We were lucky to catch up with Sommer Hill recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sommer, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright, so you had your idea and then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing on the idea

I’ve wanted to have my own show my entire life. When I was younger and people asked me what I wanted to be when I got older, I would say Oprah. And I meant it. I never felt like that was a far fetched idea… until I got older. When I reached college, I saw so many other individuals who wanted to be like Oprah and had already begun. They had mini podcasts on YouTube. They had the network. And frankly, I didn’t. So every couple months, I’d get a gust of motivation and I’d begin networking, picking interview topics, deciding on my show name. Then the wind would leave my sails and I’d be back, hoping. 4 years after graduation, I decided enough was enough. I sat down and looked within- why was I procrastinating on this idea? What was I really afraid of? I realized it was the possibility of failure. “That has never stopped me before” I thought. So in May of 2023, I booked studio time, I wrote out my scripts, I chose my outfits, I scheduled my make up artist and videographer and I rehearsed. I researched. I prayed. The day came, I knocked out four mini episodes in one hour. A week later, I released the first episode of ‘It’s Sommer Time’ on my birthday. In that moment, I decided that the only way I could fail is if I never execute on my idea. From then, I have recorded over 10 episodes, heard and shared so many stories and have really gotten the wind back in my sails. It takes a lot of work but it’s work I’m passionate about.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I went to Howard University and studied broadcast journalism. I have a degree in Media, Journalism and Film. While at Howard, I worked for companies such as Fox, CBS, NBC & BET. I gained as much knowledge and understanding that I could while I was there. After graduating, I worked for BET, NBC, CBS and NPR. The goal for me was to always stay in media and entertainment. It was always to network and meet new people who could help push me to the next level. It was also to have my own show. I soon realized that was something I had to give myself. Sommer Time Productions is my production company. Under this company, I have a show called ‘It’s Sommer Time’, I model and I host events. I help companies connect with young and diverse audiences. I am the bridge from companies to communities. I bring thoughtful ideas that are authentic to the trends of my generation. And from the companies I’ve worked at, I have the experience and understanding on how to execute.
I am most proud of the response I get from the stories I share and the events I host. Whenever I finish a project, I get an outpouring of texts and calls that say “wow, what an incredible story, this really made me think more about myself” or “we had a huge discussion after your conversation that really got me thinking”. My goal is to spark minds to initiate dialogue and discourse in our communities.
When people work with me, I want them to feel like summer. Fun, exciting, playful, warm and true!

How did you build your audience on social media?

I built my audience on social media using authenticity. That is my brand. I will always remain true to myself. I have found this road a bit more challenging, certainly more vulnerable and seemingly slower than other routes but it is the route I am proud of. I began doing ‘discussion posts’ when I was in college. I’d use a trending topic, like Black men and mental health or the death of Nipsey Hussle, I’d express my feelings on the subject matter and get others to share theirs too. This was the beginning of my journey to initiate dialogue. What this proved was that people want to talk. Also, it showed me that people will share your content if they like it, if they find it interesting or even if they don’t like it. But you have to stay consistent. So I would say that my community and my authenticity is how I grow and will continue to grow my accounts.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

There are two particular pieces of media that motivated me. The first was the book, ‘The Alchemist”. A particular quote in there said “when you want something, the entire universe conspires with you to get it”. That gave me chills. Because this is what I’ve always wanted and it was placed within in. Therefore, everything in the world will work with me to get it. It motivated me to my core.

Next, I watched an episode of Oprah and India Arie shared what she called a ‘songversation’. She dropped so many gems but the most powerful to me in that moment was: “And then the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom”. And I realized it hurt me more to stay tight in my bulb then blossom.

Contact Info:

• Website: Sommerhill.com
• Instagram: @Sommerfh
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sommer-hill-512118125?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ItsSommerTime