Interview With Barbara Booth From Go-Be Sleeves

The Travel Coach Network podcast is your weekly dose of travel coach info, inspo and news from around the globe. Tune in to each episode to hear inspiring stories of successful travel coaches who are building their lives and business around travel, all while exploring the world. You'll also learn all about travel coaching, setting intentions for your trip, adding meaning to travel, and how you can grow your own travel coaching business. Because remember, there is more to a travel career than just blogging and booking. Now join us as we reshape how and why people travel. 

Sahara Rose: Welcome to the Travel Coach Network podcast. It is I, Sahara Rose De Vore, the founder of the Travel Coach Network and the creator and instructor of the Travel Coach Certification Program. Today I am so excited to bring to you Barbara Booth and Cornelia Quinn. They are the co-founders of Go-Be sleeves and today, speaking on the podcast, it's going to be Barbara. Barbara Booth is a former NBC reporter and co-founder and CEO of Go-Be sleeves. She and Cornelia Quinn co-founded Go-Be sleeves with a mission to encourage people to travel more sustainably, ethically and with less fear post-pandemic. Barbara, thank you so much for joining us today on the TCN podcast. 

Barbara: Thank you so much for having me. Such a pleasure. 

Sahara Rose: Wonderful. Yeah. So if anyone hasn't really heard quite yet, Barbara and Cornelia and I decided to partner within the TCN. And in today's episode, you're going to hear more about exactly those reasons why and how a lot of our missions really align and our values align with one another. Before we dive into all of that, Barbara, do you want to share more about your personal background and maybe some of Cornelia's and where your passion for travel stemmed from? 

Barbara: My passion for travel really just came from a natural yearning to embrace adventure and to engage with people from different cultures and to explore new lands. And I really believe that travel inspires us to try and see new things and it challenges us. It takes us out of our comfort zone and I think that's so important in our life because if we aren't taken out of our comfort zone, we really don't grow. One of the biggest reasons I love travel so much is because it teaches us about humanity, and it makes us appreciate other points of view. And that's really one of the reasons we came up with Go-Be and a lot of what's behind Go-Be. 

Sahara Rose: Perfect. And what about your background in reporting and in the news industry? Did any of that really inspire co-founding Go-Be as well? 

Barbara: Absolutely. As a CNBC reporter, I did a lot of travel myself, and I also interviewed a lot of entrepreneurs who were doing really great things, and I learned so much from so many of them. I had the pleasure of working with Eric Ryan from Method Dish Soap and Sarah Blakely, who founded Spanx, and Sarah Kauss who founded the S’well bottle. And all of them were really on a mission to do something that changed people's behavior and when my co founder Cornelia who was also one of my best friends came to me years ago with her idea of coming up with a tray table cover because she was worried about her child who had special needs and had some autoimmune disorders. 

She came to me and said, “I really want to try to develop something that will help people when they travel because I really believe that my son is getting sick on the airplane.” So when she came to me, I really thought a lot about it and realized that it's not just about a tray table cover. There's so much more that goes into it, and it's very much along the lines of so many other entrepreneurs. When they come up with an idea, it really goes so much deeper. All of my reporting on all of these entrepreneurs really helped me. Although I always had the entrepreneurial bug, it really helped me to develop our business plan. 

Sahara Rose: Yeah, I really resonate with that, where you talk about the entrepreneurs who have an underlying mission of changing consumer behaviors. And I know that's one of the reasons why Go-Be sleeves and the TCN really align too, because the TCN is there to help change traveler behavior on why we travel and really what it means for us when it comes to our wellbeing, our personal lives, our relationships, our businesses and more. So that's really exciting. I do have to ask though, is there a favorite place that you've ever traveled to that really made an impact on you or that you just absolutely loved? 

Barbara: I would say India because there’s just so much that you learn about other people there and it’s such a humbling place to go to. There are so many people that are working so hard and the country is so different from ours. There is so much to learn from others there and it made a huge impact on me.

Sahara Rose: I love that, I love India too. It’s just so diverse in so many different ways. I know that we briefly talked about Go-Be sleeves, but let's dive a little bit deeper into it. What exactly are Go-Be sleeves, and who are they for? 

