Brown Buzz is back! Mandi breaks down the Nikole Hannah-Jones school-choice debate, the latest in the Nolan Wells case, why the AI job apocalypse may be more complicated than it sounds, and what SAVE borrowers need to do now.

In this episode
•    Nikole Hannah-Jones, school segregation, and the emotional cost of impossible parenting choices
•    Why repair and accountability matter after harm
•    The latest in the Nolan Wells case
•    The AI “boomerang” trend and how to strengthen your career resilience
•    What SAVE borrowers need to do now
•    Kennedy Ryan’s major adaptation news

BA Fam action steps
•    Parents: Review what your child is bringing home from school, ask questions, document concerns, and organize with other families when systems are not meeting students’ needs.
•    Workers: Update your résumé with business outcomes, build fluency with the AI tools relevant to your industry.
•    SAVEborrowers: Check your StudentAid.gov and loan-servicer accounts, find your individual transition deadline, compare repayment options, and submit an application before that deadline.

RESOURCES:
Explore federal income-driven repayment options
SAVE-plan transition information
🎁 FREE LINK to "In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own? By Nikole Hannah-Jones

Brown Buzz is back! Mandi breaks down the Nikole Hannah-Jones school-choice debate, the latest in the Nolan Wells case, why the AI job apocalypse may be more complicated than it sounds, and what SAVE borrowers need to do now.
In this episode &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Nikole Hannah-Jones, school segregation, and the emotional cost of impossible parenting choices &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Why repair and accountability matter after harm &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;The latest in the Nolan Wells case &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;The AI &ldquo;boomerang&rdquo; trend and how to strengthen your career resilience &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;What SAVE borrowers need to do now &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Kennedy Ryan&rsquo;s major adaptation news
BA Fam action steps &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Parents: Review what your child is bringing home from school, ask questions, document concerns, and organize with other families when systems are not meeting students&rsquo; needs. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;Workers: Update your r&eacute;sum&eacute; with business outcomes, build fluency with the AI tools relevant to your industry. &bull; &nbsp; &nbsp;SAVE borrowers: Check your StudentAid.gov and loan-servicer accounts, find your individual transition deadline, compare repayment options, and submit an application before that deadline.
RESOURCES:
<ul>
<li>Explore <a href="https://studentaid.gov/idr">federal income-driven repayment options</a></li>
<li><a href="https://mohela.studentaid.gov/DL/resourceCenter/SAVEPlanFaq.aspx">SAVE-plan transition information</a></li>
<li>🎁 FREE LINK to "<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/09/20/magazine/ny-public-schools-black-students-segregation.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ClE.7xhC.Bzz0wv67R3lR&amp;smid=url-share">In Fighting for Every Black Child, Did I Betray My Own?</a> By Nikole Hannah-Jones</li>
</ul>

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

Brown Buzz: Nikole Hannah-Jones, Nolan Wells & AI Jobs

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/d07e86ef-27b4-4942-8af7-b4cf017ce0c6/transcript

What if getting ahead didn’t require you to outwork, outperform, or out-hustle everyone around you?

This week, we’re revisiting Mandi's  conversation 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 the toxic myth that somebody else’s win has to mean your loss—and offer a more sustainable path to ambition rooted in community, self-trust, rest, and collaboration.

They also get real about career comparison, envy, burnout, anxiety, and the pressure to keep proving yourself in a world that constantly tells women to do more. If you’ve ever watched someone else land the opportunity you wanted and immediately wondered whether you need to work harder, be better, or push yourself past your limits, this episode is for you.

📘 About the Guest

Ruchika T. Malhotra (she/her) is a globally recognized inclusion strategist, speaker, and founder of CANDOR, a consulting practice helping organizations build equitable and inclusive workplaces. Her latest book, Uncompete, challenges the myth that success must come from rivalry and invites us to build from a place of joy, rest, and abundance.

Follow Ruchika:
Instagram: @rtulshyan
Website: ruchikatulshyan.com

📚 Resources Mentioned
Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Radical Success — available November 4

What if getting ahead didn&rsquo;t require you to outwork, outperform, or out-hustle everyone around you?
This week, we&rsquo;re revisiting Mandi's&nbsp; conversation with leadership and inclusion strategist <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rtulshyan/">Ruchika T. Malhotra</a> &mdash; author of <a href="https://www.ruchika.co/uncompete-book">Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Radical Success</a>. In a world obsessed with winning, Ruchika&rsquo;s message is a breath of fresh air: true success comes from rest, collaboration, and community not from constant competition.
Together, they unpack the toxic myth that somebody else&rsquo;s win has to mean your loss&mdash;and offer a more sustainable path to ambition rooted in community, self-trust, rest, and collaboration.
They also get real about career comparison, envy, burnout, anxiety, and the pressure to keep proving yourself in a world that constantly tells women to do more. If you&rsquo;ve ever watched someone else land the opportunity you wanted and immediately wondered whether you need to work harder, be better, or push yourself past your limits, this episode is for you.
📘 About the Guest
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/rtulshyan/">Ruchika T. Malhotra</a> (she/her) is a globally recognized inclusion strategist, speaker, and founder of CANDOR, a consulting practice helping organizations build equitable and inclusive workplaces. Her latest book, Uncompete, challenges the myth that success must come from rivalry and invites us to build from a place of joy, rest, and abundance.
Follow Ruchika:
<ul>
<li>Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/rtulshyan/">@rtulshyan</a></li>
<li>Website: <a href="https://ruchikatulshyan.com/">ruchikatulshyan.com</a></li>
</ul>
📚 Resources Mentioned
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.ruchika.co/uncompete-book">Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Radical Success &mdash; available November 4</a></li>
</ul>

