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"There will always be naysayers. The trick is to use their negativity to spur yourself on.&quot

Meredith Dean
Jul 8, 2015
3 min read

After CC Conrad left Time Inc. to start her own company which had the word "boob" in it, no one took her seriously. Now, this 26-year-old entrepreneur is known nationally after pitching her company, Boobypack, on ABC's Shark Tank. CC left the show with an $80,000 investment from Barbara Corcoran. Check out our interview with this amazing woman who was able to say "I told you so" to all the Negative Nancys out there.

Photo by Adam Rose - ABC

1. What's your story? What makes you unique?

When I was asked this question during orientation at high school, summer camps and college I used to always say, "I was born an Aunt." Then the person sitting next to me would say they were double jointed and do something funky with their arms. Now I'd say my Wyoming ID, MA in English and general lack of business/marketing experience pre-Boobypack makes me unique in the startup world. What I lack in experience however, I make up for in determination.

2. What motivates you?

It's easier to answer who motivates me. My parents, my fiancé and my friends. Especially my future hubby. His belief in me and what I can accomplish makes me set the bar higher each day.

3. Who is a hero of yours?

My dad. He was so smart and kind and honorable. He was a self-made man, the son of a wholesale grocer from St. Luis. He believed that a handshake deal was as good as a written contract and that you should leave your kids enough to do something but not enough to do nothing. He was also a phenomenal whistler.

4. What's your personal future plan? Your goals?

My personal future plan is to have both an amazing family and an exciting career and not feel as if I need to sacrifice one for the sake of the other.

5. If you could give one piece of advice, what would it be?

To be generous and kind to the people around you. I'm a firm believer of what goes around comes around.

6. What is something you feel strongly about (a cause, belief, etc.)?

I'm very involved with UNICEF Next Generation and really believe in the work that they do. 17,000 kids under five die each day from preventable causes. UNICEF strives to combat that by making sure 91 cents out of every dollar raised goes directly to projects in the field. Our most recent NextGen fundraising event raised $137k which will pay for over 2 million health kits for children effected by the earthquake in Nepal. If you're reading this and want to get involved too please contact me!

7. What is the coolest thing you've ever done?

I'm not sure many people would think it was "cool" to go 30 days without showering but my month-long backpacking trip through the Wind River Range in WY is definitely up there on my list. As is climbing the Grand Teton.

8. How did you get to where you are now?

A combination of luck and hard work. So much in this world depends on timing. I think you just have to make sure that you put yourself out there and are ready to seize opportunities when you get the chance.

9. What was a challenge you faced in starting up Boobypack and how did you overcome it?

Not many people took me seriously when I said I was quitting my job at Time Inc. to start a company with the word "boob" in its name... There will always be naysayers. The trick is to use their negativity to spur yourself on. Just keep your head down and march forward until you can say, "I told you so." ;)

10. Anything we haven't asked about that you'd like to mention?

I got engaged this past Christmas to Martin Bernstein, the love of my life. We've been together the past 7 years. He proposed on the mountain in Jackson Hole on Christmas on an absurd powder day. It was perfect. Apparently when he asked I forgot to answer. I just started crying and hugging him and then we took this selfie. :) We're getting married next summer at a family friend's ranch just outside of Jackson Hole. Our little dog Bean and my favorite 10-year-old nephew Nicky will be the ring bearers while my beautiful mom is going to walk me down the aisle.