In A World Where Everyone Pretends To Be Someone Else, Sommer Ray Says To Be Yourself – Forbes

Social media has people convinced that to be popular or loved online, one has to become someone else to attract the attention each person so desperately craves. Time has shown individuals will go to great, excessive lengths to building and retaining their digital audience. From harmless imitations of popular celebrities to drastic measures of undergoing plastic surgery to improve their overall look, both men and women tend to suffer from distorted views of themselves and others on social media. The most popular platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and now TikTok can negatively impact ones own self-image as someone is inundated with pictures and videos of individuals across the world supposedly living better lives than their own.

One of those people we tend to imagine living their best life online would be social media influencer Sommer Ray. Ray, who is partnered with Notorious, a digital agency and design studio, has cut her teeth on these social media platforms for well over a decade now. With 26 million followers on Instagram, roughly ~2 million on YouTube, and over 10 million of TikTok, she has become one of the popular and dominant social media celebrities that so many look up to, especially women and young girls. Yet, many know her for her looks, but few know her for her mind. The elite digital influencer has achieved mind-boggling success online, but now her next challenge is figuring out how she can evolve from being a simple Internet personality that everyone adores to a multi-faceted fitness mogul that can help her fans be their best version of themselves.

In a world where everyone wants to be like Sommer, Ray wants to remind her audience that true life satisfaction comes from being yourself. Ray reminisces on her journey of who she was before she had any social media accounts, how she's achieved her success today (hint: be herself!), and what shell need to do turn her enormous digital identity into a physical, long-lasting, prestigious brand akin to Jillian Michaels, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Simpson.

Sommer Ray standing next to a punching bag.

Frederick Daso: How has the discipline you've gained from your fitness background growing up shaped your approach to creating content on social media?

Sommer Ray: I started competing in bikini bodybuilding at sixteen, so I learned a lot about self-discipline and hard work ethic from a very young age. These days, I create my everyday content because it requires a commitment to grow and maintain a fun and engaging audience on social media.

Daso: When did you land your first brand deal? Was it while you were still in high school? How has your view on which brands to align with evolved since you started taking social media seriously as a career?

Ray: My first brand deal was when I was sixteen, and it was with a brand called Myokore, and I still work with them. This was before anyone knew you could make money on Instagram, and Myokore came to me and wanted to pay me to post content that I thought was the future for social media. My family didn't understand how I was making money, which was funny.

Daso: What's one thing that you wish more people knew about you that is overshadowed by your reputation as an "Instagram Model?"

Ray: I wish people knew more about me more as a person and knew my heart and views on life rather than just focusing on my body/looks. I'm trying to share more of the things I love with my followers and relate to them on a new level. I'm a huge animal lover and grew up on a ranch in Colorado, so I'm not usually what people expect based on my Instagram.

Daso: What was growing up on a ranch in Colorado like? What were some of your favorite memories from living on the ranch that shaped who you've become today?

Ray: Growing up on a ranch was my favorite thing, and I wouldn't trade that for anything. I just hung out with my siblings all the time, and we were also homeschooled, so all we did was go outside, rode horses, and were always playing outdoors. We didn't even have cable, so I wasn't ever influenced by anything in the outside world, and I now have a crazy appreciation for nature and animals. It shaped me into the person I am today, and I have crazy morals and stuff because of how I was brought up. Human values and morals come from how each person grew up, and I was raised in a fantastic home.

Daso: What are your favorite animals and why? Is there anything about those animals that influence who you want to become in the future?

Ray: I have many animals. I have six snakes, three dogs, one cat, a tarantula, two frogs, and three beta fish. My favorite animal in the whole world is an animal I can't even have, which is a cheetah. I love all jungle cats, but cheetahs are my favorite. They are literally my spirit animal, and I think they are so majestic and powerful, which is exactly what I want to be, and they are very respected in the animal kingdom. That's why I love them so much!

Ray holding a medicine ball in the gym.

Daso: Recently, you've mentioned that you want to be more of an inspiration to women. In an age of OnlyFans (OF), how do you portray yourself as an alternative version of female empowerment, fitness, and health?

Ray: I think there is nothing wrong with people making money on OF; for me, I want my brand to grow into an immense empire and do not want the stigma connected to the platform to stop me from having that. I want girls to feel empowered to build their own companies and see me as a businesswoman beyond just a fitness model/influencer. I also started and grew the #beyou movement with my shop because I want all people to be confident in who they are.

Daso: Digging a little deeper here, what is explicitly the stigma associated with OF preventing you from participating on the platform? How would this stigma detract from the brand you are trying to build beyond social media?

Ray: The stigma associated with the platform is that people think of porn or X-rated content, and that's okay for people to do that, but it doesn't work for me and the plans I have for my future. I have big plans for my brand and am looking for it to exist for a long time, and I wouldn't want the stigma connected to Only Fans to stop any opportunities I may have. It's also a fast cash grab where I could quickly make a lot of money, but I'm working to have an empire that I'm building that puts me there with Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, and other similar women.

Daso: What is your overall philosophy in how you live your life? In the age of social media, everyone wants to be like someone else, and no one wants to be themselves. How are you trying to encourage your followers to be comfortable in their skin on social media and in real life?

