171. $100M CEO Explains How to 10x Your Brand with Storytelling ft. Heidi Somers

Listen to this episode from THE 505 PODCAST on Spotify. Collab with Artlist and get 2 extra months for free here:https://artlist.io/artlist-70446?artlist_aid=the505podcast_2970&utm_source=affiliate_p&utm_medium=the505podcast_2970&utm_campaign=the505podcast_2970The 10 Minute Personal Brand Kickstart (FREE): https://the505podcast.courses/personalbrandkickstartWhat’s up, Rock Nation! Today we’re joined by Heidi Somers - YouTuber, entrepreneur, and founder of Buffbunny Collection. Over the past nine years, she’s scaled her creator-led activewear brand into a movement that women around the world connect with.Heidi breaks down how storytelling became her unfair advantage - from early campaign videos that made women cry, to collections inspired by childhood nostalgia, to the inclusive sizing approach that fixed a broken industry standard. She shares why “pretty girl, pretty outfit” isn’t enough, and how Buffbunny built community by making every woman feel seen.We also dive into the blueprint any brand can use in 2025: Nail your storytelling, lean into influencer marketing, and create innovative products people can’t buy on Amazon. If you want to learn how to turn a vision into an empire, this episode is packed with lessons from one of the most successful women in fitness and fashion.Check out Heidi here:https://www.instagram.com/buffbunny/https://www.youtube.com/ ⁨@heidisomers⁩ SUSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://the505podcast.ac-page.com/rock-reportJoin our Discord! https://discord.gg/xgEAzkqAvsKostas' Lightroom Presetshttps://www.kostasgarcia.com/store-1/p/kglightroompresetsgreeceCOP THE BFIGGY "ESSENTIALS" SFX PACK HERE:https://courses.the505podcast.com/BFIGGYSFXPACKTimestamps:0:00 - Intro1:17 - Using storytelling to grow Buff Bunny2:37 - The campaign that changed everything5:03 - How Heidi decides which stories are worth sharing7:07 - Measuring campaign success8:26 - Breaking down a new campaign strategy10:56 - Being a year and a half ahead on drops12:47 - Pretty girl, pretty outfit, pretty photo doesn't work anymore13:23 - The new collection content playbook14:29 - Artlist15:29 - Pretty girl, pretty video, pretty outfit doesn’t work17:37 - Solving a problem in a saturated market21:06 - How Grounds (Heidi’s fitness app) came about23:04 - The gym can be very intimidating24:31 - There’s always something you can improve on in business25:58 - How Buff Bunny solved sizing issues for women’s athletic wear28:13 - Personal Brand Playbook28:37 - The cost of the perfect fit29:27 - The story Heidi wants to tell with Buff Bunny31:22 - Making clothing for every woman in every size32:51 - The biggest lessons learned in business35:05 - Asking Christian for advice37:14 - Heidi’s best piece for business owners40:35 - The 3 pillars needed to create a successful brand42:08 - Influencer marketing43:54 - Why TikTok is great45:02 - Don’t overcomplicate it46:09 - Buff Bunny ad strategy47:51 - Heidi’s content strategy49:46 - What Heidi has learned from her personal brand team51:23 - Evolving YouTube content53:25 - How to start creating content56:34 - The future of Heidi’s personal brand58:28 - Public speaking tips1:05:09 - Team Trips for team building1:07:33 - Finding boundaries with your content1:09:09 - Boundaries as an entrepreneur1:13:28 - Resilience1:18:10 - How Heidi and Christian started dating1:19:06 - The power in having a partner1:23:29 - Hiring and firing advice1:27:24 - Travel fitness tips1:31:17 - Launching Grounds with multiple trainers1:35:55 - Do it with shaky hands1:40:33 - Relationship advice for entrepreneurs1:44:16 - Advice to your 18 year old selfIf you liked this episode please send it to a friend and take a screenshot for your story! And as always, we'd love to hear from you guys on what you'd like to hear us talk about or potential guests we should have on.DM US ON IG: (Our DM's are always open!)Bfiggy: https://www.instagram.com/bfiggy/Kostas: https://www.instagram.com/kostasg95/TikTok:Bfiggy: https://www.tiktok.com/bfiggy/Kostas: https://www.tiktok.com/kostasgarcia/