Brown Ambition
The Brown Ambition Podcast helps you unapologetically build wealth by saving, investing and making smart career choices — on your own d@mn terms! New episodes Wednesdays and Fridays.
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How to Turn a Layoff into Your Full‑Time Creative Career ft. Kaisha Huguley
<p>In this episode of Brown Ambition, MandiMoney sits down with actor, content creator, and entrepreneur Kaisha Huguley (aka Kaisha Creates) for a real conversation about layoffs, self-belief, and choosing yourself—especially when the plan falls apart. Kaisha opens up about being laid off from her 9–5, navigating seasonal depression, and the mindset shifts that helped her bet on herself and build multiple income streams. From acting and content creation to brand deals and financial planning with a partner, this episode is packed with honesty, strategy, and encouragement for anyone moving through an uncertain career season.</p> <p>Whether you’ve been lai...
BA Q&A: Should I Keep Paying My Student Loans While PSLF?
<p>Mandi is back for a solo BA Q&A, answering a juicy listener question about balancing student loans, grad school, a possible home move, and a new car payment—all while chasing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). She breaks down how PSLF *actually* works, why “qualifying payments” matter so much, and when it can make sense to pause extra payments and redirect cash toward savings and other priorities instead.</p> <p>What we dive into: <br><br>- How PSLF really works and what counts as a qualifying payment.<br>- Whether you should keep paying loans that are in in...
How We Protect Our Freedom in an Authoritarian America ft. Stacey Abrams
<p>This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi is joined by author, activist, and democracy defender Stacey Abrams for a powerful, timely, and deeply grounding conversation about where we are as a country and what we can actually do about it.</p> <p>Recorded during a moment of collective grief, fear, and exhaustion, this episode centers honesty over platitudes and action over despair. Stacey breaks down her 10 Steps Campaign, explains how authoritarianism takes root in real time, and offers a clear framework for resistance, resilience, and rebuilding without pretending this moment isn’t heavy.</p> <p>Together, Mandi and Stacey talk ab...
How to Heal Burnout Through Breathwork ft. Jasmine Marie of Black Girls Breathing
<p>This week, I'm revisitng my interview with the brilliant Jasmine Marie breathwork practitioner, founder of Black Girls Breathing, and author of Black Girls Breathing: Heal from Trauma, Combat Stress, and Find Your Freedom. From surviving the corporate grind to creating wellness spaces rooted in cultural relevance, Jasmine gets real about her journey into entrepreneurship, healing work, and what it truly takes to hold space for Black women’s mental and emotional wellbeing. </p> <p>We talk about everything from the power of a deep breath and surviving burnout, to funding a business on your own terms and growing a team...
4 Strategies to Save Your Money from Inflation, AI & Student Loans in 2026
<p>In this episode of Brown Ambition, host Mandi Woodruff-Santos dives into the pressing financial trends of 2026, focusing on inflation, interest rates, the job market, and student loans. Mandi emphasizes the importance of understanding these trends and how they impact personal finances, encouraging listeners to adopt manageable habits to protect their financial well-being. She highlights the significance of tracking spending, conducting inflation audits, and being proactive about budgeting to navigate the economic landscape effectively.</p> <p>Mandi also discusses the challenges posed by rising interest rates and the cooling job market, particularly due to AI-driven layoffs. She advocates for a...
BA Q&A: Should I Sell My Shares of Target ($TGT) Stock?
<p >This week on Brown Ambition’s Friday BA QA, Mandi answers a listener question that hits right at the intersection of money, values, and activism. A listener asks: If we’re boycotting a company, should we also sell the stock?</p> <p >Using Target as a real-life example, Mandi breaks down what it really means to invest during a boycott, the difference between individual stocks and index funds, and why long-term investing often requires emotional discipline. She also dives into the ethics of investing, socially responsible portfolios, and how to decide when holding — or selling — is the right move for you...
How "Reasonable Doubt" Rebooted My Acting Career ft. Kiah Clingman
<p>This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi sits down with award-winning producer, filmmaker, and breakout actress Kiah Clingman for a powerful conversation about rejection, reinvention, and trusting the long game.</p> <p>From getting rejected by Howard’s theater program to becoming a Howard alum who quietly built a producing empire… from working a demanding corporate job at Deloitte to quitting two weeks after getting a mortgage… from not booking an acting role for four years to landing a nine-episode arc on Hulu’s Reasonable Doubt — Kiah’s story is a masterclass in resilience, patience, and betting on yourself even when the tim...
3 Wealthy Habits That Will Make You Richer in 2026
<p>This week on Brown Ambition, MandiMoney is back with a simple, shame‑free money reset for 2026: 3 wealthy habits you can actually stick with, even when life is lifing. Instead of overhauling your entire financial life by February, this episode walks you through small, repeatable moves that quietly build wealth in the background—whether you’re fighting inflation, juggling childcare, stuck in a “starter” home, or piecing together entrepreneurial income. </p> <p>👉 Want more Brown Ambition?</p> <p>• Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, behind‑the‑scenes content and deeper dives into money, career and entrepreneurship: Join the BA Fam! </p> <p>• Follow us on...
How to Ditch the Shame Spiral and Set Financial Intentions That Stick ft. Aja Evans
<p>It's January and the pressure is on to go harder, save more, invest more, and transform your entire life by next year. But piling on intense goals doesn’t always lead to motivation — often it leads straight to anxiety, comparison, and money shame when life inevitably throws a curveball.</p> <p>In this episode, Mandi welcomes back listener‑favorite board‑certified therapist, speaker, writer, and financial therapist Aja Evans, author of Feel Good Finance. Aja helps us rethink how we set money and career goals so they actually fit our real lives — kids, cold weather, surprise plumbing bills and all — inst...
How to Rethink Your Financial Strategy During Tr*mp Tariff SZN
<p>Happy New Year, BA Fam! In our most popular episode of 2025, Mandi was joined by two of our faves in the finance space: Chris Browning of “Popcorn Finance” and Berna Anat, author of the amazing book “Money Out Loud”. If you’re looking to level up your money game and feel good doing it, this episode’s for you.</p> <p>We get into:</p> <p>- The highs and lows of aggressively saving money </p> <p>- Gen Z’s "we’re gonna have fun & save money" energy </p> <p>-Your financial strategy in the age of Tr*mp Tariffs</p> <p>-A...
