Episode 600: She Couldn’t Find Her Tribe So She Built One From Scratch. Here’s How With Toni Herrbach

Release Date: July 28, 2025

In Episode 600 of The My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast, host Steve Chou engages in an insightful conversation with Toni Herrbach about her latest venture: building a dedicated community for female entrepreneurs. This episode delves deep into Toni’s motivations, strategies, and the challenges she faces in creating a supportive mastermind group tailored specifically for women in the e-commerce space.

1. Introduction to the Secret Project [00:00 - 02:03]

Steve Chou kicks off the episode by teasing a "secret project" that Toni has been diligently working on. He hints at unveiling the details of this initiative, building anticipation among listeners eager to learn about Toni’s latest endeavor.

Steve Chou (00:00): "In this episode, I share a secret project that Tony's been working on that you might all be interested in."

2. Unveiling the Women-Only Mastermind [02:03 - 05:09]

Toni reveals that the project is a mastermind community designed exclusively for female entrepreneurs. She emphasizes the need for a space where women can receive support, accountability, and foster meaningful connections without the male-dominated dynamics often prevalent in entrepreneurial settings.

Toni Herrbach (02:51): "We felt like there was a need for a female only based group for support, accountability, things like that."

Tony Herrbach (03:49): "There are a lot of spaces you go in as a female where you're not felt quite as welcomed."

3. The Gender Dynamics in Entrepreneurial Communities [05:09 - 14:25]

The conversation shifts to the challenges women face in existing communities. Toni highlights issues like imposter syndrome, additional societal pressures related to appearance and household responsibilities, and the struggle to balance business with personal life. She contrasts these with the often more streamlined responsibilities of their male counterparts.

Tony Herrbach (04:21): "For a lot of times as women, we're trying to do all the business stuff as well as manage the house, handle all these extra responsibilities..."

4. Utilizing AI to Shape the Community Strategy [14:25 - 18:58]

Toni and Liz Saunders collaborated with AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to organize their ideas and develop a robust business strategy for the mastermind group. They sought AI assistance to define their brand, target audience, content pillars, and marketing strategies, resulting in a structured plan that included video content, newsletters, and webinars.

Tony Herrbach (14:33): "We dumped all of our ideas into Chat GPT and see what it says... It was so fantastic as far as like taking our ideas and putting them into like an actual business strategy."

5. Developing the Content and Marketing Plan [19:00 - 27:52]

The duo used AI to create a 30-day video content calendar and brainstorm effective lead magnets. They decided on a "Type A Quiz" as their primary lead magnet, designed to engage their target audience and integrate seamlessly with their email marketing system. This approach allowed them to categorize and target their audience more effectively.

Tony Herrbach (32:00): "Why you feel stuck even though your to-do list is full... That's why I built type a circle, a $9 a month community with weekly office hours for women like you."

6. Choosing the Right Platform for Community Building [28:00 - 31:18]

Toni discusses the selection process for the community platform, ultimately choosing Circle over alternatives like Slack and Discord. The decision was based on ease of use, cost-effectiveness, and better alignment with their technical expertise and community management needs.

Tony Herrbach (20:12): "Circle reminds me of like Teachable... you really don't have to know anything."

7. Addressing Community Management Challenges [31:18 - 30:57]

The conversation acknowledges the potential pitfalls of community management, such as spam and maintaining engagement. Toni shares her experiences with their beta mastermind group, emphasizing the importance of vetting members and establishing clear community guidelines to foster a positive and productive environment.

Tony Herrbach (29:45): "People have to agree to the community guidelines or we will remove you from the community."

8. Leveraging AI for Content Creation and Efficiency [32:00 - 38:37]

Toni elaborates on how AI has been instrumental in streamlining content creation, providing ready-to-use scripts for platforms like TikTok, and assisting in developing marketing materials. This automation allows her and Liz to focus more on strategic aspects rather than getting bogged down by the technicalities of content production.

Tony Herrbach (32:00): "I'm going to read you a script that ChatGPT came up with because I was like, okay, if we want to..."

9. Launch Plans and Future Goals [38:37 - 42:21]

Looking ahead, Toni shares the timeline for the community’s launch, including plans to film video content in a studio setting and further refine their offerings based on feedback from their beta group. Their goal is to create a sustainable and impactful community that not only supports its members but also generates revenue to sustain the initiative.

Tony Herrbach (39:32): "We're actually renting a studio in Austin and filming at the end of July."

10. Final Thoughts and Community Vision [42:21 - End]

The episode concludes with reflections on the importance of building a trust-based and engaged community. Toni and Liz envision a space where members can not only seek advice and accountability but also form lasting professional and personal relationships that drive collective success.

Tony Herrbach (27:26): "The community itself is the value. Finding the right people in the community to be able to help each other."

Notable Quotes

• Steve Chou (03:07): "What is it about like men that will screw up such a community?"

• Toni Herrbach (14:35): "The lifestyle and the business come together... it is very important to have that balance."

• Toni Herrbach (32:56): "Why you feel stuck even though your to-do list is full. If you're a type A woman with 40 things on your to-do list and still feel stuck, here's why."

• Steve Chou (22:08): "I think this is the way to go in the future... People are going to be craving human connection."

Conclusion

Episode 600 offers a comprehensive look into Toni Herrbach's initiative to create a women-only mastermind community aimed at empowering female entrepreneurs. Through strategic use of AI, careful platform selection, and a clear understanding of the unique challenges women face in business, Toni and her team are setting the foundation for a thriving and supportive community. Listeners gain valuable insights into the process of building a niche community from scratch, highlighting the importance of tailored support systems in the entrepreneurial journey.

If you're a female entrepreneur seeking a supportive tribe to help you achieve your business goals while maintaining a fulfilling personal life, Toni Herrbach's Type A Mastermind might just be the community you've been searching for.

Additional Resources:

• Type A Mastermind: typeamastermind.com (Note: The quiz is available but not fully set up yet.)
• Seller Summit 2026: sellersummit.com
• Free 6-Day Mini Course: mywifequitherjob.com