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

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.

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?

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.

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.

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. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.