We had the good fortune of connecting with Conrad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Conrad, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
My thought process behind starting my own business was creating something I could identify as my own, and to feed that entrepreneurial spirit that I’ve always had in me. Owning a business allows you to be the sole person (unless you have partners) that controls if that business succeeds or fails, and something about that “pressure” motivates me to succeed. I’ve always had ideas on different business ventures, so it was only a matter of time before I actually brought one of those ideas to fruition.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Conrad’s Apparel is a brand that promotes Black Empowerment, and provides apparel that’ll do the speaking for you. Most of the messaging on my apparel focuses on empowering people that look like me, has a strong emphasis on Black Female Empowerment (because that’s a subject that’s very important to me), uplifting Black Men, and a few other messages as well. There are tons of companies out there that offers apparel that promotes Black Empowerment, but I feel like my designs stand out a little more because of some of my unique designs/sayings.

I still get goosebumps when I see people wearing my apparel, embracing the messages, and sharing with me how much they like the apparel; it’s a feeling that brings me so much joy. I’m excited to see where Conrad’s Apparel goes, and what other doors will open while I continue this journey.

Starting a business wasn’t easy, and I’m not sure if it ever gets easy to be honest. You’re constantly thinking about how to get better, learning from mistakes, wondering what’s next, going over numbers in your head, looking to grow/expand, educating yourself on business principles, and the list goes on. You’ll always have obstacles to overcome while maintaining a business, but it’s how you pivot from those obstacles that will define who you are as a business owner.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
The good thing about living in Nashville, TN is that there’s always something to do (I call it crazy Nashville because of how much stuff is going on). I would more than likely try attending a sporting events, visit the African American music museum in downtown Nashville, spend some time on Fifth & Broadway (location that has a bunch of eateries, shopping, and entertainment), try different restaurants around town, introduce them to hot chicken, and just give them the best that Nashville has to offer.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
There are so many people that I feel deserve a special shoutout, but I’ll start by shouting out my family. My family has been my biggest supporters so far in my journey, and I’m not sure if I would’ve been able to get to where I’m at without them. Receiving support in any form (sales, words of encouragement, likes/dislikes of certain products, sharing information, conversation, etc) can go a long way, and my family has been pouring into my cup since I first launched my business. I also participated in a mentorship program early on (ran by Shmeka Gibson of Innate Success) that provided tools/knowledge on how to start a business, and how to properly maintain it once it was formed. So if you’ve helped me along my journey in any way…..Thank You

Website: https://conradsapparel.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conradsapparel/?

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