The Burnouts with Phoebe & Sophia

Eyebrows built a billion-dollar brand—and Anastasia Soare explains exactly why. In this episode, you’ll learn the “golden ratio” method she used to shape brows for any face, plus the business and personal decisions that turned a Hollywood brow room into Anastasia Beverly Hills.  Anastasia Soare is the founder of Anastasia Beverly Hills and the pioneer behind modern brow shaping and the eyebrows of Oprah Winfrey, Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, and more. From leaving communist Romania with her daughter to becoming Hollywood’s “best kept secret,” she built a global beauty empire by mastering her craft, obsessing over education, and staying ahead of culture.    Chapters  00:00 - Why eyebrows define the face  01:20 - The 80s tweezing mistake that started everything  02:30 - Golden ratio brows (the pencil method)  04:10 - Working at 12 in Romania + learning work ethic  06:10 - Leaving communist Romania + arriving in America  08:35 - Discovering the brow opportunity in 90s Hollywood  10:45 - Quitting with $5,000 to start her own business  12:10 - The early salon years + creating products clients demanded  13:30 - Oprah: the moment that changed everything  19:30 - Nordstrom + the live demo that sold the Brow Studio idea  21:10 - Beginner beauty advice + how to practice products  23:20 - Expanding beyond brows: contour + the kit that sold out fast  28:20 - Biggest makeup mistakes and trends (over-contour, blending, laminated brows)  29:55 - If you only have 5 minutes: the simplest routine  31:10 - Why she refused “pencil-thin” brows (and what doesn’t grow back)  34:50 - Building social early: Instagram, tutorials, and influencer community  38:10 - Working with her daughter (including firing her) + running ABH together  43:45 - Learning finances the hard way + funding growth  45:00 - What’s next: innovation, expansion, and global markets  48:20 - Advice for entrepreneurs: resilience, focus, and starting before you feel ready    🔗 FOLLOW US  https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates  https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni  https://www.instagram.com/anastasiasoare  https://www.instagram.com/anastasiabeverlyhills    🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS  https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts  https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts  https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts    📲 Support What We’re Building  Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com    About The Burnouts  The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers.  Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more. Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Alex Cooper breaks down the business side nobody sees: how she and her husband Matt built Unwell up from a scrappy startup, how podcasting revenue really works, and what rules she learned the hard way negotiating $60M and $125M deals. Alex Cooper is the creator and host of Call Her Daddy and the co-founder of Unwell, a modern media company spanning podcasts, TV/film, live events, consumer products, and a fast-growing creative agency.    Chapters 00:00 - Alex on going “full circle” and revealing the CEO side  02:00 - Building Unwell from Host to Founder  02:45 - A day in the life  05:20 - How Unwell makes money  07:15 - The video ad revolution  08:10 - Live events, merch, and consumer products as revenue engines  09:05 - Launching the Unwell creative agency  10:50 - Which division is the “cash king” (and what’s catching up fast)  13:30 - Inside mega-deals: Spotify vs Amazon  16:15 - Why distribution mattered  18:30 - Agents, fees, and who should get paid first (her “wait—no” moment)  21:10 - The hard rule: keep incentives clean (and avoid cozy backchannels)  23:00 - The biggest mistakes: trust, documentation, and walking away from millions  26:20 - Hiring top operators and building a high-standard culture  31:40 - PE, acquisitions, and what it takes to go to the next level  34:25 - Incentives for execs  35:05 - How Alex and Matt split decision-making  39:25 - Handling narratives about ambition, success, and being misunderstood    🔗 FOLLOW US  https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates  https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni  https://www.instagram.com/alexandracooper  https://www.instagram.com/callherdaddy  https://www.instagram.com/unwell    🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS  https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts  https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts  https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts    📲 Support What We’re Building  Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com    About The Burnouts  The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers.  Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more.  Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Rachel Zoe breaks down how to build a standout career in fashion before you feel ready. You’ll also learn her practical frameworks for getting dressed with less stress and more impact...  Rachel Zoe is a celebrity stylist, fashion entrepreneur, and pop-culture icon known for shaping red-carpet style and building a major lifestyle brand. She shares the behind-the-scenes realities of creative work, ambition, and reinvention.    