BoobyPack: What Happened To The Brand After Shark Tank?
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After 14 seasons, the premise of ABC's hit reality entrepreneurial series "Shark Tank" is well-known: A business owner presents their products or services to a panel of wealthy investors, hoping to get a bite that translates into an investment deal. While some episodes deliver on the action — featuring a high-stakes feeding frenzy as the Sharks fight it out for an opportunity to get in on the ground floor — others fizzle out and result in the end of the road for the fledgling businesses in question.
Occasionally, a business that appears to check all the boxes for success appears on the program, including snagging multiple offers and landing a deal with a Shark — and yet the company still can't seem to make it in the long haul. Such was the case for BoobyPack, the pocketed sports bra brand that appeared in "Shark Tank" Season 6, Episode 19. Let's take a look at the trajectory of this business and how its time during and after appearing on ABC played out.
BoobyPack's Shark Tank pitch
BoobyPack founder Christine "C.C." Bernstein amused the Sharks when she referred to her product as a "fanny pack for your rack" (via Hulu). After giving each Shark a customized BoobyPack, the CEO got down to business. She revealed that after raising more than $30,000 on Kickstarter, BoobyPack hit $10,000 in sales on its first day of business and had sold an additional $157,000 worth of units since. Bernstein asked the Sharks for $80,000 in exchange for 20% equity in the company.
Mark Cuban and Kevin O'Leary were both quick to note that BoobyPack was more a product than a business. "I don't see it as a company that's really going to scale," Cuban shared before dropping out. O'Leary took a different approach, offering a royalty deal consisting of $80,000 for a $10/unit fee in perpetuity. Bernstein declined. In typical Barbara Corcoran fashion, the Shark complimented Bernstein on her entrepreneurial talent and then dropped out, stating, "I'm going to be out because I don't think you need any help." Lori Greiner dropped out shortly after, claiming the company was too young for her investment.
Robert Herjavec offered Bernstein $80,000 for 30% equity, which triggered O'Leary to amend his offer to $80,000 repaid in $10/unit royalty fees until four times the initial investment was repaid — and then 5% equity. Bernstein again rejected O'Leary's offer but countered Herjavec's with $80,000 for 25%. When Herjavec refused, Corcoran swooped back in and offered to take the deal. Bernstein agreed.
BoobyPack after Shark Tank
After appearing on "Shark Tank," C.C. Bernstein told Hubspot that BoobyPack sold $2,000 of product in just two minutes and that sales leveled out at about five times their previous rate shortly after. The brand quickly expanded its product line to include tankinis and other swimwear options and continued to engage with its customer base on its Instagram and Facebook pages. The brand's new swimwear products were heavily marketed toward bridal parties, with many social media posts showcasing one-piece swimsuits with the words "bride" and "squad" printed across the chests.
While the official closing of Bernstein's deal with Barbara Corcoran was never confirmed after the cameras stopped rolling, the Shark appeared in several of BoobyPack's social media posts and was mentioned as an advisor to the brand in others. This would appear to suggest that the deal was successful — and that Corcoran had assumed an active role in the brand's decision-making process — but we unfortunately may never know for sure.
Is BoobyPack still in business?
Sadly, less than three years after appearing on "Shark Tank," BoobyPack said goodbye to its customers and social media followers. The brand's farewell post on Instagram explained that the company was moving "on to the next adventure." After thanking its customers and fans, the company held a two-day closing sale on Zulily to sell its remaining inventory before officially closing its doors.
While its social media pages are still technically up, they have not been actively used since 2017. BoobyPack products don't currently appear to be available for sale by any third-party vendors, either, and the company's website no longer exists. If you find yourself feeling a bit devastated that you missed out on your chance to purchase a pocketed sports bra, however, there's no need to worry. Similar products have since sprung up on Amazon, including a three-pocket sports bra by Brooks that starts at $36.
Outlook for C.C. Bernstein
Since BoobyPack's closing, C.C. Bernstein appears to have returned to the industry she left to start her entrepreneurial dream: publishing. Once a Time, Inc. editor, Bernstein appears to have reinvented herself as a children's book author, a budding novelist, a mother, a wife, and a birth doula. Her website hosts a long list of glowing reviews of her children's book — an embroidered picture book titled "Princess Pinecone and the Wee Royals."
The About page of Conrad's website mentions "a brief stint in e-commerce making a pocketed sports bra" and then goes on to update readers on her new life as a writer, doula, and hobby farmer. While it may be true that her "rack pack" dreams didn't end up coming true, we have a feeling that Bernstein is more than happy with the way things turned out in the end. Her Instagram page full of happy family photos is proof that not every plan is meant to last forever.