Leaders

Hospitality comes naturally to women - especially to Indian women who are taught 'Atithi Devo Bhavo' as a philosophy of culture. Making people feel at home is deep-rooted within our heritage as well. Despite that supremacy, we can hardly find women in leadership roles in the industry – pointing to the glaring gender bias. As an elixir to the unfair stats, few bold and beautiful ladies are grabbing leadership thrones in the hospitality sector by breaking age-old stereotypes. While speaking about such successful women, mentioning Gehna Chadha is indeed a pleasure.

Born into a family involved in the hospitality business for decades, she grew up with a detailed comprehension of nuances in the sector. She combined her experience and educational learnings to conceptualize JAG24 that delivers a great hospitality experience to the customers.

Women Entrepreneur India had a chance to interact with this young and dynamic go-getter. The following excerpt is an exclusive conversation of knowing more about her success journey and how she is adeptly and passionately fulfills her leadership roles with next-gen ideas and ground-breaking strategies.

Tell Us About Your Prior Industry Experience Before Founding Jag24. What Are Some Business Learnings You Gained?
Before Jag24, I have interned with two event management companies, namely, Geometry Encompass and Inked Canvas Events. The takeaway from those opportunities was attention to detail and focusing on every task at hand. In my opinion, the end of the task is just as important as the start. These are some curial lessons learnt through my professional experience that are still a part of my leadership.

Take Us Through Your Journey. What Factors Led You To Become An Entrepreneur In The Hospitality Space?
At the age of 18, I started looking after my property when my parents got occupied taking care of our restaurants in Mumbai.

Slowly, got an opportunity to take full charge of it. My parents were very tolerant of my mistakes and failures and that is how I gained my confidence. I’ve had a lot of hands-on experience with this.

Growing up in a family which has been in the hospitality industry, and studying Mass Media & Communication made me realize how Jag24 is an opportunity and platform to use both these aspects to create, execute, and sell the experience.

What Value-Added Services And USPs Make Jag24 Offer One Of A Kind Experience To People? Enumerate Your Plans For The Company.
Jag24 is my family’s holiday home at Manor. It is a lakeside property that is surrounded by lush greenery.

We have built this piece by piece with the labor of love. According to me, the property’s USP is the floating deck at the lake. We have a games room and a cricket turf. It’s a home away from home because although we’ve been selling it for 3 years, we’ve made sure to add our homely touch to it. The food we offer is farm-totable, which gives a truly authentic experience.

“Gehna Chadha’s brainchild, jag24 is a spacious, bright, comfortable, and pet-friendly property located amid the lush green village of manor”

In terms of roadmap, my goal is to make JAG24 a go-to spot for anyone and everyone. My aspiration lies in hosting events like open-air movie nights, sustainable events, pot lunches, staycations, picnics, etc. I want Jag24 to feel homely and render an all-inclusive experience.

Highlight Your Personality And Leadership Style? How Do You Keep Yourself Well Aligned With Every Change Taking Place Within The Industry?
I’m easy-going and most importantly, an approachable person who is willing to go the extra mile to render best experiences to our customers. I have tweaked and grown my soft skills over the years to enhance my leadership qualities.

With regards to the hospitality industry that constantly keeps evolving, it is affected by various external market forces. However, I believe that change is constant! Evolution is a necessity and taught me better than the pandemic. The key is to be adaptable and resilient.

The Ongoing Pandemic Has Been A Tough Journey. How Did You Deal With The Challenge To Make Jag24 A Safe Place To Stay?
We checked everyone’s temperature and sanitized the property after every stay. Mainly, our guests are families and since we rent out the whole villa, it was easier to supervise.

At JAG24, we ensure quality & hygiene. The property is managed and cleaned on regular basis and the premises are supervised carefully. We have the expertise to review existing operations and suggest new ways to enhance the experience and drive operational efficiencies.

Gehna Chadha, Founder, Jag24
I try to live by the words of Oprah and would like to tell everyone that “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Our words and deeds will be forgotten, but the experience will remain forever. Therefore, craft services that would make people cherish forever.