PODCAST · society
Coffee No Cream
by Erin Braxton
A podcast celebrating Black women's unique journeys in business. Whether you're an entrepreneur, corporate climber, or finding your path, we share authentic "Coffee No Cream Moments" – those distinctly Black girl experiences that become catalysts for growth, bold action, and powerful career pivots. No complaints – just real stories and celebrations of resilience from those who truly understand the walk.
Episodes
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 69 - Should Black Women Dress Down for an Insecure Boss?
Should you dress down so your insecure boss feels comfortable? Or is that a hill worth dying on? Tai Robinson is back, and she’s not giving you the fairy tale version. After years as an HR director, she’s watched appearance keep people out of leadership, and she’s lived it too. Every time she…
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 68 - She Built an App So Black Entrepreneurs Can Hire Without Cash
The budget ain't budgeting. So what do you do when your business needs a lawyer, a brand, or a marketing plan and the money just isn't there? Nicole Murphy had a short-term property management company that was doing really well. Then COVID hit and the business didn't survive. Instead of going…
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 67 - Why 50 Is Not Too Late to Start Something New
I started Coffee No Cream at 50 years old. Not because I had everything mapped out. Not because I knew it would work. And definitely not because I had some grand monetization plan. I started because there was something I wanted to do, and I was tired of letting fear, age, and the idea that I'd...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 66 - COO Reveals the Unwritten Rules for Black Women
What if doing great work isn’t enough? Beverly Dines became a C-suite executive by age 30, and after leaving corporate America, she built an online community of more than 500,000 people by sharing the career advice most of us never hear, including what is actually being said behind closed doors.…
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 65 - Why Some Black Men Reject Black Women: Narcissism, Race and Dating
In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton sits down with psychologist Dr. Natalie Jones for a provocative conversation about narcissism, dating, race, relationships and some of the warning signs Black women may be overlooking. What does narcissism actually mean, and how is it different…
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 64 - What Happens When Black Girls Grow Up in White Spaces?
What happens when you grow up as a Black girl surrounded almost entirely by white people? In this episode of Coffee No Cream, I sit down with Tracie Walker to talk about our experiences growing up in predominantly white schools and communities, and the lessons we learned about race, belonging…
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 63 – Black Women, Code Switching and the Power of Strategic Communication
We’re back with a brand new episode of Coffee No Cream, and we’re jumping into a conversation that Black women have A LOT of feelings about: code-switching. Executive coach Ashley Morgan is back, and she has a perspective that might challenge the way you think about changing how you communicate…
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Coffee No Cream Summer Rewind #7 – Black Women Bodies Are Ringing their Stress Alarm Bells
Black women, if you're experiencing chest pains, headaches, hair loss, anxiety, the Sunday Scaries... I could go on. And you're brushing them off, thinking they're normal. They're not. We're under attack, and we've been under attack.This is the final episode in our Summer Rewind series, and it's...
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Coffee No Cream Summer Rewind #6 – Black Women, Build Your Own Table
Should you stay in corporate, or should you go? That's the question this whole episode is built around. Over 62 episodes, you and your guests have answered this from every angle, how to find the right organization, how to shift from tasks to value, how to build confidence outside of a job title,...
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Coffee No Cream Summer Rewind #5 – Black Women Are Leaving the Church
Religion, and specifically Black women deconstructing it, has been my best-performing topic on this podcast in the last year. So for this Summer Rewind, we're going back to it. This episode pulls together my conversation with Ashante, The Unpunishable Woman, and the religion panel with Abby The...
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Coffee No Cream Summer Rewind #4 – The Nerve Black Women Deal With
The nerve. That's really what this episode is about. Since we launched in May 2025, we've hit 62 episodes, and across nearly all of them, one thing keeps showing up: the sheer nerve people have toward Black women, especially in professional spaces. This is part four of our Summer Rewind series…
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Coffee No Cream Summer Rewind #3 – Corporate Rules Black Women Aren't Told
You may think you're not playing the game at work. The truth is, the game is being played whether you choose to participate or not. After more than 60 conversations with Black women, one lesson continues to surface: success isn't just about working hard. It's about understanding the unwritten...
