Shows / The Next Best Thing
The Next Best Thing
This is a podcast about making changes in all areas of your life, even when you don’t know where to start. This is the antidote to your Sunday scaries. It bucks cultural standards that can leave you burned out and broken. It’s not about activating a Plan B or a career pivot; both of those terms indicate abandoning how you started. No, this is about continuing on your path and using all of your experiences to make a shift your future self will thank you for. Each episode includes a different…
Episodes
- The Next Best Thing
You Don't Have To Be An Influencer To Build a Personal Brand with Maribel Lara
Building a personal brand doesn’t mean becoming an influencer. Maribel Lara, Founder and Principal at Beget Love Consulting, shows you how social media can…
- The Next Best Thing
How to Get 10 Hours Back in Your Week with Dr. Tiffany Shelton
You’re not failing because you need more discipline. You may simply need better systems.In this episode of I sit down with neuropsychologist and productivity…
- The Next Best Thing
When It’s Time to Let Go of What You Built with Dionna Dorsey
What happens when a chapter of your life ends, but you’re not quite ready to decide what comes next?I had such a deeply personal conversation with Dionna…
- The Next Best Thing
What It Really Takes to Get What You Want
You know what you want. But do you know what it will take to actually get it?In this episode of The NEXT Best Thing, I asks a question that’s been sitting with…
- The Next Best Thing
I Burned Out. Here’s How I’m Rebuilding My Life and Career
I disappeared for five months.After a year of constantly putting out fires, traveling every other week, and pushing myself far beyond my capacity, I hit a…
- The Next Best Thing
Overqualified and Overlooked? You're Playing the Wrong Game
Most people are job searching the same way they did 10 years ago. It's not working. 🎙️ Send the application. Wait. Send another. Wait longer. Refresh the…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: We've Played Enough Defense
The economy is shifting, AI is moving fast, and playing it safe isn't a strategy anymore. This week, one line from a Jay-Z interview stopped me cold, and it's…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: The Season of No
We often think moving forward is about doing more, but sometimes the breakthrough requires a new blueprint and the courage to stop strategies that lead to…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: Choosing Presence Over Permission
Transitions often feel like a whirlwind where it is easy to get lured into the appeal of something simply because it is new. To remain rooted during these…
- The Next Best Thing
Stop Answering Questions: The Secret to Winning Every Job Interview
In the current job market, getting an interview is a win, but landing the job is an entirely different game, especially with the "AI recruiting doom loop"…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: Summer Is Coming
This episode isn't just about seasons. It’s about navigating the winters in our own lives, especially when it feels like we're "hustling backwards" or juggling…
- The Next Best Thing
Why Your Job is Costing You Your Health: Healing from Burnout and Career Grief
"Maybe it is time to stop pushing through."In this episode, host Aundrea Cline-Thomas sits down with award-winning psychologist and author Dr. Charmaine…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: Why You Aren't For Everyone (And That’s Your Superpower)
In this week’s Nuggets Voice Note, Aundrea explores the liberating power of Jill Scott’s new album title, "To Whom This May Concern." Reflecting on her…
- The Next Best Thing
Stop Making Rich People Richer: How To Work LESS and Live MORE Abroad
Is the "American Dream" actually a math problem that doesn't add up? In this episode, I'm joined by Stephanie Perry and Roshida Dowe, the founders of the…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: From Employee to Asset
Companies that demand 110% loyalty are the same ones that can pivot their entire strategy in an 18-minute Zoom call. If you’re still following rules for a…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: The Job Market Shift You Cannot Ignore Right Now
"The math isn't mathing anymore." January's job market just flashed warning signs we haven't seen since 2009. While everyone else is hitting snooze, I'm…
- The Next Best Thing
Stop Living Paycheck to Paycheck: How to Multiply Your Money in 2026
Getting laid off while being six months pregnant wasn't in the plan. But that devastating moment forced her to completely rethink her relationship with money…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: The Gap Between the Work and the Win
Feeling the weight of pushing forward when no one's cheering yet? This week's voice note is about what happens when you're still in the arena and the applause…
- The Next Best Thing
Why Your Boundaries Aren't Working (And What To Do Instead)
Therapist Minaa B breaks down why most people get boundaries completely wrong, and what actually works. If you've tried setting boundaries but still feel…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: Meet Them With the Same Energy
If bullies rely on silence to win, what changes when you decide to make noise? Audacity is a necessary skill, not a character flaw or something reserved for…
- The Next Best Thing
New Year, New Leverage: How to Create Career Clarity Without Reinventing Yourself
Feeling pressure to become a completely different version of yourself to move ahead? In this episode of The Next Best Thing Podcast, Aundrea explains why…
- The Next Best Thing
Voice Note: Let Go And Reclaim Your Power
This voice note is a grounding reset for anyone carrying quiet grief, uncertainty, or unease about the state of the world. This pep talk is meant to help guide…
- The Next Best Thing
Introducing NEXT Nuggets Voicenotes
Mondays feel different when you begin them with intention. NEXT Nuggets Voicenotes are your weekly reset. A few focused minutes of grounded, honest reflection…
- The Next Best Thing
One Hello That Changed My Career | Lessons from Natasha Cornstein, Blushington’s CEO
What if your next hello could change the trajectory of your career? Natasha Cornstein knows it can. On this episode of The Next Best Thing Podcast, the…
- The Next Best Thing
Why Are You Still Playing By The Rules
We’re living through a time when everything’s changing. From AI to government furloughs and mass layoffs, so why are you still playing by the old rules? In…
- The Next Best Thing
I'm BACK and Nothing Is The Same!
