Brown Ambition

This week, Mandi Money is breaking down everything from a three-year-old soccer star making headlines for all the wrong reasons to the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders finally making moves toward getting the respect (and compensation!) they deserve. Because let's be clear: exposure doesn't pay the bills, and prestige isn't a benefits package! We're also talking about some major corporate shakeups. With Microsoft offering employee buyouts and DoorDash making a multibillion-dollar move to acquire Instacart, Mandi is sharing what workers need to know before making their next career move. Whether you're considering a severance package or wondering if your position might be on the chopping block, the message is simple: Don't panic. Prepare. And always have your receipts ready. Plus, we're getting into the conversation surrounding The Lip Bar, founder Melissa Butler, and the pressure Black-owned businesses face when trying to grow without alienating the communities that helped build them. Can we hold corporations accountable while still giving Black entrepreneurs the grace they deserve? Mandi has thoughts!  And before we wrap, we're talking about the importance of showing up at the polls, celebrating the Atlanta Dream, and making sure our voices are heard both on and off the court.Because around here, we're not just keeping up with the headlines. We're figuring out what they mean for our money, our careers, and our communities.   In This Episode, We're Talking About: When Being Too Good Becomes a Problem: Three-year-old soccer standout Nevada Pierre goes viral after police are called to his game, sparking a bigger conversation about race, fairness, and protecting young Black talent. The Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Know Their Worth: Why their push toward unionization is about more than a paycheck, and what every working woman can learn from their fight. Microsoft Buyouts: Take the Money or Stay Put? Mandi breaks down why a voluntary exit package isn't always the golden ticket it appears to be and what to consider before signing. DoorDash, Instacart & Corporate Shakeups: What a $17 billion acquisition could mean for employees and why now is the time to update your résumé, reconnect with your network, and document your wins. The Lip Bar Controversy: Melissa Butler responds to criticism surrounding the brand's relationship with Target, and Mandi weighs in on why Black-owned businesses deserve room to grow, evolve, and succeed. Brown Boost of the Week: A reminder to make your voice count at the polls and a whole lot of love for the Atlanta Dream!   Mandi's Money & Career Gems 💰 Know your value. Loving your job doesn't mean you should accept less than you deserve. 💼 A buyout is a financial decision, not an emotional one. Read the fine print, understand your benefits, and run the numbers before making your move. 📈 Stay ready so you don't have to get ready. Keep your résumé updated, build your professional network, and document the impact of your work. 💸 Protect your financial future. An emergency fund and a solid career backup plan can make all the difference when corporate changes come knocking. 🖤 Support Black-owned businesses with intention. Accountability matters, but so does recognizing the realities of entrepreneurship and what it takes to keep a business alive.   Join the Conversation! BA Fam, we want to hear from you! Have you ever accepted a voluntary buyout? Did it turn out to be a blessing or a decision you regretted? And where do you stand on the conversation surrounding The Lip Bar? Pre-order Mandi's book, Brown Ambition: How to Reboot Your Career and Money When Life Knocks You Off Track, at BrownAmbitionBook.com 📲 Instagram: @BrownAmbitionPodcast 📧 Email: [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi Money sits down with Emmy Award-winning journalist, author, and two-time breast cancer survivor Robin Allison Davis, whose journey from New York City to Paris is anything but your typical Emily in Paris fantasy. After spending a decade building her career at NBC, Robin decided it was time for something different. So, at 32, she quit her job, saved $10,000, and moved to France to start over. But between taking a major pay cut, navigating a new language, struggling to build community, and facing two breast cancer diagnoses, Robin quickly learned that starting over isn't always as glamorous as it looks on Instagram.And BA fam, we're getting into ALL of it. Robin opens up about the financial realities of moving abroad, the differences between American and French healthcare, learning to advocate for herself after devastating medical experiences, and why surviving cancer completely changed her relationship with ambition. Plus, Mandi and Robin get real about dating abroad (because apparently the men are still men, even in Paris!), finding freedom through freelancing, and knowing when it's time to pivot even when everyone else thinks you're living the dream. From corporate success to cancer survivorship to becoming a bestselling author, Robin's story is a reminder that you can be grateful for the life you've built and still want something different. Because sometimes the biggest flex isn't having it all figured out. It's having the courage to start again.   