Building Buffbunny | Heidi Somers

Summary

The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show: Building BuffBunny with Heidi Somers

Episode Overview In the November 12, 2024 episode of The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon Show, host Dr. Gabrielle Lyon engages in an inspiring conversation with Heidi Somers, the dynamic founder of BuffBunny. This episode delves into Heidi's transformative journey from a small-town upbringing in Alaska to building a multi-million dollar fitness apparel empire. Through transparent discussions on personal struggles, entrepreneurial challenges, and the importance of authenticity, Heidi shares valuable insights aimed at empowering women to champion their own health and wellness journeys.

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1. Introduction and Heidi’s Background

Dr. Gabrielle Lyon opens the conversation by highlighting Heidi Somers' remarkable achievements. Heidi, known for her authentic approach on social media, has successfully built BuffBunny while managing multiple ventures and maintaining personal integrity.

Notable Quote:

"I bought a one-way ticket and I don't think I told my parents right away. I think I waited like a couple of weeks and I was like, surprise, I'm moving."
— Heidi Somers [10:16]

2. From Alaska to Texas: Life-Altering Decisions

Heidi recounts her upbringing in North Pole, Alaska, a close-knit community of just 2,000 people where she was one of six children and homeschooled. Faced with personal turmoil—being cheated on, a car crash, and losing her job—Heidi made the bold decision to move to San Antonio, Texas, marking the beginning of her healing and entrepreneurial journey.

Notable Quote:

"I bought a one-way ticket and I don't think I told my parents right away. I think I waited like a couple weeks and I was like, surprise, I'm moving."
— Heidi Somers [10:16]

3. Overcoming Weight Gain and Emotional Eating

Transitioning to a bustling city like San Antonio brought significant lifestyle changes for Heidi, including increased access to various foods, which led to weight gain. She attributes this to emotional eating stemming from her struggle to adapt to a new environment away from her supportive small-town community.

Notable Quote:

"I was turning to food. But also, the accessibility of food in San Antonio was drastically different than North Pole."
— Heidi Somers [14:16]

4. Embracing Social Media and Starting BuffBunny

In 2014, Heidi began her YouTube channel as a way to share her fitness journey, initially for fun. Her genuine and honest approach resonated with women facing similar struggles, leading her to expand into merchandise. Observing a gap in the market for functional yet stylish women's fitness apparel, Heidi launched BuffBunny, starting with T-shirts that quickly sold out, signaling the brand's potential.

Notable Quote:

"I was like, I want to give them products that will actually help them in their journey."
— Heidi Somers [05:43]

5. Building a Brand with Transparency and Authenticity

Heidi emphasizes the importance of transparency in her business model. She meticulously ensures that every product meets her high standards, often engaging directly with her community for feedback and improvements. This commitment fosters trust and loyalty among her customers.

Notable Quote:

"We never lie to our customers. We always create masterpieces of products."
— Heidi Somers [50:14]

6. Navigating Imposter Syndrome and Scaling the Business

As BuffBunny grew rapidly, Heidi faced imposter syndrome, questioning the sustainability of her success. Balancing multiple jobs during college and managing a burgeoning business from her home tested her resilience. Support from her husband and a steadfast belief in her mission helped her push through these challenges.

Notable Quote:

"If I can get through this semester by working these jobs, doing social media, so basically having my own business and going to school full time, then I can do anything."
— Heidi Somers [60:56]

7. Expanding Beyond Apparel: Introducing Grounds

With a solid foundation in BuffBunny, Heidi ventures into creating Grounds, a fitness app designed to be a comprehensive one-stop-shop for women's fitness and health needs. Despite skepticism about the saturated market, Heidi's focus on integrating essential features like period tracking and community support sets her app apart.

Notable Quote:

"There's nothing out there for women like that. And I refuse to launch the app without the period tracker because I need it to be done right."
— Heidi Somers [87:21]

8. The Power of Community and Legacy Building

Heidi's approach centers on building a supportive community where women feel empowered and connected. By involving her customers in the product development process and fostering meaningful relationships, she ensures that BuffBunny remains a brand that truly serves its audience. Heidi envisions her legacy as inspiring women to upgrade their lives, whether through fitness, business, or personal growth.

Notable Quote:

"Together, we can do so much more."
— Heidi Somers [88:48]

9. Concluding Insights and Advice

Heidi imparts a vital piece of advice to her listeners: "Start." She underscores the importance of taking the first step, no matter how small, to overcome indecision and embark on personal and professional growth journeys.

Notable Quote:

"Start. It sounds so simple and so silly, but... you just have to start."
— Heidi Somers [92:57]

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Key Takeaways

• Authenticity Matters: Heidi's honest and transparent approach has been pivotal in building trust and a loyal customer base.

• Resilience and Persistence: Overcoming personal challenges and imposter syndrome showcases the importance of resilience in entrepreneurial success.

• Community Engagement: Involving customers in the product development process fosters a strong sense of community and brand loyalty.

• Start Small: Emphasizing the significance of taking the first step can inspire listeners to initiate their own transformative journeys.

Conclusion

Heidi Somers' story is a testament to the power of authenticity, resilience, and community in building a successful business. Her dedication to empowering women through BuffBunny and upcoming ventures like Grounds aligns seamlessly with Dr. Gabrielle Lyon's mission of promoting health and wellness through transparent conversations. Listeners are left inspired to champion their own lives, embodying the virtues of honesty, persistence, and community support.

Transcript

[A]

Welcome to the Dr. Gabrielle Lyon show where cutting edge science meets innovation and practical application for everyone. Now, the practical application in this episode is extraordinarily unique. I sit down with Heidi Summers. She is the founder of BuffBunny. Maybe you've heard of BuffBunny. If you haven't, well, definitely check them out because they are taking the world by storm. Why Heidi Summers? She is a self made young lady. She is one of six kids, came from a very small town in Alaska and built a multi million dollar business simply by following her heart. With her drive and determination to help women everywhere. This conversation will leave you touched and heartfelt and empowered. Now please join me in this conversation with Heidi Summers. Heidi Summers, welcome to the show.

[B]

Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited to be here.

[A]

Yeah, me too. And I have to say I want to tell everyone why I wanted you to come on. So you actually said to me you were like, I don't know, are we going to talk science? What are we going to talk about? And actually we are going to talk about something that you are an expert on and that is you. And one of the reasons why I wanted you to come on. And for those of you who are listening, this is the founder of BuffBunny and you also have multiple other businesses. But I think there is something extraordinary about what you have built and who you are. And I want to share that. I want to share that with the world and I want to learn more. Because as I think about my 5 year old daughter growing up and I look at the landscape and I think, who can she look up to? We are in changing times and well, I think you've done an extraordinary job. So welcome to the show.

[B]

Thank you so much. I was telling her. Well, I was telling you. I was like, do I talk to the camera or you?

[A]

You talk to me.

[B]

I haven't been on a lot of podcasts, but I was just saying that's probably the best compliment I've ever gotten just in life. Because, you know, for someone to have a daughter and be like, I hope that they like look at you or they have like someone like you to look up to, that's like, I can't think of a better compliment. So thank you. That's the nicest thing I've ever heard.

[A]

Well, you are so welcome and you earned it. And I'd love to talk about your journey. We all know Buffbunny and if you guys don't know Buffbunny, I have been wearing all their clothes. It Is an amazing collection which are coming out with all kinds of different outfits and products and purses, but that is not the point. The beginnings of buffbunny. You come from a small town in Alaska.

[B]

Yep.

[A]

One of six children. Right. You were homeschooled?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

College was not your thing?

[B]

No.

[A]

You. Her husband is here. May or may not have been kind of laughing in the background. I think I heard him. And went on, by being true to yourself to build a multi million dollar empire, all while maintaining your personal integrity. That's amazing.

[B]

Thank you so much. My back hurts, but thank you.

[A]

Why buffbunny? Why? Where did it start?

[B]

So buffbunny collection started because, you know, when you start on social media, a lot of people, guys, girls, you know, they typically do classic merch, which is great. I love me some merch. And, you know, when I had women that were following my YouTube channel coming to me and they were saying, like, you know, just watching how you meal prep and seeing the different workouts you do has helped me lose hundreds of pounds. I'm like, that's wild. So.

[A]

And you were actually overweight yourself, right?

[B]

Yeah, like, I'm always careful the way, you know, not saying overweight. I was a little soft is what I like to say. You know, I was like, I had gained a good amount of weight. I think it was like £30 in college. And I remember the struggle, you know, and how hard it was to get off, like a pound, two pounds, five pounds. And so when I started social media, it was more so for fun. You know, I just. I was in college and I was so focused on my future career that I was just doing social media for fun. I was like, hey, you know what? I learned some tips while I was trying to lose that 1, 2, 3, 5 pounds. And I want to share it with other women. Like, hey, like, this is what I did. It worked for me. And I wasn't trying to be an expert or, you know, not trying to say, like, I know all the answers, but I'm just gonna share what worked for me. And I think because women saw that I was being genuine, I would. I wouldn't lie about anything. I was like, I tried this, did not like it. I was very honest with product reviews. I felt like I wanted to be careful what I always put out. I never wanted to, you know, talk about a product unless I believed in it. And I was always just really honest with my journey and I think connecting with all the women, when it came to do merch, I would see other merch that People would do. And I was like, man, how cool would it be to give them products that will actually help them in their journey? Not just a T shirt, but leggings that were super flattering. I'm sure you've tried on leggings before, right? Where you're like, they're functional, but they're not cute.

[A]

I'm like, wear the scissors. I'm definitely the only way to never wear these again is I'm, I don't know, going to cut the side out or.

