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9 to 5ish with theSkimm

Phoebe Gates on Proving Herself Beyond Her Family Name

9 to 5ish with theSkimm

theSkimm

Entrepreneurship, Careers, Business

4.71.9K Ratings

🗓️ 27 August 2025

⏱️ 25 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

When Phoebe Gates started her company, Phia, her parents – yes, those Mr. and Mrs. Gates – wished her good luck and didn’t invest a penny. And while her last name lends it self to opportunities other people might not get. But instead of letting the nepo-baby convo overshadow her entrepreneurship, Phoebe shares why the pressure to live up to her family name actually is a positive thing. In this episode, Phoebe also shares: The values her parents instilled in her that have nothing to do with money or business Why she started a business with her roommate-turned-best-friend-turned- co-founder The most surprising founder skill she had to learn Her number one tip for speaking with confidence in business meetings Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

I'll now hand you over to my best man, Eddie.

0:04.0

Wow, wow, wow, second time's a charm, eh, Billy Boy!

0:09.0

Oh God!

0:10.0

Substitution, courtesy of Paddy Power, embarrassing Eddie, makes way for Sensible Samuel.

0:15.0

Cool, that was close.

0:16.0

You might not always pick the right starter, but your sub can still deliver,

0:19.0

because with Paddy's Super Sub, your bet rolls over to the player coming on. Paddy Power. Valid on selected leagues and markets only. Pre-match and in-play bets on qualifying player outcome selections only. T's and exclusions apply. 18 plus scummelaware.org. I could have chosen, you know, a career that didn't make money. I could have focused on whatever, you know, was my passion and my family would have supported me as long as I was working. Now, do I feel pressure to prove myself?

0:41.7

Yes, 100%. But I actually think that that's a really, really positive thing.

0:47.2

I'm Carly Zakin. And I'm Danielle Weissberg. Welcome to 9 to 5-ish with the skin.

0:53.0

We've run into so many questions over the years and had so many moments where we needed advice,

0:59.4

and we got it from women who'd been there.

1:02.8

And that's what we're bringing you at this show.

1:04.9

Each week, we're helping you get what you want out of your career by talking to the smartest leaders we know.

1:10.4

Because we know your

1:11.7

work life is a lot more than nine to five. All right, let's get into it.

1:19.8

Hi, everyone. Today's guest is Phoebe Gates. She's the co-founder of the fashion tech startup

1:24.9

Fia and co-host of the Burnouts Podcast on the Unwell Network.

1:30.6

Phoebe grew up in Seattle as the daughter of two people you might have heard of, Bill Gates

1:35.5

and Melinda French Gates, but Phoebe has steadily carved out her own path in entrepreneurship.

1:40.9

She attended Stanford University where she met her roommate, turned best friend, turned co-founder, Sophia Keani.

1:48.0

They quickly bonded over fashion and the challenge of shopping sustainably without wasting time or money.

1:54.7

So while in school, Phoebe and Sophia started building what would become FIA, which officially launched earlier this year.

...

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