Episode Details

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 - Use code HSR30 at 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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