When Jason Bare became President of BARE International in July 2023, he not only had to steer the company forward but also build on the remarkable legacy established by his parents, Dale and Michael Bare. In a short period, he has built on their achievements and led the company into a new era of tremendous growth and expansion. His passion for the family-owned business has fueled BARE International’s success across regions.
Jason lives by the quote, “The more time you spend contemplating what you should have done, you lose more valuable time planning what you can and will do.” He believes in proactive planning and proactive action to move forward and achieve goals.
Watching Parents Build a Business from Scratch
Jason’s parents, Michael and Dale Bare, built BARE International from scratch. As a kid, he saw them not only grow the business but also nurture relationships with employees, clients, and Independent Contractors, the individuals who conduct evaluations on behalf of BARE’s clients. “Growing up in a family-owned business was like getting a daily masterclass in resilience, accountability, and people-first leadership,” Jason says.
Quite early in his life, because of his parents, he understood the real meaning of leadership. He realized that good leaders serve others and are willing to roll up their sleeves, no matter the title. “That philosophy has shaped my approach as President,” Jason says. He believes in being accessible, staying grounded, and making decisions by taking into account the long-term well-being of people as much as the bottom line.
Seeing the efforts his parents put into building the company has instilled in Jason a sense of ownership. According to him, every choice he makes reflects on his family’s name and the trust that tens of thousands of evaluators and clients place in them every day.
Most Defining Moment
From his childhood years through college, Jason was involved in some kind of work at BARE. He recalls cleaning out storage rooms, assembling desks, stamping checks, scanning reports, and editing video mystery evaluations. “I grew up immersed in the business,” he says.
In January 2009, Jason stepped into BARE to officially begin his professional journey. He started in the role of Resource Manager. He calls this the most defining moment of his career. Jason says that although he had worked at the company before, it was not until he joined BARE as a full-time employee that everything clicked. As Resource Manager, he worked closely with the company’s evaluators and field operations teams every day. He was involved in recruiting, training, supporting, and troubleshooting anything that impacted the success of their programs.
“That experience gave me a firsthand understanding of the incredible work our Operations teams do and how much evaluators depend on us for clear communication, fair treatment, and meaningful opportunities,” Jason says. “It also gave me perspective on how their feedback directly influences client satisfaction.”
As he started in a managerial role, he got a ground-level view of the business. It shaped his leadership vision as well, in addition to helping him understand that for BARE International, people and their experiences – both on the evaluator side and the client side – are as important as data collection. Jason says, “That realization has guided every decision I have made since.”
About BARE International
BARE International, founded in 1987, is a privately held global customer experience research firm providing customized Mystery Shopping, Pricing Studies, Competitor Studies, Video Mystery Shopping, Audits, Online Reputation Management, and Customer Satisfaction Solutions.
As Jason likes to say it, “Any business that has customers, BARE has a service in which we can offer”. Its core values are: Ownership, Integrity, Diversity, and Open Communication. They are the foundation of every decision Jason and his team make. He often says, “If our values are not visible in our daily work, they are just words on paper.”
The four core values are integrated into every aspect of the business, including hiring, performance evaluations, and client interactions. Take, for example, open communication, a core value that ensures transparent reporting and direct access for clients, which makes them trust the integrity of BARE’s insights. And the company’s robust feedback systems allow employees across all regions to share their perspectives with leadership. Jason says that this creates a culture where people feel heard and valued, which in turn is reflected in the quality of work they deliver to their clients.
Jason’s long-term vision for BARE International is to be the most trusted name in customer experience intelligence worldwide, known for combining advanced technology with genuine human insight.
Significant Achievements (ISO27001 certification) and Challenges
Since Jason stepped into the role of President, BARE has been on a steady upward trajectory. He considers “growth” his greatest recent achievement. Within the past year, BARE has opened two new offices in Dubai, UAE and Madrid, Spain. Under his leadership, the company’s full-time employee count has increased by more than 50 employees. However, for Jason, growth is not the only priority. “Retaining satisfied clients and delivering our promise is a must, so results and numbers are imperative,” he says.
Under Jason’s leadership, BARE International was certified with ISO 27001, which is a significant achievement. At BARE International, ISO 27001 is more than a certification—it’s a strategic commitment to safeguarding the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of every piece of client and operational data we manage, enabling our partners to meet their own compliance obligations, reduce risk exposure, and build stronger customer trust, while supporting the industry’s drive toward higher security standards.
By aligning our global operations with ISO 27001’s rigorous standards, we not only embed trust, transparency, and security into every stage of our service delivery but also create a scalable framework that enhances operational efficiency, fosters long-term client relationships, and positions BARE International for sustainable growth in a competitive, security-conscious marketplace.
In 2025, the company welcomed 91 new clients, completed 104,000-plus evaluations, and achieved a 99 percent completion rate. These numbers are impressive, but for Jason, the two things that matter the most are: the growth of people and pride in their teams when providing accurate client deliverables and receiving a client’s positive feedback on the benefits their reports and data have provided.
“We celebrated these wins globally, and hearing stories from employees about how they contributed to those successes was a reminder of why I love this role,” he says. “It is not just growth. It is a shared accomplishment.”
Jason’s tenure as President has not been challenge-free. One of the first major challenges he encountered was scaling operations to meet rapid global growth, without compromising quality. And bringing in 91 new clients in a single year was exciting, but it also pushed their teams and systems to their limits.
To overcome the challenges, Jason decided to decentralize. He empowered regional offices to make faster operational decisions, in addition to maintaining corporate oversight through clear reporting structures. This improved efficiency and also boosted morale. Jason says, “Local teams felt trusted to lead, and our quality scores remained consistently high.”