Chapters 00:00 Intro + the pressure of “no margin for error”  00:12 The Tommy Hilfiger break that changed everything  04:12 Huge shoots and learning on the job  05:12 The realities of styling high-profile clients  07:07 Styling for *them*, not for you  10:14 Psychology of styling  13:21 The “uniform” method  15:54 Top fashion essentials for all women  18:24 Dressing for the job you want  20:32 Photographic memory + how Rachel thinks visually  22:43 Breaking into fashion today  26:49 Relationship advice  33:57 Work-life balance  35:07 Why she joined Real Housewives    🔗 FOLLOW US  https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates  https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni  https://www.instagram.com/rachelzoe    🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS  https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts  https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts  https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts    📲 Support What We’re Building  Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com    About The Burnouts  The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers.  Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more.  Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Sahil Bloom had everything society tells you to want: Stanford degree, private equity job, money, status — but he was miserable. Drinking seven nights a week. 40 pounds overweight. Seeing his parents once a year. In this episode, Sahil breaks down the moment that changed everything: a friend calculating he’d only see his parents 15 more times before they died. Within 45 days, he quit his high-paying job, sold his house, and moved across the country to redesign his life around what actually mattered. Now the New York Times bestselling author of The 5 Types of Wealth, Sahil shares why money only buys happiness up to a point, how to build real wealth beyond just finances, and why “nobody is thinking about you” might be the most freeing advice for your 20s. We talk about quitting safely, replacing your salary with side hustles, AI as the biggest mispriced opportunity right now, finding a mentor (yes, including Tim Cook), building leverage through content, and how to design a life you won’t regret. If you’ve ever felt successful on paper but empty in real life, this episode is for you.  Chapters00:00 The Life That Looked Perfect (But Wasn’t) 02:40 Private Equity, Status & Silent Burnout 05:55 The “15 Times Left” Wake-Up Call 09:30 Quitting a High-Paying Job in 45 Days 13:15 Redefining Wealth Beyond Money 17:05 The 5 Types of Wealth Explained 21:20 Measuring Yourself on the Wrong Scoreboard 25:10 Does Money Actually Buy Happiness? 29:00 Replacing Your Salary Before You Quit 33:10 AI as the Biggest Mispriced Opportunity 37:00 How to Find (and Earn) a Great Mentor 41:10 “Nobody Is Thinking About You” & Designing Your Life  🔗 FOLLOW US https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni https://www.instagram.com/sahilbloom  🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts  📲 Support What We’re Building Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com  About The Burnouts The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers. Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more. Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Rebecca Minkoff built a global fashion brand from a $3.25/hour internship, a scrappy “I ❤️ NY” tee after 9/11, and one breakout bag that women literally stopped her on the street to ask about. With no connections and no safety net, she moved to New York at 18, figured it out in real time, and turned hustle into a multi-million-dollar brand worn by celebrities and carried everywhere. In this episode, Rebecca walks through the real story behind the “Morning After” bag, what it was like losing 70% of revenue overnight during COVID, and why most founders should think twice before raising venture capital. She shares hard-earned lessons on hiring and firing, betting on yourself, building a brand in the age of social media, and navigating fame through Real Housewives. If you’ve ever wanted to start something from scratch, pivot when everything falls apart, or build a brand that lasts longer than trends — this episode is your blueprint.  Chapters00:00 From No Connections to Fashion Icon 00:18 Moving to NYC With $3.25/Hour 01:19 Intern to Founder, Starting Her Own Line 02:00 I ❤️ NY Shirt Breakthrough 03:17 Betting It All on Bags 05:43 Going All In, Quitting Styling for Good 06:11 Networking Like Cash 09:29 Building a Brand in 2025 vs. 2005 10:17 Hiring, Firing & Learning to Let Go 19:52 COVID, 70% Revenue Drop & Rebuilding the Business 31:15 Real Housewives, Brand Impact & Mental Toll 35:04 NFL, Amazon & Building Strategic Partnerships 36:55 What’s Next  🔗 FOLLOW US https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni https://www.instagram.com/beckyminkoff https://www.instagram.com/rebeccaminkoff  🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts  📲 Support What We’re Building Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com  About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers. Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more. Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Luis Von Ahn details the story behind Duolingo and its famous owl, how to do handle marketing in the TikTok era, hiring young talent, and using addictive habits for good. Chapters 00:00:00 Intro & The Owl 00:02:35 Unhinged Marketing 00:06:09 TikTok Era 00:08:06 Owl As the Face + Approving Risky Posts 00:10:31 Hiring New Grads and “No Assholes” 00:14:29 Making Learning Feel Delightful 00:16:57 Addictive Habit Loops 00:18:38 Expanding Beyond Languages 00:19:26 Guatemala Roots + Free Education Mission 00:23:40 AI 00:31:00 Impact 00:36:58 What's Next for Duolingo?  