The Burnouts with Phoebe & Sophia

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.

The Burnouts with Phoebe & Sophia is a business podcast hosted by Phoebe Gates & Sophia Kianni, with 53 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Phoebe Gates & Sophia Kianni hosts The Burnouts with Phoebe & Sophia, a business show with 53 episodes published.

Our AI reads these to draft pitches. Use them as grounding for a pitch that cites a real guest and a specific topic.

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  Episode #53

  Gloria Steinem's Unreleased Interview: Life Lessons for the Next Generation

  Sep 14, 202618 min

  If Gloria's vision resonates with you, the Gloria Foundation is continuing her work: gloriasfoundation.org Chapters 00:00 Growing Up When Careers Weren't an Option 01:12 Why She Went to India Instead of Getting Married 03:53 Starting Ms. Magazine 04:54 Abortion Rights Then, Now, and What to Do 07:31 Responding to Workplace Sexism 09:24 Building Things With Other Strong Women 10:44 Reflections on Confidence 12:21 Fashion as a Political Statement 13:39 Why America Has Never Had a Woman President 14:36 Staying in the Fight Without Burning Out 17:40 Legacy and Advice for the Next Generation   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, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and more. Subscribe for the insider playbook to build your dream career.

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  Episode #52

  Why Most People Lose Arguments (Sales Tricks That Made Shelby Sapp $1M/Month at 24)

  May 7, 202636 min

  How did Shelby Sapp go from selling rat poison door-to-door to becoming a 24-year-old founder making 8-figures per year? It's the same trick she uses to win arguments with her fiancé and pick the wedding venue she actually wants... In this episode, Shelby breaks down the tactics she's used that can win over anybody. Shelby Sapp is a high-ticket sales coach who teaches sales psychology to other women. She started knocking on doors at 18 selling pest control, became the top first-year rep in the entire company, and was making $300K a summer by 21 — before going all-in on remote high-ticket sales and building a training program that turns servers, nurses, and bartenders into five-figure-a-month closers. Chapters 00:00 - The Bartender Who Made $62K in Sales Her First Month 01:16 - Why You Don't Need to Be Extroverted to Sell 02:16 - From Zero Sales to Breaking the Company Record 08:07 - Top Confidence Tips 09:04 - Female-Specific Sales Tips 10:38 - The Sales Trick That Closes Deals 13:49 - Why She'll Never Take a Brand Deal 14:34 - When to Quit Your 9 to 5 16:28 - From Door Sales to High-Ticket Closing 19:22 - Why You Have to Be a Psychopath in Sales 20:14 - Using Sales Tactics in Your Relationships 29:48 - Making More Than Him 33:22 - If She Started Over at 20, What She'd Do 🔗 FOLLOW US https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni https://www.instagram.com/shelby.sapp 🔥 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.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #51

  Shark Tank Icon: Turning $1,000 to $1Billion! (ft. Barbara Corcoran)

  Apr 23, 202629 min

  Barbara Corcoran is the founder of the Corcoran Group, one of New York's most iconic real estate brands, and a star investor on ABC's Shark Tank for 17 seasons. From being told she was stupid in school and her ex saying she'd never succeed without him to building a 1,000-person company and selling it for $66 million, she's become one of the most trusted voices in business and a fairy godmother to hundreds of entrepreneurs. Chapters 00:00 - Her Biggest Failure Started in Childhood 00:41 - 22 Jobs By 23 and Becoming Her Own Boss 01:26 - The Boyfriend Who Loaned Her $1,000 02:18 - The Insult That Built Her Empire 04:37 - Marrying "Lucky Bill" and His Craziest Stunt 07:42 - Scaling to 1,000 People and the $66M Exit 09:18 - How She'd Rebuild With Only $1,000 Today 10:06 - Her "Queen of New York" Vision 11:22 - The 3 Traits Every Great Entrepreneur Has 14:17 - Why She Bets on People With Unhealthy Childhoods 16:52 - The Self-Tape in Her Head Until 35 19:55 - Her Best and Worst Bosses Ever 21:18 - How She Fires People (Always on Fridays at 10) 22:58 - Getting Her Shark Tank Seat Back After Being Fired 25:41 - What Makes Her Pass on a Shark Tank Deal 27:49 - Her Advice to Her 20-Year-Old Self 🔗 FOLLOW US https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni https://www.instagram.com/barbaracorcoran 🔥 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.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #50

  What Really Happens at Billionaires' Private Parties (Michael Rubin)

  Apr 9, 202630 min

  Michael Rubin breaks down the truth about the White Party, why relationships matter more than people realize, and how he thinks about building rooms where power, business, and culture collide. He shares how Fanatics grew into a $40 billion company, why he treats networking as a real business skill, and what most people misunderstand about success. Michael Rubin is the founder of Fanatics and one of the most connected figures in sports, business, and culture. In this conversation, he opens up about the White Party, building authentic relationships, running philanthropy like a business, and the work ethic, resilience, and mindset behind becoming a billionaire. Chapters 00:00 - Relationships Are Everything 01:25 - The Meek Mill Story That Changed His Life 05:19 - Why He Started Reform Alliance 06:09 - Running Philanthropy Like a Business 09:04 - The Truth About the White Party 12:41 - Sophia’s White Party Fall & Meeting Jay-Z 13:53 - The Only 3 Events He Throws Each Year 15:19 - How He Learns by Talking to People 17:16 - Spotting Young Talent Before Everyone Else 17:54 - Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities & Starting Young 20:10 - What His Kids Have Taught Him 21:46 - Sleeping 4.5 Hours a Night 22:30 - Recovery & Trying to Live Longer 23:19 - Weight Loss, Ozempic & Not Taking Himself Too Seriously 26:10 - If He Lost Everything, How He’d Rebuild 28:02 - The Most Important Early Business Decisions 🔗 FOLLOW US https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni https://www.instagram.com/michaelrubin 🔥 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.

  ListenShow Notes
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  Episode #49

  Dating 101 as an Ambitious Woman: How to Seduce Anyone (ft. Chloe Shih)

  Mar 26, 202623 min

  Chloe Shih breaks down all the best dating tips she wishes she knew in her 20s. Learn how to flirt, which guys to date, and how to build a relationship that lasts. Chloe Shih is a creator, entrepreneur, and former tech operator who shares an honest look at modern ambition, relationships, and personal growth. She reflects on love, therapy, career pressure, and how the right partnership can reshape the way you think about success. Chapters 00:00 - Intro 00:34 - What makes a relationship actually work 03:32 - The biggest lesson from couples counseling 03:55 - The “four horsemen” that predict relationship failure 06:33 - Chloe’s advice on flirting and seduction 07:22 - How she met Kevin 08:39 - The disastrous first date 11:43 - How Kevin won her over after rejection 15:37 - The Facebook prom turning point 16:43 - The 25-item partner checklist 17:22 - What was actually on Chloe’s list 18:36 - Why you should not date the person who only looks good on paper 20:09 - How a happy relationship changes your career 20:30 - Redefining ambition and “the bag” 21:45 - Success without scarcity 22:20 - Good mindset trick 🔗 FOLLOW US https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni https://www.instagram.com/chloe.shih https://www.instagram.com/jomo.pod 🔥 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.

  ListenShow Notes

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