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The Burnouts with Phoebe & Sophia

SiriusXM Podcasts
  • 4.0 (53)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

As former Stanford roommates and now business partners, Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni share their experience as startup founders and the complexities of being young professionals—from financial literacy, social impact, and navigating networking (ever been hit on through LinkedIn?). With exclusive access to top experts, they offer an inside look at their chaotic lives alongside career insights from their network of thought leaders. Watch The Burnouts pursue their dreams while trying to keep their lives from going up in flames. Will they burn out? We’ll find out.

  1. 1D AGO

    Billionaire Makeup Artist Spills All Her Secrets… Find the Right Brow Shape for Your Face and More

    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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    50 min

  2. MAR 5

    Alex Cooper: What Nobody Knows About Call Her Daddy and my $100M+ Media Empire

    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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    42 min

  3. FEB 26

    Celebrity Stylist: How To Stand Out, Style Celebrities — 10-min Morning Fashion Upgrade (Rachel Zoe)

    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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    37 min

  4. FEB 19

    Multi-Millionaire: You've Been Sold a Lie! Do NOT Lose Your Relationships! (ft. Sahil Bloom)

    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.    Chapters 00:00 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    45 min

  5. FEB 12

    Design Genius: How to Break into the Fashion Industry with NO Degree or Connections— Rebecca Minkoff

    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.    Chapters 00:00 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 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    39 min

  6. FEB 5

    Duolingo CEO: How to Make Learning as Addictive as Social Media! Stop Wasting Time!

    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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    40 min

  7. JAN 29

    How to Make Money... What We Learned from the Most Successful People in the World

    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.   Chapters 00:00 - 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 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    17 min

  8. JAN 15

    The Money Expert: 5 Businesses That Can Make You RICH (Without a 9-to-5!) ft. Codie Sanchez

    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 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. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

    1h 5m
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4
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About

As former Stanford roommates and now business partners, Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni share their experience as startup founders and the complexities of being young professionals—from financial literacy, social impact, and navigating networking (ever been hit on through LinkedIn?). With exclusive access to top experts, they offer an inside look at their chaotic lives alongside career insights from their network of thought leaders. Watch The Burnouts pursue their dreams while trying to keep their lives from going up in flames. Will they burn out? We’ll find out.

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