🔗 FOLLOW US https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni https://www.instagram.com/duolingo  🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts  📲 Support What We’re Building Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com  About The Burnouts The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers. Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more. Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Phoebe and Sophia detail the best lessons they have learned from the career playbooks of the most successful people in the world, from how to leverage relationships in your career to what makeup to wear. The Burnouts celebrate hitting 200,000 subscribers, and launching Phia, which has already reached one million users and raised a $35 million Series A. Thank you for watching, for subscribing, and for being part of this journey with us. Chapters00:00 - Intro 00:50 - Leveraging Relationships in Negotiating 03:12 - Screen for Niceness 05:10 - Office Culture 06:30 - What Makeup to Wear? 10:40 - Routines & Uniforms 12:06 - Future Self 12:46 - Top Goals for 2026  🔗 FOLLOW US https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni  🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts  📲 Support What We’re Building Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale.  Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com  About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers. Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more. Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Codie Sanchez breaks down why chasing fame is a losing game—and why real wealth is often built quietly through “boring” businesses most people overlook. Drawing on her background in institutional finance and small-business acquisitions, Codie explains how she spots unfair opportunities, why she exited industries like cannabis despite strong returns, and which unsexy sectors can consistently generate cash today.The conversation dives into college versus trade school, the true value of elite networks, and how parental expectations can hold young people back from building the life they actually want. Codie shares practical advice on making more money early in your career—finding your unfair advantage, helping your boss win, stacking skills, and learning to negotiate by understanding how value is really created inside a business.They also cover sales, mentorship, investing basics, and how to start learning deals without taking reckless risks. Codie closes with a candid take on investing in your health, appearance, and resilience—arguing that winning often comes down to doing hard things early and playing the game as it actually exists, not how we wish it worked.Chapters 0:00 Rich vs Famous 3:17 Overlooked Businesses & Early Investing 9:42 Why Boring Businesses Win 17:11 College, Trade School & Social Capital 26:08 Parents, Pressure & Choosing Advice 34:19 How to Make More Money Early 42:07 Sales, Skills & Standing Out at Work 50:23 Investing Basics & Learning Deals 57:41 Health, Appearance & Playing to Win 1:03:18 Final Thoughts & Wrap-Up  🔗 FOLLOW US https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni https://www.instagram.com/codiesanchez🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTShttps://www.instagram.com/theburnouts https://www.tiktok.com/@theburnouts https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts  📲 Support What We’re Building Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow → https://www.phia.com About The Burnouts The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers. Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more. Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

He started a podcast in his bedroom before most people land their first job.Now, Harry Stebbings runs one of the most influential platforms in venture capital and manages a $400M fund.In this episode of The Burnouts, Harry sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to unpack what actually drives success — and why so many smart, ambitious people stay stuck. From dropping out of law school to building leverage through content, Harry shares the lessons he learned the hard way about confidence, decision-making, and playing the long game.This conversation goes far beyond startups and investing. Harry opens up about the confidence gap holding people back, why men bluff and women wait, and how likeability, storytelling, and persistence often matter more than raw intelligence. He explains how content became one of the most powerful tools in his career, why distribution now shapes opportunity, and how relationships — not resumes — drive the biggest decisions.Harry also reflects on regret, missed deals, mentorship, and the uncomfortable truth that success often comes from taking action before you feel ready. Whether you’re early in your career, thinking about building something of your own, or just feeling behind, this episode offers a rare, honest look at what actually works.Chapters00:00 – The Reality of Entrepreneurship00:40 – From The Social Network to Dropping Out of Law School01:55 – Building a Fund Through Media & Network Effects02:31 – Why Venture Capital Over Being a Founder03:38 – Co-Founders, Breakups & Hard