September 25, 2025
Introducing Best of Raleigh: A New Way to Elevate Living
Raleigh isn’t just the city where I built my business– it’s where my husband, John, and I raised our family, built lifelong friendships, and became part of a community that means everything to us. This community spirit is at the heart of Best of Raleigh, and I couldn’t be more excited to finally share this next chapter with you.
From Podcast to Platform
Many of you may know Best of Raleigh from our podcast. Since launching in 2023, we’ve recorded more than 80 episodes, shared on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube, and have been humbled by over one million listens. Every conversation has been an opportunity to spotlight the entrepreneurs, creatives, and changemakers who make Raleigh an extraordinary place to live.
But Best of Raleigh actually started long before the podcast. In 2020, at the height of COVID, I sat on my couch in tears, wondering if my business could survive. While my own work was on pause, I looked around at friends with brick-and-mortar businesses who were struggling even more. I knew I had to do something.
With a videographer by my side, we started creating short videos to tell their stories, highlighting what they could offer people during a time when the world felt shut down. Those videos brought visibility, hope, and business to local owners when they needed it most. And what we discovered was powerful: people didn’t just want to know what businesses offered, they wanted to know who was behind them.
That realization planted the seed for what Best of Raleigh has now become.
Why Best of Raleigh, Why Now
We live in a world where everyone is searching online for trusted answers–the best restaurants to try, doctors to see, contractors to hire, places to shop and much more. Raleigh is growing rapidly, and with growth comes noise. People don’t just want endless lists; they want curated, credible guidance they can trust.
That’s exactly what Best of Raleigh is here to do.
This platform is more than a directory. It’s a vetted, curated hub designed to connect you with the businesses, experiences, and people who truly elevate life in our city. It’s a win for locals who want to discover and enjoy Raleigh with confidence, and it’s a win for our partners who deserve to be celebrated as the best at what they do.
Powered by Community
Behind Best of Raleigh is an incredible team, both our in-house creators and The Coley Group, the #1 Compass team in Raleigh and one of the top-ranked real estate teams in the country. This year marks The Coley Group’s 25th Anniversary—a milestone that reflects not only our longevity, but also our deep commitment to the people and community of Raleigh.
Together, we’ve combined storytelling, community connections, and trusted expertise to build something bigger than any one of us could do alone. And we couldn’t have done it without the belief and support of our founding partners, who recognized this vision early and helped bring it to life.
Elevating Living, Together
Our mission is simple: to Elevate Living in Raleigh. Whether you’ve called this city home for decades or are just arriving, we want this platform to be your trusted starting point. From restaurants and boutiques to wellness providers and cultural venues, everything you see here is hand-selected, vetted, and celebrated.
So, welcome. Explore. Discover. Connect. And know that every recommendation you find here has been chosen with the same care we would give to our own family and friends.
Here’s to celebrating the businesses, stories, and people who make Raleigh the incredible place it is, and to enjoying the very best of Raleigh, together.
Cheers,
Gretchen Coley
Founder & CEO, Best of Raleigh