Tela Holcomb, is a self-described "mom, wife, six-figure stocks and options trader, 9 to 5 survivor, risk taker and freedom catcher." But she wasn't always a stock trading wiz. It wasn't until Tela lost her job in 2012 that she decided to dive into learning all she could about the stock market. Today, Tela supports herself on income she earns from a combination of short-term stock trading and long-term investing and saving, as well as income earned from teaching online courses on how to trade. S...
Oct 10, 2018•35 min•Season 4Ep. 146
Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! We're bi-coastal this week y'all, as Mandi gets into vacay mode on the West coast (kind of...) and Tiffany returns from her Universal Studios Budgetnista retreat. This week we dive into our reader mail bag to answer your burning debt questions. Have a question for us? Hit us up at Brownambitionpodcast.com or shoot us a note at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privac...
Oct 03, 2018•41 min•Season 4Ep. 145
We reflect back on the financial crisis on the 10 year anniversary and talk about how it impacted our finances and career. We want to hear your recession comeback stories. Send us an email at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com or tweet us @theBApodcast to let us know how the recession touched your life in good ways or bad and how you've changed since. *** Want help putting together a meal in a pinch? EveryPlate is the cheaper, healthier alternative to takeout or delivery. You get to enjoy amazing, c...
Sep 26, 2018•24 min•Season 4Ep. 144
Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! On today's show: A long-awaited health/family update from TiffanyWhat happens when taxes go unpaid?When's the right time to ask for a credit limit increase? Resources mentioned: MagnifyMoney's guide to handling tax debt XY Planning Network, a great resource if you're looking for a fee-only financial planner. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for priv...
Sep 19, 2018•38 min•Season 4Ep. 143
We are kicking off Season 4 of Brown Ambition with a long-awaited investing episode. If you're wondering how you can start investing for wealth beyond your 401(k) this is the show for you. We're joined by Mandi's personal financial planner Helen Ngo of Capital Benchmark Partners to go step by step through the process — from choosing your investments to deciding which types of accounts to open. You can schedule a FREE consultation with Helen via her website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...
Sep 12, 2018•1 hr 5 min•Season 4Ep. 142
Eight years ago, Aja McClanahan and her husband were $110,000 in the hole and in a constant tug-of-war with debt collectors. So they decided to make a drastic move in order to tackle their debt head-on. Mandi sat down with Aja this week to chat about how they finally became debt-free and what advice she has for others out there feeling overwhelmed by their own debt. "You don't need a lot of money to do this," she says. "Being disciplined helped." Brown ambition is back with new episodes on Sept....
Sep 05, 2018•29 min•Season 3Ep. 142
Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! We are looking back at our favorite episodes over the last (3!) years as we prepare for season 4 of the podcast. New episodes begin airing Sept. 12. Enjoy this look back at our EPIC interview with author, speaker and Luvvie Ajayi. And, if you haven't yet, get her book "I'm Judging You: The Do Better Manual" and check out her podcast "Rants and Randomness". Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy ...
Aug 29, 2018•37 min•Season 3Ep. 142
Happy #BrownAmbition Wednesday! On today's show, Tiffany opens up about the pressures of scaling what was once a one-woman business into a juggernaut with full-time employees, benefits, and all the complications that come with it. "It's so much more than just the people who are involved. When I talk to [my employee] on the pone and I hear her baby crying I think oh my gosh it’s not just her. This has to work for all of us... There’s so many people are depending on this working. It's a lot of pre...
Aug 22, 2018•43 min•Season 3Ep. 141
Welcome back to a new episode of Brown Ambition! On today's show, we dedicate some time to questions from our listeners. One listener wants to know how much she should save by age 30. We take her question on the show and actually reveal how much WE saved by age 30 ourselves . Here's a link to the resource mentioned on the podcast, the JP Morgan Chase Guide to Retirement . The chart that suggests how much to save by different ages is on page 18! There's also a screenshot on the our website browna...