Personal Lessons07:18 – What Actually Makes a Great Founder08:55 – Gender, Confidence & Entrepreneurship14:23 – Mentorship vs Coaching & How to Get Access16:40 – Content as a Distribution Weapon23:29 – Finding Your First True Fans25:18 – Building & Managing High-Performance Teams29:22 – Investment Mistakes & Missed Billion-Dollar Deals31:35 – Vulnerability, Trust & People Skills36:05 – WhatsApp, Fundraising & Relationship Scaling37:30 – Trust, Endurance & Outworking Everyone40:00 – Storytelling, Creativity & the Risk of AI44:16 – Being a Great Investor When Things Go Wrong45:02 – Final Advice: Take the First Step 🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniHarry Stebbings20VC🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedIn📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow.About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more.Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

One day, she was racing Daytona. The next, she was shooting for Victoria’s Secret.NASCAR driver, model, and trailblazer Toni Breidinger is living two worlds, and paying the price to stay in both.In this episode of The Burnouts, Toni sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to reveal the brutal, behind-the-scenes reality of motorsports. She opens up about being told she needed $1–2 million just to race, moving across the country at 18 with no funding, and surviving by doing Instacart by day and cold emails by night.Toni breaks down why talent isn’t enough in NASCAR, how social media literally saved her career, and what it’s like being the only woman racing NASCAR full-time—from unequal pay to brand sponsorship politics. She also shares how she navigates modeling in a male-dominated sport, why she turned down six-figure OnlyFans offers, and how she built a sustainable career when every race depends on sponsorship dollars.Whether you’re chasing a nontraditional career, building a personal brand, or betting on yourself when the odds feel stacked against you, this episode is packed with raw honesty, hard lessons, and real strategy.Chapters00:00 – unequal pay & being the only woman in nascar03:00 – starting racing at age 906:30 – realizing racing costs millions09:00 – told she needed $1–2 million to compete11:00 – moving cross-country at 1813:00 – instacart by day, cold emails by night16:00 – how social media saved her career20:00 – brand deals, sponsorships & unequal pay25:00 – modeling, victoria’s secret & sports illustrated30:00 – turning down six-figure onlyfans offers36:00 – funding races & surviving motorsports48:00 – what’s next: the road to the cup series🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniToni Breidinger🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedIn📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and help us grow.About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, athletes, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to reveal the real stories behind ambitious careers.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more.Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

He arrived in New York with $100, slept in parks, showered at the YMCA — and went on to invent the tube top, dress Studio 54, and build a billion-dollar fashion empire.In this episode of The Burnouts, fashion icon Elie Tahari joins Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni alongside his son and CEO Jeremey Tahari for a rare, multi-generational conversation about survival, ambition, taste, and legacy.Elie walks through his unbelievable journey: immigrating to New York alone, working as an electrician by day and selling clothes by night, sneaking into a fashion show through a back door, and accidentally creating one of the most iconic garments of the 1970s. From disco dresses to power suits, he explains how watching women on New York streets — not runways — taught him how to anticipate what they’d want next.Jeremey opens up about growing up inside the business, stepping out of his father’s shadow, and eventually taking over as CEO — while expanding the company into real estate, licensing, and global scale. Together, they unpack what it really looks like to work with family, disagree on taste, hand over control, and build something meant to last 50+ years.This episode is about the American dream in its rawest form — luck, hustle, intuition, ego checks, and building success with heart. If you’re building from scratch, navigating family dynamics at work, or trying to define success on your own terms, this one’s required listening.Chapters00:00 – Arriving in NYC with $10001:00 – Sleeping in parks & finding community03:00 – From electrician to fashion hustle04:30 – Inventing the tube top06:30 – Sneaking into a fashion show & landing 250K orders08:30 – Studio 54, disco & early fashion moments11:00 – Dressing women entering the workforce13:00 – Building a fashion empire15:00 – Real estate, licensing & vertical integration17:00 – Father–son dynamics in business19:30 – Taking over as CEO22:00 – Disagreeing on taste & generational shifts25:00 – Persian culture, fashion & femininity27:30 – Leadership, hiring & humility30:00 – Legacy, luck & advice for the burnouts🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniElie TahariJeremey TahariTahari Group🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedIn📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts — they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Try it now → https://www.phia.comAbout The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond headlines to explore the real stories, breakdowns, and breakthroughs that define your 20s.