Featured Guests
Atiya Brown
Guest
S2 Ep 2 Income Tax Strategies for Individuals
Anana Harris Paris
Guest
S1 Ep3 How to Set Real Personal Boundaries
Liku Amadi
Guest
S2 Ep6 How to Quit Your Job Like a Boss
Nicole Britenriker
Guest
S1 Ep6 Getting Real Coin Part III: Negotiating for Your Life
Solita Roberts
Guest
S2 Ep9 How to Elevate Your Brand with Style
Jephonne Roy
Guest
S1 Ep10 Dating Real Unapologetically
Victoria Garcia
Guest
S2 Ep10 How to Save Money with Bargain Hunting
Daphne McGee
Guest
S1 Ep 7 & 8 Navigating Real Heartbreak
Full Episodes
How to Improve Your Style for Summer 2023 feat. Jasmene Bowdry
https://www.jasmenebowdry.com/styling-services SHOW DESCRIPTION Summer is here and it’s time to get our summer wardrobes (and bodies) in gear! Regardless of the body you’re giving the beach this summer, this week’s guest is here to give you all the tips and tricks...
How to Navigate Modern Spirituality in the Church
SHOW DESCRIPTION When is the last time you prayed? About 32% of U.S. adults said they seldom or never pray (up from 18% in 2007) with 29% of U.S. adults reporting they had no religious affiliation (an increase of 6 percentage points from 2016), with Millennials...
Trust But Verify: How to Do Your Due Diligence When Dating
SHOW DESCRIPTION If you’re dating in 2023, chances are you are leveraging the internet or some manner of technology to date people outside of your “safety bubble.” Meaning, you are dating people that neither you nor anyone you know can vouch for or verify the...
How to Survive Inflation, Recession and Bank Runs
SHOW DESCRIPTION In the last month, several of the largest banks in the U.S. along with a handful of regional banks have failed. The average credit card interest rate is at 22% and mortgage rates are at 6%. Inflation remains high and talks of recession still linger;...
S4 Ep5 How to Explore Your Sexuality as a Grown Woman
SHOW DESCRIPTION Have you ever experienced more than a friendly attraction to another woman? I mean you don’t just like her, you feel a little quiver run through your body every time you think about her? Well, you’re not alone!! The average person is coming out in...
S4 Ep4 Lessons Learned: How to Cope with Alopecia
SHOW DESCRIPTION Join Syd this week for a solo episode where she shares the life lessons she’s learned on her hair journey, learning to love herself as a bald woman with alopecia. You won’t want to miss the first episode of the new year. The Sugar Free Podcast is...
How to Upgrade Your Skincare Routine in Your 30’s feat. Alicia Dion
SHOW DESCRIPTION If you’re over 30 and your primary skincare routine consists of soap and water, then it’s time for an upgrade! Studies show that a woman’s face can begin showing signs of aging as early as 25, but most women start to see changes to the skin on their...
How to Achieve Balance as a High-Achieving Woman feat. Vernique Esther
SHOW DESCRIPTION It is no secret that Millennial women are educated, accomplished and high earners; but, are we balanced? Is accomplishment enough? Forty five percent of Millennial women (ages 25-40) will be both single and childless by 2030. Is this statistic an...
How to Find a Career that Ignites Your Soul feat. Dr. Tega Edwin
SHOW DESCRIPTION Studies show that women are more likely than men to feel unhappy at work for a variety of reasons that include lack of promotional opportunity and lack of connection to their work. This unhappiness has many women feeling stuck in a career pit that...
BONUS: New Year, New Life, New Tea in 2023
SHOW DESCRIPTION We’re baaaccckkkk! Welcome to 2023, friends! What better way to start the year than together? Join Syd this week for a solo episode where she shares some life updates, some show updates and of course plenty of tea that’s 100% sugar free. You won’t...