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Coffee No Cream Summer Rewind #2 – Black Girl Mean Energy
"Black women, Black girls are mean. And you know it. I know it. We are." That's how this one starts, and I'm not exempting myself from it. This is part two of our Summer Rewind series, not a rerun, a new conversation built from clips across the last 62 episodes. Dr. Lydia Bullock admits she was…
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Coffee No Cream Summer Rewind #1 – My Hair, My Business
My hair. My business. That's the whole thesis of this episode, but it took hearing the same comment from four different women, across four different conversations, before I saw it clearly enough to say it that plainly. This is the first episode in our Summer Rewind series — not a rerun, a new...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 62 – We're Not Ready to Promote You | Roxy Couse
Her boss's boss looked her in the eye and said, "We're not ready to promote you." Roxy Couse joins me on Coffee No Cream to talk about what happened next. She spent almost 15 years in corporate, Dillard's, Whirlpool, Avery Dennison, then over to tech at Bloomreach and Sitecore, before that one...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 61 – She Built an FU Fund and Bounced From Corporate | Jamila Souffrant
She was eight months pregnant, stuck in a four-hour commute home, and done. Jamila Souffrant joins me on Coffee No Cream to talk about what happened next. She's the creator of the Journey to Launch podcast and author of Your Journey to Financial Freedom, and her story is proof that financial...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 60 – The Church Lost Us. Here’s Why.
Three Black women. Three different exits. One conversation the church doesn't want you to have. In this panel episode, Erin sits down with Abby The Attorney, Tammy Triolo, and Ashanti, The Unpunishable Woman, to talk about what it really looks like to leave organized religion. Not the sanitized...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 59 – Everybody Can't Be Your People
Have you ever completely cut someone off because they said something you didn't like? As I've gotten older, I've realized that not everyone belongs in the same box. Some people are your people. Some people are Hey Girl Hey. Some people are small doses. And some people need no access at all. In…
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Coffee No Cream Ep 58 - No Man. No Kids. No Apologies. | The Unpunishable Woman ft. Ashanti
She has no man, no kids, and zero apologies about it. And she built a life that proves you don't need either one to win. Ashanti, known as The Unpunishable Woman, joins me on Coffee No Cream to talk about what it really means to be rooted, regulated, and resourced as a Black woman. Her story…
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Coffee No Cream - Ep 57 - Black Women Don't Have a Money Problem | Teri Williams, OneUnited Bank
What does it really mean to build wealth as a Black woman? In this episode of Coffee No Cream, I sit down with Teri Williams, President and COO of OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the United States, to talk about money, entrepreneurship, corporate America, purpose, and the lessons...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 56 - Everybody Can't Consult | The Money You're Already Sitting On
Everybody's telling you to consult. But is that really the move?If you've been thinking about leaving corporate and someone told you to "just start consulting," this episode is for you. Consulting can be lucrative, but it's not a quick money grab, and it's not for everyone. It takes time…
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Coffee No Cream Ep 55 - Yes, Claude... That Part. | Using AI to Find Your Value as a Black Woman
Black women are some of the most brilliant, capable professionals in any room...and we are chronically underselling ourselves. Not because we don't work hard. Because we've been conditioned to describe our tasks instead of our value. And those are two very different things. In this episode, I'm...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 54 - Black Women: Your Algorithm is NOT Reality
One year ago this week, I launched the Coffee No Cream podcast to create community, conversation, and support for Black women navigating life, business, work, relationships, and the unique experiences we carry every day. But one year later, I think we need a reset. In this anniversary episode…
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Coffee No Cream Ep 53 - Your Trauma Made You Powerful | A Conversation Black Women Need
Some Black women don’t just survive trauma. They develop what Courageous calls “trauma upgrades.” In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton sits down with Courageous for a powerful conversation about survival, self-protection, emotional conditioning, healing, and the ways Black women learn...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 52 - Why Black Women Keep Getting Caught Off Guard at Work (Find Your Power)
