On this episode of Eating While Broke, host Coline Witt welcomes entrepreneur Summer Grays —founder and CEO of Mercy Angels Hospice and creator of the My Butler Al app while cooking her struggle meal: spaghetti with butter, Parmesan, salt, and pepper.

Summer opens up about becoming a teen mom, a short-lived marriage to an older man, and finishing school through summer school. She shares how she hustled through a range of jobs—including banking and stripping—before becoming a flight attendant, with crucial support from her grandmother, who helped raise her kids.

She also reflects on a guidance counselor who told her she’d “never be anything,” a comment that fueled her determination. Summer later found success selling card terminals, earning six figures in her first month. After moving from Indiana to California, she bought a home health business and then a hospice, walked away from a lucrative contract after experiencing racial disrespect, and expanded to Indianapolis by launching another hospice. 

She later purchased a primary care practice, opened a med spa, and discusses the realities of entrepreneurship—cash flow, regulations, and staffing—along with joining the **Indy Bosses Reality Show** as a cast member and co-executive producer.

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On this episode of  Eating While Broke, host  Coline Witt  is joined by comedian and podcast host  Aida Rodriguez, who makes a budget-friendly French bread pizza inspired by her childhood.

Aida shares how her Puerto Rican upbringing led her family to make “poor people pizza” at home using whatever bread, marinara sauce, and affordable cheese they had. Together, they taste-test a cheddar-cheese version and compare it to classic school cafeteria French bread pizza. She opens up about growing up very poor, working at a young age, supporting herself early, and navigating family challenges—including meeting her biological father in 2021 during her HBO special.

Aida also talks about getting into stand-up after a roast led Chris Spencer to encourage her, the realities of comedy clubs in the internet era, representation in comedy, and her podcast Say What You Mean. She previews touring, an upcoming special, and her lead role in the film Hurricane Seasons.

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In the second part of her comprehensive interview, Coline Witt sits down with Doug Melville: reputation management and international diversity expert, Stanford lecturer, Forbes contributor, bestselling author of 'Invisible Generals', interim CEO of the Council of Urban Professionals (CUP), and host of 'DM Me With Doug Melville.'

Doug breaks down what reputation management really means today, how skills and networking shape opportunity, and why AI is changing the career playbook—plus the story behind helping retire iconic food mascots, including Aunt Jemima.

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Coline Witt  welcomes Doug Melville—reputation management and international diversity expert, Stanford lecturer, Forbes contributor, bestselling author of 'Invisible Generals', interim CEO of the Council of Urban Professionals (CUP), and host of 'DM Me With Doug Melville' for an unforgettable conversation on career pivots, reputation, and the broke-college origin of his famous “Chicken McNugget Parm.”

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In this episode of Eating While Broke, host Coline Witt is joined by special guest Nina Lynn, a seasoned executive, founder of the Wonder Seed Foundation, and a candidate for Congress. They discuss Nina's background, her nonprofit work helping at-risk youth heal from trauma, and her advocacy for meaningful education reform. Nina shares her personal story, including her family's journey as first-generation immigrants and the challenges they faced.

Together, they cook Wonder Seed Wontons, a nostalgic dish from Nina's childhood. Nina also explains her motivation to run for Congress and her vision for bipartisan education legislation and mental health initiatives.

Tune in to learn more about Nina's inspiring journey and delicious wontons!

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Host Coline Witt welcomes Lakeisha Landrum Pierre, founder and managing partner of Emily Line Venture Capital, for a conversation about venture capital’s influence, the industry’s barriers for women and people of color, and why representation among check-writers matters. Lakeisha cooks a low-cost Colombian coconut rice with raisins inspired by her broke grad school days at Harvard, and shares her background growing up in Los Angeles with deep entrepreneurial family roots in real estate, including the impact of the 2008 crash on Black wealth.

She discusses choosing finance and business after briefly studying theology, the role of education and relationships in her career, and taking on major leadership roles early—such as becoming COO of a $10M ARR e-commerce startup at 20.

Lakeisha outlines how Emily Line Ventures invests in women-led and mixed-gender founding teams, typically at early stages (often around $500K–$1M+ revenue in the current market), and focuses heavily on women’s health areas like maternal health, endometriosis diagnostics and treatments, fertility, menstrual health, and menopause/perimenopause. 

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Host Coline Witt welcomes streamer and content creator Zoe Spencer to an episode of "Eating While Broke," where Zoe cooks her throwback meal: pork and beans with cut-up hot dogs, butter, pepper, and sugar, served with rice (or bread). While cooking, Zoe talks about growing up in a two-parent, middle-class household in Brooklyn with hardworking parents, her early jobs (a supermarket at 16, Burlington through college, and a bank job after graduating in May 2022), and how she was fired from the bank due to a branch shutdown and let go from Burlington for constantly posting her shifts.

Zoe discusses creating staged-but-unscripted blind date videos, transitioning into Twitch, differences between YouTube RPM and Twitch’s real-time subs/donations, and a successful collab with Sexyy Red arranged through her team. She shares that she’s building a mostly Black women-led team, and says her biggest challenge is staying focused and consistent, noting she can stream 8–12+ hours when locked in.

Zoe opens up about streaming feeling less fun and more performative, her desire to pursue acting through classes, self-tapes, and auditions, and her interest in comedy while also wanting challenging roles like horror or serious drama, including a dream project with Regina Hall.  

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Laugh your way through the grind with this episode of Eating While Broke! Host Coline Witt welcomes stand-up powerhouse Usama Siddiquee for a raw, hilarious, and inspiring look at the real life of a comedian chasing big dreams in New York City.

Usama opens up about deferring med school, surviving on bagels, the relentless hustle of the NYC comedy scene, and the cultural expectations from his immigrant family. From homelessness to viral laughs, Usama’s story is packed with humor, honesty, and lessons in perseverance. Get ready for wild anecdotes, heartfelt moments, and a masterclass in never giving up on your craft.

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In this inspiring episode of Eating While Broke, host Coline Witt sits down with entrepreneur and changemaker Camara Jackson, founder of Elite Learners, Inc. Discover how Camara transformed her personal battle with sickle cell disease into a powerful mission—building a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uplifts youth and families across New York City.

Camara shares the real story behind Elite Learners: from overcoming challenges and securing funding, to developing innovative youth programs and advocating for community safety. You’ll get a glimpse into her daily resilience, the impact of COVID-19, and how a simple fried chicken meal connects to her roots and vision.

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Dive into the world of creative hustle in this episode of Eating While Broke! Host Coline Witt sits down with renowned filmmaker and producer Alexx Media, the visionary behind viral comedy specials and co-owner of WTF Studios. 

Alexx opens up about his rise from humble beginnings to directing Andrew Schulz’s Netflix special, “Schulz Saves America,” and building a powerhouse production company. He shares the real stories behind his unique struggle meals—including a wild Honey Nut Cheerios remix—and reveals how resilience, collaboration, and business savvy shaped his career.

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