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The Burnouts with Phoebe & Sophia

The Burnouts with Phoebe & Sophia

By: Phoebe Gates & Sophia Kianni
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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.© 2025 Dovetail Media LLC Career Success Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • How a Teen Model Left Sweden & Built a $100M Fashion Empire From Her Garage (ft. Anine Bing)
    Sep 11 2025

    Danish-born model, blogger, and entrepreneur Anine Bing went from selling her secondhand clothes online to building one of the fastest-growing contemporary fashion houses in the world. With 40+ retail stores, a global online presence, and a signature rock-and-roll yet timeless aesthetic, Anine has redefined what it means to be a creative founder in fashion.

    In this episode of The Burnouts, Anine Bing sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni for an intimate, unfiltered conversation about her entrepreneurial rise — from moving to Milan at 14 to model, blogging before Instagram was a thing, and launching her brand out of a Los Angeles garage while raising two kids.

    She opens up about the early hustle of packing orders by hand, finding confidence amid constant naysayers, and building a brand that puts authenticity and creativity above quick money. Anine shares stories of her viral fashion moments (like Kendall Jenner’s Coachella bralette), bringing Kate Moss into her campaigns, navigating burnout, and raising venture capital while staying true to her vision.

    Plus: how she blends fashion with music (including her upcoming album Chapter Two), her creative process behind collections, the power of founder-led marketing, and why her ultimate mission is to empower women through timeless design and self-belief.

    Whether you’re a fashion lover, aspiring founder, or just seeking the motivation to follow your gut and block out the noise, this episode is packed with lessons on resilience, creativity, and building a brand that lasts.

    👜 SHOP ANINE BING'S FALL COLLECTION

    Chapters
    00:00 – Anine Bing joins The Burnouts
    01:00 – Leaving Sweden at 14 to model in Milan
    03:00 – From blogging to selling her secondhand clothes online
    07:00 – Starting a fashion brand out of a garage while raising kids
    09:00 – “Fuck the rest”: dealing with naysayers and self-doubt
    11:00 – The creative process: mood boards, playlists, and designing the Anine Bing woman
    13:00 – Why retail presence still matters in the digital age
    15:00 – Raising kids while building a global brand
    18:00 – Burnout, balance, and finding self-care as a founder
    22:00 – From Rosie Huntington-Whiteley to Kendall Jenner: viral celebrity fashion moments
    24:00 – Founder-led marketing vs. personal branding
    26:00 – Music as therapy and the making of Chapter Two
    29:00 – Taking VC funding and scaling globally
    32:00 – Iconic pieces: denim, blazers, boots, and beyond
    35:00 – Mistakes, resilience, and why you can’t give up

    🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS
    Instagram
    TikTok
    LinkedIn

    📲 Support What We’re Building
    Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping you find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app.

    About The Burnouts
    The 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.

    Show More Show Less
    36 mins
  • Gary Vee: Why You’ll NEVER Be An Influencer (But You Can Still Get RICH!)
    Sep 4 2025

    He got booed for saying “f*** Steve Jobs.” He built a media empire out of his dad’s liquor store. And now, Gary Vaynerchuk—better known as Gary Vee—is the brutally honest voice redefining what success really means.

    In this episode of The Burnouts, entrepreneur and bestselling author Gary Vee joins hosts Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni for a raw, unfiltered conversation about money, ambition, and why patience—not hustle—is the ultimate flex.

    Gary opens up about how growing up as an immigrant kid shaped his obsession with work, why he thinks making $100K can be “making it,” and why kindness beats IQ when it comes to leadership. Together, they unpack why Silicon Valley glorifies the wrong heroes, why social media isn’t dying anytime soon, and why most young founders are chasing clout instead of building real businesses.

    He also shares the hidden strength behind VaynerMedia—the Chief Heart Officer who keeps the company together—the “convenience always wins” rule shaping the future of AI and shopping, and the exact moment he realized millions wouldn’t make him happier.

    This isn’t motivational fluff—it’s a masterclass in long-term thinking from someone who’s seen it all. If you’ve ever wondered whether you’re on the right path, Gary Vee will change the way you measure success.

    Chapters
    00:00 – Who is Gary Vee?
    06:10 – Why most influencers will fail (and the rise of live shopping)
    08:10 – The key to a successful business: eliminating friction
    10:05 – Why Gary Vee said “F*** Steve Jobs”: EQ over IQ in leadership
    14:44 – The best marketing strategy for the AI consumer era
    21:38 – Why chasing clout isn’t worth it
    24:10 – The simple ask that drives real business growth
    30:44 – Gary’s advice for building your dream career

    🔗 FOLLOW GARY VEE
    Instagram
    TikTok
    Youtube

    🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS
    Instagram
    TikTok
    LinkedIn

    📲 Support What We’re Building
    Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping you find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app.

    About The Burnouts
    The 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.

    Show More Show Less
    34 mins
  • Pop Star Ava Max on the Real Story Behind “Sweet But Psycho” and Why She Left The Spotlight
    Aug 28 2025

    Global pop icon Ava Max went from a first-generation immigrant household to topping charts in over 20 countries with hits like “Sweet but Psycho,” “Kings & Queens,” and “Maybe You’re the Problem.” With over 70 billion streams and a signature fearless style, Ava is rewriting what it means to own your power in the music industry.

    In this episode of The Burnouts, Ava Max joins Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni for a raw, unfiltered conversation about her rise to stardom — from moving to LA at 14, surviving predatory industry environments, and nearly quitting music, to finding her voice, building her sound, and creating a global pop phenomenon.

    She opens up about the grind behind her success, the trauma and resilience that shaped her, and the inspiration behind her new album, “Don’t Click Play." Ava shares stories of losing her voice at the peak of her breakout hit, navigating fame while staying grounded, and why protecting her energy has become her top priority. Plus: what it really takes to build a lasting career in pop, the pressures of being “always on,” and her vision for a future stadium tour.

    Whether you’re an aspiring artist, a longtime fan, or just looking for motivation to keep going when life knocks you down, this episode is filled with lessons on persistence, self-belief, and embracing your unique voice.

    🎶 STREAM AVA'S ALBUM "DON'T CLICK PLAY"

    Chapters
    00:00 – The moment Ava Max walked into our studio…
    01:00 – From Virginia to LA: the bold move that changed everything
    04:00 – The brutal reality of chasing a dream at 14
    07:00 – Five years of rejection… and the one “yes” that changed her life
    09:00 – “My vocal cords exploded” — what really happened at the height of her first hit
    11:00 – The night the Max Cut was born (and why it changed her career)
    13:00 – Finding her sound: the secret to songs that empower millions
    16:00 – What going viral really feels like (and why it’s not always what you think)
    19:00 – Behind the curtain: the exhausting truth about touring
    22:00 – The business of pop: labels, teams, and staying in control
    24:00 – Why she disappeared from social media (and how she’s coming back stronger)
    26:00 – Stadium tour dreams and a secret creative project you haven’t heard about
    28:00 – How Ava Max turns doubt into fuel
    30:00 – “Don’t Click Play”: the album that almost never happened

    🔗 FOLLOW AVA MAX
    Instagram
    TikTok
    Website

    🔥 FOLLOW THE BURNOUTS
    Instagram
    TikTok
    LinkedIn

    📲 Support What We’re Building
    Phoebe and Sophia aren’t just your hosts—they’re the founders of Phia, a fashion-tech app helping you find the best prices across retail and resale. Download the app.

    About The Burnouts
    The 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.

    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
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