From skincare to alcohol, it feels like every celebrity has a brand and your feed is probably full of them. But why do some explode while others quietly crash and burn? Today, Sammi breaks down what really separates the hits from the hype.

Is it all about star power—or does authenticity actually matter? Sammi dives into the blueprint behind successful celebrity brands like Hailey Bieber’s Rhode and Kim Kardashian’s Skims, and why others, like Blake Lively’s new beauty line and Katy Perry’s non-alcoholic beverage line, might be missing the mark. This isn’t just about celebs—it’s about how trust, timing, and problem-solving products win in a saturated market. 

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Here’s what Sammi covers today:

00:00 The Celebrity Brand Boom

00:38 Fame vs. Business Savvy

01:13 The Risks of Building on a Personal Brand

01:45 What Happened to Ivy Park?

04:44 Skims: A Case Study in Smart Branding

06:20 Rhode and the Rise of Skinfluencers

07:30 Beauty Industry Hits and Misses

10:07 What Actually Makes a Brand “Authentic”?

12:04 Takeaways and Predictions

12:25 How to Show Social Currency Some Love

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The fashion industry is facing a reckoning—from how clothes are made to how they’re resold. And Phia, a new tech-driven platform, is betting that the future of shopping is secondhand, smarter, and more sustainable.

In this episode, Sammi sits down with Phia co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni to talk about how they went from brainstorming ideas in their Stanford dorm room to building a company that’s rethinking retail. They share how Phia uses tech to track price drops and spotlight resale options, why they’re betting on browser extensions and Gen Z, and how their backgrounds have helped them build a mission-driven brand from the ground up.

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Listen to The Burnouts here

Here’s what Sammi covers with Phoebe & Sophia:

00:00 Phoebe & Sophia’s Social Currency

01:51 The Phia Origin Story

07:18 Dropping Out of Stanford and Betting on Themselves

09:38 Building a Team and Advice from Bill Gates

14:48 How the Phia App Makes Secondhand Shopping Easy

25:23 Why Secondhand Isn’t Second-Rate

28:26 Gen Z’s Take on Sustainability

29:20 How Phia Reaches Shoppers Where They Already Are

30:11 The Resale Value Factor

31:07 Who They're Building Phia For

34:12 Lessons from Investors and Advisors

35:42 How Their Podcast The Burnouts on Alex Cooper’s Unwell Network Ties into Their Brand

37:32 Radical Transparency and Listening to Your Customer

44:41 How They Manage Their Time

47:18 What’s Next for the Future of Shopping

48:54 Whose Closet They’d Raid Tomorrow

50:02 How to Show Social Currency Some Love

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. 

*APY as of 6/30/25, offered by Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Rate subject to change.

See terms of IRA Match Program here: public.com/disclosures/ira-match.

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 Buy now, pay later is everywhere. Maybe you've seen it when you were buying a Sephora haul, or deciding that you deserve to splurge on your DoorDash delivery, but what’s the truth behind the trend? Today, Sammi answers the question: is BNPL just a shiny new version of the old school layaway, gamified for the TikTok generation? Or is it more dangerous?

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Here’s what Sammi covers today:

00:00 The Allure of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)

01:00 How BNPL Works

01:42 The Popularity… and Risks

06:40 Economic and Social Implications of BNPL

09:11 The Financial Realities of BNPL

12:42 BNPL and Your Credit Score

15:55 Pros, Cons and the Future of Payments

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. 

*APY as of 6/30/25, offered by Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Rate subject to change.

See terms of IRA Match Program here: public.com/disclosures/ira-match.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if paying rent could actually help you own a home someday? That’s exactly the idea Ankur Jain ran with when he launched Bilt Rewards, the first loyalty program that lets renters earn points on rent—and it’s now backed by over 2 million units nationwide, plus Mastercard, Wells Fargo and more.

Sammi sits down with Ankur to unpack how he built one of the most disruptive fintech startups in the housing space, why homeownership is getting harder for younger generations, and how Built is changing that. From navigating brutal regulatory red tape to raising $250 million in funding, Ankur shares what it really takes to scale a company that aims to fix real-world problems.

He also opens up about his time at Tinder, his immigrant roots, the flaws of traditional venture capital, and his unbelievable wedding at the Great Pyramids of Giza.

