Brown Ambition

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi sits down with Cheryl McKissick Daniel — President and CEO of McKissick & McKissick, the oldest Black- and women-owned design and construction firm in the U.S. With five generations of legacy behind her, Cheryl has literally changed skylines while paving the way for women and people of color in an industry that wasn’t built for us. In this inspiring conversation, Cheryl shares: The journey behind her new book, The Black Family Who Built America: The McKissicks, Two Centuries of Daring Pioneers. How her mother courageously took over the family business after tragedy struck. Lessons from navigating a male- and white-dominated industry while building relationships and leading with integrity. The power of resilience, prayer, and community when starting from scratch in New York. Personal stories of overcoming health scares and why legacy and family history matter more than ever. From stories of scrappy entrepreneurship in a Manhattan walk-up to mu

Welcome back for a special episode 10 years in the making. Today, Mandi unpacks the real cost of speaking out in a climate where your voice can cost you your job, especially if you’re a Black woman. She celebrates 10 years of Brown Ambition (yes, 800+ episodes!), but the focus quickly shifts to the headlines: journalists, teachers, and professionals are losing their livelihoods for what they say online, with Karen Attiah (Washington Post) as just the latest in a chilling pattern. SAVE THE DATE: sign up for Mandi’s free AI & Careers webinar (September 25, 8pm ET). This episode is a reminder: Your voice is power. Protect it, plan for it, and—when you can—use it. Karen Attiah on SubstackSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi welcomes back powerhouse guest Jannese Torres entrepreneur, author of Financially Lit, host of the award-winning Yo Quiero Dinero podcast, and now, a new mom. Together, Mandi and Jannese sit at the “Brown Table” to get real about: How motherhood reshapes entrepreneurship, boundaries, and time management Breaking free from people-pleasing and stepping fully into self-advocacy Why owning your platform (through blogging, newsletters, and websites) is still critical in 2025 The truth about monetizing blogs: ads, SEO, and building passive income the right way Navigating social media overwhelm while protecting your mental health Jannese’s journey from six-figure engineer to six-figure food blogger and financial educator You’ll hear candid reflections on the messy balance of career, family, and identity—and why building digital real estate can change your financial future. Links and Resources: Connect with Jannese on IG: @YoQuieroD

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi sits down with powerhouse lawyer, author, and TV host Eboni K. Williams for an inspiring and transparent conversation about life, career, and motherhood. Eboni opens up about her journey to becoming a solo mom by choice, navigating a 45-hour labor, and the support system that helped her through postpartum. She also shares hard truths about the maternal health crisis for Black women, the realities of egg freezing and fertility treatments, and why she named her daughter Liberty. On the career side, Eboni breaks down how she runs her business like a CEO, why she’ll never take a W-2 job again, and how she leverages visibility from projects like The Real Housewives of New York to fuel her purpose-driven work. From resilience in dark seasons to practical money lessons about multiple streams of income, this episode is a blueprint for building life — and wealth — on your own terms.   What You’ll Learn in This Episode Why Eboni chose solo motherhood and

This week’s listener, “Beth,” is stuck between tax debt and credit card debt—plus the anxiety that comes when you’re a little bit of a rebel, chasing that nonprofit art life immigrant parents never signed off on. (We see you, Beth!) Mandi shares lessons from her own contractor journey, breaks down why the IRS is no joke, and gets honest about how hard it is to face down those phone calls and official forms. You’ll hear: • Why tax debt takes priority (because the IRS does NOT play, y’all) • Smart ways to negotiate payment plans (and what “offer in compromise” means) • Real talk on avoiding credit card traps, balance transfers, and why budgeting apps like Rocket Money and Monarch can help you see the whole mess clearly • Which debt payoff method actually works for real people (snowball vs. avalanche, plus why momentum matters) • How to keep your sanity and your community close—because shame and overwhelm are not welcome on this

On this week’s episode of Brown Ambition, Mandi dives into the latest jobs report and how the government issued ANOTHER correction that shows we actually added 911,000 FEWER jobs than they calculated last year. That's half as many jobs as they reported. WTF?She also digs into what the data really says about the state of the economy, especially for Black women. With over 300,000 Black women pushed out of the workforce this year, she breaks down why the numbers don’t always tell the full story and how systemic bias shows up in hiring trends. But it’s not all doom and gloom she highlights industries where jobs are still growing, from healthcare to IT, and offers perspective on pursuing career moves that align with your skills and passion rather than just chasing trends. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How to identify your personal “power hours” and use them for your most important goals The reality behind the labor market and why Black women are being hit hardest Sect

BA Fam, we’ve got a special one for you today!