[B]

Yeah, and I've done that. Like, I've cut out the bra on the inside and sometimes it's like a great pair of leggings, but just the color is boring. Or there's just, it's like I would take products and. Because I worked out so often.

[A]

But you didn't start that way. Right when you, you were not. Were you fit growing up?

[B]

I wasn't fit growing up. I definitely, I hated the gym. I took weightlifting in high school. They put me in there and I was like, I am not lifting that barbell.

[A]

What, did you fall under the assumption that you were gonna get bulky?

[B]

Oh, absolutely. So when I, when I, in high school, when they put me in the weightlifting class, the teacher laughs and he's like, this is funny. You do this for a living because you skip my class all the time. And I was like, yeah, because I wouldn't pick up the barbell that was 45 pounds. And when I first started working out, it's because I had gained a lot of weight.

[A]

Do you know why? Do you know why you can't wait?

[B]

Yeah, I was kind of struggling at the time. I lived in Alaska my whole life, born and raised. And I went through a period of time where I think it was within a month or so. I was cheated on, crashed my car, lost my job. And I was like, it was just kind of like this moment where I felt like I was just struggling. I lost confidence in myself. And I just, I remember just feeling like really low and like you're kind of like falling out of love with yourself, if that makes sense. And I was young. I was 20, I think. So when I moved to Texas, I was kind of like, screw it, there's nothing keeping me here. So I bought a one way ticket, moved to San Antonio, and that's when I kind of started my healing journey.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

Yeah, it was so helpful during that time. I was like, you know what? I'm not going to date. Going to focus on me. I'm going to go to school and figure my life out.

[A]

How big was the town in Alaska? Small. Right.

[B]

2,000 people. So North Pole, Alaska.

[A]

Wait, was Santa Claus up there? Wait, Santa Claus.

[B]

We do have a Santa Claus house. We do. You got to bring your kids one day.

[A]

I mean, I actually love Alaska. I. Oh my God, it's so beautiful.

[B]

It's gorgeous, right?

[A]

Yes, it's.

[B]

I think it's the most beautiful place I've ever seen. But I'm also biased.

[A]

It's beautiful. It's also very cold.

[B]

Very cold. When did you go?

[A]

I went probably, gosh, 15 or more, maybe 20 years ago. Long time ago.

[B]

What part? Anchorage.

[A]

I was in Anchorage and there were lots of. Are they called totem poles?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

There were lots of Indian art.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

That was amazing and very. It was actually a very spiritual kind of a place. It was very connected. I think it's the best way to describe it. It was, I know, had a lot of heart.

[B]

A lot of heart.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

A lot of good energy.

[A]

Yeah, it does.

[B]

Just pure. So I love it.

[A]

Yes. I absolutely. It was just like Houston. I'm kidding, totally kidding about that. Just like, just like my house around 6pm dinner time, the witching hour. But when you left a town of 2,000, was your family supportive? That, I mean, here you were coming from a really small town, going to. I think you went to San Antonio.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Great pre med program.

[B]

Yes, exactly part of why I picked San Antonio.

[A]

San Antonio. Great nutrition sciences down there as well. Were they thinking, okay, Heidi, go ahead.

[B]

Oh, absolutely not.

[A]

I mean, one way ticket. That's a bold statement.

[B]

Yeah, I sometimes I look back on my life and I was like, I can't believe I made that decision. I feel like I was braver back then. Sometimes the things that I would do. But I bought my one way ticket and I don't think I told my parents right away. I think I waited like a couple weeks and I was like, surprise, I'm moving. But they understood. I was like, hey, as someone who has homeschooled most of their life and I'm just, you know, getting my feet wet in college. I was like, I feel like I don't want to wait to go to like a big university or college until med school. I was like, I need to like finish my degree in San Antonio and then hopefully I get into med school in San Antonio. Was like my way of thinking at the time. So my whole family though, like, I have five siblings, they all lived in Alaska. So like. And none of them had gone to college. They're like, you really Just bought a one way ticket. And you're going to go to College in lower 48, as we call it.

[A]

The lower 40.

[B]

The lower 48. And I was like, here, I'm doing it. And I remember my mom was like crying, you know, when I left. And my dad's like, don't talk to. He's like driving to the airport, he's like, don't talk to any strangers.

[A]

And you're like, dad, I was home.

[B]

School, everyone's a stranger.

[A]

Yeah, I was homeschooled. Everybody. I don't know.

[B]

Yeah, I was like, I'll be okay. But I remember thinking like, you know, he's like, don't talk to any strangers. Like, literally everybody there is a stranger. Like, I didn't know anybody. I moved in with a guy that I met a few times in Fairbanks that put on Facebook or MySpace at the time, I don't remember, I was like, buy one way to take it to San Antonio. And everyone's like, what are you going to do when you get there? I was like, figure it out. And someone was like, hey, I live here. I have a spare room if you want to crash here until you find a spot. I was like, cool, I'll do that.

[A]

Did you find that coming from a small town, probably everybody knows each other for the most part, right? Yes, absolutely. There is a level of trust that a small town generates and breeds. Did you find that you transferred that same level of trust over when you came to San Antonio?

[B]

Yes, for sure. I think that in Alaska, you know, a small town, everyone just, they rely on each other. You know, if you need help, you see someone walking, you know, on the side of the road, it's like, you pull over, see if they need help. You see someone, a ditch, you pull them out. It's just like a. Everyone has each other's back and like, you trust one another for the most part. And then in San Antonio, I think I got my car broken into a few times and, you know, just learning people's motives, it was very different. And it was, it was definitely a culture shock. Moving to San Antonio.

[A]

Do you think that's part of the reason why you gained weight in college?

[B]

Right.

[A]

Do you think that that external stress is or was the impetus to gaining weight and feeling and I'm just putting words in your mouth. I mean, there's a certain level of chaos that happens. You didn't just pick one thing. Going to college is in and of itself a whole situation. Yeah, but moving from Alaska, from being homeschooled to a Massive university, away very far from your family. And also being one of the. Being the first to go, that layers on a particular level of detail that, I don't know, can be challenging for the listener out there. Every single one of you remembers when you had a major life transition and you threw yourself into that.

[B]

Yes, I think it was definitely. Uncomfortable is like the word when I describe it. I was like. I was very uncomfortable. I remember, you know, going to San Antonio. I was like, man, this is a lot. And I second guessed myself multiple times. I was like, is this the right decision? But I. I love Texas. Like, even now, I'm like, I never regretted that decision because of everything that kind of developed from that one little decision of moving from Alaska to Texas. I often wonder, I was like, man, if I wouldn't move to Texas, I'm sure I would have had an amazing life. But it's like, I wouldn't met my husband. I wouldn't have created the businesses that I have. I probably wouldn't have gained weight, because I think part of the reason I gained weight is one, I was kind of struggling mentally at the time, and I was learning to love myself again. And also, when you come from a small town, we don't have access to a lot of fast food. So part of me was. I was maybe emotional eating. I was like, I'm bored. I'm sad. You know, this. So I was turning to food. But also, the accessibility of food in San Antonio was drastically different than North Pole. I think in North Pole, we have one restaurant and we have two or three fast food chains, and that's it. You got to drive like 30 minutes into town if you want to go to, like, other restaurants and this and that. So it's not like it's five minutes away. So I think that had a little bit to do with it.

[A]

The accessibility.

[B]

Yeah. And it was fun. It was fun trying all these different foods. I was like, this is great. But, yeah, I gained weight very quickly, for sure.

[A]

And do you think that. And you've helped. You've helped a lot of women. And it's interesting that you started on social media before it was a thing. Right. So this was what, 10 years ago? A little bit less, maybe?

[B]

Yes. I think I started my YouTube channel in 2014. I believe it was. So, yeah, about 10 years.

[A]

And that was. I mean, not really. That's in my mind, that's before it's been a thing. I mean, I know it's been around for a long time, but I think what we're. We are seeing a whole new generation of YouTube, Instagram, social media right now. But in 2014, it wasn't. That wasn't the rule. That was the exception. You gained weight. And I think that all of us can remember a time where we gained weight. And, you know, when I see patients. Emotional eating is a huge problem, especially for young women.

[B]

Exactly.

[A]

Because what are the outlets? Drugs, alcohol, food, sex, purchasing. There's probably only a handful of vices to mitigate the feelings.

[B]

Yes. You know, it's a struggle, and it's something that. Even now, that's a big thing, because I have a fitness app, and the most amazing women are on there. And that is the biggest struggle, is emotional eating. And I'm trying to figure out, like, what I can create to help them break out of that, because that is the biggest struggle I would say that they have is like. They're like, I can work out all day, but it's so hard for me to control my food and my diet.

[A]

And it's still hard for people. Right. The majority of our population is overweight and obese.

[B]

They are.

[A]

What do you think allowed you to get out of that? How did you start healing? Because you moved to find a new environment to follow your dreams, which is pretty independent. To just say, okay, I'm gonna go, but then also to develop a habit. Because you weren't emotionally eating before, right?

[B]

No.

[A]

Then you develop a habit, and now you have to unwind that habit.

[B]

Yes. So I think it was. Let's see, I gained weight. And when. When it came to losing the weight, you know, this is all during this time where I'm, like, trying to, you know, heal myself emotionally. A few things that helped me was one, I swore off dating. So I think there's a period where I was like, I'm gonna give myself one year. And this has helped me tremendously. And I know it's helped a lot of other friends of mine that are women. And I really didn't talk about it too much until recently, but it was, you know, when I went through all that traumatic experience in a short amount of time, I told myself I was gonna give myself one year. I was like, one year. No dating, no talking to guys. Like, no nothing. I'm just. I'm swearing off men. Absolutely not. And I was like, I'm gonna be abstinent. I'm just. Just nothing. And I think when you give that boundary to yourself, I told myself one year ended up being three years.

