Episodes

This episode is your golden ticket to taking control of your finances, reflecting on 2023 and preparing for a successful year ahead. Tune in as Jessica and Brandon share the ultimate Year-End Financial Checklist for 2023, explaining the must-do's to keep your financial health in peak condition. From assessing your spending habits, to maximizing retirement contributions to tax planning, they’ve got you covered. Don't miss out on learning ways to improve your financial health and prepare for a pro...

Discover the inspiring story of Jacqueline Rodgers, the founder of Greentop Gifts, as she shares her mission behind creating a diverse holiday experience for Black and brown people everywhere. Her Santa-inspired wrapping paper, featuring Clarence Claus, a Black Santa, is a testament to her entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to the cause. Jessica and Brandon dive in to Jacqueline’s journey, from vision to tangible product, now on retail shelves, like Target. From designing her first two sku’s,...

Ever dreamt of trading the daily grind for a life filled with adventure and the open road? Claire Fleming not only dreamt it, but she made it happen. With a determined spirit, she swapped her corporate life for van life, transforming a van into a cosy and liveable space. Get a first-hand account of her bold transition, the hurdles she faced, and the creative ways she solved problems. Claire's journey is not only about geographical exploration, but also a deep dive into financial literacy and ind...

What do you get when you mix a business investment gone wrong, lawsuits and $300k+ of fraudulent debt? You get Beth and Ben’s jaw dropping story. Tune in as they detail the moments that turned their newlywed bliss upside down and how they overcame the most shocking and disappointing time in their life. Through the turmoil, they came out stronger than ever. Listen in as they offer valuable insights on handling financial relationships, the importance of documentation and share their learnings on m...

With her 10 page spread in HGTV Magazine to designing celebrity homes, Amber Guyton is the audacious founder and interior designer behind Blessed Little Bungalow. Amber left a lucrative FinTech career, took a leap of faith and turned her passion for blogging, creating and interior design, into a full time career. This conversation is packed with stories from her career pivot, to life goals and accomplishments. Holding a candid conversation around fertility, Amber shares her choice to freeze her ...

Today, Jessica and Brandon celebrate seven happy years of marriage. That’s 2555 days of choosing to love each other, communicate, grow, build, laugh and lift each other up. Tune in as they give you seven easy to follow and relatable marriage tips that have worked for them the last seven years, in seven-ish minutes. This fast and fun episode is packed with ways to help enhance your own relationship, so that you’ll continue to love each other and show up for each other for decades to come. If yo...

Imagine finding out that your doctor documented a growth in your breast and didn’t tell you about it. Imagine that growth being cancer. In this incredible conversation, Jessica and Brandon sit down with Jessica Baladad, a five-year breast cancer survivor, diagnosed at age 33! Now that she’s done beating cancer’s ass, she’s an advocate for others navigating the impossible field that is our US healthcare system. From $20k scans to demanding refunds, her experience will give you (chills) and insigh...

Imagine entering a partnership agreement that not only safeguards your wealth but also your relationship. Yes, we're talking about prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements. In this episode, Jessica and Brandon sit down with Aaron Thomas, Harvard Law School graduate and founder of Prenups.com. With clients ranging from NBA hall of famers and Superbowl winners to Grammy award winning artists, Aaron has extensive experience representing his clients in a range of family law matters. As a three-time wi...

“Queenmaker,” Denise Conroy is one of the 2% of women globally who have made it to the CEO role. She was the youngest Chief Marketing Officer in television history at The Outdoor Channel and her industry-renowned gift for strategy and trendspotting landed her the CMO role at HGTV. Denise’s groundbreaking strategy took the network from #17 to #4 in the ratings in only 18 months, generating an additional $250 million in revenue and crossing $1 billion in advertising sales for the first time in the...

Social media will have you believing everyone is a millionaire, living their best debt free life, when the reality is most Americans have debt. In this episode, Jessica and Brandon dive into the “good debt/bad debt” nuances and give you practical ways to reduce and repay your debts. Whether you are working to pay off your student loans, medical bills, credit cards or your mortgage, you’ll learn how to properly assess your debt in order to craft a repayment strategy that works for you.

Steven Stack's journey to financial freedom began at the tender age of four, when he earned his first "paycheck" sweeping floors for his father's business. Later, his hustling mindset during his years at Clemson, coupled with the life lessons learned from his first (bad) real estate investment, all shaped his approach to wealth management, and ultimately led him to earn millionaire status by age 31. Now 100% debt free, his views of money aren't limited to the numbers in the bank, but stretch to ...

Tune in as Jessica and Brandon sit down with former NFL athlete and Super Bowl winner, André Brown. Andre’s story is much more than touchdowns and trophies. From childhood dreams, to NFL reality, Andre details how he navigated the influx of money joining the NFL, bad investment, the missteps of a trusted financial advisor and the good advice he got along the the way. Balancing dreams with financial realities, Andre’s story is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of sports, fin...