Barbara: Well, Go-Be sleeves is really for every traveler. We really had in mind that we wanted to make a product that was for every gender, and every age that would benefit everyone. So there's really no one age group or one gender that would benefit from this. So Go-Be sleeves is a tray table cover. And it's for airplanes, but it's also for trains and buses anywhere, really, that has a tray. I was just on a ferry the other day going to Catalina, and there was a tray on the ferry. So really, there's just so many different places you can use it. A lot of people, because of the pandemic, became fearful of traveling. And I really feel that it's so, so important to never have that barrier and that you should always lose the fear and enjoy the journey. 

And it's not just in traveling, but it's just in your life in general. You can't let things stop you from growing. That was one of the reasons we wanted to develop Go-Be and why it's called Go-Be, because we want people to go be adventurous. We support the wanderlusters, the joy seekers, the get up and goers. We want to support everyone. 

It's really an eco-friendly tray table cover. We have 20 different colors and designs. They fit universally over the tray tables, and they're made out of plastic we claimed from the ocean. We're really trying to help in that aspect as well, to make something that is made in the USA and uses post-consumer plastic bottles. The tray table cover just goes over the tray, and people just feel less worried about the germs. So it started there, but it goes into just changing people's behavior about traveling in general and realizing that you need to be sustainable. 

One of the reasons is because (with) single-use wipes, there are so many that go into our landfills every single day because of the different flights. So if there are three airlines that give out wipes, and if they give out just one to every traveler, that's 5 million in a day that's going into our landfills. Usually, people use many more than just one single-use disinfectant wipe, and these don't break down at all because they're made of synthetic fibers. 

So these tray covers eliminate the use of these single-use wipes, and it's helping our planet that way. It's more than just a tray table cover to make people feel more confident when they travel and have that extra layer of protection. It's also about traveling sustainably. 

Sahara Rose: Yeah, sustainable tourism is on the rise. Sustainability in general in the travel and hospitality industries is one of the hottest topics that has come out of the pandemic or really amplified as we come out of post-pandemic here. It allowed people over the past few years to really realize how valuable our planet and nature is in our life. And that's where we're seeing a lot of travelers desiring more eco-friendly tourism, more sustainable, more responsible. So we're hearing a lot of these really keywords in the industry. And I love that you're creating a product that is very multifaceted when it comes to your mission and the purpose of it. 

You talked about helping people who are struggling with the fear of travel post-pandemic because that was a huge, huge topic and worry among tourism & hospitality companies as well of how do we get people back on the road again, not only in business travel but tourism in general. So having a product that can just help boost our confidence and give us that peace of mind that we need as travelers that is also making a positive impact on the planet itself, but also helping us go be, like you said In your title there. Go be whatever It is we want to be in this world, which is something so powerful that we in the TCN really talk about, (which) are the benefits and the purpose of travel. So I love all of that. For those who are not sure what ethical travel even is, can you just give a brief idea and definition of that? 

Barbara: Absolutely. Ethical travel means being mindful of the consequences that being a tourist has on the environment, animals and the people. As a visitor, you need to make sure you don't have a negative impact on that environment. Traveling ethically means to really be mindful of where you're going and who you're having an impact on. 

Sahara Rose: Absolutely. And something else that I do want to touch on is when I ask who are Go-Be sleeves for? And you're very right on, it's literally for everyone and every type of traveler, every purpose of travel as well. And I know a lot of our listeners here on the TCN podcast are travel entrepreneurs like travel coaches and travel agents who have the audiences to impact and inspire to be able to use products like Go-Be sleeves on their journeys. We have a lot of travel coaches and travel agents who work with different families who travel, who have young kids or kids in general. Business travelers, of course, that is one area that I am very passionate about that helps give some of this traveler friction as a friend Scott Gillespie always talks about in business travel. So those who are listening, if you're a traveler yourself, but your clients, those your coach, are travelers as well, think about Go-Be sleeves as something just to share along with them. And we're going to dive deeper into why this product also was just really fun in so many different ways, too. We mentioned right before we hopped onto this interview today, talking about how it supports your campaign to help support local artists. And from an artist myself, I think that's a really cool idea. Where did that idea come from and why? 