[A]

Wow. Three years.

[B]

Three years.

[A]

Did you just not feel that you had accomplished mentally what you had wanted to accomplish?

[B]

No, I think it was more. So I told myself, one year, I'm focusing on me. And during that time, when it's one year, I got to know myself so well. And it's like you learn your own boundaries, like what you're comfortable with, what you're not comfortable with, what you'll tolerate, what you won't tolerate because you're kind of dating yourself. Right. So I would speak to myself internally. A lot sounds silly, right?

[A]

No journaling.

[B]

Yeah, it helps.

[A]

Here's the thing. It doesn't sound silly. And you have created a life for yourself. That's amazing. And when you think about successful people, there are particular habits and particular ways in which they operate in the world and within themselves that if we can understand, then we can become the best version of ourself.

[B]

That's true.

[A]

And that's exactly why you're here, to talk about that. So it doesn't. It definitely doesn't sound silly. And when you started talking to yourself, was it just being aware of your inner dialogue? Did you notice that there were certain mental habits that you had? How did you begin to unwind that?

[B]

I think it's little things. Like, I still do it now, right? So I was having anxiety on a plane recently. I have crazy anxiety whenever there's turbulence. I start freaking out. But I really talk to myself. I'm like, you know what? We're gonna land the plane. You're gonna be fine. And so it's almost like this affirmation amongst myself that I just talked to myself in my head. I'm like, you're gonna be fine. You're gonna get there. You're gonna forget about this whole plane ride. And it's kind of like I just talk to myself in a way where it's a friend, I guess. I. I used to talk to myself in a negative way in my head when I. Whenever I was going through what I was going through, it's like, oh, you know, you get cheated on. You're like, oh, I'm not pretty enough. I'm not smart enough, I'm not driven enough, or whatever that is. Right? So you kind of will speak to yourself so harshly and sometimes. And I feel like I went through that when I was 19, and at that point I was like, my friends would never talk to me this way. I would never speak to a friend this way. So it was at that point I was like, I'm not going to talk to myself that way anymore. And I won't lie and say, like, I've never, you know, I've had days where I wake up and I'm like, oh, I should be doing this and this and this. But then I have to, like, put myself back in that mind of that 19 year old. It's like, you shouldn't speak to yourself that way. And whenever I'm, you know, struggling with something, or even if I'm celebrating a win, I'm like, you did that? That's freaking awesome. And so I really learned to speak to myself in a way that's not ego. I'm not full of myself, but I'm proud of myself and I pull myself out of things when I'm struggling. I think that helped me the most.

[A]

I think that is amazing. And essentially what you're saying is you became your own best friend.

[B]

Yeah, you're.

[A]

There's a book by Kamal Rivkant. Have you ever read that?

[B]

No.

[A]

And I believe Kamal is going to. Hey, Kamal. And I think that the book is called, you know, be your own best friend. Wow. Okay.

[B]

I have to, I have to read that.

[A]

Yes. And that is insightful and we can all learn from that. Did you read. How did you figure that out? Did you come to that conclusion yourself?

[B]

Yes. I think it was a mixture of obviously like going through that struggle that I went through, beating myself up about it. I was like, I want to do big things in my life. Like, I want to be able to help people, help women. And I kind of knew in that point it's like I could either stay where I'm at now and just like beat myself up and almost like being this like victim mentality, or if I can pull myself out of this, then I like, I won't be able to grow essentially if I'm staying where I'm at, like this like, victim, you know, mentality, if you will. I don't. I think it was just one of those things where a new environment definitely helped clear my head and everything, but. But also I was kind of going there for school as well, so.

[A]

And did you always, or have you always been this dream?

[B]

I would say I've been driven probably ever since I got my first job.

[A]

Was not 16 or 10 or something. Pretty young.

[B]

So technically, let's see, I did the paper route when I was like 12 years old with me and my best friend. But I think in Alaska you have to be 16, I think, before you can get a job.

[A]

So she didn't have a job, friend. So she was 16.

[B]

Yes. So I started working when I was 16. I got my first Job. And at that point, I was like, oh, wow. I feel so much more independent. Like, I feel like I can do anything. I can buy myself whatever I want. I can save up. I can do things. I can gift, you know, my mom a present if I want to. So I love that independence. I think that's what drove me. I love the independence part. And I would say I've been pretty driven most of my life, ever since I first got a job. And I think it's because in my mind, I was like, if something ever happens to myself or, like, a loved one, I have to be able to take care of them. And I think that was just instilled in my brain where I was scared of not working and not having, like, a savings account, because it's like, well, then what would I do?

[A]

Did that come from your parents? Do they. What did they do for work? Were they thinking like that or your other siblings like that?

[B]

Not really. So. My mom was a dental hygienist. She recently retired. And then my dad was a real estate agent. And they were. They were. They're pretty good about saving money, I think. I just. Because you. When you have six kids, you know, like, all of us were. My mom and dad were very careful with money. It's like, obviously, when you have six kids, kids are expensive.

[A]

Yes, I know. You know, I have two of them. Yes.

[B]

So what? It was one of those things where, you know, a lot of times we couldn't afford certain things because six kids. I think that's partly where it came from. You know, it's like, you know, our parents. You know, when I went to college, my parents didn't help me with college, of course, because six kids, it's. Again, it's a lot. So I was like, don't worry, I got this. Like, I can do it. Of course, I was, like, panicking, trying to figure out, like, my savings account and everything, and. But that's what made me want to work four jobs. So I was like, okay, if I'm gonna.

[A]

College.

[B]

I worked for four jobs to save up money in order to go to college. Yeah.

[A]

Did you ever think you couldn't do it?

[B]

I. I mean, there was a few times. Yeah. Where I think there was one time where my dad called me because he could see my. My checking account. But, like, they wouldn't send me money or anything like that. I was like, don't worry, guys. I got it. And they were like, do you.

[A]

Do you, though? We're looking at a 50. You have 15 do in your.

[B]

It was $7?

[A]

Yeah, seven.

[B]

So that she. He called me one time. I was getting gas, and I was like, I wonder how much I have in my checking accounts. I'm getting gas, right? And he calls me. He's like, how you doing? I was like, I'm doing good. I'm about to go into work. And he was like, okay, just checking. Just checking. Because you have $7 in your account. I was like, great, I'll put five in my gas tank. And I was like, don't worry. I'm going to work tonight. So I worked at a hookah lounge.

[A]

A hookah lounge. That is where they. It's not smoke. It's flavored.

[B]

It's a flavored tobacco that people smoke out of. It's popular in the Middle East.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So I went in there for my first job when I moved to San Antonio, and I'll never forget, I thought it was marijuana. And so I walked in, it said, a Middle Eastern restaurant. I was like, love Middle Eastern food. So I walk in, and they were like, yeah, we're more of a hookah bar. I was like, what's hookah? They started laughing. They showed me in the back, and I was like, I'm trying to go to medical school one day. Like, I can't be doing anything.

[A]

You're like, wow, Texas is really different. They do really strange things here.

[B]

It's like, I can't be. I can't be doing this. And they thought it was so funny. This is 100%. This is tobacco. This is not marijuana. So that made me feel more comfortable. But I definitely did a lot of research before I went back there.

[A]

Yes, you did. That is. Did the. You know, one of the things that is interesting is that, you know, as I think about when I'm raising my daughter, what is nature versus nurture? And Rich Devinney, he's a former seal, wrote this book Attributes, and from his perspective, I consider him a leadership expert. And he says that people are born with very particular attributes and that we all have various temperatures of them. For example, you might have an extraordinary amount of courage, whereas someone else, maybe Christian, your husband, has an extraordinary amount of persistence. But there are particular attributes that we are born with and that our environment and our choices nurture those attributes. And, you know, I'm thinking there are so many people that would say to themselves, well, I can't lose weight. I don't have enough money. I don't know how I'm gonna start this business. And you started this by saying what you really wanted was freedom. Freedom and Independence.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And whether someone is thinking to themselves, I don't know, I'm never gonna be able to work four jobs and go to college. It sounds as if you had a particular level of discipline and persistence and grit that allowed you to do these things.

[B]

That's so funny. Grit's my favorite word.

[A]

It is, yeah.

[B]

It's funny that you said that.

[A]

Do you feel that that is one of your attributes, one of your strongest attributes?

[B]

I would say so. I'm definitely very persistent. And, you know, when it comes to like a roadblock, if I really want something, I figure out how to get there. And if there's a roadblock in the way, I'm like, I'm going over, I'm going under, I'm going over the sides. Like, I'm gonna figure out a way to get there. And I think that's probably one of my strengths and something that I always try to teach my team. Right. I'm like, oh, you know, how did this, how did this process go? And they're like, oh, I came on a roadblock. And it's like, great. How can we go over it, under it, how can we. Or like right through it? And that's. Yeah, I would say persistence is a big one for me.

[A]

I would agree, I would agree with that. Did you find that because eventually you decided you weren't going to go to college?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Well, I did go for a few years, right?

[B]

Yes.

[A]

But there was a time where. So you went to the hookah lounge, you started to gain weight, things seemed chaotic. Right. I was listening to you talk to on a different podcast where you were eating some fried. Some fried bread thing. Right. Whatever the thing was.

[B]

Oh, yes, yes, yes, yes. At the hookah lounge.

[A]

Yes. I've done my homework.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. Yeah. That was Russell's podcast.

[A]

Okay. I have done my homework, Jibben.