Build a Career You Don’t Have to Compete for ft. Ruchika T. Malhotra

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/61726efd-e286-4b2f-86ea-b4e3001564d3/transcript

This week on Brown Buzz, Mandi Money is breaking down the headlines shaping our money, careers, culture, and everyday lives. First up, LeBron James’s reported $15 million partnership with Polymarket raises questions about the growing popularity of prediction markets and how these platforms are marketed to people who may already feel financially behind. Mandi explains how prediction markets work, why the line between trading and gambling deserves a closer look, and what you should know about protecting your money if you use these apps.

Then, Mandi celebrates some major Black business wins, including Carol’s Daughter founder Lisa Price returning to an ownership role in the brand she built from her Brooklyn kitchen. She also dives into the Ebony Power 100 list and shares a reminder for anyone who has ever felt overlooked: someone else’s recognition is not evidence that your work is small.

Plus, Mandi breaks down what rising home heating costs could mean for your winter budget, gives CultureCon founder Imani Ellis her flowers for responding to attendee feedback, and celebrates authors Tayari Jones and Julie Leung for their literary accomplishments.

 

In this episode, we discuss:


LeBron James and the prediction market boom: What Polymarket is, how these platforms work, and why celebrity endorsements can make risky financial products feel more legitimate.


When betting gets dressed up as investing: The potential risks of prediction markets, crypto security concerns, and why these apps should never be treated as a savings plan or side hustle.


Lisa Price and the return to Carol’s Daughter: What her return to an ownership role means for the founder of a pioneering Black beauty brand and the legacy she built.


The Ebony Power 100 list: Celebrating Black excellence without allowing industry awards and recognition to determine your sense of accomplishment.


Winter heating costs: What projected increases in home heating expenses could mean for your household budget, plus practical ways to reduce energy costs.


CultureCon and founder accountability: Why Mandi is giving Imani Ellis and her team credit for listening to attendee feedback and making changes.


A Brown Boost for Black and women authors: Celebrating Tayari Jones’s literary achievement with Kin and Julie Leung’s work as a children's book author.

Resources and reminders:


If you use prediction market apps, enable two-factor authentication, use unique passwords, and never keep rent money or emergency savings in a betting account.


Explore ways to lower your winter energy bills, including weatherstripping doors and windows, sealing drafts, and improving attic insulation.


Remember: your work matters even when the spotlight hasn't found you yet.

Listener question CTA

Have a money or career question for a future Brown Buzz? Email brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com or send a DM to @brownambitionpodcast.

This week on&nbsp;Brown Buzz, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mandimoney/">Mandi Money</a> is breaking down the headlines shaping our money, careers, culture, and everyday lives. First up, LeBron James&rsquo;s reported $15 million partnership with Polymarket raises questions about the growing popularity of prediction markets and how these platforms are marketed to people who may already feel financially behind. Mandi explains how prediction markets work, why the line between trading and gambling deserves a closer look, and what you should know about protecting your money if you use these apps.
Then, Mandi celebrates some major Black business wins, including Carol&rsquo;s Daughter founder Lisa Price returning to an ownership role in the brand she built from her Brooklyn kitchen. She also dives into the Ebony Power 100 list and shares a reminder for anyone who has ever felt overlooked: someone else&rsquo;s recognition is not evidence that your work is small.
Plus, Mandi breaks down what rising home heating costs could mean for your winter budget, gives CultureCon founder Imani Ellis her flowers for responding to attendee feedback, and celebrates authors Tayari Jones and Julie Leung for their literary accomplishments.
&nbsp;
In this episode, we discuss:
<ul>
<li>
LeBron James and the prediction market boom: What Polymarket is, how these platforms work, and why celebrity endorsements can make risky financial products feel more legitimate.
</li>
<li>
When betting gets dressed up as investing: The potential risks of prediction markets, crypto security concerns, and why these apps should never be treated as a savings plan or side hustle.
</li>
<li>
Lisa Price and the return to Carol&rsquo;s Daughter: What her return to an ownership role means for the founder of a pioneering Black beauty brand and the legacy she built.
</li>
<li>
The Ebony Power 100 list: Celebrating Black excellence without allowing industry awards and recognition to determine your sense of accomplishment.
</li>
<li>
Winter heating costs: What projected increases in home heating expenses could mean for your household budget, plus practical ways to reduce energy costs.
</li>
<li>
CultureCon and founder accountability: Why Mandi is giving Imani Ellis and her team credit for listening to attendee feedback and making changes.
</li>
<li>
A Brown Boost for Black and women authors: Celebrating Tayari Jones&rsquo;s literary achievement with Kin and Julie Leung&rsquo;s work as a children's book author.
</li>
</ul>
Resources and reminders:
<ul>
<li>
If you use prediction market apps, enable two-factor authentication, use unique passwords, and never keep rent money or emergency savings in a betting account.
</li>
<li>
Explore ways to lower your winter energy bills, including weatherstripping doors and windows, sealing drafts, and improving attic insulation.
</li>
<li>
Remember: your work matters even when the spotlight hasn't found you yet.
</li>
</ul>
Listener question CTA
Have a money or career question for a future Brown Buzz? Email brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com or send a DM to @brownambitionpodcast.