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Tommy Hilfiger, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and other entrepreneurs redefining our generation.🔔 Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Allison Ellsworth went from oil & gas spreadsheets to building Poppi, the prebiotic soda that broke the internet, rewrote the rules on “healthy soda,” and sold to PepsiCo in a multibillion-dollar deal.In this episode of The Burnouts, Allison joins Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to share how a DIY apple-cider-vinegar tonic from her Texas kitchen turned into the soda of the next generation. She walks through the whole arc: farmers’ markets, Whole Foods, Shark Tank while nine months pregnant, a risky rebrand, and the TikTok storytime that quietly did $100K on Amazon overnight.Allison also gets brutally honest about working with her husband, hiring too slowly while growth rockets, and what happens to your identity when you suddenly have both a Super Bowl ad and an exit. She shares the unglamorous side of lawsuits, burnout, mom guilt, and figuring out “what’s next” when you technically never have to work again.If you’re building a consumer brand, obsessing over content, or just trying to stay ambitious without completely frying your nervous system, this episode is a masterclass in playing the long game — and still having fun.Chapters00:00 – From Texas kid to unexpected founder02:00 – ACV shots, health issues & the Poppi spark04:30 – Farmers’ market hustle → Whole Foods breakthrough06:30 – Shark Tank at 9 months pregnant08:30 – The risky rebrand: Mother Beverage → Poppi11:00 – Launching Poppi during COVID13:00 – TikTok virality & selling out overnight16:00 – Creator-first marketing & celebrity fans19:00 – Flavor wins, flavor fails & building a real soda22:00 – Working with your husband (and being wrong sometimes)24:30 – Sugar, lawsuits & building in CPG27:00 – Inside the PepsiCo acquisition30:00 – Life after the exit & what’s next for Allison🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniAllison EllsworthPoppi 🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTShttps://www.instagram.com/theburnoutshttps://www.tiktok.com/@theburnoutshttps://www.linkedin.com/company/the-burnouts📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts — they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download now and join the community of 800,000+ smarter shoppers.About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond headlines to explore the real stories, breakdowns, and breakthroughs that define your 20s.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Tommy Hilfiger, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and other entrepreneurs redefining our generation.🔔 Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Founder and creative force Jasmin Larian Hekmat reveals the untold story of how she turned a scrappy side hobby into Cult Gaia, one of the most recognizable fashion brands of the last decade.Before the Ark Bag exploded across Instagram, Jasmin was wiring flower crowns at her kitchen table, hauling a flower cart to festivals, and giving away bags no one would buy. In this episode of The Burnouts, she tells Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni how a single product quietly snowballed into a global sensation and reshaped her entire career.Jasmin breaks down the five years before Cult Gaia “hit,” the moment the Ark Bag went from ignored to iconic, and the relentless creativity that keeps her one step ahead of imitators. She shares how she built a multimillion-dollar business without raising a cent of venture capital, how she protects the brand’s fiercely artful DNA, and why her designs are meant to stop someone in their tracks.From vase purses to playable backgammon clutches to fragrance bottles that feel like sculpture, Jasmin explains how she turns wild ideas into objects people obsess over. She also opens up about motherhood, running a 100 person team, trusting her gut when everyone says no, and staying original in an industry that copies everything.If you are building a fashion brand, dreaming up your first product, or trying to stand out in a crowded industry, this conversation will change the way you think about creativity, community, and staying power.Chapters00:00 The Hobby That Accidentally Started Cult Gaia02:00 The $38 Bag No One Wanted04:00 The Viral Moment That Changed Everything06:00 How She Built a Brand With Zero Investors08:00 Surviving Copycats and Staying Original10:00 Building a Team While Raising Three Kids12:00 The Pressure Behind a “Perfect” Brand14:00 Designing Pieces People Can’t Ignore16:00 What Founders Get Wrong About Success18:00 Lightning Round: Style, Risks, and Reinvention🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniJasmin Larian Hekmat🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedIn📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia are the founders of Phia, a new fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download now and join the community of 800,000+ happy users.About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond headlines to explore the real stories, breakdowns, and breakthroughs that define your twenties.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and Tommy Hilfiger.Subscribe for the inside playbook to build your dream career.

