Summer Craig Podcast Feature: Talking Revenue Growth on Arcus Advisors
In a recent episode of the Arcus Advisors podcast, Craig Group CEO Summer Craig shared her entrepreneurial journey, insights into revenue growth strategies, and the lessons she’s learned along the way.
Hosted by Candus Hinderer and Carrie Ferroukhi, the Arcus Advisors podcast highlights stories of entrepreneurs and business leaders. In this episode, Summer shares insights from her background in sales, marketing, and private equity-backed businesses.
Summer emphasized the Craig Group’s full-stack approach, covering everything from demand generation to customer success. By aligning sales, marketing, and post-sale strategies, Craig Group ensures businesses have the right structures and processes in place to meet their ambitious growth targets.
From Corporate Career to Entrepreneurship
Reflecting on her background, Summer shared her journey from growing up in Texas, to pursuing a career in marketing. Summer’s career began at GSD&M and progressed through roles in telecom and digital advertising, including key positions at AOL and HomeAway.com. She gained experience in IPOs, venture capital, and programmatic media. Later, she held leadership roles in agency and in-house settings, focusing on marketing strategy and performance.
The decision to launch her own firm came during a pivotal moment while on vacation; after having her third child, Summer realized she was driven by the desire to build something of her own. Instead of stepping back from work, she leaned in, writing a business plan and officially launching Craig Group in 2019. Within months, she had her first client and quickly scaled the company.
Addressing Key Revenue Growth Challenges for Private Equity-Backed Companies
Craig discussed the challenges many private equity-backed companies face, particularly when founders are the primary sales drivers. Often, these businesses lack formalized processes, making it difficult to scale efficiently. Craig Group specializes in extracting institutional knowledge from key leaders, documenting best practices, and creating structured sales and marketing strategies to drive sustainable growth.
COVID’s Impact
Summer also discussed the impact of COVID-19, noting that while many businesses faced challenges, Craig Group saw growth as demand for strong digital sales and marketing strategies increased. The firm’s remote operating model and ability to attract talent from across the country supported this momentum.
The Importance of Hiring and Talent Acquisition
Hiring, Summer noted, continues to be one of the most challenging aspects of running a business. She emphasized the importance of maintaining an ongoing recruitment mindset—always looking for strong talent, even when there isn’t an immediate opening. By building relationships early and staying proactive, she’s been able to identify individuals who align with the company’s values and long-term goals. Over time, she’s learned to take thoughtful, calculated risks in hiring, trusting that bringing the right people on board will create momentum and drive growth.
Looking Ahead: Innovation and Growth
Summer spoke about Craig Group’s continued growth including a recently developed a machine-learning-powered forecasting tool, Conduit™, which launched in 2025. It helps businesses analyze sales and financial data to make more informed strategic decisions. With a strong market position and a growing team, Craig Group is poised for further expansion.
Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs
Summer’s advice to aspiring entrepreneurs? If the thought of starting a business is already in your head, take the leap. But she also stresses the importance of having a clear revenue plan and understanding your product-market fit before diving in.
Want to hear the whole discussion? Tune in here.
