Rich Habits Podcast: "Dow Hits 50K, AI Agents (OpenClaw) & Investing in Texas"
Date: February 13, 2026
Hosts: Austin Hankwitz & Robert Kroke
Special Guest: Brian Chambers (President, Capital Factory)
Episode Overview
In this episode of the Rich Habits Podcast, Austin and Robert break down the week’s biggest financial stories: the robust January jobs report and its broader economic context, the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s historic close above 50,000, and the breakthrough of autonomous AI agents with a focus on OpenClaw. The episode features an in-depth interview with Brian Chambers of Capital Factory, providing a deep dive into the Texas startup ecosystem, what’s driving its growth, and broader shifts in venture investing. The hosts also highlight notable trends in ETF performance, car payments, and personal finance habits.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. January Jobs Report and Market Implications
- Key Data: January saw 130,000 new jobs (expected: 55,000); unemployment dropped to 4.3%; wages grew 3.7% YoY (01:31).
- Sector Winners & Losers: Healthcare (+82k), social assistance (+42k), construction (+33k); federal government (-34k), financials (-22k) (02:02).
- Big Revision: 2025 job growth revised down severely (from 584k to 181k new jobs total) (02:32).
- Market Take: Markets now price in few, if any, interest rate cuts for 2026, with the first not expected until summer (03:08).
Quote:
"The job market is stabilizing, but certainly not booming. Think of it as the labor market finding a floor after a rough 2025."
— Robert Kroke [04:13]
Key Insight:
While January’s numbers look strong, last year’s weak base means the recovery may not be as robust as headlines suggest. Rate cuts remain the market’s focus.
2. Dow Jones Industrial Average Crosses 50,000
- Historic Milestone: DJIA hits 50,115 after a 1200-point single-session rally (05:16). Fastest 10k gain in history (21 months for 40k–50k; previous 30k–40k took 3.5 years).
- Drivers: Strong Q4 earnings (+13%), Fed rate cuts (down to 3.5%–3.75%), broadening of market rally beyond just “big tech” (06:09).
- Stocks Leading The Charge: Caterpillar, Goldman Sachs, Nvidia (now a Dow component) (06:09).
- Market Rotation: Money flowing from hyped software/AI names (“Mag 7”) into more traditional sectors like industrials, energy, timber, infrastructure (06:45).
Quote:
"What worked in 2024 and 2025 might not work in 2026... 2026, in my opinion, will be the year that we begin to see the markets truly begin to broaden out beyond just hyped-up technology stocks."
— Austin Hankwitz [07:44]
Advice:
Be diversified—consider index funds and ETFs. “Boring” sectors are in favor as speculation cools.
3. Rise of AI Agents & OpenClaw
- OpenClaw Mania: Hobbyist project launches; 1.6M+ AI agents created. AI agents communicate autonomously (09:51).
- Capabilities: Agents can (or soon will) do nearly any desk job task—email, scheduling, research—on their own.
- Industry Reaction: Elon Musk calls OpenClaw "a very early stage of singularity." OpenAI co-founder calls it “amazing sci-fi.”
- Personal Impact: Austin is setting up his own 24/7 AI agent as a personal assistant (10:57).
- Economic Impact: Brian/Robert predict 25–50% of all desk tasks could be handled by AI agents for ~$600 setup + subscription fees.
Quotes:
"We're getting to a point now where these AI agents are just as capable... It's a very awesome time."
— Austin Hankwitz [10:57]
"This is not, in my opinion, a moment to be scared. This is a moment to be excited."
— Austin Hankwitz [12:55]
"It means that that dystopian future everyone's been talking about is here. That is for sure. It is happening right before our eyes."
— Robert Kroke [12:11]
Advice:
Early adopters have a rare window to gain an edge before AI agents become ubiquitous in business.
4. ETF Market Performance Highlights (15:06)
- Top Performers:
- US Energy (+6% this week)
- Japan Blended Cap (+8.5%)
- Niche Commodity ETFs (+9%)
- Lagging Segments:
- Blockchain (-4.5%)
- E-commerce (-5.5%)
- Cryptocurrency (-10%)
Robert’s Take:
Not surprised to see crypto and e-commerce lagging; energy and commodities are up, reflecting shifts in macro trends.
Austin's Note:
Energy and timber (WOOD ETF) are areas of personal interest, aligning with the move toward "boring" assets.
