Brown Ambition

On this week's Brown Buzz, Mandi Money is breaking down the stories affecting our money, our careers, our communities, and our everyday lives. First up, the WNBA is making history, with the Atlanta Dream heading to the finals and fans showing up in record numbers. But with all that momentum comes a bigger question: Will the investment, respect, and compensation finally match the talent these women bring to the court? Then, Mandi gets real about career security in the wake of Netflix’s reported 1,000 job cuts. Even when a company is worth billions, your job isn’t guaranteed. She shares why we can’t rely on a company’s success to determine our own financial stability and how unexpected setbacks can change the way we approach our careers and money. Plus, it’s time to talk politics. With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, Mandi breaks down the high stakes of Georgia’s gubernatorial race, the investigation involving Representative Ilhan Omar, and Kamala Harris’s recent conversation with Keke Palmer about the importance of showing up to vote. Because the decisions made at the ballot box have real consequences for our paychecks, schools, neighborhoods, and families. And in a deeply personal Brown Boost, Mandi shares the story behind her upcoming book, Brown Ambition: How to Reboot Your Career and Money When Life Knocks You Off Track. After navigating her own challenges with anxiety, depression, motherhood, and the pressures of being a breadwinner, Mandi realized that traditional career and money advice doesn't always account for what happens when life gets overwhelming. Her new book is about rebuilding your finances, your career, and your confidence without shame or burnout. In this episode, we get into: The Atlanta Dream’s run to the WNBA finals, the league’s record-breaking viewership, and why women's sports deserve greater investment and compensation. What Netflix’s layoffs teach us about career security, corporate profits, and preparing financially for the unexpected. Why Mandi started over on her book and created a more compassionate, realistic approach to rebuilding your career and money after a setback. The 2026 midterm elections, Georgia’s closely watched gubernatorial race, and why local elections matter just as much as presidential elections. The investigation involving Representative Ilhan Omar and the broader concerns surrounding political targeting and accountability. Kamala Harris on Keke Palmer’s podcast, protecting your joy, and refusing to apologize for who you are. A heartbreaking incident involving a Black toddler at a public library, the importance of making children feel seen and valued, and the responsibility of public institutions to serve everyone. Brown Boost: Celebrating librarian and literacy advocate Michael Threets as he takes the lead on the Reading Rainbow reboot. Plus: Mandi shares why pre-ordering Brown Ambition matters, how your support helps get books into bookstores and libraries, and why being knocked off track doesn’t mean you’re broken. 📚 Pre-order Mandi’s book, Brown Ambition: How to Reboot Your Career and Money When Life Knocks You Off Track, arriving June 15, 2027 Resources mentioned: Georgia voter information: https://sos.ga.gov Check your voter registration and find election resources: https://www.vote.org Watch the Reading Rainbow reboot on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReadingRainbowOfficial See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Brown Buzz, Mandi Money is breaking down the headlines shaping our money, careers, culture, and everyday lives. First up, LeBron James’s reported $15 million partnership with Polymarket raises questions about the growing popularity of prediction markets and how these platforms are marketed to people who may already feel financially behind. Mandi explains how prediction markets work, why the line between trading and gambling deserves a closer look, and what you should know about protecting your money if you use these apps. Then, Mandi celebrates some major Black business wins, including Carol’s Daughter founder Lisa Price returning to an ownership role in the brand she built from her Brooklyn kitchen. She also dives into the Ebony Power 100 list and shares a reminder for anyone who has ever felt overlooked: someone else’s recognition is not evidence that your work is small. Plus, Mandi breaks down what rising home heating costs could mean for your winter budget, gives CultureCon founder Imani Ellis her flowers for responding to attendee feedback, and celebrates authors Tayari Jones and Julie Leung for their literary accomplishments.   