home and Aspen Philanthropist. After having her first son, Gabrielle took a position with one of the local radio companies and began an 8-year career in radio.
By 2004 Gabrielle realized that it was easy to take the girl out of the city, but impossible to take the city out of the girl. She began to develop ideas for a new magazine called Valley Girl. Valley Girl was a magazine that was dedicated to speaking to girls like her. Smart, successful, well educated women that had chosen to live in a place that offered a different lifestyle. These women have different needs and resources than women living in cities. Different access to food, different access to education and even different access to clothes. These women wear snow boots at least 5 months out of the year, not stilettos. These women need the best ski pants, not necessarily the best skinny jeans. (Although we find we need those too...)
Valley Girl proved to be too expensive to get off the ground on her own, so the idea was put on the back burner. She revisited the concept during an Entreprenuer workshop lead at local Colorado Mountain College in a new format called Super Mom. 2 kids later, her focus changed a bit. She put together a business plan for a local website dedicated to mom's in mountain towns. However, there was a lot of competition in that arena and she didn't feel that was "it", so again, the idea was tabled. She then realized that the real potential lay in radio. Radio is a perfect format for what she wanted to say and started her own Valley Girl Radio program on her then station KZYR. Again, she was sidelined as her superiors were concerned that the focus would take too much time away from her ability to sell. So- Valley Girl was again tabled.
We are now 10 years into the idea, and the time is finally right for Valley Girl to make it's debut. However; 10 years brings a lot of change and the name has not resonated any longer. It does not speak to the audience or demographic it once did. It is time to unveil GEM Media- content for women, by women.
GEM Media consists of GEM Radio, GEM Magazine and all things GEM. GEM is here to help you discover your own diamond in the rough. GEM is classic. GEM is timeless. GEM is edgy. GEM is smart. GEM is you.
What We Need & What You Get
GEM Media needs to build it's web presence. We currently have over 1,000 views to the website and almost 200 Facebook followers. This is not bad for a full launch beginning in January with weekly blogs.
GEM Magazine (in an online format) currently publishes one weekly article, and one bi-monthly column in the Vail Daily.
GEM Radio begins March 15th and will be running on stations covering Summit, Eagle, Pitkin, Garfield and Lake Counties with plans to expand into other markets and stations within 2-months.
We need the following to get off the ground:
- A total of $6,500 for web development. (This includes the purchase of gogem.com which is on sale for $2588.00)
- A total of $1,000 for logo design and development, including branding collateral.
- If my total goal is not reached, I will use the funds that I have towards beginning these processes.
The Impact
- This is a viable product with great potential. It is currently untapped in it's niche and will be of great use to many women. Not just women living in mountain towns, but women living in small towns as well.
- GEM Media will have a way of impacting women's lives through education and entertainment.
Other Ways You Can Help
Some people just can’t contribute, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help:
- It would be great if you could help me spread the word! The more people that know, the more successful we will be!