[B]

That's what it was called.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And at some point you were really goal oriented and thinking about med school. Right. This was the thing.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

What happened was there, I mean, four jobs in college is a lot. Being pre med, being pre med and going to keep a job is nearly impossible.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Because you have to. Unless you have a photographic memory, it is very difficult because you have to be the top of your class.

[B]

Yes. I think the way that I did it is instead of working one full time job, I found a way to find four different jobs that paid a lot. So that's kind of my reasoning for having four. It's like I worked at the hookah lounge on the weekends. Because, sorry, no, during the week, and it was after school, so you'd go in at like 6, 6pm to like 2am and then I would work as a bottle service girl on the weekends. And then I did promos for, like, Red Bull Crown Royal, a bunch of different companies, because they would pay $30 an hour. And I was like. And you'd only have to work three hours. You'd be in a really nice liquor store. And I was like, great. I could do that. So it's like, I found what could pay the most in a short amount of time. So that way I could save, you know, pay for my textbooks, pay for college, because Paying for everything out of pocket because I couldn't get a loan because I applied, I would apply for grants and I wouldn't get anything. And so I was like, all right, great. Well, then I guess I'm just going to work four jobs.

[A]

Did you get stressed inside where you think, oh, my gosh. Or were you like, nope, I got it. I'm gonna just charge forward.

[B]

Oh, yeah, I got stressed. Yeah. I think there was one semester, and that's when I was like, okay, I'm gonna take a back seat. And, you know, I was in college working all these different jobs, but I was really good at science and math. Those were the two subjects I was great at. I wasn't the best in English, and I wasn't the best at history, but science and math, I really enjoyed it. I really loved it. I was in the science club. I was a big nerd. I was like, this is great. And then I worked as a surgical assistant for a periodontist because I wanted that for my resume. And they trained me on the job, and I really enjoyed it, and I really wanted that career path. But as soon as I started doing social media again, it was for fun. I was like, this is great. I get to teach women what I learned to get in better shape. But as I continued doing social media, I got offered all these different amazing opportunities. And while I was getting offered these opportunities and I started, you know, taking YouTube more seriously, I started making a lot of money. And I was like, wow. But a part of me was like, this is temporary. This is not a forever thing. I need to keep doing this while I'm still trying to get my degree.

[A]

What was your first thing, your first video? Do you remember where you. It was a Q and A and you just. And. But we are. You watch it. Wait a second. But are you okay? Do you think of yourself as someone who is extroverted? Was it comfortable to do? I mean, I only say this because I remember my first social media post, and I am an extroverted person. My armpits were sweating. Oh, I was.

[B]

It's very scary.

[A]

I was like, what's going to happen if I do this? You know?

[B]

Yeah. Because you just. It's the unknown. And that's one of my favorite things to say is back then, it was very much the unknown. Like, social media was the unknown. You know, creating a business out of social media was the unknown. People like, you're crazy. So I would. I would say it was like, introvert, extrovert. Even now, still, like, I love people, I love to talk, and I love relationships. But then I also need to charge my battery at times. So as someone who was homeschooled, you know, grew up in an isolated area, I was definitely very sheltered growing up. So making videos and posting them online terrified me.

[A]

But you did it anyway.

[B]

But I did it. I decided to make myself uncomfortable and be like, hello, everyone. I do fitness things.

[A]

And had you lost the weight then you went through a period where you were kind of finding yourself emotionally eating?

[B]

Yes. So I think it was a couple years after I got in great shape, I started going to the gym. I hated it, you know, but I was like. I remember I was trying on clothes at. I forget what store it was. Hollister, American Eagle, something like that. And I had to go up quite a few sizes. It wasn't just one size. It was quite a few. And I remember thinking it wasn't because I gained weight. It was the way I felt. Right. And in my head, I was like, if I'm gonna have to. If I'm working four jobs and I'm putting myself through school, I'm doing all these things. I need to have more energy. I need to take care of myself, because I won't be able to do these things if I'm not taking care of myself.

[A]

That's absolutely right. That is spoken like a entrepreneur that is going to be able to have a legacy career.

[B]

Thanks. That's so nice.

[A]

I am telling you the truth, because one of the biggest things, one of the biggest rookie mistakes that entrepreneurs make is they fail to understand that health is the great equalizer.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

It's not brain power. It's not funding, it's not capital. It is health is the great equalizer. And whether you're an entrepreneur or not, you will never go higher than your health.

[B]

Period.

[A]

End of story. The earlier that you learn that, the better, the greater your legacy will be able to be if that's what someone chooses.

[B]

That is so true.

[A]

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[B]

So true. That's probably something that helped me the most is taking care of myself and learning, you know, discipline, patience, boundaries. Because I often think like, man, if I didn't learn that, I don't think I would be able to do what I'm doing now.

[A]

There's no way.

[B]

It started with fitness. No way.

[A]

And yeah, you were trying on clothes, you were up your sizes.

[B]

So I went up a few sizes and it was more so the way that I felt. I was like I felt sluggish, I feel brain foggy, I just don't feel sharp. And I knew that If I didn't start taking care of myself, then I wouldn't be able to keep up with what I was doing because I was exhausted all the time. So I was like, if this could give me just a little bit more energy, then I could take an extra class, you know, that's how I was thinking.

[A]

I could just do more.

[B]

I could do more. So I started going to the gym. Hated it. I hated lifting weights. I hated the treadmill. I hated all of it.

[A]

How come?

[B]

I think I just didn't enjoy it. I loved at the time. I was like, I loved school and I loved food. I loved friends. I just didn't enjoy the gym. And I still continued to go. And over time, you know, I'd have all these guys in the gym trying to give me advice. And I was like, I'm not getting bulky. No, thank you. They're like, oh, you gotta do these bicep curls. I was like, absolutely not. I don't want your arms.

[A]

I am not doing Universal Chest Day. Yeah, not happening.

[B]

Not doing bench. But I would get all this advice from men because at the hookah bar, it was all a bunch of guys that worked there, and my roommate was a guy. So it's all this men giving me advice. And I was like, I want a woman giving me advice. So I just felt a little bit more comfortable that way. But I didn't know any woman that lifted weights that were really in shape. So I started going to gym, kind of figuring things out. And it helped because at the time I was in school, I was taking anatomy and physiology, science of nutrition. So I was learning those things in college, which was helpful. And I started really enjoying it, like, really learning the process and teaching myself. Okay, so this is how it works, and this is how you can mold your body and build your muscle. And then I remember going to CrossFit. I had a friend who was like. He was like 500 pounds. He was like, heidi, my doctor says if I don't start working out, I'm gonna die really young. And he was like, will you go to CrossFit with me? I was like, you're joking. It's the hardest. Like that to me, that was the hardest thing that you could do. But I went to CrossFit. I remember seeing a girl I'll never forget. I was struggling, doing, like step ups on a box. And this girl just. She comes in, she's just drenched in sweat. And you could see her six pack through her shirt. And I was like, how'd you get those?

[A]

I did not See that at American Eagle.

[B]

But no, but I was like, I want those. Like, that's. That's incredible. She looked great. She was just. She was just glowing. And I was like, I want what she has. That's amazing. So I continued to, you know, lose weight, get in great shape. CrossFit really helped because of the community, and I was just learning things along the way. I was like, okay, great. Having a friend to talk to helped. Having a community there helped researching and learning and taking information from people you trust. And at the time, like, now I was like, I love getting advice from my husband. I'm like, yeah, yeah. What helps with this? And, you know, we'll talk about things. And I'm very comfortable doing his workout routines for the most part. But at the time, I did not feel comfortable taking any advice that wasn't a woman, because I just didn't know. And over time, I just. I learned so much, got in amazing shape, and then I was like. Started posting YouTube videos. And again, people watching, I feel like they just knew I wasn't trying to be a know at all. I was like, you gotta do this, this, this. I was like, I'm gonna show you. It worked for me, and I loved it. I didn't like this. I loved this. This worked. This didn't work.

[A]

And why did you decide? What made you think, okay, I'm gonna pick up the camera? Cause it was. Was it on a camera at this time? Or I think maybe they were doing on phones. Were you?

[B]

So I was like, this will show my age. But let's see. I start on Instagram, and at the time, Instagram didn't have videos. It was only photos. And it wasn't swipe photos. It was just one picture. So for me, I was showing, like, what I was eating, but I couldn't show them my full workouts because it was a photo. So I would do a photo of me, like, squatting, and I would put my whole workout, and girls were like, I want to do this workout. I just don't know how to do the form. And I was like, okay. So I had a friend that was like, why don't you put these on YouTube? I was like, that's terrifying. Totally not.

[A]

Like, we're not friends anymore.

[B]

Yeah. I was like, but he was so supportive, and we're really good friends to this day.

[A]

Amazing.

[B]

And he was like, you should. He's like. He's like, you're coming to Pittsburgh. He's like. He's like, I'm gonna follow you around with a camera. And just like, if. If I have to. And he was just very supportive, and it. It made me feel more confident. And he was like, imagine what you could do if you could actually demonstrate your workouts for women. Because no one was really doing that. I think there was, like, two or three other women on YouTube kind of doing things, but everyone has their own style. So I was like, okay, yeah, I can. I can do some videos. I was very awkward, very nervous when I watched those old videos. I'm like, man, I was, like, terrified. And you can tell, I was, like, frozen. But it got easier with each video I uploaded. And the woman that were commenting made it so worth it. They were like, now I know. Now I feel comfortable going into the gym and doing this workout because I saw a girl doing it, and she looks great and not bulky. And so me kind of like, showing what I was doing. And then, you know, I would answer every comment at the time and just telling like, you can do this. Like, you can do hard things and you're not gonna get bulky.