Founder and author Grace Beverley built a multimillion-dollar portfolio of brands—TALA, Shreddy, and The Productivity Method—before turning 25.In this episode of The Burnouts, Grace joins Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to share how she went from posting anonymous fitness content at Oxford to leading some of the UK’s fastest-growing female-founded companies. She breaks down the pressure of being a young woman in power and the bias female founders still face.Grace opens up about juggling multiple businesses, navigating personal grief, and the hidden cost of public success. She also speaks candidly about relationships, ambition, and the standards women are expected to meet.Whether you’re building a brand, raising capital, or figuring out how to stay ambitious without burning out, this conversation offers an unfiltered look at what it really takes for young women to succeed.Chapters00:00 – From anonymous fitness posts to Oxford02:15 – The £1 ebooks that changed her life05:20 – Building her first multimillion-dollar business08:10 – Why women must stop chasing “shiny” projects11:00 – The truth about scaling TALA & Shreddy14:30 – Fundraising bias & the questions women still get asked18:00 – Miscarriage, grief & running a company21:15 – The impossible standards for female founders24:00 – Relationships that dim ambition27:00 – Why social media punishes successful women30:00 – Building Retrograde & the creator economy33:00 – How Grace makes decisions fast36:00 – What she wishes every young woman knew about power🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniGrace Beverley🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedIn📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts — they’re the founders of Phia, a new fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app and try it yourself.About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond headlines to explore the real stories, breakdowns, and breakthroughs that define your 20s.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Tommy Hilfiger, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and other entrepreneurs redefining our generation.Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

In this episode of The Burnouts, Steve sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to share the true story of how he went from a college dropout selling shoes in Queens to building one of the most influential footwear companies in the world. He talks about the early instincts that set him apart, the moment he knew he had something special, and the creative philosophy that has kept his brand relevant for more than three decades.Steve also opens up about the twists and turns of his journey — including learning hard lessons during the Wolf of Wall Street years and stepping away from the company before returning more focused and energized than ever. He reflects on the loyalty of his team, the power of staying close to the customer, and why speed, instinct, and obsession with product remain his North Star.Plus: the story behind his first viral shoe, his unfiltered take on dupe culture, the trends he loves (and hates), how Gen Z made him go viral again, and the fashion advice he wishes everyone knew earlier.Whether you’re building a brand, navigating a major life pivot, or chasing a creative vision, this conversation is a masterclass in staying true to your instincts, evolving with culture, and building something that lasts.Chapters00:00 – Growing up in Queens and falling in love with shoes01:45 – Dropping out of college and learning retail03:20 – Starting Steve Madden with $1,10006:00 – Product instinct, speed to market, and early hits08:45 – Becoming a “pirate” in fashion11:00 – The Wolf of Wall Street years and the IPO14:00 – Prison, addiction, and rebuilding his life16:30 – Reinventing the Steve Madden brand18:00 – Dupe culture, controversy, and staying relevant20:00 – What he hates (and loves) in fashion today22:00 – Designing shoes women actually want23:30 – AI, TikTok, and the future of trend cycles26:00 – Lessons from failure and advice for young founders🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniSteve Madden🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedIn📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts — they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download Phia for free in the App Store.

