Why we dropped out of Stanford to build this app (ft. the Phia team)
After months of building, late-night strategy calls, and more than a few meltdowns, we finally launched our iOS app, Phia. In this special episode of The Burnouts, co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni take you behind the scenes of Phia’s debut—and introduce you to some of the team members that made it all happen. From product development to design, operations to marketing, you’ll meet the early team members who left jobs, skipped class, and taught themselves everything from QuickBooks to Figma to help bring Phia to life. Hear how we turned real feedback (even the tough kind), long hours, and big dreams into a shopping tool we believe will change the industry. Whether you're building your own company or just curious what it takes to launch a startup in your 20s, this episode dives into team dynamics, founder lessons, and why surrounding yourself with smart, motivated people is the best startup decision you can make.