For Better Or Best Podcast

Episode 40 of the Better, Best Podcast live from Revolt House at SXSW was one for the books! This conversation with Jack Howard, Head of Money Wellness at Ally Financial, was bigger than budgets and credit scores—it was about the emotional relationship we all have with money. From “poverty PTSD” to credit card cycles, from first-generation wealth building to marriage, entrepreneurship, and generat...

Marriage isn’t just the highlight reel, it’s the quirks, the compromises, the petty debates, and the deep love that keeps two people choosing each other every day. In this episode, Charles and Shireen pull back the curtain on ten years of partnership, from fur‑coat miracles to thermostat wars to the art of minding your business in your friends’ relationships. It’s honest, hilarious, and a reminder...

The holidays get real when you’re hosting two full families, juggling gift expectations, assigning rooms, and trying to keep the peace. In this episode, the Kuykendolls break down their first big Christmas in the new house — the joy, the chaos, the “Hunger Games” sleeping chart, and the sweet moments that made it all worth it. If you’ve ever tried to host during the holidays, you can relate!  0:00...

***Please excuse the audio glitch in the beginning of this episode*** In this Meta World Peace episode (number 37), Charles and Shireen sit with close friends/chosen family Bridget Kelly and René Daniela for a warm, funny, and honest conversation about real friendship in your 30s - showing up, building a village, and celebrating each other through every season. 00:00 - 03:18 Charles opens the show...

This week we welcome our first guest of the season: beauty creator, lifestyle blogger, mom, and digital OG It’s My Raye Raye. From her Tumblr beginnings to becoming one of YouTube’s early success stories, Raye breaks down how the creator landscape has evolved, how she protects her peace, and why authenticity still wins in 2026. We also get into the wild story of how we met and became friends, pare...

This Christmas‑Eve episode starts with jokes and ends with real life. Charles and Shireen are no strangers to silver linings, so the two open up the "Kevin Durant episode" talking about about grief, friendship, entrepreneurship, mental health, and the wild ride that was 2025. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to stop delaying your dreams… this is it. 3:19 - What If It All Works Out?  Reflecting on...

It's our Shaq/Scottie Pippen episode y'all! This week the Beloveds needed to keep spilling the tea about the chaotic blessings of their big move, sharing how much transparency and patience was required both at the bank and driving the streets in Houston. 00:02:17 – Kuykendolls recall their most stressful season while moving. 00:04:25 – Triple financial strain: From Airbnb rent, old mortgage, and n...

We're back! Season 4 opens with a healthy dose of chaos and comedy: Essence Fest highs, a big move to Houston, scammy movers, bird invasions, trap house apartments, and finally a realtor’s offer. Episode 33 is a rollercoaster of "broke" dreams and big laughs. 00:20 – Season 4 kicks off live from Houston ; Charles and Shireen make their grand entrance, joking about budgets, brokenness, and the glow...

Season 3 finale! We did it, Joe! Every season there's a moment of questioning whether or not to continue the pod, but the outpouring of love, support and encouragement has grown more and more, so we will keep the party going. Shireen and Charles circle back to the Oxtail Off and how they forgot to mention their silent partner; ChatGPT. Shireen says she and Charles were early on the AI bandwagon, a...

It's giving double date! We've got our first married guests, close friends and chosen family Jessica and Marcus Cromartie on today's episode. Charles kicks it off by sharing how he met Jess in NYC many years ago, while she was building her influencer profile. Now 10+ years later, they've been apart of each other's journeys into marriage/parenthood. Marcus joined the friend group 5 years ago, citin...

Take it easy! We're all coming down from the high of the Oxtail Off this weekend, and this time EP BK is in the guest seat! Charles and Shireen both share their gratitude, relief and exhaustion that comes with pulling off such an awesome event. Shireen explains how the joining of cultures is so important to her, since Charles is African American and Shireen is second generation Antiguan. Charles s...

Back in full effect, Charles and Shireen are joined by their long time friend, music manager and visionary Gordan Dillard. They kick off talking about being a transplant in NYC and hustling. Coming from the Bay, Gordan was motivated by the music industry culture on the east coast. NYC provided lessons and pressure for him, when he was living in his aunt's basement, interning at a label and working...