Celebrate with with Jessica and Brandon as they mark a milestone - their FIRST YEAR of podcasting is in the books! With a year of financial insights and gripping discussions under their belt, they’re eager to share a recap of their journey and the road ahead. Tune in as they answer listener questions ranging from rental property considerations to starting later in life for retirement planning, to paying for college. They also dive into some of their favorite financial resources and what you can ...

Meet Jasmine Paul, the woman who not only tackled her own $40K in student loan debt, but also became a financial mastermind managing over $3.2 billion in assets. Her personal journey from first-generation American to award-winning children’s book author and certified financial educator is nothing short of inspiring. As you listen, you'll uncover how she transformed her life through determination and a dash of entrepreneurial spirit. From her early business adventures with an Easy Bake Oven at ni...

Destiny’s Child said it best: “Always 50/50 in relationships” or nah? Tune in as Jessica and Brandon discuss the recent trend on TikTok where couples are splitting bills 50/50, even when their salaries are not equal. They also dive into the recent news about Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade, who still split their bills equally, and the new trend of being a "kept girlfriend.” Hear their thoughts on the importance of independence, self-worth, and having options in a relationship, while discussing t...

This episode is in loving memory of Reverend Sharonda Coleman-Singleton. Content Warning: This episode makes reference to the Charleston, SC shooting in 2015. In this very special episode, Jessica and Brandon sit down with Chris Singleton, whose mother was murdered in a racially motivated mass shooting in Charleston, SC on June 17, 2015. They discuss tragedy, loss, grief, recovery and triumph. Learn how Chris turned his pain into fuel, to become an inspirational speaker and best-selling author...

Tune in as Jessica and Brandon interview Mandi Woodruff-Santos aka Mandi Money, who is a globally recognized career expert, founder of the MandiMoney Makers™️, and co-host of the 3-time WEBBY award winning podcast, Brown Ambition. Through her online career coaching community, she is on a mission to help women of color achieve their wildest financial and career ambitions. If you’re ready to learn more about negotiating your next salary, want to stop settling for less and level up your career, the...

Have you ever wondered what influencers actually make and how they built their online presence into a lucrative business? In this episode, Jessica and Brandon unpack the ins and outs of becoming and being an influencer with Lulu, who has built an online community of more than 200K people across her social media channels focused on celebrating curly hair. Although she works full time in marketing, this passion project became a well paying side hustle over the last five years. Tune in and she shar...

“Your network is how you get work.” If you have felt stuck in your career and are ready to make a change into a brand new field, then this episode is for you. Jessica and Brandon sit down with Jessica Mitsch Homes, Co-Founder and CEO of Momentum, the coding school where meaningful technology careers happen. They discuss everything from pivoting and starting over, what traits make students and candidates stand out from the masses, to networking and landing your dream job. If you need some inspira...

Nearly 65% of Americans have credit card debt, with the average balance being more than $5,500. Credit cards can offer many benefits such as convenience, rewards, and building credit, but it's important to use them responsibly and be aware of the potential drawbacks. In this episode, Brandon and Jessica discuss the pros and cons of using a credit card. They’ll dig into the basics, so you can understand how proper credit card use can benefit you. Tune in as they break down the do's and don'ts, so...

Do you really need a cover letter? How far back should you go on your resume? Do recruiters expect you to negotiate your salary and benefits? If you’ve asked yourself these questions (and more), then this episode is for you. Tune in as Brandon and Jessica sit down with Tanisia Charles, a Recruiting Manager at a global law firm, to hear her POV on landing the job of your dreams and negotiating like a pro. In addition to her work in hiring, Tanisia works with issues related to diversity and inclus...

The gender pay gap is a calculation that reflects the fact that, on average, women are paid less than men. In 2020, that was 83 cents to every dollar. Women of Color, per usual, get an even smaller piece of the pie. Black women were paid 64%, and Hispanic women (of any race) were paid 57% of what white non-Hispanic men were paid (according to a study conducted by the Women’s Bureau in tandem with the U.S. Census Bureau). What’s worse is that the majority of the gap between men and women’s wages...

“Imagine a community of great possibilities and prosperity built by Black people for Black people. Places to work. Places to live. Places to learn and shop and play. Places to worship. Now imagine it being ravaged by flames. Greenwood was so promising, so vibrant that it became home to what was known as America’s Black Wall Street. But what took years to build was erased in less than 24 hours by racial violence.” - NY Times Tune in as Jessica and Brandon discuss the Tulsa Race Massacre of 192...

Happy Black History Month! The wealth gap between Black and white Americans has been persistent and extreme. The accumulated effects of four centuries of institutional and systemic racism bears major responsibility for disparities in income, health, education, and opportunity which sadly continue to present day. Employment, housing (hello redlining), and educational discrimination across the country virtually ensured that Black Americans in the South would not be able to accumulate wealth. Tun...