Brown Ambition

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

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Visit https://www.blackgirlsbreathing.com to learn more and access free mental health resources
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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."

👉 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.
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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.

This week on Brown Ambition, Mandi sits down with award-winning producer, filmmaker, and breakout actress Kiah Clingman for a powerful conversation about rejection, reinvention, and trusting the long game.
From getting rejected by Howard’s theater program to becoming a Howard alum who quietly built a producing empire… from working a demanding corporate job at Deloitte to quitting two weeks after getting a mortgage… from not booking an acting role for four years to landing a nine-episode arc on Hulu’s Reasonable Doubt — Kiah’s story is a masterclass in resilience, patience, and betting on yourself even when the timeline doesn’t make sense.
This episode is for anyone who’s ever wondered if they waited too long, started too late, or took the “wrong” path. Spoiler: you didn’t.

WHAT WE GET INTO
Why Kiah almost didn’t submit the audition that changed her life
The reality of going years without booking work as an actor
How a hotel-room self tape (trash can + ring light included) landed her Reasonable Doubt
Being rejected from Howard’s theater program — and why it turned out to be a blessing
How Howard University and Delta Sigma Theta shaped her identity and confidence
Working a high-pressure corporate job while producing films at night
What it really means to be a producer (and why people misunderstand the role)
Quitting Deloitte two weeks after buying a home — and the fear that followed
Losing a series regular role after putting it all on the line

KEY TAKEAWAYS
Rejection can be redirection — even when it hurts
Your “pivot” isn’t failure, it’s strategy
You don’t need constant wins to be on the right path
Corporate skills can fund and strengthen creative dreams
Seeds planted today may not bloom for years — 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.
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This week on Brown Ambition, MandiMoney is back with a simple, shame‑free money reset for 2026: 3 wealthy habits you can actually stick with, even when life is lifing. Instead of overhauling your entire financial life by February, this episode walks you through small, repeatable moves that quietly build wealth in the background—whether you’re fighting inflation, juggling childcare, stuck in a “starter” home, or piecing together entrepreneurial income.
👉 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.