This week has been nonstop! Charles and Shireen kick off the episode with fatigue, citing their son CJ's recital, a Netflix screening and of course the Cowboy Carter concert. Shireen breaks down the process of paying top dollar for floor seats for Beyonce and the discovering how much more they spent compared to the website. After a bunch of calls, hemming and hawing and submitting evidence to AmEx...

This week is all about that cash money! Shireen comes in hot, saying that Charles is having an existential crisis. Charles pretends not to know what that big word means so Shireen explains how introspective Charles has been in 2025, trying to establish the work/life balance. Charles still can't believe how much money he made in 2024, both of them have reached new heights in their careers. He also...

Ok so we know we said no guests this season but an exception had to be made for Chi Town Tina, the queen mother of Charles Beloved himself! They go back to the 80's when Shontina and Charles' father were 19 and 20yrs old, married and working. Shontina explains feeling older than she was, even before kids, because life was moving fast. Enter Charles' brother and the birth of Beloved. Their parents...

Charles and Shireen are fresh off the plane from Dubai, and it's spring break! Every year they take a family trip, last year was Paris and this year their son CJ had been mentioning the Burj Kalifa nonstop, so Dubai was the choice. Charles says Mexico City was his initial pick, but after pricing it out, surprisingly Dubai made more sense. Shireen was anti Dubai because she was supposed to be pregn...

Goes to Trinidad Carnival once: and now we're being introduced to Bacchanal Beloved. Clearly the brand is strong and expanding! Shireen being of Antiguan and Jamaican descent, she's always had ties to the experience "on di road" as Charles says. His good friend Kareem is Trinidadian and wanted to experience his first carnival at home so Charles went with him. Shireen breaks down the costs of carni...

Charles and Shireen are back in their fashion bag, Charles kicks off the episode giving Shireen her flowers for not only looking good but also getting in her own corporate bag; hosting panels in tech spaces. She acknowledges enjoying moderating/interviewing, as Charles takes credit for encouraging her(2:01-5:26). Shireen revisits the sensitive subject of IVF, and shares the challenges of the proce...

Your favorite couple is back for season 3! Initially Charles was so busy with work last year that he wasn't sure he'd make the return for another season. Luckily someone approached him at AfroTech to remind him how valuable the show is so he decided to give it another go(1:12-2:45). We pick up right where we left off, sharing a recap of EssenceFest last summer, where Shireen put in extra effort to...

This episode is said to be our season finale (allegedly) and Shireen is flying solo without Charles. She is happily joined by one of her best friends, content creator, free diving mermaid and travel aficionado Rene Daniella, known on social media as @ownbyfemme. Shireen gives her guest her flowers, complimenting how intentional Rene is about posting on social media. Rene takes us through her journ...

After giving Shireen more flowers this week, the Kuykendolls are joined by one of their favorites, Scottie Beam. Charles recalls meeting Scottie at his first Revolt event in Chicago and knowing immediately that she was a star. Shireen remembered watching Scottie at ComplexCon, realizing how much she makes Black women and men feel seen. Scottie acknowledges everyone, always says hello, always stops...

This week the Kuykendolls dive into making a decision about having baby girl Beloved. Charles recalls the first episode ever being about the vasectomy and now 15 months later they're preparing to go through the process of IVF. Shireen says that he revealed he really wanted a little girl during her 37 week ultrasound while pregnant with Carter and she thought he was joking. Now that Carter is almos...

Barely-making-it Beloved is fresh off of a flight to join Shireen and their guest, occupational therapist, Shardia Washington. Her intro defines what her exact medical title means as they discuss the very touchy topic of children. Identifying developmental hurdles as a parent can be tough. Shireen shares that their second son Carter was a little delayed in his ability to stand and walk as a 1 year...

Friends, how many of us have them?! This week the Kuykendolls are joined by good friends Jae Murphy (DJ, host, artist) and Alex Hill (chef, food blogger, content creator). The guests start off disucissing their HBCU experiences, Jae was at Howard for broadcast journalism and Alex went to Hampton for PR/marketing. Charles gushes about wanting his kids going to HBCUs, for all the perks of culture an...

Blow-A-Bag Beloved is back with his wonderful queen Shireen, outfits matching, per usual. After exchanging pleasantries, compliments and big words, the two dive right in. People are pocket watching! Aesthetics and luxury are important, but working really hard to get a deal is too. Shireen spills the tea on the Palm Springs outlets and mentions that they Google the best prices for all the items she...