How to Navigate Infertility Part II: Financing Infertility & Black Maternal Health
SHOW DESCRIPTION For some women the road to pregnancy includes a wild night of passion, but for so many more the road to pregnancy is a process. A process filled with fears, doubts, shame, financial burden, medical intervention, support and hope. About 10 percent of...
How to Navigate Infertility Part I: Pregnancy is a Process
SHOW DESCRIPTION For some women the road to pregnancy includes a wild night of passion, but for so many more the road to pregnancy is a process. A process filled with fears, doubts, shame, financial burden, medical intervention, support and hope. About 10 percent of...
How to Weed Out the Wrong Men by Asking the Right Questions
SHOW DESCRIPTION Does it feel like you’ve been dating the same guy for the last ten years? You know the type. The guy who’s “just not ready to commit,” “not looking for anything serious,” or “isn’t sure why they’re dating beyond the hope of regular sex.” That’s...
How to Leverage a Graduate Degree to Elevate Your Career
SHOW DESCRIPTION As women of color, we are often told that we need to be twice as good to go half as far, but do we need Master’s degrees to be successful? When you factor in the costs ($80,000 for a moderately ranked 2-year program and more than $100,000 for top...
Love Can Cost Everything: How to Navigate Prenups, Postnups and Marital Assets
SHOW DESCRIPTION Millennial women are marrying later than any other previous generation of women. In 1965, the average marrying age for women was 21, and for men, it was 23. Today, the average marrying age for women is 29.2 and 30.9 for men. Millennial women are...
Wanderlusting: How to Travel in Style on a Budget
SHOW DESCRIPTION Whoever said that diamonds were a girl’s best friend, had never met the Millennial woman because our best friend’s name is Wander Lusty. Millennials are trading in retail therapy for “travel therapy” and research suggests they may be on to something....
How to Take Ownership of Your Sexual Pleasure
SHOW DESCRIPTION According to research, men orgasm three times as much as women during heterosexual partnered sex. In terms of percentage, roughly 91% of men verses 39% of women report that they “usually” or “always” reach orgasm as a result of heterosexual...
State of the Millennial Woman Part I: Finances & Friends
SHOW DESCRIPTION Welcome to Season 3 of The Sugar Free Podcast! In this premiere episode of the show, host Syd Mack, sits down with two fellow Millennial women (Carla Gibson and Jess Moore Matthews) for the FIRST State of the Millennial Woman where the ladies discuss...
Mother’s Day Episode: Parenting Tips From my Mama
The only thing better than spending Mother’s Day with your mama is spending it with mine! Join me (Syd) this Sunday (Mother’s Day) for a VERY special, commercial free, bonus episode of The Sugar Free Podcast featuring parenting tips from my mama, Dr. Jean Jackson. ...
Season Two Review Session: More Laughs and More Love
SHOW DESCRIPTION Season Two has come to an end, but we are keeping the tea party goin with the Season Two Review Session!! Were there questions that you needed answers to? Were there topics that you felt needed to be fleshed out just a liitttllee bit more? Well, this...
S2 Ep14 Making Room for Love Part II: How to Navigate Open Relationships
SHOW DESCRIPTION Finding love is hard. Are we making it harder by trying to apply outdated courtship rules to modern dating? Why is it that as powerful women we can boldly re-write the rules of the board room, but we are timid and hesitant to re-write the rules of...
S2 Ep13 Making Money Moves Part IV: Stock and Crypto Investing Made Simple
SHOW DESCRIPTION According to CNBC, half of Black and Hispanic U.S. adults don’t currently own individual stocks, mutual funds, bonds, exchange-traded funds, cryptocurrency or real estate, but investing in SOMETHING is one of the most important aspects of building...
S2 Ep12 Making Career Moves Part III: How to Craft a Dream Job Landing Resume
SHOW DESCRIPTION You NEVER know when or where your next opportunity is going to come from. That’s why it’s so important to make sure your resume stays ready, so you never have to get it ready. This week, join Syd for the final installment of the Making Career Moves...