5. Interview: Brian Chambers on Texas Venture Capital & Startups
What is Capital Factory? (19:09)
- A unique community of investors and founders, with focus areas in:
- Venture arm: Funds and invests in startups
- Gov/corporate innovation: Partners with Fortune 500s & government agencies
- Events/Venue: Hub for the Texas tech ecosystem
Why is Texas Booming? (21:01)
- Key Factors:
- COVID and regulatory trends accelerated growth
- Hardware, energy, semiconductors, logistics, and defense attract investment
- Land and friendly regulation enable ambitious projects (hypersonics, propulsion, AI robotics)
- Texas now eats into more national VC funding; Austin alone is 5%+ of entire market
Quote:
"Texas has always built big, hard things... Texas did not thrive in the Internet, social, mobile, consumer era the way that others did. Now we're back to these cycles again, where Texas really gets to flex some of its superpowers."
— Brian Chambers [23:30]
Investment Megatrends: Hardware and Infrastructure (25:38)
- The next two decades will see a pivot away from consumer apps and SaaS to hardware and infrastructure.
- AI meets the physical world: Robotics, nuclear, lunar, hypersonics, energy—"This is a massive transformation." (26:42)
The Changing Face of Venture
- AI means you no longer need millions to build a software startup. The definition of a “venture-backable” business changes.
- Outsized returns will increasingly come from tough, transformational hardware/scientific breakthroughs (29:57).
Secrets of Successful Founders (32:17)
- Repeat founders, strong vision, relentless passion, obsession with the problem
- Competitive advantages—finding “unfair” edges matters
- Early momentum is contagious and critical
Quote:
"Founders have to look far into the future and they have to know something about the future that nobody else knows... It's their life's work."
— Brian Chambers [35:52]
Market Examples
- Apptronic (humanoid robotics): Years of “invisible” work paid off when the tech cycle turned in their favor
6. Rich Habits Radar: Hosts’ Notable Callouts
Austin’s Callouts (41:00)
- McDonald's Value Menu Success: New value focus surges sales; energy drinks coming, Red Bull partnership
- Uber Robo Taxis: Downtown Abu Dhabi sees first commercial fleet; 70% area coverage and growing
- Car Payments Warning: 20% of new car buyers pay $1,000+/month for 7 years; calls this a “wealth destroyer”
Quote:
"These car payments are the biggest wealth destroyers in America. If you are not yet filthy rich, please do not go out and finance a brand new car at $1,000 a month."
— Austin Hankwitz [41:31]
Robert’s Callouts (41:31)
- Mortgage Rates Near Lows: Dipped to near 6.09% (30-yr fixed); rates remain volatile
- Household Debt All-Time Highs: $19T in debt; mortgage up, credit card delinquency rates rising
- Credit Unions & Stablecoins: National Credit Union Admin proposes stablecoin rules, opening $2.4T in assets to new tech
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On AI agents:
"Like Robert, bookmark this episode. It is February 12, 2026. This opportunity to figure out AI agents and the efficiencies that come with them will not be here in two years from now. Everyone's going to already be doing it."
— Austin Hankwitz [13:46] -
On market cycles:
"LLMs and the Gen AI movement have contributed to it greatly. But I think what's happening now ... is AI meets the physical world— and this is a massive transformation."
— Brian Chambers [26:42] -
On founder passion:
"Someone's been working on a hard problem for decades of their career and now the market creates this opportunity ... that comes from a deep, deep, deep obsession."
— Brian Chambers [32:17] -
On “boring” portfolio moves:
"I'm overweight boring things like industrials, timber, infrastructure, energy, and even international names here in 2026."
— Austin Hankwitz [06:45]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Jobs report breakdown: 01:31–05:16
- Dow 50,000 & market rotation: 05:16–08:54
- AI Agents/OpenClaw discussion: 08:54–14:35
- ETF market segment: 15:06–17:02
- Interview with Brian Chambers (Capital Factory): 17:02–38:43
- Founders, passion & momentum: 32:12–37:32
- Final Rich Habits Radar callouts: 38:46–44:37
Summary Takeaways
- Stay Diversified: The market’s moving beyond big tech, rewarding diversified, “boring” portfolios.
- Get Curious About AI Agents: Early 2026 is a rare window—AI agents can dramatically boost productivity for businesses and individuals.
- Watch Texas for Venture Growth: The Lone Star state is now a powerhouse for hardware, defense, and infrastructure startups.
- Avoid Wealth-Destroying Habits: $1K/month car payments and high personal debt can sabotage wealth-building.
- Look for Outlier Founders: Obsession, unique insight, and early momentum set leaders apart in venture success.