This week, Mandi sits down with leadership and inclusion strategist Ruchika T. Malhotra — author of Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Radical Success. In a world obsessed with winning, Ruchika’s message is a breath of fresh air: true success comes from rest, collaboration, and community not from constant competition.

Together, they unpack what it means to unlearn scarcity, how to resist burnout, and why rest is a radical act of self-preservation for women of color. Ruchika opens up about her own experiences balancing authorship, motherhood, and identity while challenging capitalism’s grip on our worth.

It’s an honest, hopeful, and much-needed reminder that we don’t have to play by the old rules to create abundance.

📘 About the Guest

Ruchika T. Malhotra (she/her) is a globally recognized inclusion strategist, speaker, and founder of CANDOR, a consulting practice helping organizations build equitable and inclusive workplaces. Her latest book, Uncompete, challenges the myth that success must come from rivalry and invites us to build from a place of joy, rest, and abundance.

Follow Ruchika:

• Instagram: @rtulshyan
• Website: ruchikatulshyan.com

📚 Resources Mentioned

• Uncompete: Rejecting Competition to Unlock Radical Success — available November 4
• Rest is Resistance by Tricia Hersey
• “Spoon Theory” — by Christine Miserandino

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In this unfiltered Brown Ambition mama check-in, Mandi sits down with fellow podcasters and moms Jessica Norwood and Rana Campbell for an honest conversation about motherhood, depression, grief, survival mode, and rediscovering joy amidst the chaos.

Mandi opens up about her battle with depression and what it means to mother while navigating mental health challenges. Rana shares her journey through grief and juggling caregiving for both her children and her ailing mother. Jessica reflects on living with chronic pain, parenting through fatigue, and the gratitude that comes with having support.

Together, the trio talk about the silent struggles moms face—postpartum transitions, work-from-home pressures, and the impossible balance between self-care and survival—and how they’re each reclaiming small pockets of joy in their everyday lives.

💡 You’ll Learn

• Mandi opens up about living with depression and the complexity of being a mom in survival mode.
  -Rana on grief, caregiving, and trying to shield her kids from chaos.
  -Jessica shares how chronic pain impacts her motherhood and the value of having a supportive partner.
  -The invisible weight of motherhood—mental load, burnout, and the myth of “having it all.”
  -The guilt of “just surviving”—and redefining what thriving really means.
  - Finding joy in small ways: cooking, gardening, dancing, and laughter.. -The need for community, support, and sisterhood among mothers.

🧠 Key Takeaways

• Depression is a liar: It tells you you’re alone, unworthy, or toxic—but speaking it aloud breaks its power.
• Moms need mothering too: Community care and physical presence matter as much as emotional support.
• Joy can be small and deliberate: A home-cooked meal, a dance break, or a solo coffee can change your day.
• Workplace empathy is survival: Corporate policies must evolve to support mothers’ well-being.
• Healing requires honesty: Naming what hurts opens space for connection, laughter, and growth.

Episode Challenge

Take one small action this week that’s just for you—no kids, no chores, no guilt.
Cook, dance, nap, or call a friend who gets it. Because joy counts, even in the messy middle.

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This week, Mandi sits down with Amina AlTai — executive coach, entrepreneur, and bestselling author of The Ambition Trap: How to Stop Chasing and Start Living.

Amina’s story takes us from burnout and near organ failure to a full-on breakthrough that reshaped her entire relationship with success. She shares how growing up as the daughter of immigrants shaped her drive, why so many high-achieving women fall into what she calls “painful ambition,” and the five core wounds that often hide beneath our hustle.

Together, Mandi and Amina unpack:
💡 The difference between purposeful vs. painful ambition
💡 How our cultural and family roots influence our drive for success
💡 Why burnout isn’t a badge of honor
💡 How scarcity and comparison feed into “the ambition trap”
💡 Practical steps for finding joy and balance in your work

Amina also opens up about her own health crisis that forced her to redefine ambition on her own terms — and how she now helps leaders, entrepreneurs, and firsts-of-their-kind women of color do the same.

By the end of this episode, you’ll walk away with a new lens on success — one that prioritizes purpose, wellness, and authenticity over constant hustle.

Guest: @aminaaltai
Book: The Ambition Trap — available wherever books are sold
Learn more: aminaaltai.com

Episode Highlights:

• (03:00) Amina’s health scare that changed everything
• (07:45) The five core wounds that fuel burnout
• (15:00) Leaving her business and rediscovering purpose
• (25:00) Coaching the “first, few, and only” women in corporate spaces
• (33:00) Navigating authenticity in today’s workplaces
• (41:30) The truth about scarcity and collaboration
• (46:00) What “The Ambition Trap” really means

If you loved this conversation, share it with a friend who’s redefining success on their own terms — and don’t forget to rate and review Brown Ambition on your favorite podcast app!

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