After an unplanned (but very necessary) break, I’m returning to The Next Best Thing Podcast with a real talk update on what’s been going on behind the scenes…
- The Next Best Thing
What Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter Taught Me About Clarity, Risk, and Reinvention
I went to my first-ever Beyoncé concert, and listen, I expected the fringe, the glam, the vocals. But I did not expect to walk out of that stadium thinking so…
- The Next Best Thing
Is Your Job Safe? How to Survive Layoffs & Uncertainty
Job market got you stuck? Executive Coach, former economist and Chief People Officer, Alisia Gill shares 5 hard truths every job seeker needs to know right…
- The Next Best Thing
Power Play: Mastering Career Relationships That Matter with Melody Wilding
In today's hustle culture, simply grinding harder won't cut it. Your technical skills? Great. Your dedication? Essential. But here's the real career secret…
- The Next Best Thing
From Overwhelm to Liberation: How To Let Go Of What No Longer Serves You with Christine Platt
Feeling buried by stuff and stress? This week, Christine Platt, author of The Afro Minimalist’s Guide to Living With Less, shows us how minimalism, when rooted…
- The Next Best Thing
The Truth About Getting a Book Deal: Tips from Legacy Lit Publisher Krishan Trotman
Thinking about writing a book or pitching a big idea? LIsten to this FIRST! Kishan Trotman didn’t set out to launch a publishing imprint—but when the moment…
- The Next Best Thing
The Hidden Cost of Pushing Through: Signs You're Disconnected from Your Own Emotions with Therapist Kalisha Crone
You keep pushing, showing up, and holding it together, but inside, you’re exhausted, numb, and running on fumes. In this conversation therapist Kalisha Crone…
- The Next Best Thing
Building Community and Finding My Voice | Two Years of The NEXT Best Thing Podcast
On this episode of The Next Best Thing, I'm celebrating two years of the podcast. I opened up about the journey behind building this podcast from scratch…
- The Next Best Thing
You’re Learning. You’re NOT Failing: Tips for a Tough Job Market
Ever felt like your career has more chapters left to write? When the path you've built starts to feel narrow, or you're craving a professional reinvention that…
- The Next Best Thing
Ready, Set, NEXT: 7 Steps to Unlocking New Possibilities
Feeling stuck in your career with no clear NEXT step? I get it, I’ve been there too. That’s exactly why I created The NEXT Best Thing Podcast, to help you move…
- The Next Best Thing
You’re Fired! Navigating Grief After Career Loss with Laverne McKinnon
One moment, you're secure in your job, and the next, the rug is pulled out from under you. The emotional rollercoaster of job loss can feel overwhelming. But…
- The Next Best Thing
Curl Cap Founder Britney Crowell on Owning and Protecting Your Creativity
Ever wondered how a personal problem could turn into a successful business? In this episode, Britney Crowell, founder and inventor of CurlCap takes us on her…
- The Next Best Thing
The Truth About Being Single in 2025: Dr. Kris Marsh Breaks Down 'The Love Jones Cohort'
Ever feel like society's constantly giving you the side-eye for being happily single? In this episode of The NEXT Best Thing Podcast we're chatting with Dr…
- The Next Best Thing
Fight or Flight: Finding Safety in Today’s Chaotic World with Lidia Bonilla
Feeling overwhelmed by the constant chaos around you? Like the world is on a never-ending loop of bad news, and you're stuck in fight or flight mode? You’re…
- The Next Best Thing
Stop Doubting Yourself: 4 Steps to Unlocking Your Full Potential
In this episode, we explore the power of ignoring the doubts and limitations others try to place on us, and how to break free from societal timelines that…
- The Next Best Thing
How To Actually Achieve Your Goals In 2025 with NBA Performance Coach Ben Kenyon
Feeling like you're stuck in a rut or not reaching your full potential? It’s frustrating when you know you can do more, but something’s holding you back. In…
- The Next Best Thing
Break Free from Money Shame: How to Build Wealth with Aja Evans
Ready to Feel Good About Your Money in 2025? 🙌🏾With everything happening in this political climate, we can't afford to have our money stay funny. Financial…
- The Next Best Thing
2024 Year In Review: Either You Win or You Learn
In this final episode of 2024, I’m reflecting on the whirlwind year that’s been—what worked, what didn’t, and everything I’ve learned along the way. It’s a…