S2 Ep11 Making Money Moves Part III: How to Build a Comprehensive Estate Plan
SHOW DESCRIPTION Where is your money going when you die? Who takes care of the dog if you go up yonder? Who decides when it’s time to “pull the plug if you fall into a coma?” THESE ARE ALL QUESTIONS THAT WE NEED TO ANSWER BEFORE IT’S TOO LATE. The future is uncertain,...
S2 Ep10 Making a Dollar Out of 15 Cents Part II: How to Save Money by Bargain Hunting
SHOW DESCRIPTION Why would you pay full price for something that you could get for 30%, 50%, 70% or even 90% off!?? Many Big Box Retailers like Wal-Mart, Target, Kohls and Old Navy offer MAJOR discounts on items all-year round, if you know where to look and when to...
S2 Ep9 Making Career Moves Part II: How to Elevate Your Brand with Style
SHOW DESCRIPTION Is it just me or has two years in the house got you feeling real slumpy? March 2022 marks the 2-year anniversary of a global pandemic that has kept us all in the house and in sweatpants more than ever before. Now, that the world is finally opening...
S2 Ep8 Rich Auntie Vibes: How to Make a Life without Children
SHOW DESCRIPTION To have kids or not to have kids, THAT is the question that every adult woman must ask herself. Lately, more and more women are answering that question in the negative and ditching the “mommy” vibes for Rich Auntie Vibes. Join Syd for S2 Ep8 Rich...
S2 Ep7 Making Money Moves Part II: How to Create a Financial Plan that Works
SHOW DESCRIPTION We all know that unless you have a plan, you are planning to fail...especially when it comes to money. That’s why, for S2 Ep7 Making Money Moves Part II: How to Create a Financial Plan that works, we are sitting down with financial planner and...
S2 Ep6 Making Career Moves Part I: How to Quit Your Job Like a Boss
SHOW DESCRIPTION Tired of your job? Want to quit? Good, you’re not alone! According to Business Insider, 38 million Americans quit their jobs in 2021 and the trend has continued through the first quarter of 2022. This trend has snowballed into a movement that has been...
S2 Ep5 Making Room for Love Part I: How to Find Love in a High Value Partner
SHOW DESCRIPTION Happy Valentine’s Day Lovers!! Love is hard to find no matter who you are; but many women of color say that for them, finding a partner is a tad more difficult. Fortunately, we believe that hope is not lost. We ALL have the ability to find the love...
S2 Ep4 Stop Making Yourself Miserable: How to Overcome Burnout
As Millenials, we have been working hard since kindergarten AND WE ARE TIRED. Research suggests that a multitude of systemic factors have contributed to an entire generation (millennials) suffering from burnout, including the pervasive idea that we should be working...
S2 Ep3 Making a Dollar Out of 15 Cents: How to Save Money w/ Coupons
SHOW DESCRIPTION Is it just me or have you also noticed that the cost of literally everything has increased SIGNIFICANTLY in the last year? Oh good, you’ve noticed it, too? That’s because the consumer price index went up 7% in 2021 and it’s projected to go up another...
S2 Ep 2 Making Money Moves Part I: Expert Income Tax Tips for Regular People
Are you tired of giving away your hard-earned money to Uncle Sam? Are you tired of tax professionals telling you to “start an LLC” to save on taxes? Are you in search of some tax savings advice that’s applicable for your station in life? Me too! Starting a business,...
S2 Ep1 How to Make Peace /w My Body: An Intimate Conversation About Size, Weight and Wellness
The Premiere episode, Making Peace with My Body: A Conversation About Size, Weight and Wellness is a love letter to women of color. A letter to remind us that 1) our bodies, our weights and our shapes ARE healthy; and 2) the current standards of weight, beauty and...
How to Be Your Best You in 2022 /w Syd Mack
Every new year comes with it new opportunities for growth, improvement, elevation and re-invention….if you plan for it!! Join Syd this week in a very special BONUS episode as she shares her tips and tricks for how to be your BEST you in 2022. Season 2 Premier Alert:...
