This interview with Erika Nardini, chief executive of Barstool Sports, a website, was conducted and condensed by Adam Bryant.

Q. What were your early years like?

A. I spent most of my childhood in New Hampshire and Vermont. There was not much to do. You could basically read books, stack wood or play sports. My brother and I were allowed a half-hour of television a week.

Tell me about your parents.

They’re in their 70s, and both of them still teach, though my dad used to be a superintendent. My mom is a vocational teacher. She wanted to help the kids who had chosen a different path. They’re huge optimists.

And were you in leadership roles early on?

I loved being a captain of my teams, and I loved learning new sports. I was a sophomore in college and decided to play lacrosse and be a goalie. I got up at 4:30 for four months to learn how to play. I was pretty bad, and even if you’re good, you save only about 2 percent of all shots. The ball is really hard. I was black and blue with bruises for two years.