Brown Ambition

Happy Brown Ambition Tuesday!We've got a packed show for today: Buzzworthy: Lena Dunham. Why? Just why? The Black-Owned Bank Movement everyone's talking about  Questions:  What's the right amount to give at weddings? Do you really need travel health insurance?  Tifffany's book selection for this week: "The Gatekeepers are Gone" by Lamar Tyler Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We can hardly believe it, BA Fam...the Brown Ambition podcast is turning 1! To celebrate our pending anniversary, we're hosting an epic contest and treating a whole group of lucky listeners to a special evening with us — your hosts! Win a Night of Dinner + Drinks with Mandi and Tiffany! To enter, send an email tobrownambitionpodcast@gmail.com and answer this question: What does Brown Ambition mean to you personally, whether in your personal life or your career? This is a shot to tell us why you are proud to be part of the #BrownAmbition family. Submissions are Due by Sept. 1 and winners will be notified by September 4th.   The dinner will be hosted in Manhattan on the evening of Friday S Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today's guest needs no introduction but we gon' give her one anyway! Luvvie Ajayi has turned her hilarious pop culture blog AwesomelyLuvvie.com into a media sensation. For the last 13 years she bas been cracking up the Interwebs with her bitingly funny and whip smart takes on celebrity, TV, film, technology, politics and more. This year, the self-proclaimed "professional troublemaker" caught the eye of none other than Oprah Winfrey herself, who included Luvvie on her first annual Super Soul 100 list. This September, Luvvie is releasing her first book, "I'M JUDGING YOU: The Do-Better Manual". Pre-order it on Amazon or wherever books are sold.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We can hardly believe it, BA Fam...the Brown Ambition podcast is turning 1! To celebrate our pending anniversary, we're hosting an epic contest and treating a whole group of lucky listeners to a special evening with us — your hosts! Win a Night of Dinner + Drinks with Mandi and Tiffany! To enter, send an email to brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com and answer this question: What does Brown Ambition mean to you personally, whether in your personal life or your career? This is a shot to tell us why you are proud to be part of the #BrownAmbition family. Submissions are Due by Sept. 1 and winners will be notified by September 4th. The dinner will be hosted in the NYC area, so keep that in mind before entering.     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Welcome Dream Catchers! If you're just finding the show, be sure to check out our Facebook page and take the time to leave us a review on iTunes. On today's show, we chat with Keona Harris, a Houston, Texas-based mother and entrepreneur. After going through a divorce, buying a new home, and starting her own business — all within the last year! — Keona decided there was no better time to plan a cross country road trip with her 9-year-old daughter. "I was one of those people who when I had PTO days I couldn’t or wouldn’t use them because work would get backed up," Keona told us. "I just had to look at my situation and ask myself what is more important to me? My child was going to daycare and school all day. I didn’t get home until it was time to put her to bed. I didn’t want that life for her. I didn’t want that life for us… I don’t need to give the best of my years and my times to an institution when my daughter needs me most." We talked to Keona about why she decided to plan this journey for her daughter and, of course, how she saved up the money to fund it.   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  On this week's episode.... We recap Michelle Obama's EPIC Democratic Convention speech. Watch it here or read the transcript here. Resources mentioned on this week's show: We tell a listener whether or not she should refinance her mortgage. Check out the tools we mention: Smart Asset mortgage refinance calculator and Bankrate And Mandi tells you about finding a financial planner through the XY Planning Network, a network of financial planners who specialize in Gen X and Y professionals. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Questions? E-mail us at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Just 7 years ago, Patrice C. Washington was scraping up all the change in her purse to buy baby formula for her newborn daughter. Now, Patrice is a best-selling author and founder and CEO of Seek Wisdom Find Wealth, a boutique personal finance consulting firm based in Atlanta, GA, and is a featured financial coach on the Steve Harvey Show. On Jan. 19, Patrice is publishing her new book "Real Money Answers for Everyday Women" in bookstores nationwide. Patrice joined us last fall to talk about hitting rock bottom and how she clawed her way back to the top. She also has some tough advice for everyday women looking to get ahead. "When people are unfulfilled in their careers that leads them to mismanage their finances," she says. "I meet so many women who are quick to go the mall because they're frustrated with everything they've been through all week." As always, send us your money questions at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com or hit us up on Facebook.com/BrownAmbition or Twitter @theBApodcast.   **This episode originally aired Nov. 17, 2015**   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  Group hug everyone. We could all use one. Today's reader question: Should I refinance my car loan? Resources: How to get out of a bad car loan MagnifyMoney auto loan comparison tool Have a question for us? Send us an email at brownambitionpodcast@gmail.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

  We LOVE getting your lovely e-mails and all the great feedback you have on the show. Please take the time to share the love in an iTunes review. It helps others find the show and we will love you forever for it! Now, down to bidness: Today on the show: -The BET awards recap (ALL HAIL JESSE WILLIAMS) -Mandi and Tiff's latest book suggestions "Grit: The power of passion and perseverance" by Angela Duckworth "What I Know For Sure" By Oprah Winfrey -A question from reader who wants to know what comes first: business expenses or credit card debt? We will not have a show next week due to the Fourth of July! We'll be back on the air Tuesday July 12. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.