✊🏾A lot of people say they don’t play games. At work. In relationships. In life. But the truth is… you’re in the game whether you like it or not. And if you don’t understand how it works, you’re the one getting caught off guard. This episode is about something deeper than quick comebacks or...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 51 - Most Black Women Are Playing Corporate Wrong
There are rules in corporate that nobody ever explains…and if you don’t know them, you can end up working hard and still getting nowhere. In this episode, we break down what’s really happening behind the scenes, especially for Black women navigating corporate environments. This is about more than...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 50 - The Hidden Cost of Black Excellence (No One Talks About This)
What does “Black Excellence” really cost us? We celebrate it. We expect it. We demand it. But rarely do we talk about what it takes to sustain it, and who pays the price. In this episode, we sit down with Natasha to unpack her research on the real, often unseen cost of Black excellence. From...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 49 - Black Women: You Know It’s Toxic When You Start Questioning Yourself
You know it’s toxic… but somehow you keep questioning yourself instead of the situation.In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin sits down with Dr. Kimani Norrington-Sands unpack the subtle (and not-so-subtle) signs of toxic environments—especially the ones that are easy to normalize, excuse, or...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 48 - 4 Patterns Keeping Black Women Stuck (And Why Nothing Changes)
This episode is about something we don’t talk about enough.Not when something happens to you…but when nothing happens… and you still don’t move.A lot of us are not stuck because we lack ability.We’re stuck because of the stories we tell ourselves.Full stories. Detailed. Emotional. Convincing.And...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 47 - “Don’t Sit Next to Me” | When Your Value Gets Challenged in the Room
What do you do when someone tries to quietly move you out of position? In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton sits down with attorney, consultant, and coach Tashun Bowden-Lewis to talk about a workplace moment that said far more than words ever could. Tashun shares what it felt like to…
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Coffee No Cream Ep 46 - Why Some Women Avoid Direct Conflict With Black Women
There are moments when something feels off… but nothing was said directly. In this conversation, Dr. Mel breaks down how some women avoid direct conflict with Black women and instead create experiences that slowly wear on you emotionally. If you’ve ever questioned yourself in those moments, this…
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Coffee No Cream Ep 45- Black women, Laid Off Again? Ask Yourself These 5 Questions
If you’ve been laid off more than once, it can start to get in your head. You begin to question your work, your decisions, and sometimes even your worth. But when something keeps happening in your career, it’s also worth stepping back and asking some honest questions about the environments we’re...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 44 - What Black Woman Must Do Before Accepting a Corporate Job
Before you accept that next corporate job, there are a few things you should know. In this episode of the Coffee No Cream Podcast, Erin sits down with Celeste Warren, former Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Merck, where she spent 28 years leading global diversity strategy. After four…
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Coffee No Cream Ep 43 - 5 Silent Shifts Black Women Should Be Making
Black women know the assignment. We know what we’re not attending. We know what we’re not supporting. We know when to speak. And we know when to be quiet. But while we’re being unbothered and minding our own Black female business, we still have work to do. In this episode, I walk through five...
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Coffee No Cream Ep 42 - This Is the Real America for Black Women | From Jim Crow to the C-Suite
This Is the Real America for Black Women. Not the one in textbooks. Not the one in corporate diversity brochures. Not the one that says “we’ve come so far.” In this episode of Coffee No Cream, we connect the dots from Jim Crow to the C-Suite and examine what has actually changed… and what hasn’t....
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 41 - Black ER Doctor Turns Burnout Into 7-Figure Speaking Career
In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin sits down with Dr. Pamela Buchanan, an ER physician who shares what it’s really like to be a Black woman doctor in America. From being called the N-word by patients during the pandemic to navigating daily micro and macroaggressions in the emergency room…
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 40 - Why Black Women Can’t Build Businesses to Prove Themselves
So many Black women know something has to change at work. Some are thinking about starting their own business. Some do not know what they want to do yet. But the feeling is the same. What you are doing now is not sustainable. In this episode, Erin shares the real story of her first business FAIL....
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 39 - Black Women Left Corporate, Now What?
