Hey, hey, hey, it's tax Day. So a bunch of y'all have hit Mandy and I up, so welcome. If you're new, it's brown ambition. You knew that because you
click the link. A bunch of y'all have hit up Mandy and I because the Senate, Like I was chilling on a Friday night Saturday morning doing what I usually do, nothing and I was on Twitter, i know, pooh, and there was this trending hashtag tax bill scam and I was like what, So I clicked on it and apparently the Senate was voting on their version of the tax bill, and people were not happy because, according to you know, basically all the Democratic senators, they had just been given
this hugely overhauled, five hundred page document to read within like just a few hours, which is like impossible, and so many of the things were handwritten in which I thought was crazy. I mean, you can't handwrite a college paper, let alone like a bill that's going to affect all Americans. So go ahead.
I'm just gonna say, so does that the scene like the context of this? So the House so basically the House's Senate worked on their own versions of the bills. Yeah, and they started out and they actually have done more work in terms of due process than they did on health reform. Like they actually took the bills in each house, it to committee, the committee passes it, and then it goes to the floor of the House, and the Senate's version goes from committee to the floor of the Senate
for a vote. And this one was super high stakes because the House had already passed its version of the tax bill. So the fact that the Senate has now passed it, that's why it's a big deal. Now on now that the Senate has passed it, they are supposed to get together and work out their differences to create one whole version of the tax bill. So it's not over yet. Yeah, but I'm glad that folks are getting like paying attention now. I'm like, just the time.
Well, it's not over yet, but what's scary is how much they're similar in the bad ways, you know, And so we're going to go over some of the ones. Like So what I did was as I was like, you know, chilling, and I won't say I wasn't doing anything. I was like hanging out my best friend's house meanwhile researching tax reform and stuff, and so as I was reading, and I was like, I was really trying to understand, Okay, so what's in this bill? Because everyone kept saying it's
the death of the middle class. And but I'm like, okay, but I don't. You know, obviously I'm not going to read five hundred pages tonight. So where can I find a really great article or the number of articles that will really help me to understand what's in this Senate bill? And then helped me to see what's in the house
built and co person to the Senate bill. So I found a couple of great articles, but especially one by the Washington Post, and so I created like this, like and we'll put it on brown Ambition on the Facebook page.
I could be offended that you didn't link to the Magnified Money.
I know, I wasn't even thinking. I was just like, wait what, And so I was like, you know what, you know, the teacher in me was like, let me break this down into like easily consumable points. So, I mean, as you probably can guess, for businesses aka corporations, I mean, it's like, you know, it's birthday, Christmas, anniversary time for them. So there for the tax rate for big businesses would fall from thirty five percent to twenty percent. That's tremendous,
Like I don't even know. That's the largest reduction like basically almost ever, and it would be we would be lower, our corporate tax rate would be lower than any other form nation, So like fifteen whole percent. And what's so crazy to me is like, yeah, so corporations kind of have the money. But whatever, let's see some other things for corporations that we're like, Oh, the bill shifts the tax system on businesses from a worldwide system to a
territorial system. So with the worldwide system, companies are taxed on all income earned all around the world, and a territorial system, they're mainly taxed on their earning in the US. So not only are they getting a lower tax rate, they're not even getting taxed on all of their money that they're making everywhere. So it's less money for the United States government to manage, because you know, taxes are the purpose of taxes are for so the country can
run itself. So the richest parts of our country, which are the corporations, are not only getting a tax break of fifteen percent, they're also not going to get tax according to this bill, that's what they're requesting, not going to get taxed on, like all of the money that they make. I mean, how nice for them, right, and what even go ahead?
I'm just going to say that the clearest winner from the tax bill, you can't argue it's big businesses like corporations, and people are wondering, like what does it mean for me? And it's hard to say. I mean, it's like some people in the middle class might actually see their taxes reduced a little bit, but a lot of people like it's like they're saying it's tax cuts, right, But I hate how Republicans say that it's tax cuts without also qualifying that something had to give in order to pay
massive tax cuts. Yeah, and then what are we losing? Because you can't just focus on is my income bracket going to change, which it probably will under this bill, maybe lower made higher, but like what deductions are they getting rid of? That the middle A lot of families, a lot of individuals were used to having to counteract their tax burden.
So because it's like if corporations are paying less, who's paying more? There's no like that's just the nature of the world. As something goes down, something has to go up. So the government is not just going to say, hey, we'll just operate at ten trillion dollars left. That's not happening.
So that's what and what really disturbed me is that the proposed bill for the Senate that that this bill would make the permanent, these tax cuts for corporations would be permanent, and whatever tax breaks that they were going to issue, you know, regular people would expire twenty twenty six, so our little breaks would expire and theirs would not.
That's like, wow, oh, must be nice. The rich also don't make out too badly either, because I mean they're they're I think the top rate for millionaires would fall from thirty nine point six to thirty eight point five percent. They get to keep deducting contribution to charity. So the point that pisses me off is they get to make deductions. But there's a part in here where they're literally cutting
like all itemization. Like I live in New Jersey, so I itemize meaning like I'm like, oh, you know I bought this thing for work, or I you know, I travel for So you're and not talking about for me as a business, but me as Tiffany. So, so many people, especially in New Jersey and California and states like that, they itemize. So I think they said about a third of Americans itemized, you know, their deductions, and they're trying to basically get rid of that, which is crazy to me,
especially in high tax states like New Jersey. So the wealthy continues to deduct their contributions to charity, which is great, but we get to lose itemization. Like that's I'm just like, it's not all bad news, but it's thinly veiled what seems like not so bad news. But when you really dig deep, you're like, oh, so healthcare. So they're basically defunding Obamacare.
Yeah, it's like yeah, So the way that they're doing it is so we all know that what Obamacare created the individual mandates, which basically said every American has to have healthcare or face a tax penalty. And the first year Obamacare came out, it was like, what zero, Then it went up every year after that. But it's meant to it's meant to ensure that there's enough young, healthy people in the insurance market to counteract the older sick people.
And when not enough young people and healthy people are in the market paying their insurance premiums. The cost of insurance is so much higher for everyone else, so it's important to get the mix right. So the individual mandate was like a with like a key feature of Obamacare because it was going to prevent young people from not signing up give them some sort of incentive. I mean, it's like the care and the stick kind of thing.
So with the proposed tax reform from the GOP, they would have removed that individual mandate, and by in doing so, you're almost going to guarantee that a lot of people who who want to avoid that tax penalty would no longer have to worry about it, wouldn't sign up. Premiums are going to skyrocket. Premiums are going to skyrocket for basically anybody who has health care from the on the on the from the Affordable Care Act.
