The Journey with Morgan DeBaun

Feeling like you're working hard but your money isn't working for you? You're not alone. In today's episode, I'm breaking down five money moves that will quietly make you very, very wealthy and none of them require you to go viral, get lucky, or grind yourself into the ground.
I'm talking dividend stocks (aka mailbox money), building a paid community, creating digital products with AI, setting up your affiliate business, and finally charging people to pick your brain. These are the exact strategies I use across WorkSmart, Afro Tech, and my own personal portfolio — and the math is simpler than you think.
This episode is for you if you're part of the 80% who doesn't have a side hustle yet, if you're recommending products without affiliate links (in 2026?!), or if you're letting people pick your brain for free. We're done with that. I'll walk you through real numbers, real platforms, and how to actually get started this week.
Links mentioned:
Join the WorkSmart community — https://www.patreon.com/MorganDeBaun
Get my book, Rewrite Your Rules — https://www.amazon.com/Rewrite-Your-Rules-Achieve-Freedom/dp/0593725050/
ShopMy storefront — https://shopmy.us/shop/morgandebaun
TikTok — https://www.tiktok.com/@morgandebaun
Money Worksheets & Budgets - https://stan.store/morgandebaun
Watch the show on youtube - https://www.youtube.com/@MorganDeBaun

Discover how Morgan DeBaun, CEO of Blavity and AfroTech, built her diverse income streams from the ground up. Whether you're starting with little or aiming to diversify your earnings, this episode offers actionable insights to grow your wealth.
In this episode:
Morgan shares her personal journey from investing at age 13 to building multiple income streams
How to leverage your expertise for brand deals, speaking engagements, and consulting
The importance of passive income through stocks, ETFs, and real estate
Strategies for scaling and diversifying income based on your capital and time availability
Practical tips for beginners to start their own income streams today
Timestamps:
 00:00 - Morgan introduces her nine streams of income and why they matter
01:00 - Starting early: Investing in stocks at age 13 and foundational money lessons
02:30 - Building wealth through W-2 salary, 401k, RSUs, and stock appreciation
04:00 - How Morgan secures brand deals with major tech companies and tips for becoming an expert
05:15 - Generating income via speaking engagements and training sessions
06:30 - Creating and selling educational workshops under the WorkSmart brand
07:45 - Monetizing content through Substack and book writing tips
08:30 - Rental properties as a long-term asset and passive income source
09:15 - Affiliate marketing and small-scale revenue streams
09:50 - Choosing income streams based on capital or time constraints
10:20 - Final thoughts: Building wealth with strategic diversification
 
Resources & Links:
Morgan DeBaun's Book: Rewrite Your Rules 
Blavity
AfroTech
AI mastery Training
Passive Income Blueprint
Twitter
LinkedIn

In this episode of The Journey, Morgan sits down with King Willonius — comedian, screenwriter, and creator of the viral "BBL Drizzy" track — to unpack how AI is transforming creativity, music, and culture. King shares his unconventional path into AI during the writer's strike, how one playful idea turned into the first-ever AI sample in music history, and why he sees AI as a creative superpower for artists who've already put in their 10,000 hours.
Together, they explore:
- The story behind BBL Drizzy and how it went from a joke to a Drake sample.
- Why AI didn't replace King's creativity — it amplified decades of work.
- The debate: should AI-generated songs be valued the same as human-made music?
- The rise of AI-created artists and what that means for representation, ownership, and opportunity.
- How AI can democratize creativity, especially for Black creators who've been historically boxed out of traditional industries. 
This is a wide-ranging, funny, and thought-provoking conversation about art, culture, and what it means to create in the age of AI.
Order Morgan's Book, Rewrite Your Rules: https://www.amazon.com/Rewrite-Your-Rules-Achieve-Freedom/dp/0593725050
Join the Newsletter for Exclusive Content: https://worksmartprogram.ac-page.com/thejourneypodcast
Follow Morgan on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morgandebaun
Follow The Journey on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thejourneybymdb

AfroTech is more than a conference—it's a movement. In this episode of The Journey, Morgan DeBaun pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to scale one of the largest Black tech communities in the world.
From its humble beginnings in a San Francisco mall to hosting 20,000+ attendees in Houston, AfroTech has grown into a global ecosystem of technologists, founders, small business owners, and creators. Morgan shares the highs and lows of expansion, how the team chooses host cities, and the new initiatives shaping the future of AfroTech.
Whether you're an entrepreneur, event organizer, or just curious about what it takes to run a world-class experience, this candid behind-the-scenes look will inspire and inform.
In this episode:
- Why AfroTech moved from San Francisco to Texas
- How city infrastructure and community partnerships shape the conference
- What's new in 2025: Health Stack, small business marketplace, creator track, and hardware demos
- The role of AI, equity, and community in shaping the future of tech
- How AfroTech keeps attendee experience at the center, no matter the scale
👀 AfroTech isn't just an event—it's a blueprint for building community, ownership, and innovation at scale.

AI isn't slowing down — it's accelerating. Reports warn that up to 50% of entry-level white-collar jobs could be replaced by AI agents and automation by 2030. So what does that mean for you, your career, and your future?
In this episode of The Journey, Morgan DeBaun breaks down what AI agents really are, why companies are shifting away from entry-level roles, and how you can future-proof your skills, income, and security.
Morgan shares:
Why CEOs are quietly replacing workers with AI

What AI agents actually do (and how they're evolving fast)

The risk for white-collar and knowledge workers in the next 5 years

Why "fractional work" and solopreneurship are becoming the new normal

How to position yourself inside your company to avoid layoffs

The timeless human skills AI can never replace



This is a real talk episode — both a warning and an invitation. You have time to prepare, adapt, and thrive if you act intentionally now.
👀 Don't just listen. Take action. Be the person who leads change, not the one left behind.
Order Morgan's Book, Rewrite Your Rules
👉 https://www.amazon.com/Rewrite-Your-Rules-Achieve-Freedom/dp/0593725050
Join the Newsletter for Exclusive Content:
👉 https://worksmartprogram.ac-page.com/thejourneypodcast
Follow Morgan on TikTok:
👉 https://www.tiktok.com/@morgandebaun
Follow The Journey on Instagram:
👉 https://instagram.com/thejourneybymdb