Is Sephora losing its crown? How is Olive Young rewriting beauty retail? And should you really be using AI to plan your menstrual cycle - including when to date?
Creators are turning their knowledge into paid AI advisors. Mel Robbins is building a protein empire. Founders are publicly sharing revenue and fundraises. And GAP hiring a Chief Entertainment Officer may redefine how brands grow in 2026…
In this episode, Maggie and Katie break down their hottest 2026 predictions - so you can spot what’s next before everyone else does.
Maggie & Katie discuss:
. Sephora vs Ulta vs Olive Young and the new beauty status symbol
. Korea’s speed-to-shelf advantage and trend-first retail
. Scheduling your business and dating life around your cycle (and using AI to do it)
. The “everything shower” and why beauty admin is a mental health reset
. Paid AI advisors, AI therapy, and the creator IP problem
. Why “human verified” will beat the blue check
. Founders disclosing revenue, salaries, and fundraises in 2026
. Why being disliked is a badge of honour (and why it works)
. Why VC is dying for consumer brands and family offices are rising
. The brands that will win by entertaining, not selling
. Celebrity “beauty brands” are over: protein is next
Breaking News About Sephora x Olive Young Partnership:
Sephora newsroom - https://newsroom.sephora.com/sephora-and-olive-young-partner-to-bring-the-best-of-korean-beauty-to-sephora-consumers/
Business of Fashion:: https://www.businessoffashion.com/articles/beauty/sephora-olive-young-partnership-2026/
Timestamps
00:00 Intro
01:38 The “Everything Shower” Reset - When Self-Care Becomes Survival
02:35 Why Balance Doesn’t Exist – Scheduling Life Around Your Cycle
04:14 Using AI to Plan Your Cycle, Work and Dating Life
05:14 Would You Pay for AI Therapy? The Tony Robbins AI Debate
07:40 AI Will Replace Therapy - Why We Disagree
09:04 Human-Verified Will Beat the Blue Checkmark
09:37 AI Copycats, Idea Theft and the Future of Originality
11:36 Is Sephora Losing Its Crown?
12:15 Olive Young’s Korean Playbook Changing Beauty Retail
13:53 Why Korean Brands Move Faster Than Sephora
15:53 Trend-First Stores – The Olive Young Advantage
16:42 Why Sephora Isn’t Adapting Fast Enough
18:08 Product-First Consumers Are Rewriting Beauty
18:45 The Coming Shake-Up in the Beauty Industry
19:16 beehiiv Ad Read
20:37 Founders Building in Public
21:37 Why Humans Crave Connection More Than Ever
22:34 Should Founders Share Revenue and Salaries?
24:48 The Hidden Cost of Radical Transparency
26:07 Being Disliked as a Badge of Honor
27:42 You Can’t Find Your Audience Without Criticism
30:48 Cozy Earth Ad Read
31:53 Why Family Offices Are Replacing VCs
36:23 Steven Bartlett’s Groq Investment – Low Effort, High Impact
37:11 Pitching VCs Is a Waste of Time IF…
38:02 Brands Must Entertain, Not Sell - GAP’s Pivot!
40:11 The Two Influencers Every Brand Should Study
41:56 Celebrity Protein Is the New Beauty Boom
43:51 Mel Robbins, Khloe Kardashian and the Protein Gold Rush
47:00 How Should We End Podcast Episodes Better?
Episode Sponsors:
beehiiv - http://www.beehiiv.com/hsr?utm_campaign=hsr-2026-Partnership&utm_medium=podcast&utm_source=hsr&utm_term=2026-01-21
Cozy Earth - http://cozyearth.com with code HSR
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Hot Smart Rich with Maggie Sellers Reum