Brown Buzz:  Prediction Markets, Black Business Wins & Rising Heating Costs

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/f138e4ad-dad1-4afc-8226-b4de00a379e3/transcript

What happens when you grow up knowing what it feels like to not have enough money?

For La La Anthony, that feeling became part of the fuel behind her ambition. Raised by a single mom, La La learned early that she wanted to build a life where she could take care of herself and never have to feel guilty about asking for money. That independent spirit eventually took her from an unpaid radio internship at 16 to a career spanning radio, acting, producing, entrepreneurship, fashion, and philanthropy.

In this episode of Brown Ambition, Mandi Money sits down with La La to talk about the money lessons she had to learn the hard way, from spending her first paychecks on things that made her look successful to negotiating an $80,000 salary at just 18 without a lawyer or agent. La La gets candid about what it took to understand her worth, why she believes you have to stay involved in your finances even when you have financial professionals managing your money, and why asking questions is a critical part of becoming financially literate.

Mandi and La La also talk about building wealth as a Black entrepreneur, the importance of access and capital for Black and brown founders, and La La's growing interest in supporting innovative businesses. Plus, La La opens up about raising her son Kiyan to understand the importance of paying attention to his money from a young age, and the ongoing challenge of learning how to balance a relentless work ethic with rest, family, and actually enjoying the life she's worked so hard to build.

In this episode, we get into:

• How growing up without much money shaped La La's entrepreneurial spirit
• The lessons she learned from her first paychecks and early money mistakes
• Why knowing your worth matters when negotiating your salary and contracts
• The importance of being actively involved in your finances, even when you have a financial team
• Why financial literacy also means being willing to admit what you don't know
• Supporting Black and brown founders who don't have easy access to startup capital
• Teaching the next generation about saving, investing, and financial responsibility
• The tension between ambition, work ethic, motherhood, and making time to actually live
• Learning to give yourself grace when you're figuring it all out

La La's biggest money lesson? Give yourself grace. None of us get a roadmap for being an entrepreneur, a parent, an employee, or simply trying to build a life that feels good. We're all learning as we go.

What happens when you grow up knowing what it feels like to not have enough money?
For <a href="https://www.instagram.com/lala/">La La Anthony</a>, that feeling became part of the fuel behind her ambition. Raised by a single mom, La La learned early that she wanted to build a life where she could take care of herself and never have to feel guilty about asking for money. That independent spirit eventually took her from an unpaid radio internship at 16 to a career spanning radio, acting, producing, entrepreneurship, fashion, and philanthropy.
In this episode of Brown Ambition, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/mandimoney/">Mandi Money</a> sits down with La La to talk about the money lessons she had to learn the hard way, from spending her first paychecks on things that made her look successful to negotiating an $80,000 salary at just 18 without a lawyer or agent. La La gets candid about what it took to understand her worth, why she believes you have to stay involved in your finances even when you have financial professionals managing your money, and why asking questions is a critical part of becoming financially literate.
Mandi and La La also talk about building wealth as a Black entrepreneur, the importance of access and capital for Black and brown founders, and La La's growing interest in supporting innovative businesses. Plus, La La opens up about raising her son Kiyan to understand the importance of paying attention to his money from a young age, and the ongoing challenge of learning how to balance a relentless work ethic with rest, family, and actually enjoying the life she's worked so hard to build.
In this episode, we get into:
&bull; How growing up without much money shaped La La's entrepreneurial spirit &bull; The lessons she learned from her first paychecks and early money mistakes &bull; Why knowing your worth matters when negotiating your salary and contracts &bull; The importance of being actively involved in your finances, even when you have a financial team &bull; Why financial literacy also means being willing to admit what you don't know &bull; Supporting Black and brown founders who don't have easy access to startup capital &bull; Teaching the next generation about saving, investing, and financial responsibility &bull; The tension between ambition, work ethic, motherhood, and making time to actually live &bull; Learning to give yourself grace when you're figuring it all out
La La's biggest money lesson? Give yourself grace. None of us get a roadmap for being an entrepreneur, a parent, an employee, or simply trying to build a life that feels good. We're all learning as we go.

La La Anthony on Money, Motherhood, and Making Ends Meet

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/1fc18e51-a86d-40ec-a2b9-b4dc0097123e/transcript

Brown Buzz: Nikole Hannah-Jones, Nolan Wells & AI Jobs

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