Brown Ambition

Mandi is back for a solo BA Q&A, answering a juicy listener question about balancing student loans, grad school, a possible home move, and a new car payment—all while chasing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF). She breaks down how PSLF *actually* works, why “qualifying payments” matter so much, and when it can make sense to pause extra payments and redirect cash toward savings and other priorities instead.
What we dive into:

- How PSLF really works and what counts as a qualifying payment.
- Whether you should keep paying loans that are in in-school deferment.
- How to prioritize between:
- Building a 3–6 month emergency fund.
- Saving for moving and homebuying costs.
- Paying down a high car note.
- Why three months of savings may no longer be enough in today’s economy.
- Practical next steps to confirm your PSLF status and get your paperwork right.
Listener Question Highlight
Sydney, a 34‑year‑old nurse working toward PSLF, asks whether she should keep making a $500 monthly student loan payment while her loans are in deferment—or pause to focus on savings, a future move, and her car note.
Links:
Federal student aid and PSLF info: studentaid.gov
Stay Connected
- Email your questions: [email protected].
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This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi is joined by author, activist, and democracy defender Stacey Abrams for a powerful, timely, and deeply grounding conversation about where we are as a country and what we can actually do about it.
Recorded during a moment of collective grief, fear, and exhaustion, this episode centers honesty over platitudes and action over despair. Stacey breaks down her 10 Steps Campaign, explains how authoritarianism takes root in real time, and offers a clear framework for resistance, resilience, and rebuilding without pretending this moment isn’t heavy.
Together, Mandi and Stacey talk about protecting your peace without disengaging, finding joy as an act of resistance, navigating financial shame and career disruption, and why your power doesn’t disappear just because your platform changes.
If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, frozen, or unsure where to start this conversation is for you.

What We Get Into
Why this moment feels heavier and why that feeling is by design
Stacey Abrams’ 10 Steps to Autocracy and how to recognize them in real time
The 10 Steps to Freedom & Power and how everyday people can activate them
Why we can’t return to “how things were” and must demand something better
How to talk to your kids about what’s happening without passing down fear
What to do when you’re exhausted, caregiving, working, and barely holding it together
Why joy is not escapism — it’s resistance
Financial shame, job loss, and why debt is not a moral failure
Stacey’s unsexy but life-changing money habits
Building freedom funds, changing lanes, and investing in yourself and others
Government shutdowns, budgets, and why “business as usual” no longer applies
Why status is no longer safety and what collective action really looks like

Key Takeaways
You don’t have to do everything — but you do have to do something
Your position may change, but your power stays with you
Nonviolent resistance is effective — and it’s not the same as being passive
Financial setbacks don’t cancel your dreams; they may redirect them
Democracy isn’t abstract — it’s about our ability to thrive

Resources Mentioned
Stacey Abrams’ 10 Steps Campaign
Assembly Required podcast
Level Up by Stacey Abrams
Stacey Abrams’ children’s book series (Stacey Speaks Up)
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This week, I'm revisitng my interview with the brilliant Jasmine Marie breathwork practitioner, founder of Black Girls Breathing, and author of Black Girls Breathing: Heal from Trauma, Combat Stress, and Find Your Freedom. From surviving the corporate grind to creating wellness spaces rooted in cultural relevance, Jasmine gets real about her journey into entrepreneurship, healing work, and what it truly takes to hold space for Black women’s mental and emotional wellbeing.
We talk about everything from the power of a deep breath and surviving burnout, to funding a business on your own terms and growing a team the *smart* way. Jasmine even leads us through a mini oceanic breath session at the end — don’t miss it
We talk about:
- Jasmine’s transition from corporate beauty marketing to breathwork and mental wellness
- Why most wellness spaces *don’t* center Black women's lived experiences — and what she's doing about it
- Building a company without VC funding: how Jasmine bootstrapped and scaled BGB
- The importance of listening to your body (and your breath) when trauma speaks
- Balancing healing work with entrepreneurship and how not to burn out
- Tools in Jasmine’s toolkit: EMDR therapy, acupuncture, daily walks, and more
- Real talk on grief, generational trauma, and creating new blueprints for Black wellness

Join the Movement:
Visit https://www.blackgirlsbreathing.com to learn more and access free mental health resources
- Follow Jasmine on IG @blackgirlsbreathing
- Subscribe to *Brown Ambition* and leave us a 5-star review if this episode gave you life!
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In this episode of Brown Ambition, host Mandi Woodruff-Santos dives into the pressing financial trends of 2026, focusing on inflation, interest rates, the job market, and student loans. Mandi emphasizes the importance of understanding these trends and how they impact personal finances, encouraging listeners to adopt manageable habits to protect their financial well-being. She highlights the significance of tracking spending, conducting inflation audits, and being proactive about budgeting to navigate the economic landscape effectively.
Mandi also discusses the challenges posed by rising interest rates and the cooling job market, particularly due to AI-driven layoffs. She advocates for a 'career resilience hour' where listeners can research industry trends and network to enhance their job security. Additionally, she addresses the looming issue of student loan wage garnishment, urging listeners to stay informed about their loan status and take proactive steps to manage their debt. By the end of the episode, listeners are equipped with actionable strategies to take control of their finances amidst these economic challenges.

WHAT WE GET INTO
Introduction and Overview of 2026 Financial Goals
Understanding Inflation and Its Impact
Interest Rates: What to Expect in 2026
The Job Market and AI: Navigating Changes
Student Loans: Preparing for Wage Garnishment
Conclusion and Actionable Steps for Financial Control


KEY TAKEAWAYS
"We want to get that money in what I love about the success of that episode is how simplistic a lot of what I discussed in that episode truly is."
"You do control how you budget, how you save, how you prepare for your career and how you respond when the economy starts acting up."
"Lifestyle creep is the biggest killer of wealth, okay?"
"If you are lucky enough to see an increase in your income for 2026, look at how you are using those extra resources."
"We have to bring it back to what those goals and that vision for ourselves in 2026 want and how can we actually feed those goals."

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This week on Brown Ambition’s Friday BA QA, Mandi answers a listener question that hits right at the intersection of money, values, and activism. A listener asks: If we’re boycotting a company, should we also sell the stock?
Using Target as a real-life example, Mandi breaks down what it really means to invest during a boycott, the difference between individual stocks and index funds, and why long-term investing often requires emotional discipline. She also dives into the ethics of investing, socially responsible portfolios, and how to decide when holding — or selling — is the right move for you.
As always, this is not financial advice — but it is real talk about aligning your money with your values.
👉 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.
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.