From Dorm Rooms to $8 Million in Funding: Life Lessons from the Founders of Phia
In the debut episode of Ambition 2.0, host Amanda Goetz sits down with Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni—the visionary co-founders of Phia, the AI-powered shopping assistant backed by Hailey Bieber, Kris Jenner, Sheryl Sandberg, and other major investors.
From meeting as college roommates at Stanford and launching Phia as a class project to raising an $8M seed round for their company, Phoebe and Sophia have been through it all together. They get candid about building a tech startup from scratch, navigating friendship as co-founders, and learning how to set boundaries to avoid burnout.
They open up about:
The real meaning of work-life balance (and does it even exist?)
Why personal branding is a superpower for founders
The “ground rules” that keep their friendship—and business—thriving
Lessons from their fundraising journey and startup leadership
The creative philosophy behind their own podcast, The Burnouts
Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur or just love a good founder origin story, this episode dives deep into ambition, friendship, and what it takes to build something groundbreaking.
(00:00) Intro
(03:50) The origin story of Phia
(05:18) Building the Phia team and shaping company culture
(11:50) Raising $8M with high-profile investors
(14:15) Friendship “ground rules” for co-founders
(23:10) Burnout, boundaries, and balance
(28:42) Work-life balance
(30:45) Why personal branding matters more than ever
(32:00) Rapid-fire questions
(38:23) Advice for aspiring entrepreneurs
GUEST LINKS
Phoebe Gates: https://www.instagram.com/phoebegates/
Sophia Kianni: https://www.instagram.com/sophiakianni/
Phia: https://www.instagram.com/phiaco/
The Burnouts Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/theburnouts/
FOLLOW THE PODCAST
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Amanda Goetz: https://www.instagram.com/theamandagoetz/
https://girlboss.com/pages/ambition-2-0-podcast
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DISCLAIMER
This episode is sponsored by Semrush.
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#Ambition2Point0 #PhoebeGates #SophiaKianni #PhiaAI #GirlbossPodcast #WomenInBusiness #AIShopping #Startups #FemaleFounders
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Girlboss Presents: “Ambition 2.0 with Amanda Goetz”
A new era of ambition is here. Welcome Ambition 2.0, the new podcast from Girlboss, where we’ll be exploring what it really means to “have it all” in work, family, identity, and self… and if it’s actually worth it.
Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who’ve walked the tightrope of ambition, like author Eve Rodsky, money and wealth expert Rachel Rodgers, Phia founders Phoebe Gates and Sophie Kianni, and businesswoman and former Barstool Sports CEO Erika Ayers Badan, with additional powerhouse guests to be revealed throughout the season.
They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have.
Hosted by Amanda Goetz, a 2x founder, 4x CMO, mom of three, and author of the new book, Toxic Grit. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Premiering October 29.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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#GirlbossRadioReplay: How Dayna Isom Johnson Asked For Her Dream Role: Trend Expert at Etsy
If you’re in New York City or are planning a visit before January 5, 2025, you’re going to want to head to the Music Box Theatre to see Suffs The Musical. Get your tickets now at https://suffsmusical.com/
On this episode of Girlboss Radio, Avery chats with Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy's resident trend expert. If that job sounds really cool, that's because it is.
Dayna spends her days interpreting data and trend insights and talking about creativity to uplift and promote Etsy's 5.4 million makers. She makes frequent TV appearances and talks to the media about emerging design trends. Yup, she knew about cottagecore way before the rest of us did.
Dayna did not apply for the job she has now—but she created it by zeroing in on what she loved to do and asking Etsy's leadership to create a role that fit her talent and excitement.
Avery and Dayna talked about the unusual way Dayna figured out her dream job, how to tell if a company will be a great place to work from the interview stage, and play a special round of In or Out: Design Trends Edition.
