Meet The Team: Craig Pryde
Hi, I’m Craig Pryde, and I’m the Founder & CEO of Different Breed.
What’s your role at Different Breed, and how does it make live events more inclusive?
I'm the Founder and Chief Operating Officer here at Different Breed, and I head up the team in terms of vision, working closely with the boards to align projects and bring to life solutions to real-world problems that both disabled fans and event teams face.
I also handle the tech and design side of the business, supporting the team with the day-to-day delivery of our products.
Which part of your vision speaks to you, and how does it shape your day-to-day?
The ability to bring about real changes at scale without the usual friction and barriers. I call it advocacy through solutions, but I think what we really do is offer a realistic and tangible approach to improving accessibility at scale, led by the people we are trying to serve.
From my own experience of living with a disability and from hearing feedback from the people on our board and the fans who rely on our experience to feel confident in attending events. I know, regardless of the challenges we face or the overwhelming nature of being an autistic CEO, that it's all worth it, and we are making a real impact on the lives of people who are often overlooked.
What recent project or partnership taught you something new about accessibility?
Our work with The WRU has been a great learning experience. I've seen first-hand the impact of delivering information to fans at scale when it's done right and in a personal way.
I never expected that we would cut support cases by almost half or reach over 800,000 people in the first six months after launch. This was a personal project that I started in a bedroom, now being rapidly scaled, and we smoke-tested on the national stage. And it worked!
One of the takeaways I'd like to share is one that was unexpected. By delivering the information in a personalised way, we found that fans who usually booked for the raised platform started booking for other areas of the stadium, as they knew what to expect. This opened up an opportunity for more people with disabilities to attend and demonstrated the real power of the personalised information that was being delivered.
If every venue did one thing tomorrow to improve access, what would it be and why?
Everyone will be waiting for the mantra of "Include disabled people in your decision-making" for this question. However, I feel that this is not an easy first step to take and is, in fact, a step for later in your accessibility journey.
If you're looking for a simple thing to do, take a moment to observe how your disabled fans experience the event and check in with them about how they found their experience. What you will see is exceptional problem solvers, enjoying the experience in a way that works for them, and this will humanise the whole process of approaching accessibility at your venue.
Which feature or workflow are you most proud of, and what problem does it solve for disabled fans?
It has to be our personalisation filters on the Fan Guides. This was a feature that had never been done before, and we nailed it with the delivery. The fact that someone with a disability can select their needs and see a guide personalised to them in real time still blows my mind.
Not only has this feature led to incredible metrics that help teams understand their disabled fans in a non-intrusive way, but it has also contributed to significant decreases in support cases, as fans can self-serve.
I'm most proud of this feature, not because it's a technical success, but because it's a simple initiative that we were brave enough to launch into the world, which now positively impacts the experience of over 120,000 fans every month.
Favourite gig: what made it unforgettable?
My favourite gig happened when I was younger. I went to see a band called Matt & Kim with my friend Ducky. This was my first large gig, and it was great to see both the support acts and the bands live.
This gig was unforgettable, as it was one of the only times I've been able to stand in the crowd without getting sensory overload. It helped me realise that attending with a friend can help me handle the crowds of larger events without becoming overwhelmed.
Thanks Ducky!
What’s the best accessibility innovation you’ve seen at an event you’ve attended?
One that has always stuck with me is when I went to see a gig in Cardiff Castle and a gentleman in the crowd had a motorised wheelchair that could lift him above the crowd like a scissor lift to see the performance.
It was incredible to see the gentleman in his own element, living his best life in the moment, and that small innovation has enabled him to do so.
The work we do at Different Breed follows a similar mantra: We want to build technology that helps people feel empowered in their own experiences, and I'm glad our work is having a similar innovative impact to the great inventions I have seen throughout my life.
Who would you drop everything to see live, and what’s your dream venue?
I'd love to see the Boston Bruins play ice hockey in a home game at TD Garden. I've loved hockey since my teens, and the atmosphere with fans is fantastic. One day!
Do you have any hobbies outside of live events?
Most of my time is spent on Different Breed, either working on projects or thinking about how we can make an impact for the customers we work with.
Programming and technology have always been hobbies of mine, and admittedly, since I'm a software engineer on the day-to-day alongside my CEO responsibilities, I don't take much time off. I'm fortunate enough to do what I enjoy every day as part of my job.
I enjoy watching Ice Hockey, gaming and gardening when I'm not working. I appreciate the challenges of growing fruit and vegetables, and I grew up in the countryside, so it's what I did with my grandparents. I like to keep that tradition going.
Lightning round: big gig or small venue?, access pet peeve? and one tip for first-time attendees?
Being autistic, I get easily overwhelmed in crowds, so I usually prefer the smaller venues when I go to events.
I have a stammer so my one pet peeves is how much venues still rely on phone lines, If you need to book or ask a question its commonly a phone line which I struggle to use as I have no way of telling the person I stammer before the call which creates alot of anxiety and at times can act as a barrier to attending the event.
My one accessibility tip would be: When approaching the accessible experience of your venue, try to see it from the perspective of a disabled individual and step into their shoes. Even something as small as a photo of your disabled bathroom can be an integral part of the unforgettable experience a fan will have.