But but the ARP has already come out against it, Like so, so this is going to put a lot of our elderly folks in a really dangerous position of not being able to afford healthcare as a result, Like I feel like the most vulnerable of our society is suffering. Like they estimate that eighty percent of millionaires are going to pay less taxes. Again, if someone pays less, someone
has to pay more. I just don't understand, Like I feel like I remember, like I just I don't know if the first president I can well, the first president I can really strongly remember as a kid who was Ronald Reagan, and he came up with that whole trickle down economics, which was give breaks to the rich, the rich will spend and it will trickle down to the poor. And that did not work. The poor got poor and
the rich got richer, because that's how that works. And I feel like this is that same sentiment of tax breaks to corporations and to you know, millionaires and to wealthy folks, and somehow this is going to lead to some sort of beneficial trickle down to those who who don't have money. And it's proven over and over again that tax breaks to corporations does not lead to folks
who don't have having more. It just doesn't. This is just to me, this is just Republicans kind of scratching the back of their big donors, like I promise you that we passed this thing that would make you more money.
Here it is there's also concern that it's going to reduce it's going to eventually cut like twenty five billion dollars from Medicare, which of course is what a lot of older people use for for health coverage, especially when they're in between when they leave their jobs. I think when you turn sixty, what sixty two or sixty five, you start drawing on medicare mm hmmm sixty five, yeah,
and so you're really hurt. That's why I think the AARP and other senior advocacy groups are coming out against it. It's a it's no bueno, and it's like it's much clearer to me, and the fact that we don't really have much time, like Trump has that I want this bill passed by Christmas, and that's why they're rushing it through. I mean, at least they're taking it to committee. But they literally gave our other lawmakers less than two hours in the Senate to review this five hundred page document.
And I'm like this thing and then and meanwhile they're in order to get the votes. I mean, this isn't like anything new. So in order to get votes from people that you need, you give them something that they want. So they're like something that's bill with other crap.
Yeah, Like you see the drilling in Alaska, I'm like, what does it have to do with taxes? Like that? I saw that it was drilling would be allowed in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge National Wildlife Refuge, and so first of all, what does that have to do with taxes?
And why is it in this bill? It's so egregious, like and I saw it because I posted and I try to post it without kind of comment, and people are like, oh, this is not so bad, but you're not reading underneath the lines, like it doesn't seem so bad because you're like, oh, hey, we're going to give you more in a child credit, like a child tax credit from one thousand to two thousands, so that's not
so bad. And hey, you know will allow you to steal deduct property taxes, which is crazy, like why would I not be allowed to deduct property taxes? You know, but just up to ten thousand dollars, which it's like okay, but I just I just let's talk.
About the little things that people may not So I mean, I have I'm looking at our chart now, so we have medical expense deduction. So if your medical expenses exteed ten percent of your gross income. You can deduct them if you automize from your taxes. The Senate bill would preserve it. The Houses would repeal it. They don't agree
on that. The mortgage interest rate, the mortgage interest tax deduction, which is like the biggest reason when you're if you're in between, you know, am I going to rent or am I going to buy? One of the first things people say as well, you can. You can deduct your mortgage interest payments. And under the Senate bill it would retain it. And under the House bill it would reduce the cap. It would reduce the amount that you can
deduct on your mortgage interest. I think we talked about, oh, teacher texts, the teacher deduction, So yeah, under the Senate plan it increases.
I think it doubles. Under the Senate plan, well.
The House would cut the right now you can deduct up to two hundred and fifty dollars right of things that you buy as teachers by school supplies. The House would cut it, the Senate would keep it. Maybe it eencarrass it. Thank god at least they didn't touch the four to one K benefit.
I know, I was like, that would have been crazy. And you know now, I mean they're like, you know, they're crowing in the White House, like Speaker Paul Ryan. They're like, yes, next up welfare, next up medicare. I'm like, I just like, do these people think they never got to get old? Or maybe I just you know, like they cannot wait. So social Security, they're really looking to
cut entitlement programs. So entitlement programs are those programs that typically help the most vulnerable of our society, So medicare, medicaid, sold security, welfare, those type of things. I'm really trying to get rid of those things or reduce them tremendously. So it's like, so corporations get these tremendous cuts, and people who don't have money they get to pay more. I just don't understand how that works and how you sleep at night, you know what I mean, Like I
don't know. And so just reading through it, like I said, like on its surface, people are like, oh, it doesn't seem that bad. I'm like, well, this is like the door the opening of Pandora's box of well if because here's the thing. If this goes through, they're going to have to make other changes somewhere because there's not enough money to support this plan, and so that's what this
will allow. It's almost like getting into college. Yay, I got into college, but now someone has to pay tuition, So like it's you know, getting into college seems it's a great thing, but you know, how are you going to pay for it? And this tax bill leads a big how is it going to be paid for? And it's very clear by the way this bill is written that is not going to be paid by the wealthiest in our society.
Then yeah, it's not over yet, I think that, and there's still time for people to get familiar with what's happening. Yeah, as they as they continue to debate it. I mean I at this point, I feel like it's inevitable we're about to have its tax reform. And I mean, as a journalist, I think it's exciting because you get tired of writing the same tax stuff over and over again. But I mean, so it's in that regard, it's exciting. This is like, this is a this is a big
freaking deal. And don't don't don't underestimate how important this moment is. Like there hasn't been tax reform since the eighties. Yeah, so since Reagan, I think, yeah, reaganomic So I mean I wish it wasn't the GOP managing it. But you know, we'll see what happens, and you can contact your senator and your House representative and tell them how you feel
about whatever works for you. You know, I would say, like, I think maybe people aren't digging into it because they're like it's just so huge, and you know, I don't. I want to understand everything. Honestly, you can be a little selfish, like go in there if you're a teacher, like or you know, when who has high medical expenses, or you have a parent who realizes on Medicare and something matters to you, Like let your representatives know what's happening in your front yard and your home so that
your voice is heard. That's that's all I'll say. You know what, I still send letters to Atlanta my or sorry, my Georgia representatives because I'm like, there's one more liberal voice in New York City is not really going to make a difference. Yeah, I don't know. I think that maybe is cheating, but I'm like, you know what I mean, Georgia.
You know what I was thinking, like all the time, I said, if you haven't gotten into the House of cards, you need to now because so many of these things. I was like, oh, like you know this whole prit quote quote like oh, like when you watch like Frank Underwood and his wife and like you kind of see the back dealings on Capitol Hill and you're like, oh, this makes more sense to me, like watching them push bills through and why some people make some choices that
they make and all these other things. Because there were a number of Republicans, honestly, because they only won by two votes, there were a number of Republicans that came out against it. And then at the last minute we're like no, so you're like, well, what do they give you? It's clear what did you get? You know? And so I hope that folks who because I know there are people who are conservative, which is fine, but at the same time you know that this is this is not
going to work in your favor. I hope that you are taking note of your representatives that voted for something that was not in your favor. I mean, unless you're super duper wealthy. If you are, congratulations, but you know in the long run, this is not in your favor. So I hope you're taking note and you say, you know what, when midterm elections come up, there's hell to pay because, like you know, not being able to afford your regular life, it's hard enough. You know, it's so crazy.
I was telling my sister, I'm like, you know, it's so crazy that when maybe my parents were younger, that you could actually have a regular job and buy a house and a car and go on vacation once a year. That's a crazy concept to me. I'm like, how do you do that? Like a regular job. I'm a teacher, I'm a mechanic, I'm a factory worker, and whatever it is, I have a regular job. I'm able to save, get a house, I'm able to get a car, and I'm able to go on vacation with the family once a year.
