Episode 107: Heather Hill | The Sports Bra

On this week's episode presented by Busey Bank, we’re again tapping into one of the most explosive cultural and business stories of the last five years: the rise of women’s sports. Media coverage of women’s sports is up 275%, fan engagement is soaring, and the demand for women‑centered sports experiences is reshaping the landscape of entertainment and hospitality. And at the center of that movement is The Sports Bra — the world’s first sports bar dedicated exclusively to women’s sports, a concept born in Portland in 2022 that quickly became a national symbol of representation, fandom, and cultural momentum. Today’s guest, Heather Hill, isn’t the founder of The Sports Bra — but she is one of the hand‑selected leaders bringing this mission to new markets. Heather, along with her co-owner and childhood softball teammate Sara Pilsner, is launching the first St. Louis franchise as part of the brand’s extremely selective initial expansion into just four U.S. cities. For our audience of founders and builders, Heather’s story offers something powerful: what it looks like to take a movement‑driven brand, translate it into a new market, and build community, culture, and operational excellence from day one. This is category creation in real time, and Heather is operating at the front edge of it. If you enjoy conversations like this, make sure to find our full episodes on YouTube — Now, let’s roll...