🎙️ Hey BA Fam!

We’re back with a brilliant BA Q&A! Mandi sits down with Dr. Jatali Bellanton—Angel Investor, financial literacy powerhouse, and founder of Kids Who Bank—to talk about the game-changing power of mentorship and building teams that actually work.

Whether you’re dreaming up your first business or scaling your empire, this convo is a must-listen for leveling up your money mindset and your people skills.

We get into:
🤝 Why finding a mentor (or being one), is essential for growth
🪜 How to create real partnerships instead of dragging “dead weight”
💡 The moment that inspired Dr. Jatali to launch Kids Who Bank
🌍 Teaching kids financial literacy from New York to Ghana and beyond
💰 Her journey from investment banking and forensic accounting to empowering future moguls
✨ And the secret sauce behind helping businesses boost profits by 40%+

Want to follow Dr. Jatali and tap into her world of money wisdom?
📲 IG & Twitter: @jatalibellanton

Have a question for the show?
Email us at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com or DM us @brownambitionpodcast!

We launched a Patreon! 🎉
🎥 Get early access to ad-free video recordings, join our BA book club, and even score a seat live in the studio during tapings.

👉 patreon.com/brownambition

🎙️ Hey BA Fam!
We&rsquo;re back with a brilliant BA Q&amp;A! Mandi sits down with Dr. Jatali Bellanton&mdash;Angel Investor, financial literacy powerhouse, and founder of Kids Who Bank&mdash;to talk about the game-changing power of mentorship and building teams that actually work.
Whether you&rsquo;re dreaming up your first business or scaling your empire, this convo is a must-listen for leveling up your money mindset and your people skills.
We get into: 🤝 Why finding a mentor (or being one), is essential for growth 🪜 How to create real partnerships instead of dragging &ldquo;dead weight&rdquo; 💡 The moment that inspired Dr. Jatali to launch Kids Who Bank 🌍 Teaching kids financial literacy from New York to Ghana and beyond 💰 Her journey from investment banking and forensic accounting to empowering future moguls ✨ And the secret sauce behind helping businesses boost profits by 40%+
Want to follow Dr. Jatali and tap into her world of money wisdom? 📲 IG &amp; Twitter: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/jatalibellanton" data-start="1126" data-end="1187">@jatalibellanton</a>
Have a question for the show? Email us at <a data-start="1235" data-end="1265">brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com</a> or DM us <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brownambitionpodcast" data-start="1275" data-end="1346">@brownambitionpodcast</a>!
We launched a Patreon! 🎉 🎥 Get early access to ad-free video recordings, join our BA book club, and even score a seat live in the studio during tapings.
👉 <a href="https://www.patreon.com/brownambition" data-start="1514" data-end="1580">patreon.com/brownambition</a>

The Brown Ambition Podcast helps you unapologetically build wealth by saving, investing and making smart career choices — on your own d@mn terms! New episodes Wednesdays and Fridays.

Money and career advice for women of color, by women of color

Brown Ambition

Dr. Jatali Bellanton: From Med School Dreams to Big Bank Moves, Kids Who Bank—and Finding Her Washday Woosah

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0888f329-ff50-48ee-9dd1-b3190045735a/transcript

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi sits down with award-winning producer, filmmaker, and breakout actress Kiah Clingman for a real conversation about rejection, reinvention, and trusting the long game.

From getting rejected by Howard’s theater program to becoming a proud Howard alum who quietly built a producing career… from balancing a demanding corporate job at Deloitte while producing projects at night… to not booking an acting role for four years before landing a major role on Reasonable Doubt on Hulu — Kiah’s story is a masterclass in patience, persistence, and betting on yourself when the timeline doesn’t make sense.

And the timing couldn’t be better. The hit series Reasonable Doubt recently took home Outstanding Drama Series at the 57th NAACP Image Awards (2026) — proof that the long road sometimes leads exactly where you’re meant to be.