That's not even a thing. What does that mean? You know? Yeah? Yes, so that is our That is our buzzworthy. I think, like, you know, get into it. We're gonna, like I said, I'm gonna post it on our brand ambition page to break down, but do some research on your own. We should be talking about this regularly with your family and friends.
Congrats to your corporation. You get you know, you get money, but I don't think it'll take long to realize that trickle down economics still doesn't work. Yeah, but who's aren't there studies that show them more money and get the more selfish you are?
Yes, No, because I mean the point well, I think obviously the point of trickle down economics it's not for it to work. That's what you just tell the masses. The point of trickle down economics is for you and your crona to benefit who. As The Washington Post says, democracy dies in the darkness, so we got to bring it to light.
Speaking of the Washington Post, I'm at this, So I'm then I'm in I'm in Saint Petersburg, Florida, uh right right outside of Tampa, at this NABJ National Association of Black Journalists and the Pointer Institute put on this leadership Academy for Diversity and Digital Leadership. So like young editors from like publications across the country get together and they
do like trainings for us. And it's been really this is only day one, and I'm like really pushing through because it's they they made us get reviews from like eight people on our teams and our companies and then read them today. So that was interesting. But anyway, we heard from the editor of The Undefeated. Oh God, I'm gonna forget his last name, but he was the managing editor from the Washington Post left that really amazing job to go basically h save this The Undefeated, which is
like an offshoot of ESPN. It's a webs that they started that was supposed to cover sports but with an almost entirely all black news team, like to kind of do away with some of the you know bias or like you know, soft racism that you'll see in some news stories and you know, covering sports or whatever. But he he had some like really amazing things to say about, like when to choose Like he was at the Washington Post. He had been he had been like a writer at
the Washington Post for a long time. And this is a good example of like when do you take a chance that actually, you know, gets set in front of you if you don't feel like you're ready for it. But he said, he's like I was a writer. I was happy. I was happy writing. It was like two thousand and eight. Obama had just been elected, and I was ready to you know, be covering this election or covering his term in office for the next four eight years.
Kevin Marita, Sorry, I forgot his last name. And then someone tapped him on his shoulder and they're like, we need you to run the national news desk. And this is a big job in a newsroom, especially for like the Washington Post, Like you're covering every reporter covering the country. And he was like, man, I really was looking forward to sitting in my my space that I carved out for myself, you know, covering this. I had covered the election and now covering the term of the first African
American president in US history. And then he was like, but then I started thinking if not me, then who if if I don't take this opportunity, this, you know, this huge promotion. There's it's very likely that someone who doesn't look like me is going to get this job. And what and what it means for me to do this job is that people beneath me who look like me will see that it's possible. And that was and he said it was sort of like an active community service why he took that job, and God has that
leadership role. And I just thought that that I just I liked what he had to say about that, and I felt like it was a it was a different way of looking at like it's almost a responsibility to strive for more than what is just acceptable. Do you know what I mean?
Yes, yes, it's like I do.
Yeah, like I will. I will take this leave even if I don't think I want it, just because no one like me has done it before and I need someone has to be the first, and if I've been like tapped on the shoulder, then and hell yeah, I'll be the first.
Because I think it was far nouche when we were like at the like my second finkon it was a far nows for somebody else. But I feel like it was her who said something to that effect to me. She said it like on the stage and not like to me necessarily, but I think she said someone told her because she was like, oh, I'm making whatever amount of money, that's more than enough, and they were like no,
because women tend to be like that. Well I know I am anyway where I was like, oh, you know, if I make seventy five thousand or a hundred thousand, that's more than enough. I mean, like if have you met me, like you know, I still you know, get my dresses from J. C. Penny And I'm fine with that, you know, like I don't. It doesn't really move me.
And so she basically was like, no, that if you have the opportunity it was for nows to grow great wealth and you don't, you're being selfish, never being like, but but I don't need all that money. She's like, yeah, you don't. But how many causes were you champion? How many kids were you put through school? How many daycare centers were you find? Whatever it is that moves you because you have this additional income that you don't necessarily
need for yourself. And I had thought about that and since then because I was I felt greedy or I felt like, I don't know, selfish for like trying to make a lot of money because I'm like that it feels like, I don't know, capitalistic and materialistic. I don't know. I just didn't like the way I felt, and you know, and I just was like, well, I won't make a lot of money. Then I'll make enough to support myself, you know, help my family out a little bit, but
nothing more than that. And now no, I want to go ball to the wall and not so I can have like this pile of money, but so I can give away this pile of money, you know, Like I would love to be an angel investor for like brown girl businesses because Silicon Valley's like what, Like I was telling my friend, I was like, imagine this girl comes up with like perm that does not break off your edges and actually makes your hair healthier, like and you
go to Silicon Valley. They don't get it because you know, how would they get it. They're like, I don't get it, But I'm like, what this perm that actually makes your hell healthier, that doesn't break off your edges, it doesn't break off your hair. What I want to invest in that because I understand the vision. I understand, so I
want to be able to do stuff like that. So I just I say all that to say that, like, yes, going forward, you playing small really does not benefit anyone, and that you know, I'm glad that he took that position because it means that you're opening the door wider for someone else to come through. It doesn't you have to stay there forever. But yeah, that if you ever get the opportunity to do something, if it's in alignment with who you are, go for it, because it's not just for you, it's for others.
Lovely perfectly said thank you, oh nothing, honestly that the new I can't wait.
The new Literature Challenge will be launching in a week or so. It's the net Worth edition, which is like perfect timing now, because I was asking myself, like, We've done the fundamentals, which is like the basics, like budgeting, saving, that kind of stuff. I had well budgeting, mostly budgeting. Then we did the Savings edition, which was all about saving. Then we did the Credit edition with Magnified Money, which
is super dope and it's all about credit. And so I was asking myself and I did like a survey and asked folks like, what is it everyone's wanting to side hustle and I kind of asked myself why, And I guess at the end of all that, I thought, you know what, what if we could work on the net worth edition. At first, I was going to do the debt edition, but I found that folks don't really want to talk about debt, and so I said, well, how do I sneak in the p's and carrots into
the pizza? And so, because you know your net worth is reducing your debt and increasing your assets. And so that's what the net Worth Edition is going to be is three weeks totally free. This is our fourth year. It's one of my favorite things that we do because it's like literally free on free, so many dope resources, and we're going to teach you how to reduce your debt,
increase your income, and increase your assets. At the end, it's going to take more than three weeks to increase your networth, but you'll be on a solid path to increasing your networth. So that's that's the big thing we're working on for twenty nineteen. And it'll launch well, sign up will start like in a week or so, and it'll be all twenty nineteen. You can sign up whenever you want once the initial launch is done.
Oh that's exciting. I love deliverature challenge right with this one? Do you stop at paying down debt or do you talk about what to do with the worth that you've netted like it's actually a positive networth now what so?