Here’s what Sammi covers with Ankur:

00:00 Ankur Jain’s Social Currency

02:04 Ankur's Time at Tinder

03:55 How Private Companies Can Solve Public Problems 

14:08 COVID-19’s Unexpected Impact on Bilt

18:12 Ankur’s 18 Months in DC Tackling Regulatory Hurdles

22:42 Building a Complex Ecosystem

26:37 The Bilt Model and Connecting Renters with Merchants

31:36 Ankur’s Take on Fundraising

38:14 Surprising Gen Z and Millennial Money Habits

41:55 The Benefits of Working with Friends

44:27 The Future of Living

46:31 Social Currency Corner

47:58 The Wedding of the Century

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Peruse Ankur's Wedding Photos here

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. 

*APY as of 6/30/25, offered by Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Rate subject to change.

See terms of IRA Match Program here: public.com/disclosures/ira-match.

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Mel Robbins didn’t invent self-help—but she might’ve made it viral. From courtroom stress to content queen, Mel turned panic attacks into a personal brand empire, built on bite-sized truths like the Five Second Rule and Let Them. Her strategy? Simplicity that scales, relentless experimentation, and showing up as exactly herself.

In today’s episode, Sammi breaks down how Mel went from anonymous anxiety to global influence—and what her journey teaches us about brand-building in the era of oversharing. Whether you want to grow your platform or just get your butt out of bed, Mel’s story is full of real, replicable takeaways.

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Here’s what Sammi covers today:

00:00 The Power of Bite-Sized Wisdom

00:30 Who Is Mel Robbins (and Why Is She Everywhere)?

05:10 The Five Second Rule: TikTok Therapy in Disguise

07:24 Let Them: Simplicity as a Business Strategy

10:07 The Mel Media Machine: How She Experiments Her Way to the Top

11:54 Lessons in Authenticity, Attention, and Algorithms

13:27 What You Can Steal From Mel’s Playbook

All investing involves the risk of loss, including loss of principal. Brokerage services for US-listed, registered securities, options and bonds in a self-directed account are offered by Public Investing, Inc., member FINRA & SIPC. Public Investing offers a High-Yield Cash Account where funds from this account are automatically deposited into partner banks where they earn interest and are eligible for FDIC insurance; Public Investing is not a bank. Cryptocurrency trading services are offered by Bakkt Crypto Solutions, LLC (NMLS ID 1890144), which is licensed to engage in virtual currency business activity by the NYSDFS. Cryptocurrency is highly speculative, involves a high degree of risk, and has the potential for loss of the entire amount of an investment. Cryptocurrency holdings are not protected by the FDIC or SIPC. 

*APY as of 6/30/25, offered by Public Investing, member FINRA/SIPC. Rate subject to change.

See terms of IRA Match Program here: public.com/disclosures/ira-match.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What if freezing your eggs didn’t have to feel out of reach, financially or emotionally? Lauren Makler, co-founder and CEO of Cofertility, is reimagining how we think about egg donation and preservation.

Lauren’s company helps women freeze their eggs for free— in exchange for donating half— breaking down financial barriers while fostering a more transparent, human-first approach to fertility. In this conversation, Lauren tells Sammi about the wake-up call that sparked her mission, the challenges of innovating in healthcare, and how she balances operational complexity with a deeply personal, purpose-driven vision.

Here’s what Sammi covers with Lauren:

00:00 Lauren Makler’s Social Currency

01:45 From Uber Health to Women’s Health: Lauren’s Career Journey

04:56 The Personal Story Behind Cofertility

09:36 Rethinking the Business of Fertility

16:26 How Co-Fertility’s Model Works

19:57 Making Egg Donation More Transparent

22:01 Fundraising in FemTech

23:00 Testing the Concept and Winning Over Investors

27:01 Navigating Operational Challenges

29:22 Building Trust Through Partnerships and Brand

32:50 Consumerizing Healthcare Without Losing the Human Touch

38:49 Advice for Founders Pivoting into Women’s Health

42:11 How to Support the Show

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Nearly 60% of Gen Z wants to be a creator—but how do you actually turn posting into profit? In this episode, Sammi pulls back the curtain on the creator economy and shares the real business model behind full-time content creation. From brand partnerships to your own storefront, affiliate links to equity deals, Sammi breaks down all the ways creators monetize (and the pitfalls to watch out for). Plus, she shares her own behind-the-scenes journey: how she priced her first brand deal, the mistakes she learned the hard way, and her big vision for Social Currency as a platform and a business.

Whether you’re dreaming of becoming a creator yourself, already building your side hustle, or just curious about how the influencer sausage gets made—this episode will give you a roadmap to stand out, stay authentic, and actually make money online.