From hotel-room self tapes to Hollywood sets, Kiah shares what it really looks like to build a creative career behind the scenes and in front of the camera.

If you’ve ever wondered whether you started too late, pivoted too many times, or took the “wrong” path this episode is for you.

Spoiler: you didn’t.

 

What We Get Into
Why Kiah almost didn’t submit the audition that changed everything
The reality of going years without booking acting work
How a hotel-room self tape (trash can + ring light included) helped land Reasonable Doubt
Being rejected from Howard’s theater program — and why it became a blessing
How Howard University and Delta Sigma Theta shaped her identity and confidence
Working a demanding corporate role while producing films on the side
What producers actually do — and why the role is often misunderstood
Quitting Deloitte two weeks after buying a home and the fear that followed
Losing a series regular role after betting everything on acting

 

Key Takeaways
Rejection can be redirection — even when it stings
A pivot isn’t failure — it’s strategy
You don’t need constant wins to be on the right path
Corporate skills can help fund and strengthen creative dreams
Seeds planted today may take years to bloom — and that’s okay
Betting on yourself often feels reckless before it feels rewarding

 

👉 Want more Brown Ambition?

• Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and deeper dives into money, career, and entrepreneurship: Join the BA Fam!
• Follow us on Instagram @brownambitionpodcast for daily money and career tips, episode updates, and community conversations.

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi sits down with award-winning producer, filmmaker, and breakout actress Kiah Clingman for a real conversation about rejection, reinvention, and trusting the long game.
From getting rejected by Howard&rsquo;s theater program to becoming a proud Howard alum who quietly built a producing career&hellip; from balancing a demanding corporate job at Deloitte while producing projects at night&hellip; to not booking an acting role for four years before landing a major role on Reasonable Doubt on Hulu &mdash; Kiah&rsquo;s story is a masterclass in patience, persistence, and betting on yourself when the timeline doesn&rsquo;t make sense.
And the timing couldn&rsquo;t be better. The hit series Reasonable Doubt recently took home Outstanding Drama Series at the 57th NAACP Image Awards (2026) &mdash; proof that the long road sometimes leads exactly where you&rsquo;re meant to be.
From hotel-room self tapes to Hollywood sets, Kiah shares what it really looks like to build a creative career behind the scenes and in front of the camera.
If you&rsquo;ve ever wondered whether you started too late, pivoted too many times, or took the &ldquo;wrong&rdquo; path this episode is for you.
Spoiler: you didn&rsquo;t.
&nbsp;
What We Get Into
<ul>
<li>Why Kiah almost didn&rsquo;t submit the audition that changed everything</li>
<li>The reality of going years without booking acting work</li>
<li>How a hotel-room self tape (trash can + ring light included) helped land Reasonable Doubt</li>
<li>Being rejected from Howard&rsquo;s theater program &mdash; and why it became a blessing</li>
<li>How Howard University and Delta Sigma Theta shaped her identity and confidence</li>
<li>Working a demanding corporate role while producing films on the side</li>
<li>What producers actually do &mdash; and why the role is often misunderstood</li>
<li>Quitting Deloitte two weeks after buying a home and the fear that followed</li>
<li>Losing a series regular role after betting everything on acting</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
Key Takeaways
<ul>
<li>Rejection can be redirection &mdash; even when it stings</li>
<li>A pivot isn&rsquo;t failure &mdash; it&rsquo;s strategy</li>
<li>You don&rsquo;t need constant wins to be on the right path</li>
<li>Corporate skills can help fund and strengthen creative dreams</li>
<li>Seeds planted today may take years to bloom &mdash; and that&rsquo;s okay</li>
<li>Betting on yourself often feels reckless before it feels rewarding</li>
</ul>
&nbsp;
👉 Want more Brown Ambition?
&bull; Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes, behind-the-scenes content, and deeper dives into money, career, and entrepreneurship: Join the BA Fam! &bull; Follow us on Instagram @brownambitionpodcast for daily money and career tips, episode updates, and community conversations.