Well? No, well, so we talked about so this is why it's the Networth Edition because it's really about increasing your network. So if you have no debt, great, then We're just going to show you how to make your net worth even higher if you have. So it's the three core things are, you know, reducing debt, increasing your income, so how do you actually increase your income, and then
increasing your assets. So no matter what I love about it, it's like so sort of like the credit edition, no matter where you start, Like I could have had a seven hundred and done the credit Edition and then left with this seven fifty. So you can have a net worth of a positive one thousand and then leave with a three thousand dollars networth, or you can have negative ten thousand and then leave with negative five. So it's not the Networth Edition is not about getting you out
of debt. It's really about raising how much you are financially worth, no matter where that space is. Yeah, so I'm excited about it because I think most people don't think about that. I never thought about, like what's my net worth? Like you know, key number.
It's the key freaking number. It's like the It's more important than your credit score because I feel like it flows everything flows from it. You know, you get your net worth in a positive space and everything else was sort of fall into place.
Exactly so I'm excited exactly, So it's gonna be dope. I think it's gonna I just love to see everybody working together, like oohoo. Like my net worth is two hundred, Okay, that's better than zero, better than negative or you know. So I mean cause I'm not gonna lie. I don't even I haven't checked my networth and how long. So I'm excited to do the challenge along with y'all.
I don't care. I want to do it. I'm want to be involved to You should have many something.
You can come do a live with me. You know how we did last I was looking back at you. I was like, oh my god, we had so much fun. You could definitely come do a like cause you every Sunday I just missed your face.
So I'm just gonna insert myself and any opportunity.
No, you should come because that'll be fun because once a week, you know, we'll do the live where literally it's just that, you know how it is just a Q and a check in chat. So you could definitely come and do one. Because everyone always like where's Mandy. It's funny now when I go out and people are like, how's Mandy I'm like, oh my god, look ride a Bishit is like yo. I was at a big major group the other day and someone was like, oh, I want to follow a black business podcast. Does anybody know?
And like so many people were like right a bi shit. I was like, oh my god, what about what's going on in mandy life?
Well, other than being at this taking a first of all shout out to my I was gonna do it? Can we Why don't we do our boost and break? Yes, let's do this one boost break, boost, break what you're gonna do?
For some reason, my pitch is higher than usual? Will so what are you gonna do? You gotta boost, You're gonna break it that.
New vegan diet. I wanted to Yeah, I wanted to boost because I'm I was. I wanted to boost companies, managers, leaders who will allow their employees to be off of work for a week to focus on leadership and training. Uh that for their job, Like like my company, we're only by lending Tree now. But I have to give my supervisor Nick a lot of credit because you know,
he's a co owner of Magnified Money. And when I told him, I was accepted into into this academy, and it's really exciting, even though my work has never been busier or more intense than ever. He was like, go do it, run god bye, We'll figure it out. And yeah, I worked like triple quadruple time the past couple of weeks to prepare myself. But I'm down here and I am surrounded by you know, for anyone out there who's working in a small office or for a startup, and
you feel like, who are where's my tribe? You know, where my people to bounce ideas off? And not just at a small office, but if you're a leader in a small office, it can sometimes feel as if I don't have anyone to sort of just sort of like let not let down my hair with, but like talk about things that are bothering me without having to worry about morale or not having to worry about you know, because I feel like you give, give, give as a manager and you want to support, your support the people
under you and help them do their best work. That's what it's really about. But then like who's checking in with you and making sure that you're doing a good job.
And so anyway, this this is an amazing opportunity. There is like close to two hundred applicants, and they chose twenty four or twenty five who like editors from all these different publications, from the New York Times to of course magnify money from oh gosh, like the Tampa I think the local Tampa newspaper, just newspapers and USA Today
and all these great publications. But we're all young, brown, LGBTQ, Latina, black, whatever, Asian editors, you know, minority editors, and I think that we're getting the one on one mentoring and coaching that isn't common or that you don't really get from people who look like you, and especially for those of us
working in smaller like newsrooms and stuff. So it's only been day one, but I'm already feeling just the people that I've met, and like, there's I knew it was going to be powerful, but when you really sit next to someone who's on the other side of the country and you're like, I have this problem and they're like, oh my god, need too or I need to work on this thing as a manager, and they're like, you know,
you just have these people. You don't feel alone, and you don't feel like crazy, you know what I mean, Like yeah, the problems that I'm having, the strength that I have, but the weaknesses I have too are not unique and like they're fixable and there's and I'm already getting so many tips from everybody. I'm just like taking notes. I'm like, what do you do? How did you handle that problem? I'm like, oh, what do you do? And
I'm like stealing all these ideas and stuff. So I'm really excited, and I'm really grateful that my company is allowing and they're you know, they paid my way down here too. They didn't have to because it's this I could have gotten a small stipend for the travel, but yeah, they're paying my way down here and really supporting me.
And I want to turn around and find ways for the people that work for me to do the same thing, like get you know, go do their own sort of development and stuff like that, and to step back and reflect on what you've done. Like I feel like for the last four months especially, I've been so focused on meeting goals and hitting my numbers in terms of the amount of content that we put out, and like we've gone from doing thirty to forty five to sixty to
seventy five to ninety. We're going to be a one hundred and twenty stories videos a month plus, like probably one hundred and fifty by February. And I've been really focused on that, and I haven't had time to like step back, look at what has happened the past the sorry, the past four months, and give myself an assessment and see what's working, what's not working, and like fix it now rather than later.
So I love that. And when you find your tribe, there's nothing at her because they helped to normalize what you might feel like it seems crazy, you know.
Yeah, my people, my people, my people.
I make. I want to boost. I had a bunch of things in my head, but I think I'm gonna boost taking a moment. So I've been using like headspace, so so many of you guys like downloaded headspace. I'm so excited until I realized I was like, oh, only the first ten sessions are free. After that, they're like, yeah, child, you need a subscription. So if anybody has these suggestions
for free meditation app, I'm open to them. No, but I wanted because of headspace and just uh, just in general, I've been doing a lot of reflecting, so I really want to boost kind of acknowledging how far you've come because it's the end of the year. Like I was talking to my sister who was working for this big, huge financial company but was not happy, and she really
wanted to make a huge shift. Like she was a financial analyst, you know, had her life degree and economics and marketing and whatever, so but she always like was really into closed so she's like, I would love to be a buyer, like a closed buyer. So it seemed like such a random shift. And today she texts me, she's like, oh my god, do you realize it's been three years since I left that big, evil financial company. And I was like, three years it seems like both
forever and yesterday. And I said, are you proud of yourself? Because she's an assistant buyer for a huge national brand, and lately she's been like all like, oh my god, this job is it's a lot, and you know, I wish I was further along. And I'm like, are you crazy?
In three years, you totally switched careers, Like you went from financial analysts to hey, I'm a buyer at this huge, ninormous like clothing company, and like, meanwhile, no prior experience, and so it just reminded me because I do the same thing that she was doing. It's like like just boosting. I really want to boost, like taking a moment and acknowledging like I'm not where I used to be. Then
I'm better, even if it's not this huge leap. But I feel like sometimes we jump from one thing to the next thing to the next thing that we never like kind of relish in the fact that we're growing and we're better and yeah, so yeah, I feel like so many people that I know, like I said, including myself, like you know, really take a step back. Like I had to think to myself, like, you know, less than
ten years ago, I was a preschool teacher. Because sometimes I'll get down on myself like, oh, you have so much stuff to You're not as organized as you ought to be. You should be doing this and this and this, and I'm like, uh, ma'am, you were a pre school teacher.
