
8 'It Girl' Podcasts To Help You Level Up And Elevate Your Thinking

Black folk love a good podcast, and the numbers don't lie: A report found that a whopping 43% of the U.S. Black population are monthly podcast listeners. Among those listeners, 55 percent are women, and 75% overall, Black listeners are drawn to shows that focus on our unique stories and perspectives.
Listening to a good podcast can leave you feeling energized, seen, and understood, especially when Black women hosts are at the lead. And if you're a lover of multitasking motivation, they're perfect to enjoy while doing your household chores or driving to your next appointment.
Since xoNecole, in partnership with Hyundai, has launched its inaugural ItGirl 100 List—a celebration of fierce, ultra-creative, Black women, across industries—here are a few podcasts to add to your list for leveling up in all aspects of your life and career:
1.Therapy For Black Girls With Dr. Joy Harden Bradford
Addressing mental health issues and redefining wellness in that area is a great first start for leveling up, whether personally or professionally. Dr. Joy Harden Bradford is keeping the momentum going this year, offering insights on subjects including finding "purpose in profit," healing from grief, and more.
2.Healed Girl Era With Gia Peppers
Known for making her own amazing boss moves in media, Gia Peppers is expanding on the impact she had with her previous podcast, "More Than That," with "Healed Girl Era," a show that focuses on topics including self-love cultivation and candid conversations with other successful women we love like author and speaker Luvvie Ajayi, Oscar-nominated actress Danielle Brooks (The Color Purple), and entrepreneur Jovian Zayne.
3.The Mama's Den
For all the moms holding down the house while loving on their pride and joys, this is a great podcast that talks about issues ranging from pop culture snafus to friendship maintenance. The conversations also affirm Black women's identities that go beyond being "mommy," and how women can truly embrace self-care as parents.
4.The Light Podcast with Michelle Obama
The former U.S. First Lady taps into her network of friends and family to drop jewels on friendship, marriage, relationship building, and some of her own personal experiences of life post-White House. What's great about this is if you loved any of her books, you can get even more elevated inspiration.
5.The Scottie & Sylvia Show
Media personalities and best friends Scottie Beam and Sylvia Obell got rave reviews and built a robust community of supporters with Okay, Now Listen during the pandemic but ended recording episodes of the super-successful show in 2022. They came back strong, launching their latest podcast, The Scottie & Sylvia Show, via Issa Rae's Raedio, addressing topics on romance, colorism, and vulnerability in the engaging way that’s made them a crowd favorite.
6.Money Talk With Tiff
Can't level up with talking about personal finance, and Tiffany Grant, an accredited financial counselor, shares realistic tips on subjects like how to tackle debt and the best approach to having the money talk with your bae. The show also features interviews with entrepreneurs and experts on real estate investing and entrepreneurship.
7.The Thought Card
Danielle Desir Corbette meshes her passion for travel with personal finance advocacy with this podcast. She offers insights on "travel hacking" and content about unique travel experiences that put Black culture and enlightenment at the center of the adventure.
8.Just Us Podcast
This podcast is hosted by besties who are lawyers by training, and co-host Tashira Halyard (who left a career in law to go full-time as a content creator) boldly holds space, offering her very relatable take on social, economic, and personal topics that affect Black women in the workplace and society at large. This podcast particularly showcases the power of connection, understanding, and common ground that is magnified when two powerful millennials from diverse backgrounds actually talk, listen, and respectfully relate with one another in ways that are affirming and truth-seeking.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image Delmaine Donson/Getty Images
- I Was Told I Was Approachable For A Black Girl (And I Don’t Know How To Feel About It) ›
- These Black Women Have Everything You Need To Make Your Dreams Of Living Abroad Come True ›
- Here Are 11 Black Female-Led Podcasts You Should Be Listening To ›
- 10 Black Podcasts About Healing You Should Be Listening To Now ›
'He Said, She Said': Love Stories Put To The Test At A Weekend For Love
At the A Weekend For Love retreat, we sat down with four couples to explore their love stories in a playful but revealing way with #HeSaidSheSaid. From first encounters to life-changing moments, we tested their memories to see if their versions of events aligned—because, as they say, every story has three sides: his, hers, and the truth.
Do these couples remember their love stories the same way? Press play to find out.
Episode 1: Indira & Desmond – Love Across the Miles
They say distance makes the heart grow fonder, but for Indira & Desmond, love made it stronger. Every mile apart deepened their bond, reinforcing the unshakable foundation of their relationship. From their first "I love you" to the moment they knew they had found home in each other, their journey is a beautiful testament to the endurance of true love.
Episode 2: Jay & Tia – A Love Story Straight Out of a Rom-Com
If Hollywood is looking for its next Black love story, they need to take notes from Jay & Tia. Their journey—from an awkward first date to navigating careers, parenthood, and personal growth—proves that love is not just about romance but also resilience. Their story is full of laughter, challenges, and, most importantly, a love that stands the test of time.
