Brown Ambition

September can be a powerful time to get visible, activate your network, and pursue the next role—but smart career strategy is not just about landing a new job. It is also about protecting your options before year-end budget decisions and possible restructurings. In this solo episode, Mandi shares how to use the fall hiring window, make yourself easier to hire, and create a no-panic layoff-readiness plan for your career and your money.   In this episode, Mandi covers: • How to get specific about the role and work you want next • Why real conversations can be more useful than online salary data alone • A simple outreach script to reconnect with your network • How to refresh your résumé and LinkedIn without overthinking either one • Why 2–5 strong-fit applications can beat dozens of random ones • How to prepare for possible reorgs or layoffs without spiraling • Why you cannot afford to be the best-kept secret in your industry   Get the free September Career Reset Toolkit https://mandimoney.myflodesk.com/september   Want every script and checklist from this episode in one place? Download Mandi’s free September Career Reset Toolkit, including the target-role Mad Lib, networking and reconnect-message templates, résumé and LinkedIn refresh checklist, job-search pipeline tracker, raise and promotion conversation prompts, and layoff-readiness plan.   >>> Start here: two scripts from today’s episode   Define your target role     “I am targeting [role] opportunities in [industry or type of company] where I can use [two to three skills] to help solve [a specific business problem].”   Reconnect with someone in your network     “Hey [Name], I hope you had a good summer. I’ve been thinking about the work I want to focus on next, and I’m exploring [target role or field]. I’ve always respected your perspective on [specific reason]. If you have 20 minutes this month, I’d love to catch up and hear what you’re seeing in the industry. No pressure at all if your calendar is packed.”   The 15-second LinkedIn test:   If a hiring manager saw your LinkedIn profile for 15 seconds, could they tell what you do, who you help, and what results you create?   Stay connected • Download Mandi’s Nail Your Negotiation Toolkit for 25+ scripts to help you negotiate compensation and advocate for yourself.: https://www.mandimoney.com/shop/p/nail-the-negotiation-17-word-for-word-scripts-to-help-you-negotiate-like-a-boss-without-ever-leaving-money-on-the-table-again   • Subscribe to the Brown Ambition newsletter. • Watch full-length Brown Ambition video episodes on YouTube. • Follow Brown Ambition on Instagram: @brownambitionpodcast • Follow Mandi on Instagram: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey BA Fam! Mandi Money is back with a Brown Boost, Brown Break because there’s simply too much happening to stay quiet. First, Mandi turns her attention to Gary, Indiana, where tens of thousands of residents were left without power following severe storms. She talks about what the crisis reveals about racial inequity, the communities that too often get overlooked by mainstream media, and why voices like Keith Lee and other independent creators have become so important in bringing attention to stories that deserve national coverage. Then, it’s time for a much-needed Brown Boost. Mandi celebrates journalist Karen Attiah’s arbitration victory against The Washington Post after challenging her firing with the support of her union. Her win opens up a bigger conversation about Black women in media, workplace power, racial double standards, press freedom, unions, and what can happen when workers have the resources to fight back. And because we could all use a little inspiration, Mandi closes things out with a Brown Ambition rewind featuring Nassima McElroy and her incredible journey of paying off nearly $1 million in debt as a single mother. It’s a reminder that sometimes the system fails us, sometimes fighting back works, and sometimes the comeback story is exactly what we need to hear.   Resources Mentioned in This Episode If you’d like to support Gary, Indiana residents impacted by the August storms or find assistance: Greater Gary Storm Recovery and Relief Fund: Donate through Legacy Foundation — Donations support emergency relief and disaster response for Gary residents. The Salvation Army — August 2026 Indiana Disaster Response: Donate and find disaster relief information — Supporting food, shelter, supplies, and other emergency assistance across affected Indiana communities. Indiana August 2026 Disaster Resource Hub: Apply for assistance and find recovery resources — Includes information on the State Disaster Relief Fund and emergency aid grants of up to $5,000 for eligible residents. Indiana 211: Call 211 or 866-211-9966 for assistance and to report storm damage. (Indiana Government) Support Karen Attiah:Mandi also recommends supporting independent journalism by following Karen Attiah’s reader-supported newsletter, The Golden Hour.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey BA fam, it’s Mandi Money! Today I’m bringing you a Brown Ambition Rewind featuring my conversation with physician, author, entrepreneur, and health equity advocate Dr. Uché Blackstock. We get real about burnout, identity, ambition, and what it takes to walk away from spaces that no longer serve you. Uché shares why she left a prestigious academic career, the emotional cost of feeling unseen, and how grief, motherhood, caregiving, and entrepreneurship have reshaped her definition of success. We also talk about the backlash against DEI, what patients should know about AI in healthcare, and why listening to your body, prioritizing rest, and making room for joy and community are just as important as chasing the next accomplishment.   