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi sits down with the brilliant Anna Gifty Opoku-Agyeman award-winning researcher, speaker, and author of The Double Tax: How Women of Color Are Overcharged and Underpaid. Anna breaks down the reality of the “double tax”  that compounded cost of racism + sexism that women of color know all too well. From hair discrimination to pay inequity, resume “whitening” to broken rungs on the career ladder, Anna shows us the data behind our lived experiences and, most importantly, offers solutions for economic justice. We get real about: Why “diversity vs. merit” is a false narrative (spoiler: they’re complements, not competitors). The hidden financial and emotional toll of navigating workplaces as women of color. How Anna negotiated her first big offer (and walked away with $20K more

BA Fam, today’s Wash Day Woosah is a treat. We’ve got our girl Giovanna “Gigi” Gonzalez aka The First Gen Mentor,  author of Cultura & Cash, and three-time BA guest back on the mic. But this time, she’s not joining us from Chicago… she’s calling in from Spain! In this episode, Gigi shares the money moves and life decisions that made it possible for her and her husband to pack up and move abroad. We talk about: The financial planning behind her big move (and what she wishes she’d known sooner). How she turned her biggest regret—never studying abroad—into a mid-career dream come true. The not-so-sexy side of moving abroad: visas, taxes, and the Spanish version of the IRS (spoiler: don’t mess with Hacienda). What’s surprised her most about living in Spain (yes, even the credit cards work differently). Why she’s pushing for a Spanish-language version of her book to serve first-gen families across borders. We also get real ab

This week, we’re doing something different, BA Fam! Mandi takes us on a trip down memory lane, looking back at her five favorite moments from the summer of 2025. From thought-provoking conversations to laugh-out-loud guest appearances, these episodes stood out not just while recording, but even more when listening back with fresh ears. What You’ll Hear in This Episode: -Why replaying past episodes feels so different from being in the interviewer’s chair -The most popular and talked-about episode of the summer—and why it resonated   Let’s Connect:IG: @brownambitionpodcast | @mandimoneyEmail: brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com   We launched a Patreon!

It's the podcast crossover you probably never saw coming, BA Fam. For today's Washday Woosah show, I sit down with Victoria L. Johnson, founder of the Sailor Moon Fan Club podcast. In each episode of the Sailor Moon Fan Club, Victoria L. Johnson interviews incredible fans of the '90s anime including bestselling authors, comic book and manga creators, influencers, musicians --baddies like Saweetie, WWE Superstar Sasha Banks, and Fefe Dobson. Since she founded the podcast in 2020, Victoria's expanded the brand into a thriving events business dedicated to providing spaces for anime fans from underrepresented communities to find community and let their inner kids fly free (See y'all at the Sailor Moon Day Party 2026, OK!).  Follow Victoria on Twitter @missoldskoolFollow the Sailor Moon Fan Club podcast at @mooniesclub on Twitter and @moonies_club on Instagram.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

BA Fam, this week’s BA QA Mandi is joined by her girl, Yanely Espinal aka Miss Be Helpful and author of Mind Your Money — to answer a listener question that so many of us can relate to: How do you financially support aging parents when there’s little to no retirement savings in place? Yanely shares the systems she and her eight siblings built to cover their parents’ expenses, including: Setting up a joint family fund to automate bill payments. Creating a fair way for siblings to contribute different amounts without judgment. Why a high-yield savings account beats investment accounts for immediate needs. Balancing financial support with maintaining their parents’ dignity and independence. How to set allowance boundaries when one parent struggles with gambling. Tips for protecting elderly parents from scams and keeping finances transparent among siblings. Let’s Connect:IG: @brownambitionpodcast | @mandimoneyEmail: brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com We launched a Patreon!

Hey BA Fam! Mandi, Yanely, and Chris are back at the Brown table with real talk about life, business, and the news that’s shaping our money and our sanity. This week, Mandi kicks things off with a story about her busted laptop, a wild Apple Store experience, and how she stumbled onto a secret financing program for small business owners. From cracked screens to unexpected leases, we’re breaking down the ways solopreneurs can stretch their resources without drowning in debt. But that’s not all — we go from tech fixes to life updates: Yanely is thinking about their next big move (Miami? Barcelona? Van life?) Chris gets a crash course in babysitting two kids under four — and gains a whole new respect for parents. Mandi opens up about stress, sleep struggles, and why she’s finally considering a CPAP machine. Then, we shift gears and dig into the hard stuff happening in the world right now — including DC’s state of emergency, over-policing in Black and brown neighbo