Founder, author, and beauty trailblazer Alli Webb built Drybar from a simple blowout idea into a $255M beauty empire that transformed the industry.In this episode of The Burnouts, Alli sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to share how she went from doing hair in her living room to leading one of the most recognizable service brands in the country. She talks about the explosive rise of Drybar, selling the company for hundreds of millions, and the personal challenges that followed at the height of her success.Alli opens up about losing her sense of identity after the sale, navigating grief and motherhood, and rebuilding her life through her new brand, Messy. She reflects on what the beauty world gets wrong, the lessons she learned as a female founder, and the real cost of fast growth.Whether you are building a brand, growing a service business, or figuring out the next chapter after burnout, this conversation is a powerful look at resilience, reinvention, and finding purpose again.Chapters00:00 – From stay-at-home mom to mobile blowouts02:30 – The idea that sparked Drybar05:00 – Opening the first Brentwood studio07:00 – When Drybar went viral overnight10:00 – Raising capital & navigating hypergrowth13:00 – The truth about selling a company15:30 – Alli’s personal life falls apart18:00 – Losing her identity after the exit21:00 – Rebuilding from scratch & finding purpose23:00 – Launching her new brand, Messy26:00 – Advice for founders rebuilding their lives29:00 – What Alli wishes every woman knew about success🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniAlli Webb🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedIn📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts — they’re the founders of Phia, a new fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Try it now for free in the App Store.About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond headlines to explore the real stories, breakdowns, and breakthroughs that define your 20s.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Tommy Hilfiger, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss and other entrepreneurs redefining our generation.Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Founder, creative director, and cultural icon Emily Oberg has built one of the most recognizable lifestyle brands of our generation: Sporty & Rich.In this episode of The Burnouts, Emily Oberg sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to unpack her journey from Complex producer to fashion entrepreneur, building a multimillion-dollar business rooted in wellness, design, and timeless style, without ever taking a dollar of outside funding.Emily opens up about turning a Tumblr moodboard into a global brand, growing from $5K in savings to $40M in annual revenue, and the realities of running a company after a public breakup with her business partner. She shares what it’s really like to scale quickly, navigate burnout, and stay creatively fulfilled while leading a 40-person team.Plus: how she built Sporty & Rich without investors, why preorders fueled her early success, what she’s learned about leadership (and ego), and the importance of building a world. (not just a brand).Whether you’re dreaming of launching your own label, staying independent as a founder, or defining success on your own terms, this conversation is a masterclass in creative control, discipline, and staying true to your vision.Chapters00:00 – From retail in Canada to Complex Media02:00 – Leaving corporate life to build her own path03:00 – The Tumblr that became Sporty & Rich06:00 – Bootstrapping a brand: preorders, savings & hustle07:00 – Meeting her business partner and early growth12:00 – Going from $100K to $30M in sales14:00 – Covid and the sweatsuit boom15:00 – Scaling challenges and factory chaos17:00 – Knowing your strengths & hiring smart18:00 – Opening the first Sporty & Rich store19:00 – Expanding into wellness with Central Sport22:00 – Lessons from mistakes & customer mishaps23:00 – Facing scrutiny as a female founder27:00 – Emily’s leadership philosophy & advice for women29:00 – Sporty & Rich today: $40M in sales, still 100% owned🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniEmily Oberg🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedIn📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a new fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download Phia for free in the App Store.About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to share the real stories, lessons, and mindsets that define your 20s.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and other visionaries redefining the brands—and the blueprints—of our time.Subscribe now for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

From homeless teen to multi-millionaire entrepreneur, investor, and mentor to millions, Simon Squibb has lived one of the most extraordinary entrepreneurial journeys of our time.In this episode of The Burnouts, Simon Squibb sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to unpack how losing his father at 15 and spending weeks homeless reshaped his view on success, purpose, and money. He opens up about sleeping on the streets, starting his first business out of survival, and building a creative empire that led to financial freedom, and a mission to help 10 million people start businesses through his “Give Without Take” movement.Simon reveals the mindset shifts that turned trauma into drive, why he believes happiness is a trap, and the three sales principles that made him a millionaire. He also shares what most entrepreneurs get wrong about mentorship, why