Resources & Links Dr. Uché Blackstock’s memoir: Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine Follow Dr. Uché Blackstock on Instagram: @ucheblackstockmd Learn more about Dr. Uché Blackstock: Uche Blackstock Official Website Keep Up With Brown Ambition Follow Brown Ambition on Instagram: Brown Ambition Podcast Listen to more episodes: Brown Ambition Official Website See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mandi Money closes out the Summer Money Reboot series by rethinking what ambition looks like when the goals you once chased no longer fit the life you're living today. If you've ever reached a milestone and wondered, Is this still what I want?, this episode is your invitation to redefine success on your own terms. Mandi explores the difference between Brown Ambition and toxic ambition, sharing why changing direction doesn't mean you're giving up. Through the story of a coaching client navigating divorce, financial pressure, and a career crossroads, she breaks down what can happen when you stop chasing bigger titles and start prioritizing flexibility, creativity, financial stability, and peace. Mandi also opens up about her own ambition reboot and the decision to rewrite her book from scratch when she realized the original version no longer reflected who she had become. Whether you're considering a career pivot, letting go of an old goal, or simply questioning what success means in this season, this episode is a reminder that changing the plan doesn't make you less ambitious. Sometimes it means your ambition is finally working for you. Summer Money Reboot: Week 6 — Ambition RebootSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this solo episode, Mandi digs into the messy, public fallout around Children of Blood and Bone author Tomi Adeyemi and Insecure alum Amanda Seales — two Black women who chose to speak openly about mistreatment tied to projects that should have been “safe” for them. Using their stories as a lens, Mandi explores how misogynoir shows up when Black women tell the truth at work, why our first reaction is often tone policing instead of empathy, and what a practical (if imperfect) framework for speaking up can look like when protection is not guaranteed.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mandi responds to a listener who feels increasingly frustrated by a newly promoted coworker who still comes in late, leaves early, and seems to get more grace because she has kids. What starts as a question about fairness turns into a deeper conversation about working parents, workplace stigma, professional branding, and why resentment at work is often pointing to something bigger underneath. Mandi makes the case for compassion, but also pushes the listener to look at what this situation is revealing about visibility, recognition, and career growth.   Join the Summer Money Reboot! Mandi’s six‑week Summer Money Reboot series, designed to help you name your financial season, rebuild financial safety, and then move toward growth and alignment.  Download the workbooks for weeks 1:https://mandimoney.myflodesk.com/summermoneyreboot week 2https://mandimoney.myflodesk.com/vr4mxs90xk  And week 3 https://mandimoney.myflodesk.com/kfb44793u2  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

MandiMoney continues the Summer Money Reboot series by tackling one of the hardest financial seasons to navigate: rebuilding after life knocks you off course. Whether it was a layoff, medical emergency, divorce, caregiving, or simply an economy that changed faster than your paycheck could keep up, this conversation is about letting go of shame and creating a realistic path forward. Grab the Week 2 Workbook here: https://mandimoney.myflodesk.com/vr4mxs90xk Special guest: Jaspreet Singh, founder of https://theminoritymindset.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey BA fam, Mandi is back (!) in the studio and kicking off a brand new Summer Money Reboot series.  In this kickoff episode, Mandi shares why she rewrote her book into Brown Ambition: How to Reboot Your Career and Money After Life Throws You Off Track and introduces a new framework for thinking about your finances when life is life‑ing: the four financial seasons. You’ll learn:•    Why “I did everything right” and still feel stuck is more common than you think.•    The four financial seasons: Safety, Growth, Alignment, and Protection—and the main job of each.•    Why you cannot and should not try to be in all four seasons at once.•    How to start naming your current season (without shaming it) using real questions about your debt, savings, income, and stress level.•    Why it’s taking so many of us years, not months, to bounce back from layoffs, caregiving, and health challenges—and why the old “3‑month emergency fund” advice doesn’t match reality anymore.Instead of trying to fix your whole financial life by Labor Day, this series will help you figure out which season you’re in right now and what that season actually needs from your money over the next 90 days. You don’t need a perfect budget or a 37‑step plan this summer; you need a truthful starting point.<<GET THE FREE SUMMER MONEY REBOOT WORKBOOK>>Mandi also created a free Summer Money Reboot companion workbook to use alongside this series.The workbook will help you:•    Identify which of the four seasons your financial life is in right now.•    Reflect on how you got here without spiraling into shame •    Start mapping out a simple, realistic 90‑day plan aligned with your current season. Download the free Summer Money Reboot Workbook via the link in the show notes and follow along week by week See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.