Aug 15, 2018•36 min•Season 3Ep. 140
Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! On today's show: Tiffany's low-budget Greece vacation Mandi shares the workplace personality test that totally changed the way she communicates with others at work Is a 29.99% APR too high for a personal loan? Should you track your credit with all these data breaches going on? We've got the answers today when we open up our listener inbox to tackle your questions. Here are a few links to resources mentioned on today's show! Free credit scores: Discover Scorecard M...
Aug 08, 2018•41 min•Season 3Ep. 139
On today's show, we're joined by Miko Branch, who in 2004 co-founded Miss Jessie's curly hair products with her sister Titi, inspired by their grandmother's homemade recipes They have been serving the curly, kinky and wavy hair community ever since. This episode originally aired on March 25, 2017. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Aug 01, 2018•49 min
Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! On today's show: Tiffany's biggest tax lessons as an entrepreneurA shoutout to Yelp Cash Back — check it out if you haven't yet! Today's Q&A features some great listener questions —1) Does interest stop accruing if you cancel a credit card? and 2) What should a husband do if his wife is hesitant to dip into their savings to pay off his student debt? Have a question for us? Hit is up at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com. As mentioned on today's show, here are some...
Jul 25, 2018•39 min
On today's show: We shoutout listeners who Tweet or Instagram us on each show. Want a shoutout? Hit us up at @brownambitionpodcast on the gram or @theBApodcast on Twitter. We take a question from listener Sheena who wants to know if she should defer her student loans in order to pay off her car. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jul 18, 2018•39 min
Each week we feature comments/questions from our listeners on Twitter and Instagram! Want to get a shoutout? Hit is up @theBApodcast on Twitter or @brownambitionpodcast on the gram. As mentioned on the show, here are some great resources if you're looking for a low down payment mortgage program: LendingTree: Your Guide to First-Time Homebuyer Programs MagnifyMoney: The Best Mortgages That Require No or Low Down Payment HUD: Search down payment assistance programs in your area Disclaimer : The Q&...
Jul 11, 2018•43 min
Happy Fourth of July! We're back with a fresh episode this week. We cover: Tiffany's $400 home improvement whoopsie (ok, it was Super Man's fault technically)Risks of taking out a 401(k) loan for a home down payment A listener asks us how we met our SOs and asks for tips on how to date in your 40s. Have a tip to share? Hit us up @theBApodcast on Twitter! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/li...
Jul 04, 2018•43 min
We tackle some juicy topics on today's show: Tiffany's decision on a $60,000 home upgrade (Yikes.)NYT's sobering report on discrimination against pregnant women in the workplaceAnd we take YOUR questions on personal loans, credit cards and how young is too young to build credit.Want to get a shoutout on next week's show? Leave us a message on Twitter @TheBApodcast or Instagram @brownambitionpodcast . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener...
Jun 27, 2018•38 min
Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! On today's show: This is America? Unpacking the heartbreaking news from the border. Personal loans vs credit builder loans Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Jun 20, 2018•34 min
On today's show, we have a truly inspiring story to share. Leo and Faith were about to get married when they attended pre-marital counseling at their church. It was then that they were encouraged to sit down and get honest about the finances and their goals as they started a family together. In total, they carried over $211,000 worth of debt — a combination of both student loans and credit card debt. Rather than give up, they rallied and made a plan to aggressively tackle their debt in the summe...
Jun 13, 2018•44 min
Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! Today on the show, we share some messages from our listeners on Twitter and the 'gram. Hit us up @theBApodcast or @brownambitionpodcast to share your thoughts on this week's episode, give us a shoutout or ask a question. One of our listeners has a question about the credit card she realizes might not have been the best choice for her....and yikes . It definitely makes our list of our least favorite credit cards. As mentioned on the show, check out this guide to th...