purpose matters more than profit, and how “bad luck” can be your greatest advantage.Whether you’re just starting out, stuck in a 9-to-5, or dreaming of building something that actually matters, this conversation is packed with raw honesty, purpose-driven wisdom, and actionable lessons from one of the internet’s most followed business voices.Chapters00:00 – From homeless teen to entrepreneur03:00 – Losing his father at 15 and becoming homeless06:00 – The first business that changed everything10:00 – Learning to sell (and why school failed him)15:00 – The truth about happiness and purpose19:00 – How Hong Kong taught him work-life integration25:00 – Building and losing companies (and learning from failure)30:00 – Mentorship myths & why advisors matter more35:00 – The 3 sales principles that made him a millionaire40:00 – Why purpose > happiness44:00 – The one question everyone in their 20s should ask🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniSimon Squibb🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedIn📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a new fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app, try it out, and help us grow this communityAbout the BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to share the real stories, lessons, and mindsets that define your 20s.Past guests include Kris Jenner, Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Karlie Kloss, and other visionaries redefining what success looks like.Subscribe now for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Welcome to the episode that might change your life (or at least your bedtime routine).Bryan Johnson made bank building Braintree Venmo. Then he walked away from it all to spend $2M a year turning his body into a science experiment. Now? He says he’s the healthiest human alive, and he’s got the organ scans to prove it.Hosts Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni get deep with Bryan about biohacking, founder burnout, the dirty truth about our food system, and why optimizing your sleep might be the most rebellious thing you can do as an entrepreneur.This convo gets real: blood transfusions, lonely sleep routines, and "sugar face" real.Timestamps00:00 Can we be the first generation that doesn’t die?04:12 Selling Braintree Venmo + redefining success08:05 Spending $2M/year on health10:52 The #1 fix for burnout (it’s free)14:30 Bryan’s exact food + supplement routine17:15 Should founders ever sacrifice sleep?22:00 The science behind alcohol, caffeine, and your trash sleep26:40 Sleeping alone, no phones, and other hot takes30:45 Sunlight, seed oils & the truth about sugar face34:20 How to stay healthy without becoming obsessive🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniBryan Johnson🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedin📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a new fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app, try it out, and help us grow this community from the ground up → https://www.phia.comAbout The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders, Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond the headlines to share the real stories, lessons, and mindsets that define your 20s.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and other visionaries redefining the brands—and the blueprints—of our time.Subscribe now for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

Sophia Amoruso built a $350M fashion empire from her bedroom—and lost it all before rebuilding her life from the ground up.In this episode of The Burnouts, the original “Girlboss” and founder of Nasty Gal joins Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni for her most unfiltered conversation yet. From selling thrifted clothes on eBay to becoming a CEO on magazine covers, Sophia reveals how she built a cult brand that defined a generation—and what really happened when everything came crashing down.She opens up about walking away from a company she founded, navigating bankruptcy, and learning to lead with empathy instead of ego. Sophia also shares the untold lessons behind Girlboss, why she believes failure is her greatest teacher, and how she’s redefining success through her new venture fund, Trust Fund.Whether you’re building your first business, chasing creative independence, or trying to rebuild after a setback, this conversation is a raw, honest masterclass in resilience, reinvention, and freedom.Chapters00:00 – From eBay seller to $100M brand05:00 – Building Nasty Gal and first hires10:00 – Leaving eBay and going solo13:00 – Going viral before social media18:00 – Raising venture capital too soon24:00 – The downfall and lessons learned30:00 – How Girlboss was born35:00 – Starting over with Trust Fund40:00 – Life in London & redefining success46:00 – The truth about ambition and burnout🔗 FOLLOW USPhoebe GatesSophia KianniSophia Amoruso🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTSInstagramTikTokLinkedin📲 Support What We’re BuildingPhoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app that helps shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Try it out and join the movement.About The BurnoutsThe Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with today’s most iconic founders, creators, and entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond headlines to share the real stories, lessons, and mindset shifts that define your 20s.Past guests include Paris Hilton, Chelsea Handler, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and Tommy Hilfiger.🛎️ Subscribe for more unfiltered stories on success, failure, and everything in between.