[A]

Why did you feel the need to help? Would you say that you are or always have been kind of a servant leader? Was it a way of being of service?

[B]

Yeah, that's my love. Language is acts of service. So I love doing things for people.

[A]

Is it? Yeah.

[B]

Did we just become best friends?

[A]

Yeah, we did. Sure. Is acts of service all the way. Yeah.

[B]

I just, like, I love doing things for people. I'm like, how can I help you, Matt?

[A]

Who does that sound like it is? It is, yes. Because it's. I don't know, maybe selfishly, just if you can fix something, help something, make something better for somebody, show up for somebody, sign me up.

[B]

Yeah. I think that's kind of how you started your podcast too, right? It's like you were giving the world a service.

[A]

I built my career by being good to people.

[B]

I love that.

[A]

That is. People will ask me, how did you think this? And that. You know, we just had one of the most impressive people on the podcast right before. He's a metabolic expert. He's first author. He's been cited by thousands and thousands of people. We've been friends for 10 years.

[B]

That's so cool.

[A]

I built my career. Yes, I'm a good doctor. And, yes, I'm really interested in being able to advocate for the science and read it and translate it, which is really my role. But I would not be where I am if I didn't have good, meaningful relationships, hands down.

[B]

That's amazing. And be good to people.

[A]

I'll Put that on a mug. And so when people ask me what's the thing, they ask me about branding or they ask me about this and that. The real secret to success, which isn't a secret, is actually be good and transparent and giving.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And really, actually care about the person on the other end.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And quite frankly, that is what generates meaning. So.

[B]

Very true.

[A]

That's what happened.

[B]

I love that.

[A]

And why did you do it? Did you feel that same drive to share and provide value just to do it?

[B]

I think I just. It's like the love language. Right. So acts of service. I really enjoyed helping other people. And that's kind of, you know, at the time when I was young, I was like, I want to be a doctor one day. They're like, why? I was like, I want to help people. You know, it's like that, that's what made me want to do that at the time.

[A]

Same.

[B]

And I think being able to help people in a different way, it's like I. I didn't become a doctor, but I was like, oh, if I can figure out how to help people in a different way, then it's still helping people, if that's like my goal. So I remember just like really enjoying the moments that, you know, I got to talk back and forth with women and they were like, this changed my life, like. And you know, at the time I was like, I'm just meal prepping, you know, I'm just recording my workouts. And that's what I was thinking. But it's like one little tip helped. It sparked something in a woman, which then they took off and they did all the work. But I think realizing that it's a domino effect, you know. And I remember this girl at an expo, I was telling Mari about this. It was like, I remember she came to meet me and she was like, I want to meet you because I lost hundreds of pounds watching your videos.

[A]

It's the sweetest.

[B]

And I was like, what? That was just such a big wake up call. And she goes, it affected my life, but it also affected my kids lives.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

And to me I was like, I'm never gonna stop doing what I'm doing. Like in that moment I was like. And it was, I think, one of the first expos that I did, maybe the first or second. And I was like, this is so powerful. Like, I love what I do. And even if I have to work 18 hours a day and, you know, even if I never make as much money as a doctor or this, I was like, I love what I'm doing right now. And it's. It just gives me so much purpose, and that's why I love to do it. And what you said about transparency, that is like my. My other favorite word. I was like, we have a lot of similar.

[A]

You just became best friends. It's amazing.

[B]

I recently hired a marketing director and that was like. My big thing is I was like, we built the brands on transparency. I was like, we never lie to our customers. We always create masterpieces of products. And transparency is my number one. You know, if we lost something, if we are in the wrong, we come out with it. We let them know. You know, hopefully we don't, you know, do wrong things or anything like that. But it's like, you know, a shipment comes late, we mess up an order. I was like, always be transparent about it, because that's like how you can build a successful company brand community, and it can be so easily be taken away if you're not transparent.

[A]

Yes. And when you started doing this, obviously you were also pre med at the time. Did you get pushback? Did you get criticism? Were your professors, if they knew, saying, hey, you can't do this. Why are you anything like that?

[B]

Not really. So I think it was, if anything, I. I shadowed in on a surgery one time, and it was funny. It was some neurosurgeons. I met them when I was. I was out eating and they were like, oh, my dog's name was Neuro at the time. His name was neurotransmitter Ranbier.

[A]

You could have just picked Steve for something. Gary, what's up?

[B]

I was like, neurotransmitter Ranvier. What a cool name.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And I was calling my dog's name. I was like, neuro, come here. And these doctors heard me and they're like, did you just call your dog Neuro? And I was like, yeah. So then we started chatting and they were like, oh, we're all in our residency right now. Do you want to see an open brain surgery? I was like, absolutely, I do. So I remember going, and I got to spend the day watching them extract a tumor.

[A]

Oh, my gosh.

[B]

And it was so cool. And I was in the operating room. I don't even know if this was allowed at the time, but probably not. Probably not.

[A]

We're definitely getting fired, guys.

[B]

I won't say who it is, but I remember, you know, I was close. I was this far away. I was in the room. And they were like, I think they probably thought I was in my residency. I'm not really? Sure. But they got me in there.

[A]

Yes. Because who else would name their dog Neuro? They definitely thought you were in medicine for sure.

[B]

And I don't think that. I think the team that helped me in, they were residents. I think they, I don't know what they did to get me in there, but I remember watching and they were like, do you want to get closer? I was like, if I get closer, I'm getting blood in my eye. I'm good right here. And they're like, if you, if you, if you think you're going to throw up, just raise your hand. But I was like, this is the coolest thing I've ever seen. I loved it. But I remember talking to doctors and they were like, so why do you want to do this? And I was like, I want to help people. And they were like just letting me know of different surgeries. Like you. Sometimes you go in for a five hour surgery, you come out 18 hours later. And they were telling me a lot of real life scenarios. So if anything, they're almost trying to scare me out of it. And it, not that it scared me, but it's like talking to them. I also worked for a doctor in San Antonio. He had a nutrition shop and that was one of the coolest things. Like he had a supplement store where patients would come in and he would look at their prescriptions and say, okay, like, yes, you should take all these things. This one though, you might just need a supplement, so maybe see if your doctor wants to take this instead. And I thought it was really cool what he was doing. And then he kind of had a couple conversations with me too. He's like, if you want this, go for it. He was like, but if it's to help people, there's different ways to help people. I was like, yeah, you're right. So I think after sitting with those and talking to different doctors, it just, it made me think differently of, oh, you can help people all different types of ways. So I think that kind of was a eye opener for me.

[A]

How did you. And how did your family take it when you. I mean, because there had to. Oh, yes, right. So here you had moved, you spent all this money on college.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You'd saved for years, were working for various jobs.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And now you're calling. I can just imagine. What's your mom's name?

[B]

Wendy.

[A]

Hey, Wendy. I just wanted to call to tell you I'm moving my medical career to full time YouTube. I know you guys are in Alaska. You totally get YouTube down there.

[B]

I mean, Dial up Internet.

[A]

Yeah. And I have more than $7 in my account. I mean, your parents must have just been. I mean, what's going on? What do they say? Are they. Are you on drugs? What did they say that hookah bar?

[B]

No, I think it. I mean, I worked for so long and so hard, and I did everything. I think one of my family members, she probably took it the hardest. Like, she was like, you have come so far. What are you doing? And I was like, I know, but I just. I love what I do now. And I remember she was like, I just want, you know, if you. If you go this way, you might regret it. And you will probably never make as much money as a doctor. And I remember thinking, I'm not doing it for the money. Like, I'm doing it because I like. I love these women. I love what I'm doing for them. And even if it's temporary, I want to, like, soak all this up because I love what I'm doing right now. And I can always change. If I want to try to go to med school or I want to change careers or do anything later, I can. But I just, like, I can't imagine walking away from these women that are watching these videos and they're learning so much.

[A]

How many women. And it wasn't necessarily in a community at that point. Right. It wasn't an app. It wasn't a community.

[B]

It was.

[A]

It was just. It was. You were driven by YouTube, YouTube comments, but you were reaching real people. Do you. How big was your YouTube at the time?

[B]

Let's see. I want to say when I quit school, maybe like 50,000 YouTube followers. So it was a good amount, but it wasn't like 100,000 or anything like that.

[A]

And how big. You have a YouTube channel now?

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

And how big is it now?

[B]

800,000.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

I would say I do more like TikTok Instagram now I have, like, I diversified with platforms, but YouTube. I think I'll always have a special place for YouTube because you got you. You could share so much on that platform.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Versus the others, but.

[A]

So you had 50,000 subscribers, and you call your family and say, I'm. I'm leaving school.

[B]

Yes. I think it was because I had one semester where I was. Sometimes I look back, I'm like, how did I do that? But I was working full time for the periodontist, and I was doing YouTube once a week. You know, I would film, edit, upload same day. I was working on the weekends the whole week.

[A]

I mean, the whole day. Was it one video a week or was it.

[B]

No, I would. I was. I was like, okay, what. What am I capable of doing? So I would spend my Sunday. I would film, edit, upload on a Sunday. So it was. Wasn't like the. The craziest videos, but it was like the information, the videos that were helping. So I would. Monday through Thursday or Friday, I think Monday through Thursday is when I was work at the doctor's office, and then I was doing night school, and then I was working on the weekends as a bottle service girl. And you.

[A]

So the reason you did not date because you had no time.

[B]

I was dating at that point.

[A]

I mean.

[B]

But actually, yes, that helps schedule. You don't have time to date.

[A]

You have to be focused if you're going to be. If you are as committed as you are. Those things can be distractions.

