Podcast Summary: The My Wife Quit Her Job Podcast With Steve Chou

Episode 620: Our 2026 Business Plan With Toni Herrbach
January 4, 2026

Episode Overview

In this candid episode, Steve Chou and guests Tony and Jen discuss their evolving business strategies for 2026. Stepping away from "chasing every new opportunity," they focus on the key levers that truly drive business growth. The conversation explores themes of automation and AI, event participation, content creation (especially YouTube and live formats), and the power and pitfalls of community-building. The trio shares honest insights, experiments, and trade-offs they're considering for the year ahead, with a relatable mix of strategic seriousness and humor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Reflecting on Planning & Pace (01:29–03:12)

• Late-year Planning: Jen admits feeling behind on 2026 planning, highlighting the sometimes overwhelming pace of entrepreneurship.
  • "I feel like it's hard. It's like I blinked and now we're in November and you know, that's it." – Jen, (01:58)
• Personality Differences in Planning: Tony prefers high-level goal-setting, while Jen tends to be more detail-oriented.

2. Robotics, Automation, and AI in Operations (02:18–12:59)

• Household & Warehouse Automation: Lighthearted talk about dishwashing robots and industrial automation sparks a broader discussion about integrating robotics into business.
• Paperless Operations Initiative: Tony shares his push to eliminate reliance on paper at Bumblebee, revealing efficiency gaps and the challenges of changing ingrained habits.
  • "I just noticed that we rely on paper for pretty much everything...if an invoice drops on the floor...it might not get packed." – Tony, (11:08)
• AI for Operational Decisions: Tony has developed the "Bumblebee Bot" for real-time inventory analysis and sales insights, highlighting both excitement and practical usage struggles.

3. Rethinking Events & Networking (05:27–09:19)

• Event Fatigue vs. Value: Jen reflects on achieving her 2025 goal of attending more events, but questions the ROI of constant networking and travel.
  • "Did it benefit me? Did I meet some people? Did it open some doors? For sure...but I don't know if it was worth the investment overall to me." – Jen, (07:05)
• Strategic Event Attendance: For 2026, her approach is to only attend events where she has a speaking or leading role, aiming for measurable returns on time.
• Podcasting as Networking: Tony expresses satisfaction with digital connections, planning to attend just a select few in-person events.
• Speaking Engagements as Leverage: Jen applies to lead or speak at industry events—viewed as the next level of networking impact.

4. Navigating AI: Fast-Moving Wave or Shiny Distraction? (09:19–16:31)

• Learning & Applying AI: Jen sets a broad 2026 goal to harness AI for automating and improving repetitive business tasks while cautioning against following every new "shiny" AI use case.
  • "I feel like it's kind of like the haves and the have nots...there are people that just think AI is absolutely terrible. Right. No one should be using it...but I think that it's doing a lot of really cool things." – Jen, (14:10)
• Practical vs. Hype: Tony notes that many AI business applications rely on existing, accessible tools—significant bottom-line improvements come from focus, not novelty.
  • "Everything that I've already done, I could have done with like the basic stuff...just need to take the time to absorb and not get distracted by, like, the shiny objects." – Tony, (15:48)
• Fun with AI: Light-hearted stories on using AI for creative family animations, but caution not to get diverted from core business utility.

5. Community Building: Opportunity & Caution (18:48–22:37)

• Launching a Community: Tony is preparing to launch his own community for engaged sellers but is aware of the ongoing commitment and quality control challenges.
  • "It's already like 90% ready to go...but I'm a little scared because once you turn that switch on, you can't turn it off." – Tony, (18:48)
• Community Quality Control: Concerns about unprepared participants and the importance of filtering for engagement.
• Automation in Community Management: Eagerness to learn from experts about balancing automation and human touch in communities (reference to Liz and "Circle").

6. Leveraging New Tools: AI Browsers, Site Audits, & Feedback (22:37–25:05)

• AI for Branding Consistency: Jen shares a case where an AI browser aligns a Shopify site with a brand guide—cautiously optimistic about use cases, but wary of security.
• AI-Assisted Page Reviews: Running landing pages through AI to uncover gaps and improve messaging.