Season One Remix Ep 1.10 Overcoming Imposter Syndrome /w Abimbola Oladokun
Occupying spaces where you are one of a select few or the “only”…the only woman, the only person of color, the only non-binary person…etc. can be a truly isolating experience. The treatment you experience as a marginalized person can not only make you feel alone, but...
BONUS EPISODE Holidays with My Mama: Food, Family & Fun /w Dr. Jean Jackson
Holidays are all about family, friends, fun and FOOD. Join Syd as she sits down this week with a VERY special guest, her mama, Dr. Jean Jackson for a fun conversation about holiday traditions, do’s and don’ts. Dr. Jean Jackson (my mama) is a life-long educator, child...
Season One Remix Ep 1.8 Saving for the Future /w Kevin Matthews
The only thing harder than getting a coin is keeping a coin, especially when the cost of education, affordable housing and good avocado toast just keep rising! Join Syd and Special Guest, Kevin L. Matthews II, for a Sugar Free discussion about finances, 401(k)’s,...
Season One Remix Ep 1.7 Navigating Real Heartbreak: Grieving, Growing Glowing /w Daphne McGee
Once you’ve broken the cycle of toxicity, grieved the losses you needed to grieve and healed the wounds that need to heal, there is a beautiful life waiting for you to discover. A beautiful life, I like to call the GLOW UP. Break ups and heartbreak are never easy, but...
Season One Remix Ep 1.6 Navigating Real Heartbreak: Breaking Cycles of Toxicity
Ain’t NOTHIN that hurts worse than a broken heart. Grieving the losses of failed relationships, friendships, career choices or life decisions, NEVER gets any easier, but there may be ways to make it hurt a little less. Learning how to: (1) identify your role in a...
Season One Remix Ep 1.5 Side Hustlin’ Real Hard /w Ana Baugus Ochoa
In today’s world of inflated costs of living and unaffordable housing, we all need at least two jobs just to survive. This week, we are discussing the ever-popular act of side-hustling, a practice characterized by working a part time job or pursuing an entrepreneurial...
Season One Remix Ep 1.4 Dating Real Unapologetically /w Jephonne Roy
Ladies, yesterday was the last day that we will apologize for what we want. Today and everyday henceforth, we will be dating and living life WITHOUT apology. This episode will provide insight, guidance and actionable tips on how to date in a way that empowers women to...
Season One Remix Ep 1.3 Maintaining Real Friendships /w Krystyna Braxton
Maintaining friendships as an adult is HARD WORK. After going to work, working out, drinking 64oz of water (most days), caring for the dog, building a side business and checking in with your mama, who has time to hang out!? This is a question that Syd and special...
Season One Remix Ep 1.2 Setting Real Boundaries /w Anana Harris Paris
Season One Remix Episode 2, Setting Real Boundaries, is about setting sustainable, clearly defined boundaries. According to this week's special guest, boundary setting is critical for "protecting that which we are nurturing." Without establishing clearly defined...
Season One Remix Ep. 1.1 Negotiating for Your Life /w Nicole Britenriker
New look, new season(kinda), who dis? This episode kicks off the start of Season One 2.0, the Remix, where we will be running back all your fave episodes with added commentary (by me), out takes, bonus content and special offers from some of our guests on the show! To...
S1 Ep14 Season One Review Session /w Guest Host: Mackenzie Mack
Season One has come to an end, but we are keeping the tea party goin with the Season One Review Session!! Were there questions that you needed answers to? Were there topics that you felt needed to be fleshed out just a liitttllee bit more? Well, this episode, we are...
S1 Ep13 Real Bald and Boujee Part II: Life After Alopecia /w Michelle Gipson
Bald fade, bald and boujee, bald and beautiful, no hair don’t care…etc. Rocking bald or low cuts for women has become widely accepted and incredibly popular. But the vast majority of bald, beautiful, empowered women we see made the CONSCIENCE CHOICE to be bald… and...
