Business Leaders interview: Jade Craig

Tell us a little about yourself and your business.

Jade Craig, born in Italy raised in London, I’ve been in hospitality all my life and I am rapidly approaching 50!

Inntegra is the go-to events company that companies can outsource events to, 

we also offer a wide range of services such as marketing graphic design and web design, 

along with consultancy on a number of services within hospitality.

Gamechangers is my other business that is a membership group of likeminded people,

in competitive socialising, immersive gaming and interactive leisure with a host of 

suppliers and operators working with each other and sharing best practise and goals.

What motivates you in your work and what do you find most fulfilling about being a business leader?

Watching others achieve their goals and dreams, helping individuals and businesses get to where they want to be and seeing them shine.

How did you develop your leadership skills and how would you define your leadership style?

From working in the trade for so long and seeing how others lead, I decided to treat my clients and my teams the way I would wish to be treated. 

No-one works for me, they work with me, this means we are like a family not just a company.

Everyone that works in both companies work remotely, are in constant contact and they are free to work the hours they want, to fit around their lives not the other way round.

Innovating is crucial in our very diverse industry. How do you stay ahead of trends and incorporate them into your global strategy?

I don’t have a global strategy we are niche companies that look after our clients, we are on hand 24/7 for them and they appreciate that.

Innovation is always on my mind, we incorporated the word in our tag line of Inntegra (Inspired by Innovation, Driven by Integrity).

We pride ourselves on introducing new suppliers to the market, that want to show case what they do. 

Within Gamechangers we liaise regularly with our members via our magazine ‘The Oracle’ on what is coming to market, new offerings and trends.

What do you consider to be the key component(s) of effective business operational development?

Looking after your teams, helping them in the ways that they need! 

Understanding that we are all different and need separate approaches for development. 

In return you have a loyal team that want to work with you not for you.

How do you approach identifying areas for improvement within a company's operations?

I have an advisory board and board for Gamechangers, who guide and recommend new ways of working and improving.

With Inntegra we ask our clients and guests at events we power and own, how we can improve content and delivery.

Where do you think the most promising investments should be focusing on and/or made on?

There are so many, but I always come back to people. You have to look after your teams or they will not look after your customers.

Investing in training, away days and staff retention is the most invaluable investments for your business, or you won’t have one.

What is or are your biggest career achievement(s)?

Being recognised as someone that wants to help others. Supporting those on their journey, not mine.

I am currently mentoring 4 amazing people, all with diverse needs. Which I can help with, as I have had some ‘experiences’ in my 30+ years in hospitality.

Do you have examples where your leadership made a difference? If so, what were they?

Many, when I was an Ops Director, I loved watching assistant managers get the keys to their venues when they became general managers.

I have made my Commercial Director’s dream come true, by giving her the magazine she always wanted.

I have a CTO that is beyond the most superhuman person with tech I have ever met, who is transforming their life and is a true inspiration.

What’s the most important leadership lesson you’ve learned?

BE KIND!!! Why do people think that dictatorship, exclusion and rudeness is a way to live? Are we not all human?

How did you identify and seize opportunities for advancement in your career?

In all honesty by grafting, I work hard and always have done.

As a woman without a degree, unless you include ‘University of Life’ and 30+ years in the industry, having a South London accent, and proudly curvy, 

alongside being neurodivergent, make me different! Which in this day and age should not matter! I am often underestimated and misunderstood.

So many businesses, loose out on good people, due their prejudices and not nurturing those in the way they need.

Have you achieved everything you wanted in your career so far?

In all honesty yes, the future for me is seeing other achieve their goals!

I could retire tomorrow but choose to help others and create ways for people to get to where they want to be.

How important is personal development to your success, and how do you approach it?

Extremely important, for starters I am learning to be me! For the first time in my career I feel I can be, which is the most nourishing experience in my working life. 

I have 2 mentors who are always available to help me think things through rather than just go with my gut instinct.

We work through all possible outcomes (with me normally on the negative side) but someone has to be the devil’s advocate!

Then we come up with plans for both companies together.

How do you prioritise tasks when everything feels like a priority?

I believe ‘do not put off until tomorrow what can be done today’. Is anyone going to be directly affected if something is not done straight away?

I keep to-do lists religiously, and work through them, if something comes in urgently, if you keep on top of things, you should be able to handle it.

What was the hardest decision you have taken as a leader?

To actually step into the role of a leader! The hardest thing I have ever done is ask people to believe in me, and work with me to make things happen for others.

When an ops director (with 25 sites) the company that I worked for ‘went bust’ for want of a better word.

When this happened, I had to make 22 General Managers redundant and 18 of them homeless. This affected me and still does today.

What steps do you take to measure your own performance?

I ensure others hold me accountable, my teams tell me how I am doing on a regular basis, we work with each other to fix issues, if there is something lacking in my approach. 

I also check in regularly with my clients to ensure my team and I are doing the job they want.

What does success mean for you as a business leader?

Looking after others and helping them achieve their goals, helping those understand what they need to be able to be themselves and succeed in their roles.