7. Content Creation: YouTube, Automation, and the Personality Moat (25:16–33:50)

• Video Content Focus: Both hosts see YouTube as a core focus for 2026, but agree on the importance of pacing and avoiding burnout by "slow launching" channels.
  • "My focus for 2026 is really dialing in that channel and getting the content better...I did not want to rush this mainly because I don't have like oodles of extra free time." – Jen, (27:23)
• Automation and Efficiency: Liz's automation for short-form content distribution is highlighted as a time-saver.
• AI in Music and Video: Conversation about AI-generated music/artists—and wondering when/if personality will be the last differentiator online.
  • "Video is like the last bastion...your personality online...that's the only thing that can't really be replicated." – Tony, (30:49)
• Experimenting with AI Avatars in Brand Content: Trial runs with testimonial videos voiced by AI avatars—leads to a nuanced discussion about authenticity, audience reactions, and disclosure.

8. Live Content & Authenticity (36:05–44:42)

• Fascination with Live Building: The rising trend of entrepreneurs and creators working live online — both for entertainment and proof of skill.
  • "It feels very authentic as far as, like, if I'm hiring you, I know you know what you're doing because you're doing it in front of me...it's your own testimonial." – Jen, (38:13)
• Potential for Product Businesses: Live manufacturing, embroidery, or factory streams could be unexpectedly compelling—audience is fascinated with behind-the-scenes creations.
• Balance of Value vs. Entertainment: The group jokes about live cooking and mundane tasks, but identify real opportunities where live content aligns with service businesses and course-related marketing.

9. Final Takeaways & Main 2026 Goals (44:42–45:39)

• Main Focuses Named:
  • Tony: Community building and possible live content for Bumblebee.
  • Jen: Sharpening YouTube content; occasional speaking.
• Outlook: 2026 is anticipated to offer “a ton of opportunity,” with rapid technological advancements lowering barriers for those ready to commit.
  • "Whatever you’re thinking about doing, you can probably make it happen with all the new tools and technology that are out there." – Jen, (45:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Prioritizing and Focus:
  "Instead of chasing every new opportunity, we are focusing on the few decisions that actually move the needle and the trade offs we're making."
  – Steve Chou, (00:00)

• On AI’s Divisiveness:
  "There are people that just think AI is absolutely terrible...but I think it’s doing a lot of really cool things."
  – Jen, (14:11)

• On Community Building Cautions:
  "Once you turn that switch on, you can’t turn it off."
  – Tony, (18:48)

• On The Value of Live Content:
  "It feels very authentic…if I’m hiring you, I know you know what you’re doing because you’re doing it in front of me. It’s your own testimonial."
  – Jen, (38:13)

• On AI Avatars in Marketing:
  "Do I care whether it’s a human or an AI, as long as it’s bringing me leads and sales? ...Well, I don’t care."
  – Tony, (34:16)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• Planning for 2026, Robotics Intros – 01:29–03:12
• Automation & Paperless Initiatives – 09:19–12:59
• 2026 Event & Networking Strategy – 05:27–09:19
• Harnessing & Filtering AI – 13:00–16:31
• Community Building Nuances – 18:48–22:37
• AI-Driven Site Optimization – 22:37–25:05
• YouTube and Content Focus – 25:16–29:40
• AI Personalities & Authenticity – 29:40–33:50
• Live Content and Business Uses – 36:05–44:42
• Final 2026 Focus and Wrap-up – 44:42–45:39

Tone & Style

Engaging, conversational, and practical—blending forward-thinking tech enthusiasm with the humility and honesty of business owners who've learned to value depth over breadth. Filled with both strategizing and storytelling, laced with humor and friendly banter.

For listeners and entrepreneurs, this episode offers a refreshingly honest look at planning for a tech-saturated business future—emphasizing the value of focus, adaptability, and being selective about where to invest energy in the ever-evolving world of ecommerce and online entrepreneurship.