In this episode, we discuss: LeBron James and the prediction market boom: What Polymarket is, how these platforms work, and why celebrity endorsements can make risky financial products feel more legitimate. When betting gets dressed up as investing: The potential risks of prediction markets, crypto security concerns, and why these apps should never be treated as a savings plan or side hustle. Lisa Price and the return to Carol’s Daughter: What her return to an ownership role means for the founder of a pioneering Black beauty brand and the legacy she built. The Ebony Power 100 list: Celebrating Black excellence without allowing industry awards and recognition to determine your sense of accomplishment. Winter heating costs: What projected increases in home heating expenses could mean for your household budget, plus practical ways to reduce energy costs. CultureCon and founder accountability: Why Mandi is giving Imani Ellis and her team credit for listening to attendee feedback and making changes. A Brown Boost for Black and women authors: Celebrating Tayari Jones’s literary achievement with Kin and Julie Leung’s work as a children's book author. Resources and reminders: If you use prediction market apps, enable two-factor authentication, use unique passwords, and never keep rent money or emergency savings in a betting account. Explore ways to lower your winter energy bills, including weatherstripping doors and windows, sealing drafts, and improving attic insulation. Remember: your work matters even when the spotlight hasn't found you yet. Listener question CTA Have a money or career question for a future Brown Buzz? Email [email protected] or send a DM to @brownambitionpodcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Brown Buzz, we’re cutting through the headlines and getting into the stories that affect our money, careers, and lives. First, Mandi discusses the allegations involving Cornell and LSU, why Title IX is not the same thing as a criminal investigation, and what students and survivors should know if they want to explore a report to law enforcement. TW: From  02:21 - 11:05 this episode includes discussion of SA. Then, we get practical: • The career skill employers say matters most in an AI-powered workplace • Why more buyers are considering adjustable-rate mortgages—and the questions to ask before you sign • A listener inherits more than $100,000 from her great-aunt: Should she pay debt, save it, invest it, or spend a little to honor her aunt? • Why $100,000 invested at a hypothetical 7% annual return could grow to nearly $1.5 million over 40 years, before taxes, fees, inflation, or investment volatility Plus, Mandi gives Alexis Nikole Nelson—the Black Forager—her Brown Boost after Alexis’s cookbook, Happy Snacking, Don’t Die!, lands on the New York Times bestseller list. In this episode • Cornell and LSU: What the reporting raises about campus accountability and Title IX • How a Title IX process differs from reporting to campus or local police • RAINN resources for support and reporting options • IBM’s survey on critical thinking and discernment in the AI workplace • Fixed-rate mortgages vs. adjustable-rate mortgages • How to handle a $100,000 inheritance without rushing into a decision • Emergency funds, high-interest debt, investing, and getting flat-fee financial advice • Brown Boost: Alexis Nikole Nelson, the Black Forager Resources mentioned • RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: 800-656-HOPE (4673) • RAINN: rainn.org • Alexis Nikole Nelson / The Black Forager: Happy Snacking, Don’t Die! • Listen to Mandi’s interview with Alexis Nikole Nelson in the previous Brown Ambition episode. Listener question CTA Have a money or career question for a future Brown Buzz? Email [email protected] or send a DM to @brownambitionpodcast.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Brown Buzz is back! Mandi breaks down the Nikole Hannah-Jones school-choice debate, the latest in the Nolan Wells case, why the AI job apocalypse may be more complicated than it sounds, and what SAVE borrowers need to do now. In this episode•    Nikole Hannah-Jones, school segregation, and the emotional cost of impossible parenting choices•    Why repair and accountability matter after harm•    The latest in the Nolan Wells case•    The AI “boomerang” trend and how to strengthen your career resilience•    What SAVE borrowers need to do now•    Kennedy Ryan’s major adaptation news BA Fam action steps•    Parents: Review what your child is bringing home from school, ask questions, document concerns, and organize with other families when systems are not meeting students’ needs.•    Workers: Update your résumé with business outcomes, build fluency with the AI tools relevant to your industry.