Bill Gates’ 22-year-old daughter Phoebe on what her parents told her when she announced her decision to start a Fashion website: Are you ...

Microsoft founder Bill Gates youngest daughter Phoebe Gates is carving out her own path as an entrepreneur with the launch of a new podcast and a fashion website. The 22-year-old Stanford graduate debuted "The Burnouts" recently alongside her business partner Sophia Kianni, teasing her forthcoming venture called "Phia." During the premiere episode, Phoebe reportedly opened up about her fears of being seen as a "Nepo Baby," a term used for children of famous or influential figures who benefit from their family connections. "I was like, I have so much privilege. I’m a Nepo Baby," she admitted, revealing the insecurities that came with her privileged background. However, she expressed a strong drive to establish her own identity, saying, "I have such a desire to prove myself."

According to a report by New York Post, Phoebe shared that her parents, Bill Gates, 69, and Melinda French Gates, 60, who got divorced in 2021 after 27 years of marriage, were initially hesitant about her entrepreneurial ambitions. Recalling their cautious response, she quoted her father asking, "Are you sure you wanna do this?" The former couple, who also share daughter Jennifer, 28, and son Rory, 25, encouraged Phoebe to complete her education first. She graduated from Stanford University last spring with a degree in Human Biology before diving into the world of fashion tech.

Phoebe’s interest in fashion, as per the report, dates back to at least 2022, when she spoke about her inspirations to WWD. She cited her mother’s friendship with Stella McCartney, the renowned designer and daughter of Beatles legend Paul McCartney, as a pivotal influence. "Her and my mom are actually good friends," Phoebe said, noting how McCartney’s success showed her that individuals born into privilege could leverage their platforms for meaningful impact. "She took that and instead of being like, ‘Oh, people define me by this,’ she was like, ‘OK, I have this immense privilege, now I’m going to use it to leverage something,'" Phoebe explained.
Reflecting on her own journey, Phoebe added, "I’m my parents’ daughter, that gives me immense privilege, but it’s not what I’m defined by. I want to have my own identity, I want to be my own person, I want to branch away from that, but how do I do that in a way where I can yield some sort of change?" With "The Burnouts" and "Phia," the young Gates is taking her first steps toward answering that question, aiming to make her mark in the sustainable fashion industry.