Episode 3: Larencia & Mykel – Through the Highs and Lows
A date night with police helicopters overhead? Now that’s a story! Larencia & Mykel have faced unexpected surprises, major life changes, and 14 years of choosing each other every single day. But after all this time, do they actually remember things the same way? Their episode is sure to bring some eye-opening revelations and a lot of laughs.
Episode 4: Soy & Osei – A Love Aligned in Purpose
From a chance meeting at the front door to 15 years of unwavering love, faith, and growth, Soy & Osei prove that when two souls are aligned in love and purpose, nothing can shake their foundation. Their journey is a powerful reminder that true love is built on mutual support, shared values, and a deep connection that only strengthens with time.
Each of these couples has a unique and inspiring story to tell, but do their memories match up? Watch #HeSaidSheSaid to find out!
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image screenshot/ xoNecole YouTube
Have you ever wondered why it seems as if you can never catch a break financially? Or do you find yourself complaining that you're "broke" more times than you would like to admit? I want to let you in on a little secret: your money mindset plays a major role in the overall success of your finances.
Those myths that you keep telling yourself, and believe to be true may be what's holding you back, boo. Most of the time you're thinking these things on a subconscious level and may not even realize the damage that's being done. But once you gain clarity and call out your limiting beliefs for what they are, you'll finally be able to break free and reach new levels financially.
Let's dig into a few myths that have a direct impact on your money and are keeping you BROKE.
1. “Money is the root of all evil.”
Nah, this right here is a straight-up LIE! The truth is this: the LOVE OF MONEY is the root of all evil. When you think that money is the root of all evil, you're limiting yourself from keeping money, as well as receiving more of it. Without even knowing it, you might be scared of going after opportunities that will get you to the money.
Think about it. How can money be evil? Money is simply a resource that we control. Instead of believing and saying that money is the root of all evil, replace it with this supporting belief instead:
"Money is a resource and a means to do good and live well."
2. "I'm broke."
Broke is a mindset, boo. Your financial situation is shaped by how you think about money, which influences how you manage your money. Guess what? If you keep crying that you're broke, you're going to remain that way. All you are doing is reinforcing that limiting belief into the universe and your actions aren't gonna line up with what you need to do in order to get ahead.
It's imperative that you get a grip on this way of thinking and behaving, or else you'll never be able to break the cycle. I challenge you to think more in terms of abundance and believing that you can be wealthy. Are you up for the challenge?
3. "I can afford it."
You say that you can afford that pair of shoes and then turn around and realize that you don't even have enough money for gas the morning after. You can't just look at your checking account balance in the moment and think that everything is all good. Trust me, I've been there. This is where having a clear-cut, written budget comes in handy.
A budget is really just a spending/savings plan. It's a strategic system that lets you know how much money is coming in and going out every month. In reality, a budget can:
- Help you understand your financial situation and whether you can really afford something or not.
- Help you save for the things you want and do more of what you enjoy.
- Help you avoid getting caught short by bills you can't pay.
- Help you escape the paycheck-to-paycheck life.
4. "I deserve to treat myself."
How many "treats" do you need, sis? If you really sit down and keep it 100 with yourself, do you really deserve those so-called treats? Are you taking care of your responsibilities like you should be? Instead of buying things that you don't need (with money you don't have) and labeling them as a "treat," you should be treating yourself by investing in your future and saving some coins.
If you spend all of the money that you earn instead of saving and investing it, you will never create the financial abundance that you do desire to have.
Here's a tip: Try putting both your short-term and long-term savings on auto-pilot so you don't even notice the money that you could be missing. When you don't have to look at it, you aren't tempted by any "excess" that you might have.
5. "I need to make more money and then I'll be better with my finances."
If you can't manage the little that you have now, what makes you think that you're gonna be able to manage more money? The more money you make, the more you're gonna spend if you don't get those habits in check early on. You're going to go right back to complaining about your finances and crying that you're still broke and in need of even more money. You'll never be satisfied. There will never be enough money. Remember, there are former millionaires who are struggling out here in these streets because they wanted to live a "fake fancy" lifestyle and ball out of control.
Start by being content with the income that you currently have and handling it with better care. Learn the ins and outs of sound financial management now, so that when you're finally blessed with more, you'll be able to manage it with ease.
I challenge you to start thinking better, which will ultimately lead to you doing better. It's time to prioritize your finances in a way that you haven't done before if you want to level up this year. It's time to activate your discipline. It's time to finally do something different.
Make the commitment to yourself and decide that absolutely nothing's gonna stand in your way of breaking that broke mentality.
What’s better than being in love? Building an empire while doing it. Watch Making Cents to see how real couples turn their money dreams into money moves.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Shutterstock
Originally published on January 5, 2018