🤝 Keep up with Dayna here: https://www.instagram.com/daynaisomjohnson/
📈 Check out Dayna’s Etsy picks here: https://www.etsy.com/featured/dayna
💌 Never miss an episode by subscribing here: girlboss.com/pages/girlboss-radio-subscribe
📷 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlbossrally/
💻 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/girlboss
💼 Find your dream job or post open roles: https://jobs.girlboss.com/
📚 Did you know Girlboss has courses? Check them out here: https://course.girlboss.com/collections
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How Brain Science Drives Business with Laura Beavin-Yates
This episode is brought to you by SIX.
👋 If you’re in New York City or are planning a visit before January 5, 2025, you’re going to want to head to the Music Box Theatre to see Suffs The Musical. Get your tickets now at https://suffsmusical.com/
What if you could measure and improve your emotional fitness—just like you track steps or workouts? Emotions play a powerful role in shaping the decisions we make, the connections we form, and the strategies that drive successful marketing.
In today’s episode, we’re diving into the fascinating intersection of cognitive psychology, emotional decision-making, and customer behavior.
Laura Beavin-Yates, PhD, the Chief Marketing Officer of SIX and Immersion, shares how neurochemicals like dopamine and oxytocin shape our behaviors and why understanding them is so important for building emotional connections in life and business. Laura also unpacks her nonlinear career journey from academia to working with major brands like Google and P&G.
We explore the transformative power of data, emotional decision-making, and why psychological safety is the key to thriving in remote work environments. Laura introduces SIX, an app designed to help users identify moments that boost wellbeing and emotional health, offering a fresh perspective on how we can take ownership of our mental and emotional lives.
This conversation is perfect for anyone curious about how emotions drive consumer behavior, how to create meaningful connections, or how to bring more psychological safety to the workplace.
🤝 Connect with Laura on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-beavin-yates/
📱 Learn more about SIX : https://www.izmed8trk.com/J84C5/2CTPL/
🧠 Check out Immersion here: https://www.getimmersion.com/
📷 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlbossrally/
💻 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/girlboss
💌 Subscribe to our daily newsletter: https://girlboss.com/pages/newsletter
💼 Find your dream job or post open roles: https://jobs.girlboss.com/
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#GirlbossRadioReplay: Roxie Nafousi Manifested Her Career—So Can You
It’s officially goal-setting season, and what better way to kick it off than by revisiting one of our most-loved episodes? We’re bringing back our conversation with Roxie Nafousi, verified manifestation expert and bestselling author of Manifest—because if you’re dreaming big for the new year, this is the only episode you need.
So, can you actually manifest your dream job (and life)? Back in 2022, our host Avery Francis wasn’t so sure. However, her conversation with Roxie completely shifted her perspective. Roxie broke it all down: manifestation isn’t about crossing your fingers and hoping for the best. It’s about showing up with hard work, clear intention, and a dose of positivity.
This episode shares tangible steps and practical tips to bring more intention into your life. Don’t wait for January 1st—start setting those goals today and discover how to manifest your way into the career (and life!) of your dreams.
✨Learn more about Roxie’s books here: https://roxienafousi.com/books/manifest/
🧡 Follow Roxie on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/roxienafousi/?hl=en
💌 Never miss an episode by subscribing here: girlboss.com/pages/girlboss-radio-subscribe
📷 Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/girlbossrally/
💻 Watch this episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/girlboss
💼 Find your dream job or post open roles: https://jobs.girlboss.com/
📚 Did you know Girlboss has courses? Check them out here: https://course.girlboss.com/collections
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome Ambition 2.0, the new podcast from Girlboss, where we’ll be exploring what it really means to “have it all” in work, family, identity, and self… and if it’s actually worth it.
Each week, you'll hear from hardworking women who’ve walked the tightrope of ambition, like author Eve Rodsky, money and wealth expert Rachel Rodgers, Phia founders Phoebe Gates and Sophie Kianni, and businesswoman and former Barstool Sports CEO Erika Ayers Badan, with additional powerhouse guests to be revealed throughout the season.
They'll share their costly mistakes, lessons learned, and practical tips for how to have it all and actually love what you have.
Hosted by Amanda Goetz, a 2x founder, 4x CMO, mom of three, and author of the new book, Toxic Grit. New episodes drop every Tuesday. Premiering October 29.
Australia