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Here’s what Sammi covers today:

00:00 Why the creator economy is just getting started

02:15 The myth of saturation—and how to stand out

03:44 The brand partnership playbook (and how to price yourself)

11:09 Owning your storefront: products, courses, and merch

15:07 Platform payouts, affiliate links, and even equity deals

16:33 The realities of creator cash flow and mental load

20:55  How to show Social Currency some love

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How would the health of the planet be impacted if we could control the weather? Augustus Doricko, founder and CEO of Rainmaker, is on a mission to find out.

Augustus’ company makes it rain— literally. Through a process called cloud seeding, Rainmaker creates rain for farms, watersheds and ecosystems. In this conversation, Augustus tells Sammi about the brain-bending challenges of engineering cutting-edge technology, the impact of being a Peter Thiel fellow, and why his company motto is “we love the taste of blood in our mouth.” 

Here’s what Sammi covers with Augustus:

00:00 Augustus Doricko’s Social Currency

01:45 The Mission of Rainmaker

02:38 The Tech Behind Cloud Seeding (Making It Rain)

03:34 The Origin Story of Weather Modification

04:46 The Importance of Attribution 

05:36 How To Create a Brand-New Market

08:02 How Rainmaker Makes It Rain

09:42 Augustus’ Path to Rainmaker

11:00 How Rainmaker Can Address Water Scarcity

21:23 The Community of El Segundo

25:25 Making Engineering Cool 

29:08 Fundraising for Hard Tech

31:14 The Peter Thiel Fellowship Experience

34:06 Advice for Aspiring Founders

35:55 Social Currency Corner

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Trader Joe’s has no loyalty programs. No flashy ads. Stores that look like they time-traveled in from the '70s. And yet… Trader Joe’s generates more sales per square foot than almost any other grocery store in America. Why? 

Today, Sammi unpacks the genius of Trader Joe’s—how a company that breaks every retail rule has built one of the most beloved (and profitable) grocery brands in the country. From decision paralysis and private-label domination to its anti-corporate vibe, cult-like fanbase, and German ownership, Trader Joe’s is proof that sometimes the most radical business model  is the simplest one done exceptionally well.

Plus: Sammi explains the psychology behind limited-time products, how mystery breeds loyalty, and why treating your employees right isn’t just good karma—it’s good business.

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Here’s what Sammi covers today:

00:00 The Retail Rule-Breaker Nobody Saw Coming

01:35 How Trader Joe’s Was Built for the Over-Educated and Underpaid

04:02 From Flashlights to Fearless Flyers: The Early Days

06:18 Why Fewer Choices = More Sales

09:15 The Power of Private Label and the Two-Buck Chuck Strategy

12:50 The Real Reason You Love Their Packaging

14:07 How Trader Joe’s Built a Culture—Not Just a Store

16:34 The Anti-Influencer Marketing Model That Actually Works

19:15 Cult Products, Secrecy, and Brand Mythology

23:02 The German Empire Behind America’s Favorite Grocer

25:44 What You Can Learn From Trader Joe’s Playbook

27:10 How to Support the Show + Stay in the Loop

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What does it take to build a luxury beauty brand that’s as cool as it is strategic? Cassandra Grey has the answer. She’s the force behind Violet Grey—the ultra-curated beauty platform that has become a tastemaker in Hollywood and beyond.

Cassandra’s playbook is not the usual one: she launched her brand, grew a cult following for nearly a decade, sold the company in 2022, and then bought it back in 2024. Today, she shares what she learned from every milestone. Cassandra explains what selling her brand taught her about business, insights from her early meetings with Anna Wintour and Gwyneth Paltrow, and how to find your aesthetic as a brand.  

Here’s what Sammi covers with Cassandra:

00:00 Meet Cassandra Grey

01:30 Cassandra’s Introduction to Glamour and an Unusual Childhood

04:06 The Violet Grey Origin Story

05:20 Crafting a Business Plan Without an MBA

12:29 The Violet Code

17:31 THE Gwyneth Paltrow Phone Call

19:40 Acquisition by Farfetch

24:04 Why Delusion is Good in Business

25:56 Buying Back Violet Gray

28:02 Incubating Brands with Violet Labs

30:29 The Push into Retail

37:26 Hiring for Your Weaknesses

40:31 Actionable Tips for Finding Your Brand’s Look

44:34 How to Show Social Currency Some Love

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