Jane Ann Craig

JANE ANN

Not a day goes by that I don’t look out my window and feel gratitude to God and my college job, for relocating me to Utah. I was born in Fargo, North Dakota and raised in Southern California. After a couple of short work stints in other locales, my company promoted and relocated me to Utah. I’d gone from receptionist to sales manager.

I met my husband my first day in town and six months later we were married. Over the next 6 years we bought our first home, puppy and gave birth to our son. Life was better than good, it was an adventure.

But as with every adventure, the unexpected happened. We took my husband to the emergency room for what we thought was a pulled muscle to discover he had terminal cancer. Eight months later, I was a widow and the single mom of my 2-year-old son.

As the months passed, it became evident that my job would never provide the flexibility or income needed to give my son the life my husband and I had dreamed of. With that simple realization, I quit my job, created a stock offering and started a company; a dental insurance carrier.

On paper, I wasn’t qualified to be a CEO of an insurance company. I didn’t have a business degree and had never taken an accounting class. But what I had was a dream that was packed full of purpose.

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You Can Do It

Simplicity is the state of being simple. This means that as you go after your goals and dreams, keep it simple.

Like other “single parents,” my dream was to be actively involved in my son’s life. I wanted to give him the best life possible, teach him to be generous and support him as he discovered his purpose.

Although my company began as a vehicle to support our dreams, it didn’t take long to see that building a business was bigger than just meeting my family’s needs.

Since its inception the company has provided career, benefits and resources to countless employees. Its supported local vendors and served our communities. It’s given me the platform, resources and ability to contribute to causes I’m passionate about.

One cause I’m committed to is educating young people about entrepreneurship through an organization called Junior Achievement of Utah. Working with Utah businesses’, Junior Achievement has reached over one

million students teaching entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. Children learn how to apply and interview for jobs. They even spend a day running a business in the magical mini municipality called JA City.

Over the years my company grew to four companies with clients throughout the country and in 2011 it sold to a multibillion-dollar organization. I continued to serve as their CEO until stepping down in 2016.

Today I am an author, consultant, board member and public speaker who works with a wide variety of groups that include businesses, associations, foundations and universities. Recently I’ve had the opportunity to serve as a business mentor in America’s most notorious Super Max Prison, Pelican Bay.

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Jane Ann Craig @cjaneann