[B]

They can be. And I think for me, you know, me swearing off dating, I was like, I just don't. I was healing for part of it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But as that one year turned into three, because after a year, it's amazing what you can do when you spend so much time with yourself. You learn your boundaries, you learn discipline, you learn patience. And because I learned so much about myself, I was like, I don't want to date just anybody. I'm gonna wait for someone to come along. That's worth it.

[A]

I'm wait for Christian. It'll be like, yeah, exactly.

[B]

You know, so it's like I learned what I liked and what I didn't like and what I would tolerate, what I wouldn't tolerate.

[A]

Did you have mentor. Did you have a mentor at the time?

[B]

I didn't know.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

No.

[A]

What about books? Did you. You know, when I, you know, when I think about residency, I always read Tim Grover's Relentless, you know, and always would listen to what he would say. Did you. Or did you listen outward, or was it all internal?

[B]

It was all internal. I wish. Sometimes I'm embarrassed when people are like, so, like, what. What books did you read?

[A]

Or like, David Goggins is always talking about how you shouldn't be looking outward.

[B]

I think that would have distracted me. So I think for me, I just. I relied on my gut a lot, my gut feeling of what's the right thing to do in this situation. But I will say my mom is, like, one of the most amazing people in the world. My mom and dad, but my mom especially would always be like, whatever you want to do in this world, you can do it. You just have to work for it. And so she Would always tell me like, I'm capable of anything as long as I, you know, as long as I work hard, I can do hard things. And so she always kind of gave me that confidence too. So I'd say I might not have had a mentor, but she, she always believed in me for sure.

[A]

Wendy sounds amazing.

[B]

She's a, she's great.

[A]

Big fans, big fan. You know, it sounds like you've met her a few times. You then are doing the YouTube. You, this is your full time career. You were able to monetize at the time, right? Figuring out ways to monetize. So it wasn't as if you had $7 any longer in your, your account. What transitioned after, did you just continue to do the YouTube? Were there a moment where you think, okay, now this is full time, I'm going full speed ahead. Did you struggle at all? Did you feel as if there was a failure? Because a lot of what we're hearing is very positive and you know, sometimes it's always not. Yes, sometimes there are challenges that we don't.

[B]

Oh yeah, I think that. So that semester where I was like, you know, I was working all these different jobs, I was doing YouTube and I was in school full time. I think that was the hardest semester. And I remember waking up some mornings at like 5am or whatever time I woke up and I would like cry a little or tear up a little bit because I was like, I'm putting so much on myself right now. I remember that. What got me through that is I would tell myself, I was like, but if I can get through this semester by working these jobs, doing social media, so basically having my own business and going to school full time, then I can do anything. So that's kind of what pushed me. Like on those mornings where I'd cry a little bit, like I'm so stressed, I'd be like, but I'm doing this right now. That's wild. And I was like, if I can get through this semester with straight A's, then I'm gonna give myself a break. So I always thought of like, okay, there's a silver lining or there's light at the end of the tunnel. And I'm a big, positive, big person, big believer in that, right? So it's like, when you're going through those hard times, there's always light at the end of the tunnel and if you focus on that, it'll help you get through it. So that's, that's what helped me get through it. I remember like I did make straight A'S that semester. And I was like, I don't know how I did that.

[A]

And that is, I don't know how I did that. I don't think I've ever made straight A's.

[B]

Not every, not every semester was straight A's. But that was, that was a crazy semester. But I also loved school. I did.

[A]

You did.

[B]

I did.

[A]

I did too. Most of it.

[B]

Yeah, most of it. Never loved chemistry.

[A]

Yeah. Physic. Well, chemistry, I really liked physics. No.

[B]

Oh, see, I liked physics.

[A]

Statistics, I love.

[B]

Yeah, I loved math and I love science. But chemistry, I just know I hated it. Really, I just couldn't. I didn't hate it. I just, I had to study a lot more in that one.

[A]

Yes, everybody, everybody, Everybody does. Yeah. Are there a handful of strategies and have you thought about this self talk for sure is one for you. Sounds like you bet on yourself. It sounds like you have self resolve that you're your own best friend and your memory about bad things is very short term. For example, if you're, you know, waking up with tearing up, it's. It's quick, you're quick to move on. Would you say that there's a handful of those strategies that are maybe conscious, less conscious that you do routinely that you've noticed about yourself?

[B]

Let's see. I think it's so funny. My mom says this phrase all the time. She said, punch the ticket and move on. And so I always joke around and I just said that like two days ago. That's one of my favorite phrases. Because if you know something, you're struggling with something, whether it's work or it's fitness or whatever, it's like, don't dwell on it too much. And so I have some girlfriends and I've been guilty of it in the past where you know you're going through something, right? You call 1, 2, 3, 5 different girlfriends, you talk it out, you do this, this, this. All of a sudden you just wasted like five hours of your day. And really you knew the decision that you should have made, right? So I was like, I don't have all the time in the world. Especially during those times where I'm working all these jobs and doing that. So I was like, I know what decision I should make and I need to be confident in that. And if I make the wrong mistake, it's okay, I'm gonna learn from it. And it's like, just punch the ticket and move on. So that has helped me a lot, I would say in life.

[A]

I see a new mug coming.

[B]

Yeah, punch the ticket.

[A]

Move on. Move on. I mean, I love a good mug.

[B]

Big fan. Big fan.

[A]

In our house, we say, you've got 15 minutes.

[B]

You've got 15 minutes.

[A]

You got 15 minutes.

[B]

Go ahead, if you want to sit down, get upset.

[A]

I like that. Whatever it is, you have 15 minutes. And then we say rule number one, which I'm not going to say on the show. I'm going to tell you after. Never break rule number one. Never broke break rule number one, which.

[B]

I want to tell you, I'm excited to hear this.

[A]

Yeah, you're gonna say, okay, that makes sense. You have 15 minutes. When your 15 minutes are up, you know, you say okay. That way it doesn't bleed into your whole day.

[B]

Yes, okay.

[A]

You can actually. My husband will say, okay, are we starting your 15 minutes now? I'm like, yeah, set that timer 15. Oh, it's just. I'm gonna call everyone I can. In 15 minutes. That 15 minutes is up. You better move on. And it works because the brain is wired for survival and it's wired for stress. And if you become and familiarize your yourself with this anxious feeling, with this irritation, you become much more likely to do that thing, that brain function, that response each time that makes sense. Furthermore, if you have a limited amount of time and move right into a positive frame of thinking, which is what you seem to do, you become much better at doing that. And then, you know, it was interesting. I was listening to what Christian, your husband, was saying, was that he's been in business for 10 years, and maybe something goes great with business. Maybe something, you know, doesn't work out or a partnership doesn't work, he moves on really quick. Yeah, it doesn't have the same heat as it did before. And part of that, or maybe it never did, but part of that is you training your mind.

[B]

Yes, Training your mind.

[A]

And then the response becomes second nature. And that sounds like that's what happened with you.

[B]

Yeah, that's a good nugget. Training your mind. That's so accurate. I think that if you stay in that victim mentality for a long time, it's almost like poison to your brain, you know, it's like you know the answer that you should. I like the 15 minute rule. Because sometimes I do call a friend or I'll call Christian, like, hey, what do you think? Like this is going on. What do you think? The right decision. And he'll give me his advice, but ultimately I'll end up making my gut decision.

[A]

And you still trust your gut to this day, yes. Which is Important because you've had a tremendous amount of success. And sometimes with a lot of success comes a lot of people.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And people again in ways. You know, it sounds as if your success has built over time. I don't know if it was sudden or if it really did build over time. And I was talking to Whitney Cummings about this just over the last couple days, and she says, you know, nobody prepares you for being a celebrity. No one prepares you for very fast success. And there's things that come with that.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

If you have not done it slow over time. Have you had that experience?

[B]

Yes, I would say multiple times. There's just been times where, you know, when I first started doing YouTube and everything, it was for fun. Right. And then for it to develop into a business, you know, I just wanted to make a pair of leggings that made women feel confident, made them feel like, wow, I look great in these and they function well. So I think for me, I was like, I just want to give women a pair of leggings that made them feel good. And, you know, developing it into a business was never the goal. In the beginning, I was like, I'm just making merch, but just higher quality.

[A]

Wait, so did you wear it? Did you walk in a store and you were like, wow, I am. I'm definitely not wearing these. I need. I cannot find a pair. I'm gonna make my own.

[B]

Oh, yeah. I mean, I wore so many different brands all the time, like, throughout my. My fitness journey, and I was like, these shorts are too short. These leggings are functional, but they're. They make my butt look just not cute. It's not. Not flattering for a woman's body. And even now, to this day, it's, you know, I. I try to look at a lot of other brands. I'm like, great. These big brands, like, they're so good at making items functional, but they don't think about the woman's body. Like, we don't want. I use this terminology in my designer. I'm like, guys, either free the lat or tuck the lat, but don't have it cross over the lat. It's like the most uncomfortable thing when you're trying to train. So just making products for women specifically, that made them feel confident by a.

[A]

Woman, which is awesome.

[B]

Do it.

[A]

Buy a woman.

[B]

Yeah, exactly.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So that was my goal. Like, I wasn't trying to have a big company. I wasn't trying to be a CEO. I was just wanted to give a.

[A]

Woman a great pair of leggings Was there a moment. Was there an aha moment where you thought, okay, yep, that's what I'm gonna do. Do you remember the.

[B]

I think it just. At first, I did T shirt merch stuff right. While I was working on the leggings. Cause developing leggings can take years. So while I was. Oh, yes. I mean, you're. The whole process. I'll have to, like, have you over for dinner and, like, I'll go through the whole thing. So if we were to reorder this top, for example, it would come in in about six months.

