We hear more and more of the Omicron variant and the long Covid syndrome. Both are reported and concern people, but the second also concerns companies, in many ways. As explained by Gianni Crespi, CEO of the Smemoranda group, which includes, in addition to the well-known brand of diaries, Zelig and Nava, the historic brand of design accessories for work and travel, writing instruments and notebooks.
Survivors of the hurricane
“In 2020 we were not hit by a storm, but by something stronger, I would call it a perfect hurricane – says Crespi, who is also a partner of Smemoranda -. With Smemoranda and Nava we make products for school and for those who travel, for pleasure or for work, and in 2020 and for part of 2021 we had Dad and a stop to travel and business meetings in person. We are a “factory of comedy” with Zelig, famous in particular for the theater in Viale Monza, in Milan, and Covid has prevented any live performance. Yet we survived the hurricane, which forced us to move forward the three-year goals we set ourselves at the end of 2019, but certainly not to cancel the plans, the vision, even the dream, I could say “.
By 2024, the Smemoranda group aims at a turnover of 63 million and good profitability: “I am fascinated by every creative aspect and in Smemoranda there is an inexhaustible mine, but I am also a man of numbers and finance – adds Crespi – . In the plan we have foreseen, again by 2024, an EBITDA of 8.3 million and a net result of 3.3 million, equal, respectively, to 13% and 3.8% of turnover “.
Towards a lifestyle brand
The team of the group is made up of Gino Vignati & Michele Mozzati, Nico Colonna, Vitaliano Borromeo, Massimo Moratti, Giuseppe Ferrero, Andrea Bolla, Giuseppe Colombo, Gianni Crespi and Quafin, a company of the Crespi family. Covid forced the CEO and all employees of the group to accelerate on digitalization and new projects. «The dream is to transform Smemoranda into a lifestyle brand, as they say today. In our case it is not an ambition: the brand has a very high brand awareness and the agenda is once again a best seller for students and not only – specifies Gianni Crespi -. But the projects are many, all designed for a young target: we are designing a Smemo hotel, a sort of cheerful hostel, lines of clothing and accessories. And services, such as hourly insurance for mopeds and the creation of trips tailored to young people ».
Then there is Nava, which has an even wider target and which on the occasion of the Supersalone del mobile in September presented a mini-collection designed by Stefano Boeri.