Eating While Broke

On this episode of Eating While Broke, host Coline Witt sits down with entrepreneur Pinky Cole—founder of Slutty Vegan—for an honest conversation about money, mindset, and rebuilding after major setbacks. Over a homemade **Tofurky sandwich**, Pinky breaks down vegan label-reading, food costs, and why she stopped eating meat in 2007.

Pinky shares her upbringing in a Jamaican family, her father’s 22-year imprisonmen...

On this episode of Eating While Broke, host Coline Witt sits down with Grammy-nominated artist, actress, philanthropist, and TV host Yo-Yo (Dr. Yolanda Whitaker) for a real conversation about budgeting, confidence, and rebuilding after major career shifts.

Yo-Yo shares her go-to budget-friendly rotisserie chicken sandwich made with potato bread, cheddar cheese, mayo, mustard, pickles, and banana peppers—an easy meal she says ...

On this episode of Eating While Broke, host Coline Witt welcomes entrepreneur Summer Grays —founder and CEO of Mercy Angels Hospice and creator of the My Butler Al app while cooking her struggle meal: spaghetti with butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

Summer opens up about becoming a teen mom, a short-lived marriage to an older man, and finishing school through summer school. She shares how she hustled through a range of jobs...

On this episode of  Eating While Broke, host  Coline Witt  is joined by comedian and podcast host  Aida Rodriguez, who makes a budget-friendly French bread pizza inspired by her childhood.

Aida shares how her Puerto Rican upbringing led her family to make “poor people pizza” at home using whatever bread, marinara sauce, and affordable cheese they had. Together, they taste-test a cheddar-cheese versio...

In the second part of her comprehensive interview, Coline Witt sits down with Doug Melville: reputation management and international diversity expert, Stanford lecturer, Forbes contributor, bestselling author of 'Invisible Generals', interim CEO of the Council of Urban Professionals (CUP), and host of 'DM Me With Doug Melville.'

Doug breaks down what reputation management really means today, how skills and networking shape opportun...

Coline Witt  welcomes Doug Melville—reputation management and international diversity expert, Stanford lecturer, Forbes contributor, bestselling author of 'Invisible Generals', interim CEO of the Council of Urban Professionals (CUP), and host of 'DM Me With Doug Melville' for an unforgettable conversation on career pivots, reputation, and the broke-college origin of his famous “Chicken McNugget Parm.”

See omny...

In this episode of Eating While Broke, host Coline Witt is joined by special guest Nina Lynn, a seasoned executive, founder of the Wonder Seed Foundation, and a candidate for Congress. They discuss Nina's background, her nonprofit work helping at-risk youth heal from trauma, and her advocacy for meaningful education reform. Nina shares her personal story, including her family's journey as first-generation immigrants and the challen...

Host Coline Witt welcomes Lakeisha Landrum Pierre, founder and managing partner of Emily Line Venture Capital, for a conversation about venture capital’s influence, the industry’s barriers for women and people of color, and why representation among check-writers matters. Lakeisha cooks a low-cost Colombian coconut rice with raisins inspired by her broke grad school days at Harvard, and shares her background growing up i...

Host Coline Witt welcomes streamer and content creator Zoe Spencer to an episode of "Eating While Broke," where Zoe cooks her throwback meal: pork and beans with cut-up hot dogs, butter, pepper, and sugar, served with rice (or bread). While cooking, Zoe talks about growing up in a two-parent, middle-class household in Brooklyn with hardworking parents, her early jobs (a supermarket at 16, Burlington through college, and a bank job ...

Laugh your way through the grind with this episode of Eating While Broke! Host Coline Witt welcomes stand-up powerhouse Usama Siddiquee for a raw, hilarious, and inspiring look at the real life of a comedian chasing big dreams in New York City.

Usama opens up about deferring med school, surviving on bagels, the relentless hustle of the NYC comedy scene, and the cultural expectations from his immigrant family. From homelessness to v...

In this inspiring episode of Eating While Broke, host Coline Witt sits down with entrepreneur and changemaker Camara Jackson, founder of Elite Learners, Inc. Discover how Camara transformed her personal battle with sickle cell disease into a powerful mission—building a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uplifts youth and families across New York City.

Camara shares the real story behind Elite Learners: from overcoming challenges and se...

Dive into the world of creative hustle in this episode of Eating While Broke! Host Coline Witt sits down with renowned filmmaker and producer Alexx Media, the visionary behind viral comedy specials and co-owner of WTF Studios. 

Alexx opens up about his rise from humble beginnings to directing Andrew Schulz’s Netflix special, “Schulz Saves America,” and building a powerhouse production company. He shares the r...

In this episode of “Eating While Broke,” host Coline Witt is joined by entrepreneur and entertainer Ranagade PerRana. The duo dives into Ranagade’s version of a classic struggle meal featuring eggs, bread, cream cheese, and smoked salmon—an easy, budget-friendly dish with a luxe twist.  

As they cook, Ranagade shares her journey from Iran to Los Angeles, her passion for cannabis culture, and how she bec...

In this episode of “Eating While Broke,” host Coline Witt welcomes special guest Johnny Ray Gill as they explore the art of preparing a whole fish on a budget. Johnny shares his recipe for baked whole fish, a dish he learned in Ghana, highlighting its affordability, rich flavors, and cultural roots.  

They walk through a variety of seasonings—including cumin, garlic, cinnamon, and dill—and talk about th...

In this episode of “Eating While Broke,” host Coline Witt sits down with Atreyu “Reu” Rahmen, the entrepreneur behind Venice Beach’s popular spot, Wang’s N Thangs. Reu shares the incredible story of his journey from a federal camp to owning a thriving restaurant on Venice Beach.  

They dive into his experiences cooking in jail, the birth of his unique wing recipes, and the challenges and rew...

In this episode of Eating While Broke, host Coline Witt sits down with Serbian pop sensation DIDI J to explore her inspiring journey from Serbia to the US music charts. DIDI J opens up about the challenges she faced, her dreams of winning a Grammy, and what it takes to succeed in the competitive music industry.  

As they chat, she whips up some mouthwatering pancakes, giving us a taste of her culinary side while sharing storie...

In this special episode of "Eating While Broke," host Coline Witt welcomes Grammy Award–nominated songwriter and recording artist Tiana Major9. Together, they prepare a staple dish from Tiana's childhood: cornmeal porridge.

During the cooking session, Tiana discusses her Jamaican heritage, upbringing, musical journey, and experiences in the music industry, including signing with Motown and touring with artists like Jazmine Su...

Join host Coline Witt on this episode of "Eating While Broke" as she sits down with special guest Matt Bell, an author and CEO, to explore his incredible journey from addiction to recovery. Matt shares his story of overcoming a decade-long struggle with heroin, surviving multiple overdoses, and rebuilding his life through sobriety.

He discusses the importance of tough love, the need for proactive addiction treatment, and recounts h...

Unlock the secrets behind the world’s #1 sports bettor in this episode of Eating While Broke! Host Coline Witt sits down with Dalton Patterson (aka Dpatt), whose journey stretches from humble New Orleans beginnings to dominating the global sports betting scene. 

Dalton shares how college football, relentless hustle, and entrepreneurial innovation fueled his rise. Discover how he turned setbacks into stepping stones, mast...