[A]

Wow, that's insane.

[B]

So we. So we mill the fabric. And so whenever you mill the fabric, they knit the fabric. Right. And then that takes about 30 days. And it takes about 30 days to then lab dip it and like, Sorry, dye the lot of fabric, which can take 30 days. Then you have to cut and sew, period. The pattern.

[A]

Holy cow.

[B]

It takes a while. Then you have coming by sea or you have the shipment of it in air and every little detail. So if there's, like, buttons, if there's zippers, everything is lab dipped. So.

[A]

And this was always like this. So before Buff Bunny. Before. I mean, was it always Buff Bunny? Yes, it was. Wow. It was always Buff Bunny. I kept the name Buff Bunny always.

[B]

Yes. I just. I love the name because for me at the time and even now, still, I was like, okay, Buff kind of represented this, like, strong, powerful side of a woman. And then Bunny was like, staying in touch with your nurturing side, feminine side. Being soft, it's like keeping the hard powerfulness of the buff side and then keeping that balance of being feminine and soft and having it blended together. So that's what inspired me for the name. And I've always loved it. And I feel like I just still resonate with it so much. I was like, yeah, I'd love to go in the gym and throw some weights around and be sweaty. But then, you know, maybe.

[A]

Maybe do it wearing pink or hologram.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Purple.

[B]

Exactly. Like.

[A]

Or the scrunchy mocha gym.

[B]

And I got the mocha.

[A]

Yes. When you sat down for the first pair of. So the first. So first actually started as a T shirt.

[B]

Yes, the first two launches started T shirts. And I remember launching them. They sold out so fast. And I was like, okay. And then by the time I had the leggings, it was about eight months after the. After we started doing the merch. But at that time, I used stock fabrics, so it didn't take. It didn't take as long as six Months to do a restock. It would take closer to three months to do a restock. So. But the fabrics and they were good back then, but now they're, like, superior. Because now we. We can add collagen into the fabrics, and we can really create whatever we want with the fabrics. But back then, we were a little bit more limited because you have your moqs, so you have to know what that is. You have your minimum order quantity. So they were like, okay, if you want to do collagen fabric, you need to order 20,000 pieces. And I was just starting, so I was like, I don't got 20,000 pieces.

[A]

I have. My mom's going to buy a pair. My.

[B]

I got three sisters.

[A]

They're definitely getting a pair. So we're going to place the order for 15.

[B]

Yes. Pieces, small units.

[A]

Yes. Was there a moment where you're thinking, okay, holy cow, this is now a real business?

[B]

I think I had imposter syndrome for a little while. When I first started, I was like. Especially when I first did YouTube, right? I was like, oh, this is only going to last for a little bit. But then that developed into then me creating a brand, right? Then I was like, well, this is only going to last for a little bit. And I went from launching some T shirts in my living room to then my whole house I had just rented became a whole fulfillment center. I was having friends in there every day, and we were packing orders, and we were trying to figure out customer service and how do we print a shipping label. So it kind of developed into that.

[A]

Sounds like it developed fast.

[B]

Oh, it developed very quickly. Yes.

[A]

Are we talking about, okay, I'm gonna make this. And then it was in a month where you're thinking, whoa.

[B]

I think the first couple T shirt launches, I was like, oh, these will last like, six months? And they lasted 30 seconds on the website. So crazy. It was. It was very crazy. And it was definitely very fast, for sure. I think I'll have to. I wish I knew all the exact numbers, but I want to say the first year was like half a million and just T shirts, mainly. Mainly T shirts. And I think we had leggings towards the end of that year. And even at that point, I mean, that's a lot of money, right? And I was like, this is a lot. But the imposter side of me was like, this is temporary. Next year, it's probably not gonna do anywhere near this. But it did much more than that. So it's like each year grew so much, and I think the first Two years I was having imposter syndrome. And then my husband was the one who was like, you need to get a warehouse because you have employees in your house every single day. You have subcontractors in your house every day. You have all these friends over. It was like, my house is a fulfillment center. And I was like, yeah. So I looked at warehouses.

[A]

But the first two years you were doing out of your house, I think, or. So something like that doesn't have to be exact.

[B]

Yeah, like, yeah, I would say maybe a year. Year and a half. A year and a half.

[A]

And then your husband swooped in and was like, okay. I. Yeah, he's like, this is a problem.

[B]

I was looking into it, but.

[A]

And you didn't have a CEO at the time you've been running? Yeah, right.

[B]

I've never had a CEO, so I've just figured it out a long time.

[A]

You just figured it out, but what you did is you just started and it didn't.

[B]

It.

[A]

It doesn't sound like it was premeditated. It began in a place where. Okay, I really love helping women. Women want to see from other women and hear from other women, which I fully believe.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

And you wanted to make them something that was comfortable and amazing.

[B]

Yes. And I think, you know, during the process, I was very transparent with what. While I was making the clothes, I was like, guys, do you like this, or what do you think of these leggings? On my YouTube, so that's cool. They felt like they were part of it, and I was. And I remember we had a batch of leggings come in, and I was like, this. These are see through. I did not order these. I would not approve these. I was like, guys, this whole shipment that came in, I'm so sorry. We're getting them redone because these are see through, and I'm not going to sell you guys see through leggings. And I think it was things like that that women really appreciated. They're like, thank you so much. We appreciate you listening to us. And that's something that I still teach my teams. I'm like, listen and have conversations with the customers and the people instead of just telling them what's gonna happen. It's like, have conversations first. Because the most valuable products that we've came out with are listening to women of what they want and also, like, how to solve a problem for them and make their life better, you know, because everyone can sell a pair of leggings.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But it's the transparency and giving. Giving women a masterpiece is What I like to call it was like a masterpiece or nothing. I'd rather wait.

[A]

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[B]

Yes. Oh, yeah, I think there's a few times. And when I say imposter syndrome, I don't sit there for days or weeks.

[A]

Clearly not. You get your 15 minutes. But for the other women, that's so accurate.

[B]

15 minutes of imposter syndrome.

[A]

So listen, I am telling you there are patterns of ways of interpreting the external world that all my most successful friends and patients do. They are not different.

[B]

Yeah, they're all the same.

[A]

The ones that rise to the top. You show me your habits and I will tell you where you are in business.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

And that's powerful. It is powerful. And also when you identify where the weaknesses are, those are all coachable. One can be coached out of those. If they feel worthy enough to move on from it, they can be coached out of it.

[B]

Wow.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

That's amazing.

[A]

Yes, it is extraordinary. Wow. Our biology does not have to own or run us. It ultimately becomes a choice.

[B]

It does become a choice. That's so accurate.

[A]

You give yourself 15 minutes of feeling like, holy cow, imposter.

[B]

And then you just, and then shake.

[A]

It off and you make a decision.

[B]

Yeah. I think for me, the warehouse was a big, big moment for me. You know, people like, oh, it's just a warehouse. You're doing all this crazy stuff in your house. Like, why warehouse? But for me, I was like, I'm locking in for three years because you have to sign a lease. And I was like, three years of paying this rent scared me because I was in my head, I was like, well, this could be just temporary. But I was like looking at my house, I was like, okay, my whole house is a fulfillment center. I was like, I need some normalcy in my life. And not having, you know, 10, 15 people in my house sometimes to pack orders during launches. So I remember getting the warehouse and I remember the real estate agent kind of being like, you got big dreams? I was like, yeah, isn't that crazy? They were like, maybe you should look for something maybe smaller. I was like, oh, I wish I would have done bigger, because within six months, we outgrew the warehouse. Something that I was like, oh, you know, three years I'm so nervous about. But I was like, man, well, now I'm mad that I signed three years to a. A space I outgrew in six months. But.

[A]

And what'd you do? I mean, I sublease, so I subleased.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So eventually, I ended up moving to Houston because my husband and I were dating. I think after we had the warehouse for a year and a half or two years or so, that's when I moved to Houston and I got a much bigger warehouse, which was very helpful.

[A]

Do you still feel inspired every day by what you're doing?

[B]

Yes, I love what I do. I love, love, love what I do. I think what drives me the most is just creating products for women that helps them the most. So with apparel, you know, some people are like, it's just a pair of leggings. But I take so much pride in every item that I do. Every color, every piece, every stitch. You know, I'll be like, oh, instead of this flat lock, let's do this. I call it a skinny Rosa seam. I didn't go to fashion school. I have amazing designers that I work for that are way better at what. You know, way better at that than I am. But I'm like, but how can we make the woman's body look amazing in these pair of leggings? It's like, great. This is a good fabric. But how can we have a woman put these leggings on and be like, I look so good. And that's my. That's my goal. Because I think a lot of women can buy leggings from everywhere, but sometimes it just doesn't flatter their figure. And if they don't look good, they don't feel as confident. And it's not them or their body. It's usually the legging that just doesn't work with their shape. So that's why we love to do a lot of contouring and, like, really bring out the curves in a woman's body and do things like, you know, like the freeing the lat or tucking the lat. And, you know, I use this terminology on YouTube because I'm just showing behind the scenes. I'm like, okay, do you guys want to feel secured in this area, or do you want to open up and show off your lats? And so they love it because they feel empowered, like they're part of this process.

[A]

And you're still doing that.

[B]

I still do that. I love it, and I never get tired of it because they have great ideas. So we have this community channel. It's our discord, and we have actually a channel on there. We say, design ideas. Drop your ideas in here. And sometimes they come up with great ideas or colors. And because of that, they love purchasing because they're like, oh, they listen to us. You know, a lot of other brands. That's something that most brands don't do because they don't know how to connect those. But we let them vote and put ideas in there. Or they'll change colors. They'll be like, oh, can we do a backpack? But do it bright yellow. And they'll actually photoshop it and put it in there. And I'm like, that's actually pretty cute. So they feel very connected to the brand.

