Meet Jess Circi, Co-founder

Tell us about your role at The Ortus Club.

I am mainly in charge of company vision and team structure. I still wear a lot of hats—more than I’d like to sometimes—but I love what we do, so it comes naturally to give it my all, no matter which department I’m focusing on.

Marketing is definitely at the core of everything I do. It’s where it all started, and it continues to define my thought process, no matter the conversation. I often look at running the company as a big marketing initiative; I market things to clients, guests, the team, and our partners… as cheesy as it may sound, everything is marketing.
Anything more process-based is led by my partner and co-founder, Sam. I always describe our roles as “I answer why we do things, he answers how we do it.”

How did Ortus start? What inspired you to create Ortus?

In short, Ortus was born out of the frustration caused by the inefficiency of traditional corporate networking.
I took my first steps in the digital department at Hearst Magazine UK; I then worked as a reporter interviewing C-level executives and political figures around the world to produce business overviews of their respective countries. I was essentially in charge of chasing meetings, begging people for their time, producing thought-provoking questions, and running the interview.

I was then given the responsibility of finding advertisers to back up our stories, and that’s when the sales part came in. I moved on to a startup accelerator based in Singapore (shoutout to Accelerasia), where I would help companies explore and enter new markets. Both roles involved endless meetings, cold outreach, navigating gatekeepers… you name it.

I dreamed of a space where executives could connect more effortlessly and more directly. An environment designed to streamline networking and facilitate meaningful business connections based on trust and conversation.

What was Ortus like in the early days?

Well… It was chaos! But in a very exciting way. It was just me and Sam at the beginning, doing everything. I made the website, the branding, the content, the experience, F&B, etc., and Sam did anything that involved outreach and data, active inviting, and account management. Then we would do finances together. We made the mistake most startups make (I hear) of basically ignoring HR till it was too hard to ignore.

The first to join our team was Catherine Martin, who I will never forget and will always think of fondly. She and Mara de La Paz, who is our Head of Performance today, joined in our early years. Yoko Manzano then kickstarted our sales and account management teams, and Jamie Aclan who quickly became a key figure in our Ortus journey. But the full story would take a book to tell, so I’ll leave it for another occasion.

What’s the most exciting part of working at The Ortus Club?

The most exciting aspect of working at The Ortus Club for me has been to witness people believe in the company and what we’re trying to build. Seeing others embrace the concept, contributing with their own unique perspectives and taking the whole idea to new heights. I think it goes hand in hand with seeing our clients believe in our offering and watching them grow with us or (even better) through us. We’re seeing the small-scale events industry grow, which, to me, means many companies are seeing value in them, and it can only get more exciting from here.

What’s the most challenging part of running a business?

My answer to this question would probably change every month. But for the sake of answering it right now, I’d say trying to make the right decision; listening to everyone and weighing out the pros and cons. I find it hard to move on with a decision unless everyone in the room agrees, which can obviously be time-consuming and is not always viable. There’s so much in decision-making that’s not entirely data-driven, and one of the challenges comes with having to accept that not everyone will be happy about a decision.

How can businesses use events to build stronger relationships with potential customers?

Throughout the years at Ortus, I’ve seen firsthand how strategic events can transform potential customers into loyal advocates. Roundtable discussions specifically can really enhance one’s expertise because of the participants involved. There’s nothing more powerful than a topical discussion to establish trust, share insights, and ultimately build credibility. Businesses can demonstrate what their values are, what their passion is, and where their expertise lies through a networking event like the ones we host, and it can come naturally without presentations and fancy stages. In fact, I think that’s when it’s most successful. 

It’s all about understanding your ICP, curating a dialogue that will truly connect with the audience and creating the perfect environment to get people to share their knowledge. The rest comes later.

‘Roundtables specifically can really enhance one’s expertise because of the participants involved. There’s nothing more powerful than a conversation to establish trust, share insights, and ultimately build credibility’.

What’s one piece of advice you would give to any business leader looking to improve their lead generation through events?

Define the goals of the event very clearly at the very beginning and with all stakeholders, especially with regard to conversations that are meant to happen beyond the event. Again, not just with suppliers, vendors and partners but internally too. Anyone involved with the event should work together, and it starts by being aligned on what success looks like. 

What sets you apart from other marketing agencies when it comes to building relationships with clients?

Sam and I understand and sympathise with our clients and their teams in so many ways. I think we’re the perfect picture of what it means to integrate marketing and sales, it’s not always easy but it generates results when done well.

I am obviously biased here, but I believe our team is also what sets us apart. Everyone’s diverse background, not only in cultures and nationalities but also in interests and personalities, has allowed us to truly connect with a wide range of audiences in all sorts of sectors and globally.

Every single one of us, including departments like HR and events, has a deep understanding of outreach methods and the struggles that come with it. Every single person at Ortus deeply values meaningful conversations because we know how hard it is to find the time to get in front of the right person, and this is something that resonates with our clients too.

How do you find a balance between work and personal life?

I’ve stopped trying to achieve this perfect balance of personal and work time. I am so passionate about what I do and everything that I do. I adore being a mother, I love travelling and organising get-togethers with friends and family, and I love my company and my team. I have stopped feeling guilty about doing any of these things at whatever time of day.

Sometimes, I feel like I’m setting a bad example, but in all honesty, to each their own. I don’t think anyone is bad or lazy for not going 100 miles an hour at work every day. But I also don’t judge if you keep waking up at 3 am with a cool idea you want to try out at work. I don’t feel I’m sacrificing any aspect of my life right now.

What does success look like for Ortus in the next 10 years?

We want The Ortus Club to become the most strategic executive dialogue curator in the world with impactful conversations that engage everyone. What does that mean in concrete terms, 10 years from now? It’s a deluded vision I’m only comfortable sharing on our town halls (or EODs as we call them).