•    SAVE borrowers: Check your StudentAid.gov and loan-servicer accounts, find your individual transition deadline, compare repayment options, and submit an application before that deadline. RESOURCES: Explore federal income-driven repayment options SAVE-plan transition information 🎁 FREE LINK to "In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own? By Nikole Hannah-Jones See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this special Friday episode, Mandi celebrates the BA Fam, shares the origin story behind Brown Ambition, and introduces Brown Buzz—your new end-of-week roundup of the headlines shaping your money, career, culture, and life. This week on Brown Buzz:•    The Federal Reserve raised interest rates. What does that mean for credit-card debt, variable-rate loans, savings accounts, and your investments?•    More job seekers are getting interviewed by AI bots instead of actual humans. Mandi shares how to navigate the robot-filled hiring process—and why your real-life network matters more than ever.•    Ed Sheeran’s tour drama: Macklemore was removed from the tour after speaking out for Palestine, other artists walked away, and the controversy raises bigger questions about neutrality, power, and who gets to speak.•    Rep. Jasmine Crockett is facing backlash after honoring Chris Brown at a Texas concert. Mandi unpacks the difference between fandom, Black joy, public recognition, and accountability.•    Plus, a Brown Boost for Rep. Joyce Beatty after her response to President Donald Trump.Join the BA Book ClubThe Brown Ambition Book Club is back! Our September/October pick is Love, Me: A Letter to Black Women in a Toxic Country, Career, and Relationship by Tiffany D. Cross.Join the book club here:  https://mandimoney.myflodesk.com/r77pw75z5qSign up to receive details about the virtual October book-club meetup. The invitation and event details will go to BA Fam who join through the link.Stay connectedHave a headline, question, or topic you want on a future Brown Buzz? Email [email protected], tag @brownambitionpodcast on Instagram, or send a DM @brownambitionpodcastFollow and subscribe to Brown Ambition, and come back every Wednesday for guest conversations and every Friday for Brown Buzz.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MandiMoney continues the Summer Money Reboot series by shifting the focus from getting out of debt to making your money work harder through investing. If you've been contributing to your 401(k), opened a retirement account years ago, or simply wondered whether your investment strategy still fits the life you're living today, this episode is your invitation to stop investing on autopilot and start investing with intention. Mandi shares how her own financial life has evolved from a 24-year-old with a target-date fund to a business owner, parent, and entrepreneur with completely different priorities. She explains why your investment strategy should grow alongside your life, how to evaluate your risk tolerance, avoid paying unnecessary fees, and make sure your portfolio reflects your current goals instead of the person you were a decade ago. Whether you're investing through a traditional 401(k), building wealth as a solopreneur, or preparing to open your first taxable brokerage account, Mandi breaks down practical ways to level up without making investing feel intimidating. From maximizing retirement contributions and understanding HSAs to creating a "Spicy 5%" for individual stock picks, this episode is filled with approachable strategies designed to help you build wealth consistently while keeping risk in perspective. Summer Money Reboot Week 4 Workbook  -https://mandimoney.myflodesk.com/hvbru7gmkx See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MandiMoney continues the Summer Money Reboot series by tackling one of the most emotionally charged topics in personal finance: debt. Whether your balances grew because of rising costs, inconsistent income, a family emergency, or simply trying to keep life moving when your paycheck couldn't keep up, this episode is a reminder that debt isn't a character flaw, it's a financial challenge that deserves a plan, not shame. Mandi gets candid about her own experience navigating five-figure credit card debt and why even financial experts sometimes find themselves back at square one. She walks through the exact system she's using to regain control from organizing every account and choosing a payoff strategy to negotiating lower interest rates, cutting recurring expenses, creating healthier spending habits, and finding practical ways to increase cash flow. If you've been avoiding your credit card statements, feeling overwhelmed by minimum payments, or wondering where to even begin, this episode offers the structure, encouragement, and actionable steps to help you stop spiraling and start making progress one decision at a time. Resources Mentioned Debt Freedom Tracker Spreadsheet Rocket Money Monarch Money You Need A Budget (YNAB) Grab the Week 3 Workbook here: https://mandimoney.myflodesk.com/kfb44793u2 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.