And nothing's wrong with that because obviously I love the kids, but like, you're running two successful companies now, I mean, give yourself a little bit of okay, teed you doing it, girl, And I rarely give myself that I'm always super critical of like where I should be versus how far I've come.
So that's my boost for you listeners for Mandy, because I know Mandy's also hard on herself and then myself, just like you know, you killing it out here in these streets, give yourself a little like Patnabad, a little shoulder shimmy in the mirror, like ah, I see you booboo. Meanwhile, I was like shoulder shimmying like I was saying. I was like, Tiffany, why are you involuntarily moving in shoulder shimmy?
Because we feel it in your tone and we know what was hard about today is one of the things they had us do before we came to this training was to send out evaluation performance evaluation forms to eight of our colleagues, like four direct reports, like three managers and one person you don't really work with at all directly anyway. And then they I didn't realize that, but they gave it to us and like a red folder today, they're like, here's your reviews. Go find a quiet place
and read them. And they made us, yeah, and they made us solemnly swear that we were going to read the positive because there were six questions. The first five we're sort of positive, like what is what do they do well? The sixth question was what do they need to work on? And he was like, you have to look at the positive take a highlight or highlight the positive words. And I'm so glad he did that because you know, I was about to go right just question
number six. Yeah, like what if someone so they could really think about me? But I took a highlighter. And when you do that, and you're like, you're forced and
I know it's for coming up. If you work for a big company, you might have annual reviews coming up, and you know you get feedback through your manager or if you don't, at least ask for it and don't focus on what needs to I mean you want to, of course, like take constructive criticism on what needs to be improved, but also focus on the positives because you
might see some emerging trends there. Like a lot of people said the same things about me that were positive, and I was really proud of that because it's like everything I've been trying really hard to do is it's actually coming across, you know what I mean, and people are receptive to it. And anyway, I'm just really glad that they said that because I agree with you. I think that you can be really hard on yourself and obviously we're not stupid idiots like we like, obviously you're not.
You know, you're worthy of being where you are because you are where you are. Like yeah, so, but I think, yeah, it's the harshest critic is always yourself. Yes, it's nice to. It's nice to, you know, just force yourself to just listen to the positive and tell yourself the positive too, and.
Like let it sit and simmer, because I'll be like, oh my god, that thing happened. That's so good, okay, and I'm like what, no, Tiffany like okay, you know, like sit and let it. I don't know, I don't know if people think, and I know maybe I think like I don't want to become prideful like well, you know,
well you know the team. It's like no, you know, yes, the team, but you contributed, because I find myself giving a lot of the for lack of a better word, credit away, Like I'll say like, oh my god, my marketing guy, oh my gosh, you know, because without him we wouldn't. I'm like, yeah, well you know he came in three three years ago. You started a bunch of Easton two thousand and eight, So yes, he is awesome. But there was a company here before he got here,
and it was a good company, you know. And so I find myself nervously always doing that like, hey you want some credit, take it? Hey, you you want some credit? Take it? And so, yeah, it's something because I get it. It's like a thin line between being your cheerleader and then like you know, being like a jerk about it, and so I'm always not never wanting to be like to I don't know, do you.
Have a feedback system? I know you work with like a bunch of people, but do do you have a way for them to give you a review? Maybe I would like to tell you yes, I think because you're the top of the organization, so it's not like yes.
So maybe I'm going to create an anonymous way for people to give feedback because obviously I think everybody would be like nervous obviously to tell me to my face, So maybe would I Probably I could do like one of those like survey Monkey or whatever Google like surveys. Yeah, ooh, that's actually a really good idea. Because ah, I'm scared.
Do it. It's so scary. But once I'm just saying, read the positives, do the five positive questions, or however many positive questions. First, I can just send you the same survey they sent.
No, I would love that because honestly, it would help me to be like, oh, so you guys like this, but you don't like this, and and honestly, yeah, I'm like, I'm it's so crazy because I'm open to feedback about the company all the time. Like when like dream Catchers or dream builders are like, I don't like this, I don't like that. It doesn't bother me, but feedback about me. I'm like, ah, because I've learned not to take it personally.
But you can't not take it personally. When they're like, hey you, Tiffany, No, but you know what, that's a good idea. I'm gonna do that. I'm scared, but I'm gonna do it. And they listen to they're gonna be like, yes, Tippy, let's do feedback. I'm like, oh my god, I should be tenthill the first time around.
No, No, be honest, they might want feedback from you too, And if you know, I don't know, you know, I found out for my reviews two of my direct reports, one of them who's been with me for a year now over a year, have just so funny and just like the longest review, I was like, this has to be from her, and then I was like I saw her name as I give of course, and then the newer hire had felt like some of my the way that I speak to them, I'm very direct, and I'm
you know, I have like my I'm I'm an editor, so I'm like, you know, do this this way and know that it's not right and can you change this? And whatever. I make suggestions and I try and be very hands on, and honestly, I'm trying really hard to temper my own directness. I had that type of personality where I'm very task oriented and I just want to say what I have to say and then you know, keep on truck. And it's not personal. It's just how I managed and it serves me very well in my role.
But when I'm on a one on one level with like an employee, someone who's young, and as a reporter, I needs to learn I have to like put on my other hat. And anyway, this this more recent hire said that she felt as if I as if I needed to explain why then like say no, but then why like explain, sit down and walk through, like deconstruct the NOE, deconstruct what I'm saying. And I was like, I took that feedback because what has worked for me
and this other reporter. You know, it took us a long time to work out our relationship and she's been there for over a year, but we have a good relationship now. And I'm starting with someone at a different level, so someone used to me and someone who's not used to me, and I have to sort of start over with her and give her the same amount of tension. And the challenge is like, my my time has never been more stretched, but I have to make the time
because I don't. I don't want her to feel like I don't have time for her or that I'm like not motivating her to do well.
No, I love that, Okay, and nastily, now you got me motivated. I feel like we're going to do like I mean, I know that the team like loves working for the company or role, but I know that I could do I could be a better leader because my leadership well one I'm really new to leadership because honestly, this is the second we've been like a year and a half in to actually having a team. Up until like a year and half ago, it was just me and maybe like a random like intern or assistant here
and there, but just me. So having an actual team it's really new. So I believe in like kind of like shared leadership. So I don't take this kind of like top down heavy approach where I'm like, this is what we're doing. It's more so, you know, everybody kind of has like their general area that they look after, so I'm always like, so, what's happening in your area? What trends are you seeing good and bad? What do
you think that the area needs? So then let's kind of like map out a like a plan of action for what you say that the area needs. And then if I see something like myself, then I'm like, you know, I see that too or whatever. So that's my general But it's good. But sometimes it's a little bit too loose because I'm like, so sometimes somethings won't be done to completion and I'm like, wait, what was that? Hell?
