I am grateful to have had the honor to sit down for an intimate chat with the CEO of Undercover Colors, Barbara Cook. I am glad to share an excerpt of that chat with you here, and I hope you will join BonneFire to gain access to my full, hour-long conversation with this charismatic leader.
In her current role as CEO of Undercover Colors, I wanted to give Barbara the opportunity to educate all of us about the company’s newly launched product, a pioneering test that helps reveal the truth of whether or not a beverage has had drugs introduced into it, specifically to aid people in preventing sexual assault. As a mother of millennials, she wanted to do something that had a lot of meaning. She now has an opportunity to impact a needed culture change. Undercover Colors addresses an uncomfortable truth: that we have not evolved beyond sexual abuse, which is pervasive worldwide, in 2018.
It is important for Barbara and I to invite you to increase your awareness and to refuse to turn a blind eye. As expressed by Barbara: “Put yourself out of danger… We must all learn what to do. It is personal.”
The truth is that “1 in 13 freshmen in the United States are survivors of drug facilitated sexual assault,” and “145 million people in the U.S. alone are at risk.” Undercover Colors’ product works, it is easy to use and it will make a difference in people’s lives.
I invited Barbara to share about her journey to becoming who she is today as a grounded leader. Her values include being prepared to see and deal with the truth, and being authentic. She expressed clearly: “My authenticity is in my veins… My intent is always to do the right thing, and I am not afraid to apologize… People feel respected for being told the truth, and people feel valued.”
Barbara, a UK native, and former “naughty teenager, always pushing boundaries,” is an engaging and curious woman, who is hungry to continually learn and grow, and who is intentional in her leadership.
Barbara is the oldest of four sisters, and her father was an Auschwitz survivor. She had a successful career in the retail sector with very big accolades early on at Marks & Spencer. She later introduced Blackberry and Starbucks into the UK, ran Gap Europe and introduced Banana Republic to the European Market. Barbara shared with me that she is “always open to embrace change” and “make the best of situations.” She said, “Even the worst situations you’re in will teach you something that will make you a better human being.”
Watch an excerpt of our inspiring chat above, and learn about Undercover Colors’ product to “make the world a safer place.” Support Undercover Colors, tell its story and consider purchasing its product (for yourself and for your loved ones) at www.undercovercolors.com.
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