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Serial entrepreneur, Barry Beck, sits down with Anthony to discuss his successes and strategies as a leader and innovator. Barry, the Co-Founder and COO of Bluemercury Inc., started his first business at a young age shoveling snow in his Philadelphia neighborhood. He has an innate entrepreneurial spirit that was cultivated when his father told him that “he could be anything as long as he owns it”.

Before starting Bluemercury with his wife Marla, he had three successful previous business ventures. Bluemercury started in an online only platform and pivoted to a combination of a “clicks and bricks” business model when they felt the company was in survival mode. Bluemercury is credited with putting a dent in the cosmetic universe and disrupting mainstream retail. Macy’s has since acquired the company, and lends its resources to the innovative retailer.

Barry credits his personal board of directors – comprised of people with wisdom in different backgrounds who love him and understand him best – for challenging him to strive for more. He explains that he always had a drive to succeed and thinks his leadership and entrepreneurial qualities are a mix of both nature and nurture. During this episode of the Roots of Leadership, Barry discusses the most important characteristics of a leader, when the best business decisions are made, and also shares some advice he received from Bill Gates before starting Bluemercury.