The tray cover market for travelers is heavily influenced by evolving consumer preferences for hygiene and convenience, technological advancements, and sustainability considerations. Companies in this sector can capitalize on these trends by offering innovative, high-quality products that meet regulatory standards and cater to the needs of travelers seeking a safe and comfortable experience. As travel patterns continue to recover and evolve, monitoring consumer behaviour and adapting product offerings accordingly will be key to success in this market.
Go-Be is an eco-friendly, reusable antimicrobial tray sleeve that is as stylish as it is functional and planet-friendly. The idea came to its co-founders Barbara Booth and Cornelia Quinn after they discovered that millions of single-use disinfectant wipes, which are non-biodegradable and contain harsh chemicals, head to landfills every day from travelers wiping down their tray tables. So they set out to create a product that was not only fun and functional but eco-friendly, sustainable and embedded with an antimicrobial technology that is non-toxic and non-irritating. What’s more, Go-Be’s fabric is knitted out of a fiber created from recycled post-consumer plastic, and a portion of each purchase goes to support Ocean Conservancy, an organization committed to resolving the ocean plastic crisis.
As a former CNBC reporter, Barbara’s entrepreneurial spirit had been fueled for years as she told the stories of how some of today’s most dynamic entrepreneurs built their empires and used their success as a force for good. Go-Be has quickly become a catalyst for changing people’s behaviour and educating them on the importance of traveling more ethically and sustainably. Go-Be is now partnering with major airlines, hotels, and other major players in the hospitality industry to promote sustainability in the tourism sector. Barbara and Cornelia’s dream of creating a product that is not only functional but a force for good has come true.
The initial challenges
“The travel gear industry is hugely competitive, and despite the uniqueness of our tray covers—their hygiene benefits, sustainability and eco-friendly design—we were a completely new concept competing for attention and market share against a wide array of travel accessories. There are neck pillows, packing cubes, travel-size toiletries, portable chargers, and eye masks, each vying for the consumer’s interest and wallet. So, one of the greatest challenges lay in convincing travelers that our reusable tray covers are a must-have addition to their travel essentials, especially when our society often prioritizes convenience over what is right for the planet, in this case, single-use disposable wipes, which cause great harm to the environment. Our mission was (and still is) to change that behaviour by inspiring travelers to travel more ethically and choose an eco-friendly option to avoid germs. That was tough and required significant effort. We needed impactful messaging and a lot of it. We started with paid ads to gain some traction. That was costly, so we switched to doing our organic content and flooded the social media platforms to make people aware of our brand and our mission. We didn’t always get it right. We had to do a lot of market research, polls, and social engagement, and learn how to effectively target audiences. We enrolled in mentorship programs to learn, because technology is ever-changing. It didn’t happen overnight, but we finally discovered the messaging that resonates with travelers who share our values and love our brand,” says Barbara.
The journey towards leadership
“What inspired me to lead Go-Be and become a leader in my field was the desire to create meaningful change in the way people travel. I noticed a gap in the market for a sustainable, hygienic, and aesthetically pleasing way to fight the germs on your tray table. After my investigations uncovered the truth about the cleanliness of airplane tray tables and how this could impact health especially those with life-threatening food allergies and autoimmune issues my co-founder Cornelia and I resolved to come up with an environmentally responsible solution. We also wanted to put a little joy back into air travel. Flying, what was once considered glamorous and exciting, is now a hassle, with tight spaces and flight delays the norm. Go-Be tray covers come in stunning designs and make people feel happier in their personal space. The idea of encouraging people to “go be” adventurous, and bold and to lose the fear and enjoy the journey, especially during Covid resonated with me. So, this vision inspired me to take the lead and build a brand that not only meets practical needs but also promotes positivity,” adds Barbara.
Beating the odds
“One significant challenge we faced early on was figuring out how to regain our footing after draining most of our resources on expensive marketing campaigns out of the gate instead of starting off scrappy to test the waters. In hindsight we should have focused more on driving sales and proving our concept before committing such a large budget to marketing efforts. This situation forced us to pivot quickly. We shifted our focus from extensive paid media campaigns to more DIY strategies, such as consistently producing engaging content via posts, videos, and blogs that resonate with our audience and interacting with our followers to authentically generate buzz about our brand without incurring high costs.
It was a scramble, but our efforts paid off: We were able to attract and retain enough customers through authentic social media marketing to generate the necessary revenue to stabilize our finances and regain our footing. This taught us that effective marketing does not always require a large budget. Organic social media marketing, when done right, can be just as powerful in driving customer engagement and sales,” says Barbara.
The evergreen qualities of a leader
“I believe the ability to adapt and pivot to changing circumstances is crucial. Things are not always going to go according to plan. Many times, they are not. So, you need to have the capacity to bounce back from setbacks and stay determined to move forward.
I also believe you need to have a clear and compelling vision so you can guide your team. But at the same time be open to your team’s ideas. Otherwise, innovation will stall. Encourage creativity and embrace new ideas. Promoting teamwork and valuing diverse perspectives enhances innovation.
You also need to be able to make informed decisions. There is so much noise out there about the “right way” to send messaging on social media, or the “right way” to send email campaigns and so forth. You need to stay ahead of the curve and know what is going on in your marketplace. Know what the trends are. What your audience wants. You must commit to continually learning so your business stays relevant.
Most of all, though, you need to base your business on transparency and integrity so you can build trust and credibility within the organization, with external partners, and with your customers.”
The future roadmap
“At Go-Be, our vision extends far beyond creating tray covers for travel. We aim to be the company that creates high-quality covers in stunning designs for anything you need. While some of our future inventions are under wraps, I can assure you that they will always align with our mission to promote sustainability and minimize ecological impact. We will continue to keep our customers informed about our processes, materials, and the impact of our products, fostering trust and loyalty, and our branding will always reflect positivity and inspiration. We believe in encouraging our customers to ‘Go Be’ adventurous, bold, and environmentally conscious. This ethos will be woven into every aspect of our marketing and communication efforts in the future. We will also continue to strengthen our collaborations with like-minded organizations, influencers, and communities to amplify our impact and reach so we can continue to drive positive change and support sustainable practices globally,” concluded Barbara.
- Visit Barbara Booth – LinkedIn Profile
- Visit Go-Be Sleeves – Company Website