Barbara: We love the arts. Cornelia and I both love the arts and we feel it's really important to support them. We have beautiful, beautiful patterns for our first collection. Like I said, there are 20 different colors and patterns. The way that Go-Be works is that we have this patented case and two sleeves come in a case, or you can buy them solo. 

So now we're heading into 2023 and we're thinking about our next collection. And we thought, here we are, we work with these beautiful graphic designers and we come up with these beautiful patterns. And there is reason behind these patterns that we do have. But we thought, how can we take it a step further? 

I'm actually now living in Massachusetts, in an area where there are a lot of unbelievable artists. They're so talented. And I thought, how can we combine (their) talent and our product? We came up with the idea of going to all the different hot travel destinations and opening up a competition to the local artists in those hot spot destinations and asking them to create this beautiful artwork that has the vibe of the area. So we started out in New England and we're really narrowing it down. We had a great response and we opened it up to the local artists of New England, and asked them to create something that just gives that vibe. We had a lot of entries and we're narrowing it down, like I said, and it's been a real success story so far. The sleeves that these artists create will go for our next collection. 

And so from New England, we're going to go then to California, to maybe Venice, to Hawaii, to Alaska, and try to hit all of the hotspots and ask the local artists to submit. And this way they have a chance to get national exposure on our website and have something where their sleeves and their beautiful masterpiece will be signed. Every one of their sleeves will be signed by them. It's kind of a fun collaboration. 

Sahara Rose: I love that. Like I said, I am an artist myself. I always have been. And so something that I really admire when I travel around the globe is seeing the artwork, whether it's the street art of the culture, the patterns and the fabrics everywhere in this world cultures are so diverse in their patterns, their colors, their themes of their art. So I think that's really exciting, I can see so much growth and so much so many other possibilities that you're opening for different artists, around the globe too, not only just in the States.

Barbara: Yes, I think that it’ll really take off even more. The momentum is growing and as we finish New England and go to the next place, it’ll just continue to catch on. and I think people will start to collect them because it's about travel, right? They love to go to different places. If New England is one of their favorite places or Hawaii is one of their favorite places, they're going to want to have one of those sleeves. 

Sahara Rose: Yeah. That's also something fun to think about as gifts, too, when we travel, or as travelers ourselves or travel coaches, travel agents. Thinking about client gifts as well as thinking about different destinations that they're heading to, putting together preparation packages for them and having a Go-Be sleeve that is themed with a local artist of the destination where they're going is a really fun idea also. We talked about the sleeve, let's talk about the packaging. You sent me some Go-Be sleeves so I've got to see firsthand just how cool all of it is. But let's talk about the packaging because there's purpose and meaning behind its packaging. 

Barbara: We put so much thought into every part of Go-Be. The packaging itself is shaped like a hexagon. And the reason we did that is because one of the strongest structures in nature is the honeycomb. And when all these hexagons in the honeycomb are together, the walls when they are put together, become so strong. And we believe that if everyone is mindful of each other and we believe success for sustainable travel depends on people changing their habits. So if everyone is stronger together, the world will be stronger. So when you put these honeycomb cases all together it's like we're representing just all of us being mindful when we're traveling and making a stronger case for a better world. 

Sahara Rose: Yes, and that's another reason why the TCN aligns with Go-Be sleeves is just the deeper belief and just how powerful travel can be and just the impact travel can make on not only traveling in our own lives but on the planet, on our relationships and other cultures and other connections. So I absolutely love that. Tell us, is there anything else that you'd like to share with our audience of what Go-Be has in store? Maybe what your grand or vision is or any other fun things that you guys are working on? 

Barbara: Sure, well we're always, like I said, coming up with new patterns but really what we want to do is to be working with the World Tourism Council. The World Economic Forum is so involved with ethical travel. You know, we're so involved in that part of this. Go-Be started out as an airline tray table cover and has grown into so much more. One of the things that like I was saying before is that Travel and Tourism is growing so rapidly that international arrivals are expected to reach 1.3 billion annually by 2030. 

