Diversity and representation are important in every area — especially in finance, where institutional practices and discrimination historically locked Black people out of the chance to grow and maintain wealth. So here are 11 finance experts you should start following now to get great money advice all year-round:
1. Chris Browning of Popcorn Finance
Chris Browning is a financial analyst by day, and in his spare time he hosts the podcast Popcorn Finance, which is every bit as addictive as its namesake snack. And don’t let the show’s short episode times (often under 10 minutes!) fool you: Browning manages to cover a lot of ground in a quick timeframe, but he does it in a way that’s really accessible and, dare I say, fun to listen to. Just in the last couple of weeks, he’s posted episodes about job hunting during the pandemic, tax questions, and the federal student loan payment pause (that was recently extended until Sept. 30). So if you’re looking for an easy way to stay up to date on what’s going on in the world of finance, Popcorn Finance is a great resource. As a bonus, you might also like Browning’s other podcast This Is Awkward, where he and cohost Allison Baggerly have great banter and give callers advice on how to have tough money conversations that are, well, awkward. Follow Popcorn Finance on Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher.
2. Nicaila Matthews Okome of Side Hustle Pro
Nicaila Matthews Okome side-hustled her way into a career as a professional podcaster, and her show Side Hustle Pro features interviews with Black women who also side-hustled their way to success. Okome also does solo episodes where she gives advice on choosing a side gig, getting it started, and helping it grow. A couple of recent episodes well worth checking out include one that gives tips for side hustle success and another about how to stop procrastinating and start chasing your dream. Follow Side Hustle Pro on Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher.
3. Tiffany Aliche of The Budgetnista
Before the 2008 recession, Tiffany Aliche was a teacher at a New Jersey daycare who often shared the financial wisdom she’d learned from her accountant father with her students’ parents. But when the daycare center she loved closed because of the economic downturn, Aliche took to the internet as The Budgetnista to teach us all about managing our money. Since then, Aliche has published several books about finance as well as worked with New Jersey legislators to draft and pass a law requiring financial education in the state’s middle school classrooms. The Budgetnista blog covers everything from daily money management to homebuying and entrepreneurship. Some great recent posts include tested tips for thriving during a recession and an incredible letter to her teenage self. Follow The Budgetnista on Twitter and Instagram and check out Brown Ambition, the podcast she cohosts with Mandi Woodruff.
4. Talaat and Tai McNeely of His and Her Money
Talk about a power couple! Talaat and Tai McNeely are money and marriage experts, and their podcast His and Her Money is all about navigating personal finance with a partner for a happier relationship and a richer life. From slashing debt and building wealth to applying faith-based lessons, the McNeelys cover a lot of ground. Recent standout episodes include preparing your family’s finances for 2021 and a conversation with a couple who paid off $80K in debt in just two and a half years. Follow His and Her Money on Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher.
5. Jamila Souffrant of Journey to Launch
Jamila Souffrant is the financial educator behind the excellent podcast Journey to Launch, which is all about getting the most out of your hard-earned cash. Souffrant learned how to manage money early in life and was able to buy a condo when she was just 22. On the show, she breaks down the sometimes complicated world of finance in a way that’s really clear and digestible. When you tune in, you can expect to hear Souffrant talk about her own experiences. She also interview experts and regular people and they have thoughtful conversations about money. Some standout episodes include talking about rewiring your brain for financial success and sharing exactly how she bought real estate in her early twenties. Follow Journey to Launch on Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher.
6. Kara Stevens of The Frugal Feminista
As The Frugal Feminista, finance coach Kara Stevens is on a mission to help high-earning Black women step fully into financial confidence and power. Stevens often talks about getting your cashflow under control as a form of healing, which is so empowering, and her blog posts read like a breath of fresh air. Standout posts that might pique your interest include how she paid off her grad school debt and some very real tips on tackling disorganization. Oh, and she’s also written a book called Heal Your Relationship with Money. Follow The Frugal Feminista on Twitter and Instagram.
7. Rich Jones of Paychecks Balances
Rich Jones hosts the podcast Paychecks Balances, where he interviews a super-diverse range of guests, from CEOs and entrepreneurs to coaches and educators. Interviews are usually around an hour long and tend to focus on money and career advice. Plus, Jones has a background as an HR professional, so you know that his insights on work come from experience. In standout episodes, Jones talked to a financial therapist about battling money anxiety and interviewed a certified dating coach. Follow Paychecks Balances on Twitter, Instagram, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher.
8. Choncé Maddox of My Debt Epiphany
Personal finance blogger and freelance writer Choncé Maddox is a financial education instructor and mom who uses My Debt Epiphany to teach you eeeeeverything you need to know about conquering debt. And Maddox isn’t just an expert in the academic sense — she brings real-world experience to the table (she’s paid off $40K!) and shares debt-slashing advice in a way that’s very relatable. Some blog posts that really stand out include whether you should pay off debt before you start investing and how she feeds a family of three on a $300 a month grocery budget. And her recent piece for Business Insider about working toward financial independence from a low-income background is a great read as well. Follow My Debt Epiphany on Twitter and Instagram.
9. Lynnette Khalfani-Cox of Ask The Money Coach
Lynnette Khalfani-Cox is a personal finance expert and veteran financial reporter who blogs about managing money at Ask The Money Coach. She has also appeared on Oprah and Dr. Phil to share her wealth-building advice. Plus, she coauthored a series of books that aim to teach kids about money called The Millionaire Kids Club. Some recent standout posts on her blog include these painful financial truths about life during a pandemic and this explainer on the economic violence that systemic racism has inflicted on Black people in America. Follow Ask The Money Coach on Twitter and Instagram.
10. Patrice Washington of Redefining Wealth
If you’ve tuned into Steve Harvey’s show or are a regular Dr. Oz viewer, you’ve probably seen finance expert Patrice Washington sharing her money knowledge before. She also hosts the Redefining Wealth podcast, which is all about taking the definition of the word “wealth” back to its roots in the Old English word “weal,” meaning well-being. Washington’s show is super upbeat and motivating, and recently she started a series of episodes called “The Six Pillars of Wealth,” which focuses on how even things like your physical fitness tie into your overall wealth. Oh, and you might also like this episode on the truth about wealth. Follow Redefining Wealth on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher.
11. Jay Jones of Black Entrepreneur Blueprint
Curious about what it takes to start a successful business? Black Entrepreneur Blueprint is a podcast hosted by entrepreneur and teacher Jay Jones. He’s been making the show since 2014 and has literally hundreds of episodes to choose from. But you don’t have to be a business owner to benefit from listening to this show — there are tons of great work and money lessons sprinkled throughout, and, of course, amazing stories. A couple of standout episodes to check out include his interview with Killer Mike discussing the rapper and activist’s new venture, Greenwood Bank, and his interview with designer Christopher Bevans, who’s worked with Kanye West, Pharrell, and A$AP Rocky. Follow Black Entrepreneur Blueprint on Instagram, Apple Podcasts, and Stitcher. Know another money pro? Tell us about your favorite finance experts in the comments below.
Content retrieved from: https://www.buzzfeed.com/meganeliscomb/black-finance-experts-2021.
