Phoebe Gates, who co-founded Phia with environmental activist Sophia Kianni, asked her father to assist users and gain insights into customer behavior. In a detailed LinkedIn post, Bill Gates shared how this experience brought him back to the startup world and offered him valuable lessons from the frontlines.
“When your daughter asks if you'd be willing to work a shift in customer service at her startup, the only right answer is yes,” Gates wrote. He found the experience eye-opening, emphasizing that direct conversations with users offer the best understanding of how a product or system works.
Phia is an innovative AI fashion shopping app and browser extension that analyzes the costs of high-end new and second-hand fashion products across 40,000 online retailers. It also suggests lower-impact and eco-friendly alternatives to help users make smarter, more sustainable fashion choices.
Bill Gates praised the efforts of Phoebe and her team, saying, “It’s been inspiring to watch them rethink the way we shop by meeting users where they are… Hopefully, I won’t break anything (no promises).”This rare behind-the-scenes involvement from Gates not only shines a spotlight on Phia but also underscores the importance of hands-on leadership and real user feedback in building successful tech startups.
About Phia
Phia leverages artificial intelligence to compare prices, promote secondhand fashion, and suggest environmentally conscious shopping options. It aims to make fashion more accessible, affordable, and sustainable for modern consumers.