This week, BA fam—grab your coffee, get cozy, and let’s talk all things The Ghosts of Gwendolyn Montgomery, our official August/September book club pick! Mandi Woodruff-Santos sits down with none other than Clarence Haynes, author, publishing pro, and all-around NYC icon for a bold, joyful, and real convo packed with gems. Want to join the BA Book Club? All you've got to do is become a free member of our Patreon > Show recap: Mandi introduces Clarence and gets real about what inspired the Brown Ambition Book Club and her own book altar game.  Clarence shares how the powerful women of NYC—and some serious Shirley Chisholm style—sparked his creation of Gwendolyn Montgomery.  Dive deep into the book’s plot: a high-powered publicist with mystical secrets, a fashion event gone wild at the Brooklyn Museum, and a botanica in the South Bronx run by an Afro-Latine queer psychic Discussion on breaking generational trauma, mother wounds, fierce ambition, and why we’re al

BA Fam, this week’s BAQA is personal, I brought in my friend and financial powerhouse, Sharon Epperson, CNBC’s Senior Personal Finance Correspondent, to unpack a buzzy headline that had my eyebrow raised: the president’s executive order that could open the door for private equity (and other alternative investments) in your 401k. We break down what this actually means, why you probably won’t be adding a private equity fund to your plan tomorrow, and why you need to know exactly what’s in your portfolio before chasing shiny new investment options. Sharon drops gems on: The $12.2 trillion “nest egg” private firms have their eyes on — and what’s at stake. How to “stay on your mat” financially and focus on your own goals before getting distracted by market hype. The real risks of alternative investments: higher fees, less transparency, and lower liquidity. Why even she had an “oops” moment with her own 401k rollover (and how to a

Hey BA Fam, pull up a chair at the Brown Table! This week  Mandi is joined by two returning guests: Jonquilyn Hill from Vox Media and Yvie Saint-Louis from Blavity. Fresh from NABJ’s 50th anniversary conference in Cleveland, the ladies swap stories on conference strategy, avoiding burnout, and why the hotel bar might just be your best networking move.    We get into: NABJ 2024 recap — from career fairs to that family reunion energy, and why you don’t need to hit every event to make it count. Networking tips that actually work — think conference apps, lateral connections, and the perfect follow-up email. Higher Heights wins — celebrating Black women making major political strides nationwide. Corporate card chaos — the jaw-dropping story of a media exec who racked up nearly $300K in personal expenses (yes, Botox included). Black-Owned Business Month shout-outs — from luxe candles to curl-defining gel you’ll want in your cart yesterday. P

Hey BA Fam! On today’s Washday Woosah episode, we’re joined by the intelligent, passionate, and powerhouse CEO of Black Girls Code, Cristina Mancini!

Hey BA Fam! This week I’m coming to you from Cleveland, where I’m soaking up all the love (and ALL the nostalgia) at the National Association of Black Journalists Convention. It’s been a full-circle moment walking back into this space, not as a reporter for a big outlet, but as Mandi Woodruff-Santos, aka Mandi Money, host of Brown Ambition! We’re talking about: Why it’s okay to come back to spaces you’ve outgrown—just show up as your new self. How journalism and content marketing are more connected than you think. Setting BIG end-of-year money goals (even while paying down debt). My real talk convo with  Alexa Claire from The Financial Diet about saving goals for the life you want. And yes—we’re also going there. I’m opening up about why I’ve been so vocal about Gaza and Sudan, how I navigate the fear of backlash, and why I believe using your voice for what matters is worth the risk. It gets emotional, BA Fam, but y’all know I&rsq

In this heartwarming and hilarious episode of Brown Ambition, Mandi is joined by Alexa Claire and first-time guest Mia Brabham Nolan for a vibrant conversation full of career advice, pop culture takes, and real talk on entrepreneurship and Black excellence. The three dive into everything from half-birthdays and pop culture dry spells to the real challenges facing today’s job market. They celebrate Black-owned businesses like The Lip Bar, Black Girl Sunscreen, and Cloudy Donut Co. and unpack what happens when Black brands get bought out.   Plus, they get candid about: The emotional toll of job hunting in a tough market Why side hustles deserve more respect How to market yourself and keep creating even when you’re unemployed And yes… some Love Island fanfic might be involved

Hey BA Fam! On today's Washday Woosah, we’re sitting down with two amazing, talented, and intelligent women: author of How to Find True Love: Unlock your Romantic Flow and Create Lasting Relationships, relationship coach, podcast host, TED speaker, and certified matchmaker Francesca Hogi, and relationship coach, host of Netflix's Sneaky Links, and founder of The Spicy Life, Spicy Mari! We dive deep into all things love, connection, and personal growth, from how to be vulnerable in relationships, to how to balance a demanding career and a romantic partnership without losing yourself in the process.