Ray: My most significant philosophy in living my life is sticking to my "Be You" movement. I have always stayed true to myself, and we live in a world where people are constantly copying each other and stealing from each other, and I think it is fantastic to be inspired by someone, but not to copy or steal. We all need to find out who we are and be comfortable in that. People are always striving to be perfect, and perfection is not fun, and it's not interesting. We can all just be ourselves and be more exciting, and you are the only you in the world; why try to be like anyone else.

Daso: How does being active on social media either enhance or detract from that philosophy? How do you think you can leverage social media to showcase more of your true self rather than the focus being on what you look like?

Ray: I have a love/hate relationship with social media, and it is hard to balance it because everyone gets on there and compares themselves to someone else's highlight reel, so that is something that I am working on. I am trying to be more open and showing my true self rather than focusing on what I look like. I always try to present myself naturally on social media. I don't use Photoshop at all. I don't want girls to have false expectations of me, and I try to stay true to myself as much as I can.

Daso: Where does your stance against plastic surgery come from? Has that stance been hard to maintain living in LA in particular?

Ray: I am just a lover of natural beauty and love when people look at themselves uniquely. When people get plastic surgery, they take away the parts that make them the most unique, which is the most beautiful thing. It has been hard living in LA because so many companies have wanted to give me surgery/treatments in exchange for posts. I know that other girls will come here and take that bait and alter themselves because it feels like it's what everyone is doing, and that doesn't have to be the case.

Ray sits on the bench press.

Daso: You're one of the first people I've heard with a prominent state of your stance against plastic surgery. As much as social media has fueled the rise of young women going under the knife, how will you use your platform to encourage ladies to embrace their natural beauty?

Ray: I don't ever want to criticize anyone for having plastic surgery. Everyone has the right to do whatever they want, but I don't think we should encourage women and young girls to get plastic surgery. These days on TikTok and other social media, everyone is posting their nose jobs or their boobs, butt, and lips (BBL), and I think it is unsafe. Above all, I believe it is dangerous to go under the knife and put your life at risk for something that is surface level, and I want girls to think about it in general before deciding to go under the knife for something that may not be worth it in the end. I also believe that natural and beautiful bodies will come back in style, and the trend of having all this fake stuff will go away and I think we should all embrace being natural and not follow the trend.

Daso: When creating new brands or releasing new products under your name, what's your thought process around making sure your new intellectual property reflects your personality while still resonating with your target audience?

Ray: I think I am a pioneer for the social media space, so I like to reflect my approach to content creation in own brands that I build. I want to disrupt the industry by bringing something completely new and different to the table. My goal is to grow into a mogul and expand into other industries like beauty and fashion and do it while remaining committed to only putting out things that I love 100%.

Daso: What are some up-and-coming brands you're developing that everyone should be on the lookout for in the future?

Ray: One of the exciting things coming this year is my first ever Sommer's Camp event! This will be an experience that mixes my love of fitness and wellness with nightlife and fun summer activities. I have been working closely with Notorious. Together, we are guiding a one-of-a-kind experience that has never been done this way before.

Separate from that, I just launched ingestible skincare gummy with my new beauty brand called Imaras Beauty. Our "Glow" gummy is a PETA-certified and vegan gummy meant to plump, restore and hydrate your skin. This is my first big jump into the beauty industry, and I'm so excited for everyone to try it!

Daso: How did you get involved with Notorious? How are you leveraging them to evolve your brand to be known as a body-positive fitness mogul?

Ray: I met the team at Notorious through some friends, and I thought they had a great vibe, so we moved into a working relationship. We have been collaborating on projects since, and it has been enjoyable. It's great to partner with them because I know that I can be myself and have a good time with them. They have also been able to make all of my visions a reality. No matter what I come up with, the Notorious team works with me to bring it to life. For Sommer's Camp, we focus on making fitness "fun" because that is how I think it should be. My goal for my brand is to make fitness a lifestyle rather than something you do, and they are helping me do that.

Daso: In our previous discussion, you mentioned how you want to start creating content on Twitch to allow you to connect even closer with your fans. What type of content do you have lined up, and how will such content enable people to view you for who you are rather than what you look like?

Ray: A viral trend on Twitch right now is just chatting with fans while streaming. On social media, I don't get to have that personal relationship with my fans, so I want to build a community of people who want to get to know me and take advantage of being able to create a more personal connection with them on Twitch.

Daso: Your live event, "Sommer's Camp" in Palm Springs, is shaping up to be one first major in-person gatherings since the pandemic started. Beyond having a massive audience, how will you leverage the event as a platform for body positivity and female empowerment?

Ray: I hope that Sommer's Camp allows me to connect more personally with my female supporters. I want them to get to know me in a more chill and fun setting. My goal is for them to understand there is more to me than they think. I want to spend the weekend with them doing the things I love and believe they will love too.

Daso: How will you determine which brands to partner with for Sommer's Camp that reflect or enhance your ethos around female empowerment and body positivity?

Ray: All the brands that I will be working with for the event are brands that I have worked with in the past and have a good relationship with. For me, it is about bringing brands that I trust and know I can count on. It is also important that the brands that I partner with for my first major event have supported me through the years.

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In A World Where Everyone Pretends To Be Someone Else, Sommer Ray Says To Be Yourself - Forbes