Brown Ambition

On today's BA QA, where I take your questions about life, money, career and everything in between (!), we're revisiting past questions on managing debt as a couple, navigating military benefits during a cross-country move, and figuring out whether high-deductible health plans are actually worth it .

Quick reminder: if you want YOUR question featured on the show, head to brownambitionpodcast.com and submit it through our website, or...

Hey BA Fam! As the temperatures drop and the days get shorter, Mandi Money is keeping it real about what this season can bring emotionally, financially, and politically. In this episode, she dives into how seasonal changes can impact our moods and motivation, why planning ahead for the holidays can save both your sanity and your wallet, and how collective action like economic boycotts can actually shift power back into our communit...

In this week’s Washday Woosah episode, Mandi Money sits down with executive coach and author Muriel Wilkins for a powerful conversation about leadership, self-efficacy, and the internal work required to truly step into your power.

Muriel host of Harvard Business Review’s Coaching Real Leaders podcast and author of Leadership Unblocked, pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to grow as a leader. Togethe...

Hey BA Fam! this week Mandi Money is flying solo with a heart-to-heart about what it really looks like to find peace in uncertain times.

Between election night energy, economic anxiety, and personal challenges with depression and anxiety, I’ve been reminded how important it is to slow down, show yourself compassion, and stay connected to your people.I’m breaking down how I’m coping—from journaling and rest t...

In this powerful conversation, Mandi Woodruff-Santos sits down with writer and speaker Jodi-Ann Burey to unpack what it truly means to be authentic in the workplace—especially for women of color. Together, they explore how authenticity evolves over time and the ways mental health, disability, and capitalism intersect to shape our professional and personal identities. Jodi-Ann opens up about her experiences with depression and...

This week, Mandi opens up about her healing journey—sharing how slowing down, softening up, and getting real rest have transformed her mental health and daily rhythm. From battling depression and anxiety to finally finding peace through sleep, nourishment, and support.

Plus, she gives updates on the Brown Ambition book (you can help pick the cover!), her new free mini course, and what’s next for the Mandi Moneymakers Co...

This week, Mandi sits down with leadership and inclusion strategist Ruchika T. Malhotra — author of Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Radical Success. In a world obsessed with winning, Ruchika’s message is a breath of fresh air: true success comes from rest, collaboration, and community not from constant competition.

Together, they unpack what it means to unlearn scarcity, how to resist burnout, and why rest is...

In this unfiltered Brown Ambition mama check-in, Mandi sits down with fellow podcasters and moms Jessica Norwood and Rana Campbell for an honest conversation about motherhood, depression, grief, survival mode, and rediscovering joy amidst the chaos.

Mandi opens up about her battle with depression and what it means to mother while navigating mental health challenges. Rana shares her journey through grief and juggling caregiving...

This week, Mandi sits down with Amina AlTai — executive coach, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living.

Amina’s story takes us from burnout and near organ failure to a full-on breakthrough that reshaped her entire relationship with success. She shares how growing up as the daughter of immigrants shaped her drive, why so many high-achieving women fall into what she ...

⚠️ Hey BA fam, before we jump in, just a heads-up: today we’ll be talking about depression and mental health. These topics matter and can hit close to home. What you’ll hear is real talk, but it’s not medical advice—we’re sharing stories and information, not diagnoses. If you or someone you care about needs support, please reach out. You can call or text 988anytime for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, ...

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi sits down with Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist, author, and MSNBC contributor Trymaine Lee to discuss his powerful new book, A Thousand Ways to Die: The True Cost of Violence on Black Life in America.

From reporting on Trayvon Martin and Ferguson to confronting his own family’s legacy of gun violence, Trymaine opens up about what happens when decades of unprocessed trauma take a phys...

Hey BA Fam! It’s been a minute, but Mandi, Yanely, and Chris are back at the table with a rich, reflective conversation on life, culture, and community. This week’s episode dives into how our identities, skills, and values shape the way we move through an ever-changing world.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

In this week’s episode, we’re joined by the radiant and multi-talented Edwina Findley, actress, author, and faith-driven creative, for a deeply inspiring conversation about walking in purpose, trusting divine timing, and showing up for the vision on your life.

From her early beginnings in Washington, D.C. t...

In this week’s episode, Mandi sits down with Lisa Cunningham, a powerhouse creative and the Head of Marketing at the Black Women’s Health Imperative, to unpack her incredible journey from directing music videos to becoming a champion for health equity.

Lisa shares how personal loss and self-discovery shaped her purpose, leading her to use storytelling as a tool for change—especially in women’s health. Throug...

The U.S. housing market feels impossible to navigate — high prices, rising taxes, low inventory, and mortgage rates that just won’t budge. This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi sits down with Daryl Fairweather, Chief Economist at Redfin, to cut through the noise and explain what’s really going on.

From the “lock-in effect” keeping homeowners stuck, to why renting may actually be more affordable than ...

What does it look like to redefine family and build a support system rooted in friendship? In this episode of Brown Ambition, host Mandi Woodruff-Santos sits down with NPR’s Ayesha Rascoe and her best friend Jasmin Melvin Hudson to talk about their bold decision to buy a home together and raise their five children under one roof.

From meeting as young journalists to becoming inseparable best friends, Ayesha and Jasmin sh...

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...

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 (Was...

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-advoca...