The World Tourism Council is pushing to ensure that travel positively impacts communities and natural ecosystems. We really believe that Go-Be has the power to start people on this path of thinking about the importance of sustainable and ethical travel. We're taking a tray cover and we're creating a movement. So that's really what's inspiring us to move and to do more. 

Our hope is that everyone will have a Go-Be (sleeve), really, to represent that mindset and that new mindset. We really hope to get companies really, really involved. I know a lot of companies have reached out to us already because they love the product. A lot of people are traveling now, everyone's back at work. Companies are sending their employees off to travel. So a lot of companies are reaching out to us and saying, “We like this product. We want to show our employees that we care about their wellness and we care about them and we care about sustainability. So we want to put our logo on your sleeve.” So we're doing that and we're working with our designers. And it's not just a logo on a sleeve, but we're actually creating beautiful patterns with their brand colors. So it's not just a logo on a sleeve, but we're actually doing patterns and beautiful things with them. And so the companies are loving them and they're putting their logos on the packs as well. 

So we're really hoping that people are starting to see that it's an iconic shape to the package and they're becoming noticeable. I go through airports, I see them on people's backpacks because these cases can clip onto any carry-on. So it's really great to see when you get on a plane and you see somebody with one or seeing someone walk through the airport. So that's just been mindblowing to me so far. So we're just going to keep driving toward that. And we want to start collaborating more and more with companies that really care about ethical traveling and sustainability. 

Sahara Rose: Yeah, I love that and I cannot wait to receive some TCN ones too, so you'll be getting an order from me soon. And I love the fact that you're saying that you're playing with the brand colors and different patterns because it's more than just slapping a logo in the corner of the sleeve, but having fun with it too, which is fun for the company as well. So I love that all. Kind of to switch it up a little bit as we come towards the end here, is there a fun fact about yourself that you could share with our listeners and it doesn't have to be business or travel related? 

Barbara: Oh gosh, I've been asked this question before and one of the funniest things about me is that my personality is one that's very outgoing, on the verge of being an extrovert, loving to be with people and new adventures and really not afraid of trying new things. And the funniest thing about me is really that I was a nursery school dropout because I wouldn't participate with any of the kids. I was the fourth child. I have three older sisters and I was so attached to my mother that I had this separation anxiety from her. So instead of going in and engaging with all of the other kids, I took my chair and I'd sit by the door and I was so defiant and I would just sit there and wait for my mother to come and pick me up. And so everyone says, “we can't believe this person who you've developed into came from this little kid who was so defiant in nursery school and couldn't deal with engaging with the other kids!” So that's one of the funniest things, one of the fun facts that people don't know, that people do change in their lives. So that's one of the fun facts about me that I usually tell people. 

Sahara Rose: I think that's funny. I've never met a nursery school dropout before. Wonderful, wonderful. Thank you so much for sharing that. Could you tell our listeners where they can learn more about Go-Be sleeves and follow? 

Barbara: Absolutely. We are pretty much everywhere. We are on Instagram, on TikTok, on LinkedIn and on Facebook. We also have our own website, of course, where everything that we have is on there to buy. So that's www.gobesleeves.com. And we are thinking of branching out in other areas as well. A lot of sites for the corporations that have us on for their wellness when they give their employees wellness box, we're on those sites as well.

Sahara Rose: Nice. I love that. Barbara, I want to see thank you so much for joining us today. I know Cornelia and you have created something quite unique and very exciting. So I and the TCN are so excited to be partners with you. 

Barbara: We're so excited too. Thank you so much for having me on today. 

Sahara Rose: Absolutely. Well, this isn't going to be the last that you hear from Barbara and Cornelia and Go-Be sleeves. If you are interested in any Go-Be products, get 20% off your purchase via our affiliate link here! 

Be sure to follow us on Instagram at @thetravelcoachnetwork or learn more about us at www.thetravelcoachnetwork.com and send us a hello. We look forward to having you in our free TCN Global Community on Facebook. Don't forget to grab your Free Beginner's Guide to Travel Coaching as well!

 If you know anyone who may be interested in travel coaching, please be sure to send them our way to our podcast. We truly appreciate it. And until next time, my fellow wonders, bye for now. 

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