What we was we supposed to do? So I'm not super duper organized, so I know that's something I could definitely do better. It's like, okay, you said that this is what needs to be done, Like let's map it out the task that you're going to do. So every week when we have our call, I know you're working towards those tasks. That's something I would like to personally work on. It's like to make sure that things are sawing,
that you're seeing through to completion. But yeah, I don't like the cause I feel like we're all kind of adults and who knows better about what's happening with customer support than the folks in customer support or who knows better about you know, So I'm not here to tell you what you need to do. Is it's more so what do you think? You know? What do you see?
And like you know and they know, Like I'm not sensitive if you're like honestly, everyone says this class sucks and I'm like, okay, so what can we do to fix it? You know? They know that like if something sucks, please tell me asap, you know, if people are upset or mad or whatever, Like we had a bunch of cancelations and my finance and numbers girl were like, Yo,
we spiked in cancelations this week. It was random, like by twenty percent, and that we're trying to figure out, Okay, what happened, you know, like why, And so she knew she didn't have to be afraid to be like, eh, people canceled a lot this week because it's more so about like, let's fix the issue. That's my biggest thing. I'm what I call a paper towel or I try to be a paper towel problem solver. So like my dad, is you spill the milk? You fuss about the milk
is spilled your waist of milk? It was my mom, is you spilled the milk? Here's a paper towel, And so I don't need to fuss over a mistake was made, Like we're here, now, how do we fix it? Where's the paper towel?
Exactly? And you need to hear that people will see that even the act of asking people for feedback is so affirming to them and will make them feel even more affirmed, like I think you know, you assume made that people feel a certain way, but working but even just saying hey I've heard you, or hey, I'm even going to try to fix this habit I have that I know is not working. I'm going to put in the effort to try. Like it's you know, be have patience with me. You know that. I feel like that
has value too. It's not like no one expects you to turn a switch with after you get this feedback and fix everything that may you know, maybe improved. But I think people really really respect a leader who at least acknowledges that there's work to be done. Yeah, never gets tired, never thinks that they're you know, done that they're done. Absolutely our right team.
I know you're listening. Be back, Tid. Do we have any questions?
We do?
We do? We do questions? I love you guys. This question. You guys are like really like tight and bright. I'm like, yes, we should call it thump. Tiffany and Mandy, I'm like, yeah, pass. Can I just tell you a random while we're looking for questions? So, why did like a company reach out to me? They wanted to work with me? And I hope they don't listen, but they listen. I don't care.
So they sent me another person's contract and I was like, so at first they said it yes, So at first they said it, but I didn't really think anything of it. I thought she was just sending it to me to look at the statement of work, because she kept saying, look at the statement of work and see if this is what you'd like to do. So I looked at that and I was like, oh, hey, this is fine, but she kept saying like, you know, and then she emailed me back again like, oh, make sure you look
at this statement of work. I don't. She didn't realize obviously it was someone else's contract. Look at the statement of work again, you know, because we're going to send you your like send you your find your final contract. So then I ended up like really reading and I'm like, well, this seems weird that they're sending me someone else's contract. She reviewed. Then I realized, wait, they probably thought this
was the blank version. It's nuts. So I was reading and I'm like, huh, interesting at this price point that I'm not receiving. So I wrote them back, was like, yeah, I reviewed the statement of work, but also the terms and pricing, and before moving forward, I'd like to talk about what this person is getting and why I'm not getting that. So yeah, I'm just waiting to hear back.
Oh, now I'm interested. So was this person like, yeah, what do you know? This person like, who's.
No, I don't. They're also an influencer, so it was like an influencer contract. They wanted me to do some influencer stuff, right, so it was an influencer contract. From what I could see, she didn't have a larger following than I did. And yeah, so I was kind of like a little annoyed to see, like, oh, because you told me you didn't pay for that, but in here
it looks like it did. So I wasn't meaning in the reply email, I just said, hey, I didn't look at the statement of work, but I also know this is not my contract, but I did notice that she's being paid this before moving forward, i'd like to talk about, you know, what that looks like for me, And it
just it just I'm not gonna lie. It pissed me off, but it also made me be like, you know, it just makes you like, we remind you of really asking for what you're working because someone is getting it and why not you.
Yeah, and it's hard, you know, not everyone gets to email someone else's contract to find out what the limit is. You know, that's lucky.
Yeah.
I mean that's what we're all asking ourselves. Is it enough? You know? How do I know? And sometimes it's got to sometimes you gotta look at the coffee machine at the office and see what's there's.
But it was a good reminder of like because sometimes a lot of companies will tell you like, oh, we don't do that and so, And honestly, I already had in my mind like this wasn't like not that it wasn't. I mean, it's a great company. I like them, but I already had in my mind that I was like, you know, if they don't say the right thing, I'm
going to be like, yeah, it's not a fit. You know, you can keep it because at this point, like it's one of the reasons too, why keep partnership agreements and that to a minimum, like it's never more than like twenty percent of my overall income. So that way, at any point in time, if like a brand just doesn't sit right, you know, I can be like, yeah, you can keep it because it's not going to make a break whether I can pay my bills or not, because
I don't like that, you know. So we'll see. I'm sure they'll come back with something because I know she was probably was like yikes, because what first of all, I should not be seeing her contract?
Mm hmm, yeah, I don't tell her.
Well no, no, I would never. I don't know who the other person is. I'm saying, like the woman who said it to me, okay, yeah, like I should like, you know, I know she was like yikes, because I don't know. Yes, I'm sure she was. I'm sure she was, like so my bad, and she's kind of newish to the company. So I was like the fact that you said this to me twice.
Hard, like not even gonna lie. I'm not even being I'm not joking. They're hard. I found that. I found her. I found her question of the evening good good jump into that. So this is from someone who likes to go by missus newlywed from Atlanta, Georgia. This isn't my question. Don't worry. She's a different person. She said, I love your podcast. Hopefully you can help me with this question. I recently married my best friend. Now we are getting
into how to budget monthly. Moneies interestingly waited till after they were married to talk about budgeting. What is the best new couple budget friendly spreadsheet guide or even website that can help us better organize our monthly bills. I extremely appreciate your help. Missus newlywed.
What do you use?
So she wants the tech focused answer.
Yeah, so.
Luckily. Well, okay, so we've tried a bunch of different things. We don't have like any one app that we use. I think for a while, my husband was using Mint when he was dealing with his own finances. I was, you know, I had used Mint bill pay to like manage my money, and then I was starting to use Oh what's it called? Now? Oh, I gotta find it on my phone. I love that app. It's the app where it tells you how much you have to spend on any given day. I've talked about it.
Oh you did? Is it picky smarty pig?
Now, no, it's not smarty pig. I'm gonna find my cell phone in a second.
I remember you talking about that though.