- The Next Best Thing
Dreaming on Purpose: Ariane Hunter's Blueprint for Personal and Professional Freedom
Feeling stuck in toxic environments—whether at work or in your personal life? It's easy to tolerate what feels "normal," but that doesn't mean it's healthy…
- The Next Best Thing
Fully Surrender Without Giving Up with Octavia Raheem
Could you do 1% less everyday to create lasting change? In this episode, rest coach and author, Octavia Raheem discusses how to start building a rest practice…
- The Next Best Thing
To the 91 Percent…
Save yourself! Here are some suggestions on how!Subscribe to the NEXT Nuggets Newsletter: https://thenextbestthingact.com/Join The NEXT Best Thing community on…
- The Next Best Thing
Redefining Ambition, Trusting Yourself & Small Steps to Big Wins with Kibi Anderson
Are you ready to become a “Rested Rebel” and take the practice all the way to the bank? Kibi Anderson dives into why rest is all about trust. She challenges us…
- The Next Best Thing
Strategies for Success in Uncertain Times
I’m back with part 2 of our discussion about the anatomy of a transition, the important steps so many often overlook and why your Rewrite and NEXT Best Thing…
- The Next Best Thing
Media Layoffs, Tips for Jobseekers, Lessons on Rewriting Your Story
The media landscape is collapsing before our eyes. Thousands of journalists have been laid off. In this episode we discuss how to turn the turmoil into…
- The Next Best Thing
Cheers to the Late Bloomers: Deesha Dyer’s “Undiplomatic” Journey to the White House
From the Community College of Philadelphia to The White House, Deesha Dyer’s journey has been anything but a linear path. Along the way she’s always leaned…
- The Next Best Thing
How Do You Want Your Life To Feel: Amber Cabral on How to Speak Up and Get What You Need
Far too often we are living a muted reality, tip toeing around what we think others can handle instead of asserting what we need. In this episode, inclusion…
- The Next Best Thing
LaShasta Bell on 3 Tips For Better Sleep, Achieve More by Doing Less and How To Mind Your Business
Sleep deprivation may be the root cause of a lot of your ailments from irritability to chronic diseases, but doctors rarely prescribe rest. Licensed mental…
- The Next Best Thing
REWIND Episode 23: The lie of perfection, overworking and burnout to achieve success with L’Oreal Thompson Payton
Is perfectionism holding you back? Are you trying to be the best parent, partner, friend and worker all at the same time? What if I told you perfection doesn’t…
- The Next Best Thing
Daisy Auger-Dominguez on Overcoming Burnout, Finding Your Spark and Why You Should Take a Sabbatical
Have you hit a wall? Did summer burn you out? In this episode we’re unpacking the transformative journey of Daisy Auger-Dominguez, former Chief People Officer…
- The Next Best Thing
REWIND Episode 33 From Survival Mode To Thriving: How to Come Home To Yourself with Dr. Thema Bryant
How are you…. really? As summer is coming to a close are you in survival mode and don’t even know it? What does wellness even look like? On this REWIND episode…
- The Next Best Thing
REWIND: Episode 32 From Shark Tank to “Killer Pitch Master” Precious Williams on Pitching for Success
Putting your head down, working hard and hoping to be noticed is not a recipie for success. It's a way to be overlooked. So get comfortable with pitching! If…
- The Next Best Thing
REWIND: Episode 48 How To Get Unstuck: Face Your Fears of Failure, Rejection, and Success with Renee Washington
Headlines about layoffs are plaguing the news industry as it fails to come up with a viable business model to address declining viewership, trust and…
- The Next Best Thing
REWIND: Episode 46 How To Overcome a Scarcity Mindset, Embrace Abundance + Loud Budgeting with Financial Therapist Aja Evans
What’s your earliest money memory? In this REWIND episode we're peeling back the layers on what’s getting in the way of financial freedom and how the messages…
- The Next Best Thing
REWIND- KJ Rose on How To Stand Out From The Crowd, Own Your Stage and Collect Your Wins
Everyone has a stage, but are you owning it? K.J. Rose is the go to performance director for some of your favorite artists including Lil Nas X, Saweetie, The…
- The Next Best Thing
Political Strategist Katrina Gamble on Kamala Harris’ Path Forward, Project 2025 and Understanding the Assignment
What’s NEXT for this country? Does it include electing the first woman to become President of The United State? After President Biden suddenly ending his…