Role of Technology
Technology has transformed BARE International and empowered clients. The real-time reporting platforms and AI-driven analytics allow them to make data-driven decisions faster than ever before. “What once took weeks to compile can now be delivered in near real time, giving brands an edge in responding to customer needs,” Jason says. Equally important has been the evolution of the company’s global evaluator platform. Jason explains that by streamlining how evaluators register, get briefed, and register for assignments, they have expanded their network to 176 countries while maintaining a 99 percent completion rate.
However, at BARE International, the adoption of technology has not diminished the value of employees. Jason says they never forget the human element. “Our success has come from pairing tech innovation with human oversight,” he explains. “Our data is only as valuable as the empathy and expertise behind it.”
The Leadership Style and Strategies
Jason recognizes that he does not have all the answers. So, his approach as President goes beyond what he has learned. It centers on being accessible and receptive to input from others. He values the expertise of his staff, who manage the day-to-day responsibilities of their positions. He regularly seeks their insights on ways to improve efficiency. “Once I gather feedback and consensus emerges around a strategy,” he says, “we implement and test it collaboratively.”
BARE International has offices across the world. Jason spends a lot of time listening to local leaders before making decisions. He explains that what motivates employees in Asia might be different from what drives teams in Europe or South America, and understanding those differences is critical to effective leadership.
“I also believe there is no substitute for being there in person,” he adds. So, he visits their global offices regularly, not just for formal meetings but to spend time with the teams, observe their daily operations, and experience their challenges and successes firsthand. Jason points out that these visits give him a valuable perspective that no report or video call can provide. It also strengthens relationships.
Commitment to Measurable Social Impact
At the heart of BARE International’s corporate strategy is a commitment to measurable social impact. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is embedded into their business model through a structured, data-driven approach. They have already completed 4,423 hours within the first half of the year, reflecting the tangible outcomes of this commitment.
“Our company-wide CSR objective is clear and quantifiable,” he explains. “Each employee is encouraged to contribute the equivalent of 8 hours per year to community, environmental, or social causes.” These contributions can be in the form of volunteering time, donating money or materials, or participating in company-sponsored or personal initiatives
Additionally, the company’s CSR model is designed to be inclusive and globally scalable. Jason says that employees across all regions, including in the U.S., India, Brazil, and the Philippines, are empowered to support causes that resonate with them. And both BARE-led and employee-led initiatives count toward the CSR goal. Examples of global participation include: Blood and school supply donations in the U.S.; financial and in-kind support for orphanages in India; and animal rehabilitation services in Europe.
“By embedding CSR into our operational fabric with clear goals, robust tracking, and global participation,” Jason says, “we ensure that social responsibility is not a side initiative but a core business function.”
Work-Life Balance
Jason leads a global company with over 250 full time employees and operations in over 176 countries. So, his work schedule is intense, and according to him, no two days are ever the same. “I have learned that balance doesn’t come from doing less,” he says. “It comes from being intentional with my energy.”
So, when he is at work, he is fully focused on his team, clients, and the business, and at home, the same level of presence is dedicated to his family which consists of his wife and his 7-year-old daughter. At times, Jason travels for more than 100 days a year. His frequent travels have taught him to prioritize quality over quantity in every part of life.
“I’m not the best sleeper, and I often wake up at odd hours,” Jason shares. When that happens, he makes the most of the quiet time, catching up on emails or checking in with staff across different time zones. And he says that he takes the occasional 15-minute power nap to recharge.
Jason says that managing a global team successfully comes down to being highly organized and making the most of every moment.
Empowering Next-Generation CX Leaders
Jason feels that they have a responsibility to educate, inspire, and empower the next generation of customer experience (CX) leaders. He points out that his own journey within the company is a full-circle story. Some of the people he now works alongside in leadership were once his supervisors. “The knowledge and mentorship I’ve received over the years have shaped me, and I view it as my duty to pay that forward,” Jason says.
Internally, he believes that consistent, open communication, and shared learning are the key to developing relationships. Therefore, he prioritizes regular engagement across teams, both digitally and in person. He visits global offices at least once a year to connect with staff, local clients, and evaluators. Jason explains that these conversations help surface best practices, spark innovation, and reinforce their company’s values across regions and cultures.
Externally, Jason and his team are redefining how brands approach customer experience, not just by delivering reports, but by guiding them to truly understand and act on the insights they provide. He describes them as partners in measurement and partners in transformation.
“My hope is that when people think of excellence in CX, they look to BARE International as the leader,” Jason says. “It should be known for ethical leadership, global perspective, and lasting impact.”
Advice for Aspiring Leaders
Many young professionals aspire to lead in brand evaluation and customer experience. Jason advises them to stay curious and never stop listening. According to him, the best leaders in CX are those who ask questions not only about the data but also about the people behind it. He also points out that every evaluation and every report represents a real person’s experience. “So, you need to approach that with empathy,” he tells aspiring leaders.
“Also, be adaptable,” he adds. “Customer expectations change faster than ever, and leaders who can pivot while staying true to core values will thrive.”
The Legacy!
BARE International is the legacy of Jason’s parents, who have passed the torch to him. Jason recalls a scene from the movie Home Alone, where Kevin says, “This is my house, I have to protect it.” He shares a similar sentiment for the company that his parents built: “This is my company, I have to protect it.”
As for his legacy, he wants people to remember him as a leader who honored the values his family built BARE on: integrity, human connection, and excellence. At the same time, he wants to be known for pushing the company into the future.
“If BARE continues to thrive for decades to come, not just as a business but as a trusted partner in improving customer experiences globally, that will be my greatest accomplishment,” Jason says.