H yeah, dang it. I need to find it anyway, I'm gonna. I don't want to mess up the audio. But and that was helping, That was helpful for me as a couple. I think transparency is the key. And so when when my husband and I started working with a financial planner. She gave us basically like her own version of Mint dot com. I think it's a system that maybe financial advisors use. It's called blue Leaf. I don't know if it's like a payment thing, but you can do the same thing with Mint if you just
load all of your accounts into one place. It forced us to have transparency. I mean, we had transparency before, but now it's like accountability and we can sort of see where all the money is. And it's also really rewarding because combined our network is banging, you know, to see that like teamwork, and like to see both of our network networth you know, going up or down. But I think you can get something similar from Mint.
Oh, I think I can try that because I'm like, I'm the one Draggon network down with this dagone student loan because we neither one of us have credit card debt, although I suspect he still is paying down a Best Buy because every tart turn around we have a new speaker, I know, but like no real credit card debt, meaning like you know, he probably owes maybe like six hundred dollars, but I don't have any credit card debt. He doesn't have any other debt whatsoever. I still have student loan debt.
But we just use good old fashion Excel because I'm not super techy and so Excel is like really easy. So like our spreadsheet is up. It's like because honestly, we talked about money before, but really really didn't dig dig deep until like literally right before getting married. And then in the beginning we're I mean, we're only married a few months now, and so yeah, we use Excel. And then after kind of figuring out what, you know, how much the household bills and stuff were, we realized
we could live off his income. So he came up with a solution that we finally put into full practice and that we have. I already had a Bill's account, so I gave him. Now we're co not co owners, I don't know, like cole whatever people like. We both are a part of that Bill's account. And then we opened up another checking account. So now we have two joint checking accounts. So the Bill's account is where I pay all of our bills now collectively. So his paycheck
loan lands in our joint checking account. And then I transferred the bill money into the Bill's account and the rest kind of stays into our other joint checking account, which is our spending account, and he keeps like two fifty or whatever for himself, like one twenty five a week or whatever it is, two fifty or three hundred for himself, like one fifty a week' that's what it is. One to fifty a week for like just spending, like
bs spending. And so if he goes food chopping, or I go food chopping, or we're spending on something that's like family focused, you know that kind of thing, then we use our spending account debit card, which we keep in the house. Like Bay, I'm going food chopping, I'm grabbing the debit card. Great, and all the bills, like I said, I paid all the bills now from our
bill's account because I pull from his check. And then all of the money that I make for my two businesses, well I would say ninety percent of it because we still need to slightly cover is we save and invest that money. And so we have a new financial advisor, and so we're really like we're buying. Actually we found a second home that we're actually gonna buy, So we'll probably have two homes in the next six months. We found a home like super cheap and it's a huge,
it's a tear down, but it will help. Like the location is amazing, and so you know, that's that's what we've worked out. We've heard, no, the second one, I have a second house?
Wait what?
Yeah? So our first house, which is where we're gonna live, and we're gonna buy that cash. Our second house. We found a house for ten thousand dollars. But it's it's like a it's like a haunted house and there's nothing you can we can't even walk inside. It's sight unseen. But the location is so amazing and so it's like it's but we're fortunate enough to be able to get
it for that cheap. So I was like, we can't say no, even we weren't planning on getting this house right now, but we have to get it.
And the fact do you have a second house, like the way through the podcast, we have to revisit this.
On the next episode later, no, because you know, I want to close first before something, and I'm like, yes, let's close first. But then I'm like, what, we'll have two houses one year. Both brought cash, but the other one we're going to I know we're going to actually have to get a mortgage on that second house because we have to get money to fix it up because it's like a tear down. But I'm going to talk to you guys about how we plan to really like
maximize on that second house because I'm excited. So that's how we do ours, really just Excel and so that way he can see like kind of what's happening, because I was already using Excel for myself, and you know, I basically manage our finances as far as like day to day, and then we have our financial advisor that we'll be meeting with quarterly to kind of manage the rest because I want to be I'm thirty eight. I told him by forty five, I want to be multimillionaires.
Sure you will be a type like that's our goal, multimillionaires who both drive three year old cars.
That's the best time to be.
Yeah, And I'm still shopping at KC. Penny and Target.
It just makes everyone like me more even more jealous, like she has the money and she still doesn't use it.
Well, I don't know, I just can't say. I can't justify like you know, like five hundred dollars sweater.
That thing's crazy real quick though, because she did ask for like an app, and we recently reviewed the Honeydew app, which is kind of cute. It's for couples who want to better like it's and she sounds like she wants like a monthly budgeting, like like paying the bills and things like that they're trying to stay on top of. I think this could be a great app for her, so both people in the relationship a couple. It's meant
four couples. You sign up for the account, and it does like I was saying before, it puts all of your your financial accounts all in one place. But it also helps you track your bills, so it'll tell you know, you have this bill that's coming up, and it also lets you see I think you can control the notifications, but you might get alert when this account gets below a certain level or when your husband maybe spends a lot at Walmart. It has like a big grocery bill
and it'll alert you. And I think that that helps. I think this is like a great conversation starter, and it also I don't know, sometimes I think sometimes like if you ask all the time, hey, what did you spend at the store, what'd you spend here? What'd you spend there? It can sound like you're nagging, or it can start a fight, But if everything is just there, transparent,
then you're all on the same foot. One person doesn't have to get defensive, and you don't have to worry about, you know, making them like putting them on the on the defense or you being an offense or whatever. I'm clearly awful with sports analogies, but I love it. I love it, and I like that has bill reminders too, because I think especially if you're living together for the
first time. I don't know if she if they're living together for the first time or not, but you know, it could be a situation where you're each used to managing your own finances and all of a sudden you're sharing some expenses, or one person is maybe managing more than they have before, and you want to make sure that they're actually doing it. Like nothing worse than finding out your significant others forgot to pay the light bill when the light goes out.
Yeah, I've had what like when I was like in my early twenties, one to hurt my friends told me that she was like, yeah, the light builb went out. You know. My boyfriend told me that, like like in the building, blah blah blah. She found out nobody else's light went out in the Bible and she was like that seems weird, right. I was like, yeah, you know, your early twenties. I'm like, girl, I didn't want to tell me. The want to tell her girl, he didn't pay the bill, Like nobody's lights to just go out
in your apartment. I mean, that's possible, but the light bill was not paid.
Oh. You can even like leave comments on the honeydew app transactions like a smiley face or like write something saying like really the coffee shop again or best Buy again? It could be fun.
Ah ooh, I like that best Buy again. He was like, there's speakers in the house. I don't want to talk about it.
I was like, why do we sow many freaking speakers?
Like why? I'm like, what happened? Did we have some other speakers? He was like no, I broke up whatever he said. I was like whatever, I mean, honestly, he's not a big spender at all, So I just said okay. He looked at me like that's it. I was like, because he did really good on Christmas. We went Christmas shopping for Supergirl and he did not go like bananas, and I was really proud of him, like, hey, we got some really cute stuff for her, but we didn't like.