In This Episode, We're Talking About: Betting on yourself: Why Robin walked away from a successful television career and how she financially prepared for her move to Paris. The real cost of living abroad: Saving $10K, navigating student loans, taking a 60% pay cut, and rebuilding a career from scratch. Career pivots and knowing your worth: Going from Emmy Award-winning producer to unpaid intern and learning that your accomplishments don't always translate across borders. Surviving breast cancer twice: Robin's journey through diagnosis, treatment, fertility preservation, and learning to advocate for herself. Healthcare isn't one-size-fits-all: The financial benefits of French healthcare, the challenges Robin faced, and why affordable care doesn't automatically mean better care. Finding your people: Building friendships, navigating loneliness, and creating community in a country far from home. Love, life, and the unexpected: Dating through difficult seasons and refusing to put life on hold while waiting for the perfect circumstances. Redefining ambition: Why Robin is choosing flexibility, creative freedom, and work-life balance over the traditional corporate ladder. Connect With Robin Allison Davis Book: Surviving Paris — Available in hardcover and paperback. Instagram: @Robinista Substack: On the Other Side with Robin Allison Davis — Exploring life, travel, healthcare, and everything on the other side of cancer and the Atlantic. If you enjoyed this conversation, don't forget to follow Brown Ambition, leave us a rating and review, and share this episode with someone who needs a reminder that it's never too late to bet on themselves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Brown Buzz, Mandi Money is breaking down everything from billionaires promising to make our babies stockholders to Gen Z investors letting election anxiety get a little too close to their retirement accounts. And while everybody keeps telling us the economy is doing great, why are our grocery bills, rent payments, and bank accounts telling a completely different story?! First up, Elon Musk wants to give every child in America a share of SpaceX. Sounds generous, right? Well, Mandi has some questions! We're talking about the fine print, the risks of tying a child's financial future to one company, and why building generational wealth should be about more than billionaire promises.Then, we're getting into why your 401(k) is NOT a ballot box! With investors making major money moves ahead of the midterm elections, Mandi explains why panic-selling could cost you more than you think and why she's standing ten toes down on her tried-and-true, set-it-and-forget-it investing strategy. Plus, what exactly is a K-shaped economy, and why does it feel like wealthy Americans are thriving while everybody else is just trying to make it to payday? Mandi breaks down the growing wealth divide and reminds us that you can't budget your way out of every systemic problem. We're also talking about the corporate ladder and why, despite a record number of women leading Fortune 500 companies, Black and Latina women are still being left out of the executive suite. Because being excellent at your job is one thing, but having somebody willing to open doors for you? That's a whole different conversation. And on a more serious note, Mandi calls for justice and transparency for baby Kohen Wiley and his family, reminding us why accountability matters and why we cannot afford to look away. Finally, we're ending with some much-needed joy! Mandi is giving her Brown Boost to the Atlanta Dream, celebrating the power of women showing up, showing out, and making everybody around them shine a little brighter. 🏀 IResources & Links: Justice for Baby Kohen Wiley — Visit Benjamin Crump's Justice for Baby Kohen Wiley campaign page to support the family's call for transparency. Mississippi Attorney General's Office: 601-359-3680 Pre-order Mandi's book, Brown Ambition: How to Reboot Your Career and Money When Life Knocks You Off Track, at BrownAmbitionBook.com Follow Brown Ambition on Instagram: @BrownAmbitionPodcast Follow Mandi on Threads: @MandiMoney See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Mandi Money is joined by Paula Pant, real estate investor, entrepreneur, and host of the Afford Anything podcast, for a conversation that's equal parts money masterclass and millionaire mindset check. Paula went from earning just $21,000 a year as a newspaper reporter to building a $3.7 million net worth by age 42. And no, she didn't get there by chasing the hottest stocks or trying to become an overnight millionaire.Instead, she focused on increasing her income, investing consistently, and making intentional financial decisions. She's breaking down how she bought her first triplex for $225,000, turned it into a property now worth more than $1 million, and built a portfolio of seven paid-off rental properties. But don't get it twisted. Paula is the first to admit that building wealth comes with mistakes, expensive lessons, and some serious money mindset work. Mandi and Paula get into the real numbers behind real estate investing, why renting isn't always throwing money away, and the difference between being self-employed and actually building a business. Plus, Paula introduces her Double-I FIRE framework, explains why your financial psychology matters just as much as your investment portfolio, and shares why she's still investing in herself and her business even after reaching millionaire status. And because this is Brown Ambition, we're asking the bigger questions: What's the point of financial independence if you never let yourself enjoy the money? And when you've already built millions, what keeps you ambitious?   