S1 Ep12 Real Bald and Boujee Part I: Life with Alopecia /w Michelle Gipson
Bald fade, bald and bougie, bald and beautiful, no hair don’t care…etc. Rocking bald or low cuts for women has become widely accepted and incredibly popular. But the vast majority of bald, beautiful, empowered women we see made the CONSCIENCE CHOICE to be bald… and...
S1 Ep11 Feeling Real Fake: Battling Imposter Syndrome /w Abimbola Oladokun
Occupying spaces where you are one of a select few or the “only”…the only woman, the only person of color, the only non-binary person…etc. can be a truly isolating experience. The treatment you experience as a marginalized person can not only make you feel alone, but...
S1 Ep10 Dating Real Unapologetically /w Jephonne Roy
Have you ever settled for less than what you deserve in dating and relationships just for the sake of “having a man?” Well, we have too, girl! But we aren’t doing it anymore and we hope this conversation on dating empowers you to do the same. Having ‘it all’ can seem...
S1 Ep9 Really Humanizing Abortion: Discussing the Impact of the Abortion Laws in Texas /w Tiffany Clayton
SUPPORT WOMEN. PROTECT WOMEN. EMPOWER WOMEN. A few weeks ago, a Texas Law went into effect that severely limits a woman’s right to abortion and we here at the Sugar Free Podcast could not let such an important moment in the history of women’s rights pass without...
S1 Ep8 Navigating Real Heartbreak Part II: Grieving, Growing, Glowing /w Daphne McGee
Once you’ve broken the cycle of toxicity, grieved the losses you needed to grieve and healed the wounds that need to heal, there is a beautiful life waiting for you to discover. A beautiful life, I like to call the GLOW UP. Break ups and heartbreak are never easy, but...
S1 Ep7 Navigating Real Heartbreak Part I: Breaking Cycles of Toxicity /w Daphne McGee
Ain’t NOTHIN that hurts worse than a broken heart. Grieving the losses of failed relationships, friendships, career choices or life decisions, NEVER gets any easier, but there may be ways to make it hurt a little less. Learning how to: (1) identify your role in a...
S1 Ep6 Getting Real Coin Part III: Negotiating for Your Life /w Nicole Britenriker
What do you do when you’ve saved all you can, you’ve side-hustled as hard as you can and you’re still coming up short on your financial goals? You negotiate for your life! According to the US Census Bureau, women of color earn as little as 53 cents on the dollar as...
S1 Ep5 Getting Real Coin Part II: Side Hustlin Real Hard /w Ana Baugus Ochoa
Welcome back to Part II of our "Getting Real Coin" series. Last week, we discussed how to save for the future. This week we will be discussing how to make more coin through side hustling. Let's face it, the cost of life is way too daggone high, job security is a thing...
S1 Ep4 Getting Real Coin Part I: Saving for the Future /w Kevin Matthews
The only thing harder than getting a coin is keeping a coin, especially when the cost of education, affordable housing and good avocado toast just keep rising! Join Syd and Special Guest, Kevin L. Matthews II, for a Sugar Free discussion about finances, 401(k)’s,...
S1 Ep3 Setting Real Boundaries /w Anana Johari Harris Paris
Episode 3 of the Sugar Free Podcast is all about setting sustainable, clearly defined boundaries. According to this week's special guest, boundary setting is critical for "protecting that which we are nurturing." Without establishing clearly defined boundaries, it's...
S1 Ep1 Maintaining Real Friendships Part I /w Krystyna Braxton
There is nothing more precious and special than the family that we get to choose but trying to maintain friendships as an adult is HARD. I gotta pay my bills, call my mama everyday, feed the dog, drink all this daggone water, eat air, workout and try to keep up with...
S1 Ep2 Maintaining Real Friendships Part II
When Drake said, “No New friends,” He lied! There comes a time in everyone’s life when they realize it’s time to level up, reduce or expand their friend circle based on their current platonic relationship needs. Join, Host, Syd Mack and Special Guest, Krystyna...