When I first met him, I thought he had like multiple children by the looks of Christmas, and so I was like, wait, so do you give gifts to all the kids in the neighborhood. He's like, no, no, this is just hers. I'm like, so these thirty presents belong to one six year old child. Huh Okay, now it's like,
you know, just a few. And the truth of the matter is Supergirl it's not even all that materialistic, which is funny because I asked her that year withch she like most, and it was like her sheet set that her aunt got her. You should have seen his feet, I know, because he spent twenty five hundred dollars on a kitchenette set for her room twenty five one hundred dollars, and she was like, I love the sheets. And I
looked at him like nothing like fresh. Supergirl loves staples. Okay, Like, I don't know what you thought by her super expensive stuff. She's not really like she's the time you give her some markers and a fresh notebook or coloring book, she is in hog heaven.
That's my kind of kid. How do I make sure my kids also a nerd?
I don't know.
I don't know.
I'm just really fortunate we're nerds together. It's time for weird Tuesday. Oh wait, wait, we don't air on Wednday anymore? Right Tuesday?
We do air on Wednesdays.
Yes, we recording a day early this week, because that's right, it's time for weed.
I love that. I was like, wait a minute, yes, Wednesday. Oh we gotta keep that one weesday. One of these days, one of y'all gonna jump up and say, let me sing the transitions for you, and I will gladly accept.
No, I like your transitions.
Ah. Everybody else was like yeah, no, only So what is your win for the week.
I know that I briefly discussed this audiobook that I purchased last week, but I finally started listening to it, and I have got to say, if you were even like thinking about buying the new Memoir by Jennifer Lewis, you must get the audio book. No, it is it is my life right now, like she is. She sings in it. She's like a comedian, I mean, telling her
life story. It's like a one woman show. It is spectacular and like you learn a lot of things about her career that give you a sense of like, okay, I mean, on the one hand, like so she starts off the book where she's taking a trip to the to Grecian Islands and to Italy like on her own solo woman traveling, you know, a famous woman too, solo traveling and thinking she's on the brink of retirement, and you know, am I done? Am I done being an actress?
Am I done being a performed And then she's she has a conversation she says with the moon or God, and she's like, I'm not done. I still have dreams, I still have goals, and here's what I want. And she said it to the moon and two days later she got blackish and she got back to the United States. Ah, can you imagine we almost didn't have Grandma Ruby.
I just yeah, that is just don't she just love stories like that?
Yes? And I feel like she's the auntie grandma because my granda actually had a Grandma Ruby and she died when I was six, and I feel like I never got to know my that that grandmother figure, especially like in the older I get them more. I find out about my grandmother's family. And I always knew. I always knew that we had roots in slavery. But I found out that my living great uncle used to cotton and
he just like let that slip into a sly conversation. Yeah, he never told me about his young childhood and my Grandma Ruby had to stay home. There were six or seven of them. She stayed home. She quit school when she was like thirteen or fourteen years old. I found out from this conversation my great uncle to watch all of them. That's why she dropped out of school, and none of them realized it, or at least they were too young, you know. Yeah, she dropped out to take
care of them. And then they went to work and they were picking cotton, and their parents, you know, were doing the same thing. And it wasn't until they were much older that Grandma Ruby told them how much she had sacrificed to take care of them. And from that point forward, all my great uncles they called them the four Horsemen because there's four living Ray, Uncle Boo, Uncle Arthur, Uncle Uncle Kresley. They made sure she never went without from then on.
Yes, I just got chilled, Like literally, I just got chills. I love that.
Yeah. I don't know how I got to my grandma Ruby from but anyway, I just I love Jennifer Lewis and I and I think I'm at a time where I'm like really ready to listen to the stories from people who were much much older. Yeah, and I have to go seek out that older grandmother figure, I guess since I didn't have one.
Yeah, And I just love that name. That's such a great grandma name on grandmam My Ruby.
Ruby Lee Woodruff.
Oh, that is such a great thing.
Yeah, that's why I'm Mandy Lee.
Anyway, no, Ma Andra, I love that.
So yeah. But the but the official win was for Jennifer Lawrence or sorry Lawrence Jesus Jennifer Lewis. Her audiobook is called Mother of Black Hollywood, so freaking good. Definitely get it. I mean, you can get the written, but I think the audiobook's amazing.
Well, my wind is going out to none other than Drina Cherie Whitfield. Yes, Hottie, I said your middle name, so Huffington Post. For those of you who don't know, Drina is my publicist. But I've known her all my life basically. But she is a powerhouse publicist. She's awesome. I mean she's been uh. She works with now Patrice Colors of Black Lives Matter, She's worked with Corey Booker who's now a senator. She's worked with like large Brand,
small Brandts, Prudential, just all of these. Like she's just awesome and so. But she's used to Publicists are behind the scenes. Their job is to showcase their client, so it's rare that she gets showcased. But the Hovington Post just did this big story naming her one of the
top twenty five African American PR millennials to watch. And she couldn't believe it because, like I said, she just kind of does the work quietly and yeah, and it's just honestly, it was so nice because she doesn't really get and the truth of the matter is she doesn't
actually like recognition. She almost when they reached out to her, she was like, yeah, no, I was like, are you crazy And had to say the questions and get your recognition because they did a large article kind of showcasing all of them and then each got individual articles and I was like, girl, are you crazy answer your article questions? But yeah, she is amazing. She doesn't ask to be, you know, kind of like put out there for people to see. And she's actually not comfortable in the spotlight,
so she probably be like tiff day stop. I'm like, oh wow. I mean, like she works really hard and she's really hard on herself. I'm always telling her like, you know, you're doing amazing work and it's showing and so yeah, I'm just really really proud of you for being featured in Huffington Post and being called top twenty five African American PR millennials. I know that there is so much more. If you have seen me on TV or any sort of I mean, you have to think
to yourself. When I met Drina, the Bunjanisa was literally a word that my sister made up. And now like you've seen me likely everywhere. But that's my focus has not been on getting my name out there in like the traditional press. It's always just been I'm a teacher. I'm going to create programs to help women, and that's all that I've ever focused on. So all of this extra stuff because people always ask me like, oh my god, how did you And I'm like, honestly, I don't know.
Drina just calls me and says, send me this, and then she's like, on Wednesday, you're going to California to do the rear. I'm like wait what? And so she's always constantly pushing me and then preparing me for the opportunity. That's the part people don't see is that her making me go of the script literally fifty times over and over and over and over, telling me what to wear, finding me the makeup person, the person do my hair. All of that when you see me presented on TV.
Is really it's not just Drina getting me to television or whatever media outlet. Is her preparing me to do well. Yeah, she's Honestly, I don't think she realized just how amazing she is. And she's a new mom. Her son's only two years old, and she's going harder than ever. So I look at her and I'm like, ah, how do you make it work with the kid? And somehow she does. And so congratulations, Drina, you are my Wednesday.
I'm a Drina fan.
Yeah. Plus she's my bestie. She hates when I tell people that. She's like, then they're not gonna take me seriously. I'm like, we're beyond the point people know you sligh. Like in the beginning, I was like forbidden to tell people that, like, she was my best friend. She was like, do not because I was her only client. So she was like that it doesn't look like I have like a real client. I'm like, girl, But I understood that then, but now I'm like, girl, bye, you're my best friend.
Best friend, that's my thing?
Why exactly? Oh, this was a great appy, you know what.
I feel like it was.
We're don't know what