E4: Sophia Amoruso on Nasty Gal and Girlboss: Burnout, Backlash, and Rebounding

Sophia Amoruso reflects on being the poster child of entrepreneurship with Nasty Gal and Girlboss, going from the cover of Forbes to bankruptcy in a matter of months. Jesse Genet and co-host Erik Torenberg talk to Sophia about what it’s actually like at the red-hot center of the zeitgeist, how to assess your own leadership strengths and weaknesses, and how to rebound in your career and life.

In The Arena is part of the Turpentine podcast network. Learn more: Turpentine.co

TIMESTAMPS

(00:00) Introducing Sophia Amoruso

(01:49) Describing Nasty Gal’s turning point 

(05:00) Missed opportunities to exit: “I would have taken the money”

(08:00) How helpful is the team of C-level executives around a founder?

(12:00) Leadership burnout

(14:20) Tension between the rough waters at Nasty Gal and the success of Sophia’s book Nasty Gal

(16:33) Sponsor: Pesto.tech for remote developers

(20:00) Girlboss backlash: “If you stand for something, people will use it against you.”

(24:00) Politicization of Girlboss

(27:00) Toxic culture from a founder perspective

(31:00) Sophia’s support to other female founders who were taken down

(33:00) How do you defend yourself in the public arena?

(35:02) Accountability and lessons for what Sophia is doing now

(37:15) How to avoid entrepreneurial mistakes

(39:00) Sophia’s advice for other entrepreneurs

(41:40) Sophia’s mindset as an investor and advisor

LINKS:

Trust Fund VC https://www.trustfund.vc/

TWITTER:

@sophiaamoruso (Sophia)

@trustfundvc (Trust Fund)

@jessegenet (Jesse)

@eriktorenberg (Erik)

@InTheArena_Pod

SPONSOR:

Head to Pesto.tech if you want to hire remote developers today!