Brown Ambition

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 s...

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 c...

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 do...

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...

BA Fam, we’ve got a special one for you today! 🎉 Tiffany is back in the studio and she didn’t come alone — she brought along her powerhouse financial advisor Anjali Jariwala. If you’ve ever wondered what it really looks like to build wealth after financial setbacks, this convo is for you. Tiffany opens up about her journey from foreclosure to financial freedom, and how she...

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,...

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 possibl...

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...

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 lik...

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’ expense...

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...

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...

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 pr...

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...

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 ! 👩🏾‍💻✨ Cristina drops serious gems on everything from how to confidently promote yourself online and in person , to what it really means to be a hard worker in today’s world. We also dive into the art of networking with pur...

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&rsqu...

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 ce...

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...

Hey BA Fam! Mandi is flying solo this week, and whew—she came with heart, and hard truths. She’s breaking down what’s  really going on in today’s job market beyond the headlines, and what she’s learning from working 1:1 with high-achieving women who are stuck in the “I have the résumé, but why can’t I get the offer?” cycle. Sp...

Hey BA fam!  For this Washday Woosah episode, we are welcomed by CEO Coach, keynote speak, and author of “YOU'RE THE BOSS: Become the Manager You Want to Be (and Others Need)”, Sabina Nawaz! During this episode, Sabina discusses being able to understand the complex connection between power and pressure as a workplace manager, and how to turn the hidden pressures you face, into ast...

BA Fam, send us your financial, career and everything-in-between questions! Submit via email at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com or DM us @brownambitionpodcast on IG.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We’re back, BA Fam! After surviving a morning of tech chaos (and some truly humbling camera angles), your favorite financial BFFs are back at the brown table— and we’ve got a lot to say. Mandi shares how motherhood keeps her grounded (and off the doomscroll), and Yanely drops gems on supporting immigrant parents while building wealth. Plus, we get into that National Urban Le...

This week’s BA Q&A , Mandi is joined by powerhouse author, filmmaker, and workplace equity consultant Minda Harts to talk about how we build trust, advocate for ourselves, and demand more from the spaces we show up in—especially as women of color. Minda opens up about her latest book, Talk to Me Nice: The Seven Trust Languages for a Better Workplace, and why understanding how we gi...

This week's  BA Q&A , Mandi is joined by friend of the show Naseema McElroy of Financially Intentional to answer a question from Serena, a 28-year-old multi-passionate entrepreneur torn between beauty and holistic health. Naseema drops gems on the power of niching down , embracing your unique story, and positioning yourself as a Key Person of Influence . If you’re feeling stuck betw...

This week, Mandi is joined at the Brown Table by friend of the show, nurse and financial educator Naseema McElroy of Financially Intentional . The two get real about motherhood, love, career breaks, and all the chaos in between—from co-parenting struggles to Beyoncé ticket drama. Naseema shares an update on her mini retirement and an upcoming mommy-daughter retreat in Colombia, while...