Brown Ambition

In this week's BA Q&A Mandi is getting real about reinvention, risk, and responsibility. A listener in her 50s is ready to pivot careers but she’s not trying to blow up her financial “safety” to do it. In this economy? Whew. The fear is valid. But as Mandi reminds us, a pivot doesn’t have to be reckless to be powerful.
She breaks down how to make bold moves without making jarring ones:
Set a minimum salary floor so you know your non-negotiables

Max out your retirement catch-up contributions (don’t play about your future)

Build savings while creating a real plan to tackle debt strategically

And most importantly, pivot in stages (you don’t have to leap without a net)

Then she dives into part two of the question: facing down $45,000 in debt. Mandi shares practical best practices for staying ahead of debt, the mindset shifts required, and the common obstacles that trip people up from lifestyle creep to inconsistent income to avoidance.
Take a listen. Take notes. And remember, BA Fam—we don’t panic pivot, we plan pivot.
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Stay Connected
- Email your questions: [email protected].
- Send a voice note or DM on IG: @brownambitionpodcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi is joined by the one & only Tiffany “The Budgetnista” Aliche and it feels like a homecoming.
Tiffany is back to catch us up on everything happening behind the scenes. From exciting updates about the evolution (and new name!) of the Live Richer Academy to the release of the paperback edition of her New York Times bestselling book Get Good With Money, she shares what this current season of life and business looks like.
But this conversation goes deeper than accolades and announcements.Mandi and Tiffany take a walk down memory lane, reflecting on the early days of Brown Ambition and the foundation that built the BA community we know today. Then the conversation shifts into something more personal and powerful. Tiffany opens up about her ongoing journey with grief, how it has reshaped her perspective, and what healing looks like in real time.
And because this is BA, we also get the tea on what’s next including what Tiffany is cooking up for her next book.This episode is heartfelt, reflective, and full circle. For the OG BA Fam, it truly feels like coming back home.
Stay Connected
- Email your questions: [email protected].
- Send a voice note or DM on IG: @brownambitionpodcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this week’s BA Q&A Mandi answers a listener question that gets straight to the point: How do employers actually verify where we’ve worked and what information are they collecting about us behind the scenes.
We dive into the world of work verification and big data, including platforms like WorkMarket, and unpack how employers confirm employment history, income, and background details in today’s digital-first hiring process.

In this episode, we cover:
How employers verify past employment
What WorkMarket is and how it fits into the hiring ecosystem
The role of big data in background checks
How to review, protect, and correct your employment data
Because being financially informed also means being data-aware.

Stay Connected
- Email your questions: [email protected].
- Send a voice note or DM on IG: @brownambitionpodcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of Brown Ambition, MandiMoney sits down with actor, content creator, and entrepreneur Kaisha Huguley (aka Kaisha Creates) for a real conversation about layoffs, self-belief, and choosing yourself—especially when the plan falls apart. Kaisha opens up about being laid off from her 9–5, navigating seasonal depression, and the mindset shifts that helped her bet on herself and build multiple income streams. From acting and content creation to brand deals and financial planning with a partner, this episode is packed with honesty, strategy, and encouragement for anyone moving through an uncertain career season.
Whether you’ve been laid off, are considering entrepreneurship, or just need a reminder that your worth isn’t tied to a job title this one’s for you.

What We Get Into
00:00 – Introduction & personal reflections
00:37 – Welcome to Brown Ambition
00:47 – Meet today’s guest: Kaisha Huguley
01:01 – Kisha’s journey & career coaching work
02:06 – A word for listeners navigating layoffs
03:13 – Celebrating Brown Ambition’s renewal
04:14 –Kaisha s layoff story
07:18 – Choosing full-time entrepreneurship
09:43 – Balancing acting & content creation
16:12 – Seasonal depression & career uncertainty
24:20 – Teaching, social media, and staying afloat
28:52 – Pitching yourself & securing brand deals
40:47 – Corporate burnout & workplace realities
42:03 – Choosing entrepreneurship every day
43:39 – Financial uncertainty & faith in the process
44:30 – Podcasting, debt payoff & money transparency
45:21 – Financial planning as a couple
55:31 – Managing money as an entrepreneur
57:17 – Retirement, investing & long-term planning
01:09:32 – Reflecting on the entrepreneurial journey
01:13:42 – Gratitude, community & paying it forward
01:16:30 – Final thoughts & wrap-up

Key Takeaways
A layoff can be an ending and a beginning
Self-belief is a muscle—you build it through action
Multiple income streams don’t mean chaos when you plan intentionally
Mental health and financial health go hand in hand
Entrepreneurship is a daily choice, not a one-time leap
Stay Connected
- Email your questions: [email protected].
- Send a voice note or DM on IG: @brownambitionpodcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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].
- Send a voice note or DM on IG: @brownambitionpodcast
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.