Entrepreneur and fitness influencer Heidi Somers’ mission is to ensure that every woman feels seen and celebrated and so she set out to create a fitness company that does just that. Buffbunny Collection was born out of a combination of her interest in fashion and her passion for fitness and wellness. She turned her vision into a movement to unite women from all walks of life.
Born and raised in the small town of North Pole, Alaska, Heidi moved to Texas to attend college at the age of 21. She found herself becoming increasingly isolated because she didn’t have the support structure of her friends and family and turned to food for comfort. After gaining 30+ pounds, she set out on a fitness journey that was difficult at first because she couldn’t afford a coach or a nutritionist. In the beginning, she felt lost and overwhelmed at the gym but as she stuck to her workouts, she began to notice physical and mental improvements such as higher energy levels, clearer skin, and healthier hair. She grew to enjoy working out and developed a strong passion for fitness.
In 2016, Heidi launched Buffbunny Collection out of her house where it quickly took off. “The idea of creating and designing a clothing line was exciting and scary, considering I had no business degree, no loans, and no business partner. But I knew my passion was stronger than my fears. I took it one step at a time, and the brand grew into something much more than I ever thought possible.” Buffbunny Collection’s pieces are custom designed for all body types and are meant to highlight each woman’s strength, beauty, and power.
Pictured: Buffbunny Collection founder Heidi Somers
What inspires you?
My inspiration for growing the brand was seeing the lack of diversity and inclusivity in the fitness apparel industry. My passion is to create these amazing pieces that are fashionable and comfortable and showcase them on all types of women, not just one kind. My favorite part of what I do is seeing all different types of women trying on the items and seeing their excitement when they look in the mirror. Nothing beats that feeling. Every single item we sample we have multiple models ranging from XXS-XXXL try them on to make sure they fit and flatter every body. This is extremely important to the brand to make sure that each size is getting the same amount of comfort and coverage.
What do you think has driven Buffbunny Collection’s success?
I am so grateful for the success of Buffbunny Collection. I wake up each day and think “pinch me” I must be dreaming! I still get butterflies whenever we announce a new collection or on the official launch day of a collection. I think the success of the brand is a combination of making sure every woman feels seen, designing custom pieces, showing our customers a behind-the-scenes look into what really goes into everything, the family feel of our internal team, influencer marketing, processes for limiting waste within the company, and the overall customer experience. We take pride in every single step, from the idea of a design to the customer receiving their package.
What advice would you give other women who are looking to start their own businesses?
My best advice to a woman wanting to start her own business is to find something you genuinely love doing or creating and turn that into a business. When it comes to chasing money or chasing your passion….chase your passion, and the money will follow. Having your own business comes with a lot of struggles, exhaustion, and obstacles. It’s not as glamorous as many people make it seem, so whenever you have those moments where you feel defeated, your passion and love for what you do fuels you through it.