In This Episode, We're Talking About: How Paula went from a $21K salary to a $3.7 million net worth House hacking 101: buying a multifamily property and letting rental income offset your housing costs The price-to-rent ratio and how to evaluate whether buying or renting makes financial sense Why $11,400 in gross monthly rental income doesn't mean $11,400 in profit Building wealth with index funds, retirement accounts, and real estate The difference between investing, speculating, and straight-up gambling Breaking free from scarcity mindset and learning when it's okay to spend Paula's Double-I FIRE approach to financial independence Why estate planning and family money conversations can't wait forever The power of optimism, adaptability, and continuing to grow after reaching financial freedom   Connect with Paula Pant: Podcast: Afford Anything Website: https://affordanything.com Stay Connected with Brown Ambition: Subscribe, rate, and review Brown Ambition, and share this episode with somebody who's ready to stop just thinking about building wealth and start making moves.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this week's Brown Buzz, Mandi Money is breaking down the stories affecting our money, our careers, our communities, and our everyday lives. First up, the WNBA is making history, with the Atlanta Dream heading to the finals and fans showing up in record numbers. But with all that momentum comes a bigger question: Will the investment, respect, and compensation finally match the talent these women bring to the court? Then, Mandi gets real about career security in the wake of Netflix’s reported 1,000 job cuts. Even when a company is worth billions, your job isn’t guaranteed. She shares why we can’t rely on a company’s success to determine our own financial stability and how unexpected setbacks can change the way we approach our careers and money. Plus, it’s time to talk politics. With the 2026 midterm elections approaching, Mandi breaks down the high stakes of Georgia’s gubernatorial race, the investigation involving Representative Ilhan Omar, and Kamala Harris’s recent conversation with Keke Palmer about the importance of showing up to vote. Because the decisions made at the ballot box have real consequences for our paychecks, schools, neighborhoods, and families. And in a deeply personal Brown Boost, Mandi shares the story behind her upcoming book, Brown Ambition: How to Reboot Your Career and Money When Life Knocks You Off Track. After navigating her own challenges with anxiety, depression, motherhood, and the pressures of being a breadwinner, Mandi realized that traditional career and money advice doesn't always account for what happens when life gets overwhelming. Her new book is about rebuilding your finances, your career, and your confidence without shame or burnout. In this episode, we get into: The Atlanta Dream’s run to the WNBA finals, the league’s record-breaking viewership, and why women's sports deserve greater investment and compensation. What Netflix’s layoffs teach us about career security, corporate profits, and preparing financially for the unexpected. Why Mandi started over on her book and created a more compassionate, realistic approach to rebuilding your career and money after a setback. The 2026 midterm elections, Georgia’s closely watched gubernatorial race, and why local elections matter just as much as presidential elections. The investigation involving Representative Ilhan Omar and the broader concerns surrounding political targeting and accountability. Kamala Harris on Keke Palmer’s podcast, protecting your joy, and refusing to apologize for who you are. A heartbreaking incident involving a Black toddler at a public library, the importance of making children feel seen and valued, and the responsibility of public institutions to serve everyone. Brown Boost: Celebrating librarian and literacy advocate Michael Threets as he takes the lead on the Reading Rainbow reboot. Plus: Mandi shares why pre-ordering Brown Ambition matters, how your support helps get books into bookstores and libraries, and why being knocked off track doesn’t mean you’re broken. 📚 Pre-order Mandi’s book, Brown Ambition: How to Reboot Your Career and Money When Life Knocks You Off Track, arriving June 15, 2027 Resources mentioned: Georgia voter information: https://sos.ga.gov Check your voter registration and find election resources: https://www.vote.org Watch the Reading Rainbow reboot on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReadingRainbowOfficial See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.