In 2025, over 319,000 Black women lost their jobs, while 365,000 white men gained jobs during the same period. As DEI initiatives are rolled back and federal and public-sector jobs are cut, many Black women are being forced to reconsider what stability, safety, and success really look like. In…
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 38 - A Stroke at 39: The Silent Crisis Facing Black Women
What happens when your body forces you to stop? In this episode of the Coffee No Cream Podcast, we talk openly about stroke, stress, and the health risks Black women face far earlier than many realize. This conversation centers on a stroke at 39 and what it reveals about how stress, pressure, and...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 37 - HR Can Be Unsafe for Black Women, Even When You Work In the HR Department
What happens when HR isn’t safe, even for Black women who work in HR? In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton sits down with Tai Robinson, an HR professional who shares a Coffee No Cream moment that challenges the idea that HR is a neutral or protective space for Black women. Tai talks...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 36 - Why Black Women Procrastinate Leaving Toxic Jobs
In Part 4 of The Corporate Code Series, Erin breaks down The Wait Code. So many Black women say they want to leave toxic jobs and make moves, and yet years go by, nothing changes, and we’re still “getting ready to get ready.” In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton breaks down why Black...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 35 - The Moments That Changed How Black Women See Work
In this final episode of the year, Erin reflects on the moments, conversations, and patterns that defined Coffee No Cream in 2025. From memorable Coffee No Cream moments to stories about stress, workplace dynamics, and hard-earned lessons, this episode brings together highlights from across the...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 34 - Black Women Leaders Are Treated as Support Staff at Work
In this episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin sits down with DEI expert Tammy Triolo to talk about a familiar workplace contradiction: Black women lead, carry responsibility, and drive outcomes, yet are often treated like support staff instead of decision-makers. They unpack how Black women are relied...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 33 - Jobs Don’t Define Black Women | Finding Self-Worth Beyond the Workplace
Jobs don’t define Black women, but too often, we’re taught to believe they do. In this solo episode of Coffee No Cream, Erin Braxton breaks down what happens when your identity, confidence, and self-worth get wrapped up in a job title, a degree, or someone else’s opinion of you. Drawing from her...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 32– He said “You Don’t Sound Black” and Her Response Was Perfect
When Ashley Morgan walked into a CEO’s office for a routine business meeting, the first thing he said was: “You don’t sound Black on the phone.” What happened next was a masterclass in confidence, boundaries, and knowing your value. Ashley is a former corporate leader who rebuilt her career after...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 31– Black Women, It’s Pivot Season: How to Stop Avoiding & Start Moving
Black Women, It’s Pivot Season, and a lot of us are feeling it. The job market is shifting, DEI is disappearing, the workplace is getting hostile again, and more than 300,000 Black women have lost their jobs this year alone. The pressure, the fear, the uncertainty...it’s real. And for many of us,...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 30 – Make It Make Sense (Part 2): Black Women Clash at Work
In Part 2 of this Make It Make Sense series, we continue the honest conversation about why Black women clash and experience conflict with each other in the workplace. Dr. Kwanza Falaka-Gipson, Dr. Lydia Bullock, and Natasha Williams return to break down the root causes of tension between Black...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 29 – Make It Make Sense (Part 1): Black Women vs Black Women At Work
Why do Black women struggle so deeply with each other in the workplace? In this first part of my Make It Make Sense series, I am joined by three incredible women: Dr. Kwanza Falaka-Gibson, Dr. Lydia Bullock, and Natasha Williams from the UK. Together, we unpack the painful, complicated, and often...
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 28 – They Told Me Stop Talking: Why Black Women Must Keep Talking
They said these conversations should happen in private.That talking about how Black women treat each other in the workplace would “put a target on our backs.”But Erin Braxton isn’t backing down. In this powerful solo episode of Coffee No Cream, she responds to real viewer comments, from…
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Coffee No Cream Ep. 27 – How Black Women Can Protect Their Time at Work
In this episode of The Corporate Code Series, Erin breaks down The Access Code, how to protect your time, set real limits, and stop letting work, clients, and even “well-meaning” bosses have unlimited access to you.If you’ve ever found yourself answering emails on weekends, feeling guilty for...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
A podcast celebrating Black women's unique journeys in business. Whether you're an entrepreneur, corporate climber, or finding your path, we share authentic "Coffee No Cream Moments" – those distinctly Black girl experiences that become catalysts for growth, bold action, and powerful career pivots. No complaints – just real stories and celebrations of resilience from those who truly understand the walk.
HOSTED BY
Erin Braxton
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Coffee No Cream have?
Coffee No Cream currently has 77 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Coffee No Cream about?
A podcast celebrating Black women's unique journeys in business. Whether you're an entrepreneur, corporate climber, or finding your path, we share authentic "Coffee No Cream Moments" – those distinctly Black girl experiences that become catalysts for growth, bold action, and powerful career pivots....
How often does Coffee No Cream release new episodes?
Coffee No Cream has 77 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Coffee No Cream?
You can listen to Coffee No Cream on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Coffee No Cream?
Coffee No Cream is created and hosted by Erin Braxton.
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