Jun 06, 2018•47 min•Season 2Ep. 130
Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! We are BACK with an amazing guest on today's show — Gayle Jennings-O'Byrne, founder and CEO of iNTENT Manifesto , a new movement aimed at helping women of color-led startups find investors for their businesses. "I had to set my own rules. I remember when I told people I want to unlock $1 billion for black women and women of color. People looked at me like I was crazy but they said OK what do I need to do to help you? " We talk to Gayle about why she left her 17-ye...
May 30, 2018•47 min•Season 2Ep. 129
On today's show: The most important number to know: Your net worth! We take a question from listener Ashely about how to manage side hustles to boost her net worth and we chat about what net worth really means and why you should focus on building your net worth in 2018. You can still sign up for Tiffany's Live Richer Challenge: Net Worth edition. Have a money or career question? Go to Brownambitionpodcast.com or send us a note at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com *This episode originally aired on J...
May 23, 2018•1 hr 11 min
Today on the show: We share some real talk beauty confessions...and when it’s worth it to splurge vs save We used a free stock trading app to buy stocks recently...we’ll tell you how it’s going! We take a question from a listener who wants to know if she should buy a house with her partner before they get married. Yikes. Some links to news stories and sites mentioned on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy informat...
May 16, 2018•44 min•Season 2Ep. 128
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 09, 2018•34 min•Season 2Ep. 127
Want to get a shoutout on our show? Follow us @brownambitionpodcast on Instagram. Post a photo of yourself, tag us in it and use the hashtag #BrownAmbition. In the post, tell us why you're the ultimate representation of Brown Ambition. On today's show: We discuss ways we all try to save our parents from themselves (and their awful money choices sometimes) Tiffany shares a health update Mandi explains the controversy around Zelle We answer a listener question on 401(k)s Learn more about your ad c...
May 02, 2018•43 min•Season 2Ep. 126
Ep. 125 — The Debt Consolidation Cycle Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! We're featuring a "win of the week" from our BA listeners on Instagram (@brownambitionpodcast) or Twitter (@theBApodcast). Tell us your win of the week and we might feature it on the show! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 25, 2018•36 min•Season 2Ep. 125
In September 2016, Sharon Epperson was at the gym when she felt pain shoot through her head and neck. One S.O.S. call to her husband and several hours later,, she learned she was one of 30,000 people in the U.S. who suffer a brain aneurysm rupture each year. Sharon, who is the senior personal finance correspondent at CNBC, was one of the lucky ones. On today’s show, she calls the experience one of the great blessings of her life and shares her story. *In loving memory of DeShaun Maria Harris.* L...
Apr 18, 2018•54 min•Season 2Ep. 124
Have 15 seconds to spare? Please take our NEW reader survey! (Yes another one — but this one's more important! Please fill it out :) We need at least 250 to sign up and we're halfway there in less than a day. Y'all are the best. Please fill it out if you haven't yet. xxMandi & Tiffany Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Apr 11, 2018•47 min•Season 2Ep. 123
Today on the show we have attorney extraordinaire Art Steele. Art Steele is a business and estate planning attorney who helps entrepreneurs and families protect what matters most. She started her own law firm in 2014 and started the Legal-EASE for Entrepreneurs Podcast in 2016 which empowers minority business owners to tackle the legal needs of their business. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio....
Apr 04, 2018•1 hr•Season 2Ep. 122
Happy Brown Ambition Wednesday! Today on the show: The parental pressure around baby birthday parties — let's discuss. The Federal Reserve Bank raised rates again last week....what the heck does that mean for us? Mandi explains.Today on the show we mentioned the Credit Karma credit score simulator: And also You Need a Budget is a solid app/budget management tool. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystud...
Mar 28, 2018•49 min
This week, we welcome a very special young entrepreneur who recently reached out to the show to tell us her story of clawing her way out of $80,000 worth of debt. Have a question or know someone brilliant who should be featured on the show? Hit us up at Brownambitionpodcast.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information....
Mar 21, 2018•51 min•Season 2Ep. 120
