Gourmet News: 20 Under 40 to Watch Awards

PeaceWorks’ Sasha Hare, VP Product Development and Marketing Honored
November 2004

How did you get into the specialty food business? “I am a refugee from the advertising world and a dedicated foodie. I left advertising after having a child, in search of a challenging job where I could apply both my creative skills and marketing/strategic experience while doing something good for the world.”

I knew this is what I wanted to do when… “I discovered PeaceWorks…is a company with a mission - conflict resolution through business. PeaceWorks is a for-profit company that gets people who are traditionally on the opposite side of conflict and gets them engaged in a shared business goal.”

What was your most challenging business moment? “Cross-cultural packaging design. It is not always easy working with our partners overseas. Some have a different approach to business and certainly a different aesthetic when it comes to package design. I worked with a partner in Indonesia for a year on a product design, and finally I went to the country to look over his shoulder while he designed. I found that words and e-mail would never communicate what I was looking for because he was coming from a totally different school of design.”

What is the most valuable lesson you’ve learned? “One cannot overcommunicate with partners from other cultures - or anyone, for that matter. I find my background in anthropology somewhat helpful because it is a constant reminder that people come from different perspectives.”

Describe how your business has grown: “We have launched two new lines and are about to introduce a redesign and repackaging of another of our lines.”

What has been your greatest contribution to the success of the business? “KIND (a fruit and nut bar) is a brand that I am very proud of. I created and designed the logo, developed the strategic positioning, art directed the packaging - and it came out beyond my expectations…”

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