[A]

You know, when I think about what you're doing, it really is. It gives back a lot, and it creates a legacy for people, right, for thinking about what is it that they need to do in their own life. I mean, I'm sure it's very. It's been very inspiring for me to see you and watch you and listen to you. I can only imagine, you know, when people have their ideas and it gives. You know, when you see one person do it, then you can be inspired by greatness. Right? You can be inspired by, hey, this person did this. This is amazing. If this person is doing it, I can follow my dream.

[B]

Absolutely right.

[A]

You become inspired by each other. And as you think about your legacy and inspiring women to leave their own, where do you see yourself going, you know, personally? Because there's Buff Bunny, and then there's Heidi Summers. What's your new. You have new last name. Coming out soon.

[B]

Yeah, coming out soon.

[A]

So we'll have to change that eventually. But where do you see yourself going for your next iteration?

[B]

Yeah, I think right now, Buffbunny Collection's at such a great spa to have amazing, amazing departments, teams, leads, brilliant minds. Like, I am so grateful each day for them. I'm just like, I can't believe I get to work with these incredible women. We do have two guys, but mainly women at the. At the brand.

[A]

Those guys are tough, man. That's a lot of estrogen.

[B]

It is a lot of estrogen, and they're the best team players because I have them. I feel so confident, the brand, because they know how I think. They know what's important to me. They know the brand values. And not even a year ago, actually I wanted to do a fitness app for so long. I was like, this would be such a great avenue to create something special for women. But it took me a long time to do it because I know my boundaries. I was like, okay, until I have a incredible, brilliant, functional team, I don't feel comfortable starting a second business because my first team needs me. So. And once I built out a phenomenal team at buffbunny Collection, which took a long time, but I was like, they're worth it. Then I took a baby step back and I was able to create grounds and a lot of people gave me pushback. They were like, there are a million fitness apps out there. Everyone's doing fitness apps. What makes you want to do it now? I feel like it's just very saturated. But in my head I looked out there and I was like, I don't see any fitness apps out there that have everything a woman needs for her fitness and health journey. Yes, there's apps, but a one stop shop for women where they had workouts, programs, nutrition, period tracking, journal, a community. It's like most apps had two or three, but they didn't have everything encompassing in one. Like macro, calculator. We have a lot and you can integrate it with your Apple Watch. And me wanting that, I was like, there's nothing out there for women like that. And I guess as someone that's trying to conceive, I was like, I want. And I refuse to launch the app without the period tracker because I was like, I need. Like I have adenomyosis. So I have. I struggle with my cramps and I wanted to use it whenever I was ready to have a baby. So I was.

[A]

So you built the app for yourself?

[B]

I built the app for myself, but also a lot of other meeting.

[A]

No, I'm joking in the way that. Yeah, but now. But you've created something that is really what you want or what you would want. Just like leggings that would make you feel amazing.

[B]

Exactly. And I remember we had the app like fully done. Like the team was like, we're ready to launch it, but the period trackers on. And there I was like, let's wait. And they were like, you're driving us crazy. Because they were like, this app is so great without the period tracker.

[A]

I was like, you wanted it to.

[B]

Be right, but I need it to be done right. And it's like, even if we have to wait, I want to wait till it's. Till it's done right. It's like that masterpiece mindset, if you will. I was like, I want a masterpiece or wait till it's a masterpiece. And that has brought me so much joy because I love apparel and I love sharing videos on YouTube of the journey and, you know, what I've done to stay in shape and run businesses. But. But the app itself, like, seeing women transform and having a community, it's like, I wish I would have had this when I started, and that's why I created it.

[A]

I think that that is a core theme of success in business and in health, is that it's not about the lone wolf. It's not. We are always stronger together and better and more capable.

[B]

Exactly. It's like, we can do so much on our own, but we could do so much more together. Together. It's wild.

[A]

Where do you think Buff Bunny buffbunny will continue to create? Amazing. I. I tell you, I'm wearing Buff Bunny now. And now I'm thinking, oh, my gosh, I better order those mocha scrunchie pants, because once they are gone, they are gone.

[B]

The aggressive scrunch. Those are great. Those are my favorite right now.

[A]

But now you're telling me that if it sells out, then it's gonna take a million months to get six months. No, I am. As soon as we are done, I'm ordering mine. But where do you see buffbunny going? Because it's expand. I mean, it's amazing. It's amazing. It has all kinds of stuff. Doesn't just have workout stuff, but it is a brand that is made by a woman, and it's for women so that they can feel amazing and comfortable. Where do you see that expanding, or do you think that you'll continue to, you know, diversify to an app to other things?

[B]

I think with both buffbunny Collection Grounds, it's. We're still kind of building out our five, 10 years right now. I definitely want to keep Buffbunny collection. What it's doing now with transparency and community and creating products for women that solve problems and almost like hand in hand alongside grounds, like, it's completely separate companies, but helping inspire women to do more for their. To do more for their lives. So, like, whether that's moving their body more or, you know, going on walks more or learning how to, you know, fix their diet or eat healthier and things like that. And as both of those brands continue to grow and build and flourish. I would eventually, like, think my long term goal is I'd love eventually to take a back, a baby step back. Because I'm always very involved when I say baby step back. It's like instead of being 150% involved, it's like 99.

[A]

So basically the team's like, oh, shoot, yeah, she'll still be there.

[B]

Yes, exactly. Because I just, I love what I do. And although I have amazing teams on both sides, like, they do love how involved I am because they're like, they're like, can we walk hand in hand on you on this one project? But they know, but I, they know that I trust them to do everything without me if I have to disappear for a month or something like that. But I would love to eventually focus on my own personal brand where it's more so about helping women become better.

[A]

I love that.

[B]

And a term I like to say, it's like upgrade their lives in any way. Whether it's, you know, losing the five pounds or it's finding the confidence to start their own business or ask for the promotion or figure out a way from here to getting that promotion, like the steps going that way or learning how to fuel their body. Right. So actually, right before this, I was at a doctor's appointment. I was talking to a guy in the waiting room and he was like, I got to eat 200 grams of protein per day. How do I do that? And I was like, well, let's break it down. Like, if it's 200 milligrams that you needed, you know, in a day, how many meals do you eat a day? He's like, oh, I eat about five meals a day. And I was like, okay, so let's break that 200 into those things. And then it started clicking in his mind. He was like, oh, it's not that hard. I was like, yeah, if you look at the problem or the goal at first and, you know, it seems 200 so much, but you start breaking it down, it makes it more digestible for people. And so I'd love to help more women in that aspect. Like, be able to upgrade their, upgrade their lives in any way that I can.

[A]

I think that the women listening are so grateful because that also means that their partners are grateful because where one person goes, the other person goes.

[B]

Yeah, it's a team.

[A]

It is fully, it is fully about the team. If you were thinking about a piece of advice that you'd like to leave people with, what, what would it be? Or your daughter or your first child, if you say, okay, well, obviously there's so much advice I could give you, but do you have one thing?

[B]

It sounds silly, but the. The best advice that I always give, you know, women or men or whoever needs, you know, a little something, it's just start. It sounds so simple and so silly, but, you know, when I moved from Alaska to Texas and when I did my first public speaking event or when I started working out and doing all these things, the biggest struggle I had was just starting. It's like I would overthink it. I would be like, okay, do I do this decision or not? And as soon as I'd be like, I don't have to have it all figured out right away. I just have to start make a baby step. I think that's the biggest struggle that a lot of people have is they think they're waiting for the perfect time, the perfect plan, the perfect everything. Where in reality, it's just taking that one step. It doesn't have to be a big one, but just take it like a step. Just start a step.

[A]

Heidi Summers, thank you so much for coming on the podcast. You are just as lovely in person as I imagined you to be. Thank you so much.

[B]

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited, and I'm excited to have a new best friend in Houston.

[A]

That's right. And also friends, we are both the.

[B]

Same size, the same exact height. That's wild.

[A]

5 1.

[B]

As soon as I hugged her, I was like, wait a second. I didn't realize you were this little.

[A]

There you go. You are extraordinary. And again, I think that you have so much to teach the world, and that's exactly what it sounds like you're going to be doing.

[B]

Thank you. I try. I. I love women. I love working with them. And thank you for having me on your podcast. I was so nervous to come on this podcast. I felt more comfortable a few minutes in, but I've just been watching your videos for so long. I was like, you are so beautiful. You're so intelligent. You're so smart. You built such a wonderful platform and done so much for other people that I was nervous to be in your presence.

[A]

Well, that dissipated quickly. But thank you so much for saying that. And I think that, you know, one thing that I believe very strongly is that we have to uplift each other. Yes. Because again, we will move the needle much more together than we will alone. And I've just been watching you, and I, again, think that you are extraordinary. And Buffbunny's amazing. Okay. As you know I wear buffbunny but you are amazing and it's a testament to when you can control your inner dialogue, when you can take these steps forward and move the needle. And you did it in a way that I find very classy and something that I would feel comfortable with my daughter seeing. So thank you.

[B]

Thank you. The best compliment.

[A]

Thank you. The Dr. Gabrielle Lyon podcast and YouTube are for general information purposes only and do not constitute the practice of medicine, nursing or other professional health care services, including the giving of medical advice, and no patient doctor relationship is formed. The use of information on this podcast, YouTube or materials linked from the podcast or YouTube is at the user's own risk. The content of this podcast is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Users should not disregard or delay in obtaining medical advice for any medical condition they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professional for any such conditions. This is purely for entertainment and educational purposes only.