Becoming an agency of choice for organizations at the forefront of progress
2005 was a big year for technology. By that summer, we’d all been introduced to Reddit, Google Maps, YouTube, Xbox, and the iPod. Journalists were writing about how the Internet was transforming modern life. And in a relatively quiet corner of the DC Metro Region, Spire made its debut – our sights set on the communications needs of this burgeoning tech and software industry.
Which is exactly what we did, supporting numerous technology startups…until our team landed our first federal project. It was called the Federal Health Architecture, an ambitious initiative that united 20 agencies to help set standards and policies for sharing health data among federal agencies.
By this point, translating the benefits of technology into plain language for consumers was a core skill for the small but mighty Spire team. But this was different.
This was marketing with a mission. By helping the healthcare industry embrace the concept – and understand the dizzying complexities of sharing health data – my work as a communicator could help patients get better care. It demanded smart strategy and Fortune 500-level excellence in messaging and design, and it was a chance to make a real difference.
I was hooked.
From that point on, Spire focused almost exclusively on bringing the rigor and speed of commercial marketing to government agencies and the contractors who support their programs.
Fast forward 20 years (!) and our portfolio includes the agencies and organizations that emerged from the Federal Health Architecture initiative, as well as engineering, health research, defense, and life sciences organizations. Every day, the Spire team gets to work with world-class innovators and visionaries in government and the private sector on seriously cool – and truly important – projects.
And we did it by sticking to our version of the basics: Think like a client and grow with intention.
Thinking like the client
While the vision for Spire was as sharp as our name evokes, figuring out how to manifest that vision took some work.
After flipping through a dozen business books, it was clear that no supposed expert’s map for success would do. Instead, we put ourselves in our ideal client’s shoes and asked, what would make them want to work with us?
In pretty short order, we hammered out four foundational principles:
- Do excellent work.
- Be fun to work with.
- Charge a reasonable price.
- Always deliver.
That’s it. That was our plan for making Spire a reality. And I’m proud to say that our core tenets have survived the test of two decades, proving to be advantageous for us and our clients.
Growing with intention
While establishing that foundation took a few intense days, building on them has been more methodical. In growing from three staff members serving a single client project to nearly 50 employees who manage communications strategy and execution for dozens of agencies and organizations – let’s just say we’ve learned a lot.
Marketing and outreach communications take place within a zone of trust. Many Spire team members are embedded within the agencies we serve. We know their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Even short-term tactical assignments come with reputational gravitas. Every website we build, every media placement we earn, every technical white paper we write and design is an embodiment of the client’s brand – and our own.
Knowing this, Spire made a deliberate point to grow incrementally. We work to attract the right clients and hire the right communicators to support them. And we never take on more than we can execute with excellence.
As I consider our first 20 years of growth, three principles come into focus:
1. Hiring is the most important thing I do.
Spire isn’t your average communications agency. We exclusively recruit experienced professionals at the top of their game. On average, my team has 19 years of experience communicating science, tech, or both. And I screen carefully for people who are collaborative and mission focused.
Our clients’ work is too important to entrust to early-career communicators or people who cannot build and maintain rapport with scientific, technology, and policy leaders.
2. Spire vets clients as carefully as they vet us.
For every project we undertake, Spire takes time to consider our fit with the client. Our longest and most mutually beneficial relationships are with organizations and individuals who are positive and passionate about their mission.
For what it’s worth, 20 years in, I can say with confidence that some of the smartest, most dedicated people you’ll meet are civil servants.
3. Spire only pursues work we find exciting.
We are a team of technophiles, data geeks, and science buffs. The most compelling science, technology, and engineering work in the U.S. is driven – one way or another – by the federal government. We love working with innovators and visionaries and getting a front row seat for the latest advancements.
This affinity makes it much easier to clarify the complexities and communicate the benefits of our clients’ programs.
The agency they choose again (and again)
Proof that the Spire model works comes in various forms. Our team members receive industry awards and client recognition, and our Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System (CPARS) scores are exceptional.
But our best measure of success is our longevity with the agencies and organizations whose missions, innovations, and people inspire our best work.
Together, we’ve built – and are still building – something lasting and important, and I couldn’t be prouder.
If your organization needs top-notch science and tech communications, let us know. We’d love to bring your story to life.
