How Sara Blakely went from fax machine sales to Forbes billionaire
In this episode of The Burnouts, Sophia Kianni and Phoebe Gates sit down with entrepreneurial icon and Spanx founder Sara Blakely to talk mindset, manifestation, and the messy truth of building something from scratch. Whether you're navigating your first job, launching a startup, or still waiting for a sign from the universe—this one’s for you.We go deep on everything from building confidence as a woman in business, to manifesting million-dollar ideas (literally), to knowing when to quit, pivot, or fire the “genius” that’s ruining your team dynamic. Sara shares stories she’s never told before—like the exact mindset hack that led to Spanx, the real reason she sold her company, and the crazy specific sign she asked the universe for. 🔖 CHAPTERS0:00 – Why we called Sara before we even had a product2:10 – Sara’s Secret Weapon Since She Was 1614:00 – Signs from the universe (including one from Oprah)18:30 – Hiring Wrong, Firing Fast, and Learning the Hard Way29:00 – Why High Heels Haven’t Changed in 300 Years (Until Now)36:45 – Sara is paying people to buy her shoes?!?38:00 – Sara’s Wildest Hustle StoriesAbout the BurnoutsAs 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. 🔗 FOLLOW USThe BurnoutsPhoebe GatesSophia KianniSara Blakely
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41:07
Why we dropped out of Stanford to build this app (ft. the Phia team)
DOWNLOAD THE PHIA APP Find better fashion deals while you shop. Download Phia HERE and follow Phia on Instagram!CHAPTERS00:00 – Launch day is HERE 01:12 – The Zoom roast that got our CPO hired05:40 – Pivoting the product after tough feedback10:00 – From Instagram design to full-time UX15:25 – Interning, accounting, and off-boarding your ex20:45 – Quitting jobs, joining podcasts, and saying yes fast24:00 – Real friends give real feedback26:10 – What’s next for Phia Follow the Hosts 📸 @phoebegates📸 @sophiakianni Follow The Burnouts📸 @theburnouts🎥 Subscribe on YouTube
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26:46
Recessions make millionaires: Money moves you NEED to know (ft. Mrs. Dow Jones)
Feeling lost in the chaos of the economy right now? Same. Between inflation, tariffs, and TikTok panic, it feels like we’re all one iced coffee away from a full-blown recession spiral.In this episode of The Burnouts, Sophia Kianni and Phoebe Gates call in financial dominatrix Haley Sacks — aka @MrsDowJones — for a much-needed crash course in surviving your first economic downturn. We talk Roth IRAs, recession anxiety, index funds, investing FOMO, and why press-on nails might just be the ultimate economic indicator.Whether you’re getting your first paycheck, trying to start investing, or just wondering WTF to do with your money, this episode is for you.💸 It’s funny. It’s practical. And it might just change your financial future. 🔖 CHAPTERS0:00 – Our first economic freakout2:15 – Should we actually be scared?5:20 – The only money moves that matter right now9:45 – Haley’s worst investment ever13:00 – Roth IRAs, index funds & investing without crying17:20 – Budgeting when your paycheck hits21:10 – Renting, home buying, and financial hot takes 📚 RESOURCES Free Emergency Fund PlannerInvestment Returns Calculator3 Index Funds We LoveFree Customized Money PlanMoney Book 2.0Investing 101& more HERE! Mrs. Dow Jones Instagram & Newsletter 🔗 FOLLOW US@theburnouts@phoebegates@sophiakianni@mrsdowjones
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27:56
How Kris Jenner went from flight attendant to billionaire through manifestation
What do you do when someone tells you no? If you’re Kris Jenner, you walk into the scheduling office with a tray of brownies and figure it out anyway. In this episode, Phoebe and Sophia sit down with the iconic woman who turned “figure it out” into her mom-ager lifestyle. They talk about early jobs, showing up before you feel ready, and what it really takes to launch something that matters. Also: why your car interior might be ruining your life.Chapters1:12 – restaurants in the sky?5:04 – business rizz 10110:01 – doing things your way (and making them work)16:45 – vintage, resale, and why clean cars matter21:20 - advice for young women + why Kris invested in PhiaMeet the Hosts 🎙️Phoebe GatesSophia KianniFollow The BurnoutsInstagramTikTokLinkedInJoin the Phia waitlist at phia.comAbout the BurnoutsAs 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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30:04
Burning Out: Stanford cheating rings, fake assistants, and that perfect orange glow
Bluetooth tampons, fake assistants, and maxing out on LinkedIn mail credits? That’s entrepreneurship for ya. Phoebe and Sophia are best friends who turned their Stanford dorm room conversations into a business partnership. They’re here to share the good, bad, and ugly parts of founding a company together. Chapters0:00 - welcome to The Burnouts0:36 - how we became friends2:37 - the Stanford cheating ring8:16 - Sophia’s FAKE assistant11:17 - a bluetooth tampon??17:21 - the day phia was born20:12 - the go-giver mindset and spam messaging25:40 - why we started the podcast Meet the Hosts🎙️Phoebe GatesSophia Kianni Join the Phia waitlist at phia.com About the BurnoutsAs 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. SocialsInstagramTikTokLinkedIn
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.
South Africa