The Long Game: Rejection, Reinvention & Landing Reasonable Doubt [Replay]

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/c77d778b-ae1c-4d91-b0b3-b4090173787c/transcript

Hey BA fam! We're digging back in the BA vault for a classic Q&A. Pregnant Penny needs advice on how to ask for a raise while pregnant. From breaking down the importance of standing up for oneself to how to plan ahead of maternity leave, your financial sisters have it covered.

We want to hear from you! Drop us a note at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com or hit us up on Instagram @brownambitionpodcast

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey BA fam! We're digging back in the BA vault for a classic Q&amp;A. Pregnant Penny needs advice on how to ask for a raise while pregnant. From breaking down the importance of standing up for oneself to how to plan ahead of maternity leave, your financial sisters have it covered.
We want to hear from you! Drop us a note at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com or hit us up on Instagram @brownambitionpodcast
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a>
See <a href="https://omnystudio.com/listener">omnystudio.com/listener</a> for privacy information.

BA QA: How to Negotiate a Raise While Pregnant [Replay]

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/abe4a3d8-d63a-4cb4-a181-b40500cf2bad/transcript

Happy Women’s History Month, BA Fam! 🎉

In this powerful roundtable,Mandi Money sits down with money expert Bernadette Joy(author of Crush Your Money Goals) and financial freedom advocateKiersten Saunders of Rich & Regular for an honest, layered conversation about what it really looks like to build wealth as women—especially women of color—in today’s economy.

They break down:
The gap between entrepreneurship growth and actual funding
Why traditional wealth advice doesn’t always work for us
The pressure women face to overwork, over-explain, and over-give
How to stop overanalyzing and start executing

From angel investing to paying off debt, this episode is about rejecting average outcomes and creating a new playbook.

One takeaway: Do something today.
Move $10. Sell something. Update your budget. Just start.

Because building wealth isn’t about perfection,t’s about momentum.

 

Stay Connected  

- Email your questions: brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com.
- Send a voice note or DM on IG: @brownambitionpodcast 

Happy Women&rsquo;s History Month, BA Fam! 🎉
In this powerful roundtable,<a href="https://www.instagram.com/mandimoney/"> Mandi Money</a> sits down with money expert <a href="https://www.instagram.com/bernadebtjoy/">Bernadette Joy </a>(author of Crush Your Money Goals) and financial freedom advocate<a href="https://www.instagram.com/richandregular/"> Kiersten Saunders</a> of Rich &amp; Regular for an honest, layered conversation about what it really looks like to build wealth as women&mdash;especially women of color&mdash;in today&rsquo;s economy.
They break down:
<ul>
<li>The gap between entrepreneurship growth and actual funding</li>
<li>Why traditional wealth advice doesn&rsquo;t always work for us</li>
<li>The pressure women face to overwork, over-explain, and over-give</li>
<li>How to stop overanalyzing and start executing</li>
</ul>
From angel investing to paying off debt, this episode is about rejecting average outcomes and creating a new playbook.
One takeaway: Do something today. Move $10. Sell something. Update your budget. Just start.
Because building wealth isn&rsquo;t about perfection,t&rsquo;s about momentum.
&nbsp;
Stay Connected &nbsp;
- Email your questions: brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com. - Send a voice note or DM on IG: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/brownambitionpodcast">@brownambitionpodcast&nbsp;</a>

How Women of Color Build Wealth in a Broken System Ft. Bernadette Joy & Kiersten Saunders

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/a8a61fa0-6986-40f9-bd18-b40300bebcd4/transcript

Dr. Jatali Bellanton: From Med School Dreams to Big Bank Moves, Kids Who Bank—and Finding Her Washday Woosah

In 1 playlist(s)

Brown Ambition

Social links

Follow podcast

Recent clips