Founders' Lessons: Protect Margin and Stay Lean

Founder and creative force Jasmin Larian Hekmat reveals the untold story of how she turned a scrappy side hobby into Cult Gaia, one of the most recognizable fashion brands of the last decade.

Before the Ark Bag exploded across Instagram, Jasmin was wiring flower crowns at her kitchen table, hauling a flower cart to festivals, and giving away bags no one would buy. In this episode of The Burnouts, she tells Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni how a single product quietly snowballed into a global sensation and reshaped her entire career.

Jasmin breaks down the five years before Cult Gaia “hit,” the moment the Ark Bag went from ignored to iconic, and the relentless creativity that keeps her one step ahead of imitators. She shares how she built a multimillion-dollar business without raising a cent of venture capital, how she protects the brand’s fiercely artful DNA, and why her designs are meant to stop someone in their tracks.

From vase purses to playable backgammon clutches to fragrance bottles that feel like sculpture, Jasmin explains how she turns wild ideas into objects people obsess over. She also opens up about motherhood, running a 100 person team, trusting her gut when everyone says no, and staying original in an industry that copies everything.

If you are building a fashion brand, dreaming up your first product, or trying to stand out in a crowded industry, this conversation will change the way you think about creativity, community, and staying power.

Chapters
00:00 The Hobby That Accidentally Started Cult Gaia
02:00 The $38 Bag No One Wanted
04:00 The Viral Moment That Changed Everything
06:00 How She Built a Brand With Zero Investors
08:00 Surviving Copycats and Staying Original
10:00 Building a Team While Raising Three Kids
12:00 The Pressure Behind a “Perfect” Brand
14:00 Designing Pieces People Can’t Ignore
16:00 What Founders Get Wrong About Success
18:00 Lightning Round: Style, Risks, and Reinvention

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Phoebe and Sophia are the founders of Phia, a new fashion-tech app helping shoppers find the best prices across retail and resale. Download now and join the community of 800,000+ happy users.

About The Burnouts
The Burnouts brings you raw, unfiltered conversations with top founders, creators, and culture-shaping entrepreneurs. Hosted by Stanford roommates turned startup co-founders Phoebe Gates and Sophia Kianni, the show goes beyond headlines to explore the real stories, breakdowns, and breakthroughs that define your twenties.

Past guests include Paris Hilton, Kris Jenner, Karlie Kloss, and Tommy Hilfiger.

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