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.
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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.
From Dorm Rooms to $8 Million in Funding: Life Lessons from the Founders of Phia
Ambition 2.0
41 minutes
2 weeks ago
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
IG: https://www.instagram.com/girlboss/ | TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@girlboss
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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Ambition 2.0
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.
