Awf The Record

Jeannette and Mona
  • 4.9 (488)
  • Society & Culture
  • Updated Weekly

In a podcast that lives up to its name, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes go “Awf the Record” with industry disruptors and cultural tastemakers, bringing you candid conversations that reflect the dynamic intersection of media, culture, and society . It’s a show that lives between the news of the day and the group chat. [Awf- Thuh- Rekərd ].

  1. 19h ago

    [Go Awf] The Biggest Lie Social Media Tells Us About Love | Kier Gaines

    How do you stop the internet from affecting your relationship? In this segment of Awf The Record, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi talk with Kier Gaines about how social media can quietly shape the way we see love. Kier breaks down the difference between healthy comparison and harmful comparison, why online couples should not become the standard, and how repeated messages about relationships can turn into beliefs before we even realize it. His reminder: your relationship does not have to match the internet. The real question is what you actually want, and whether you can hear it past the noise. GUEST RESOURCES:  Kier Gaines  IG | @kiergaines It All Starts When You Do: A Therapist's Guide to Overcoming Self-Sabotaging and Work Towards Healing  RESOURCES:  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: YouTube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

  2. 5d ago

    When Resentment Turns Your Partner Into the Enemy

    Join The Press Club by AWF The Record for exclusive conversations, guided challenges, and a community of women building careers, businesses, and lives on their own terms: https://www.patreon.com/c/AWFTheRecord In this episode of Awf The Record, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi sit down with therapist and instant New York Times bestselling author Kier Gaines for a raw, honest conversation about vulnerability, masculinity, relationships, and the ways social media is quietly reshaping how we love.  Kier breaks down why men, especially Black men, often struggle to open up, why women are exhausted by the emotional load, and how online comparison, gender scripts, and fear of being played can make connection feel harder than it needs to be. From contempt and tone to emotional maturity, self-healing, and what it really means to do the work, this conversation is a needed reset for anyone trying to build healthier relationships without losing themselves in the noise. KEY POINTS 00:00 - Introduction: Social media is reshaping love, vulnerability, and conflict 01:35 - Kier reflects on becoming an instant New York Times bestselling author 03:19 - Kier explains why his work blends clinical expertise with real humanity 05:42 - The pressure on Black men to be impenetrable, useful, and unaffected 12:02 - Men are not women’s job to fix, but relationships need more emotional presence 16:09 - Therapy language and how it can also shrink emotional tolerance 17:58 - Social media comparison can quietly damage relationships 24:22 - Kier unpacks women’s emotional load, tone, contempt, and the work of repair 37:25 - What to look for in dating: accountability, listening, kindness, & emotional maturity 42:20 - Vulnerability requires mutual trust, safety, and time QUOTES  “We can't run from the fact that men don't feel like we have intrinsic value.” – Kier Gaines “Shame, blame, and guilt-they steal all of your awareness.” – Kier Gaines “The thing about contempt is it's not just the feeling; it's the narrative attached to it.” – Kier Gaines GUEST RESOURCES:  Kier Gaines  IG | @kiergaines It All Starts When You Do: A Therapist's Guide to Overcoming Self-Sabotaging and Work Towards Healing  RESOURCES:  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: YouTube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

  3. Oct 6

    [Go Awf] How a Professional Matchmaker Vets Your Future Partner Before the First Date

    Tennesha Wood takes Mona and Jeannette inside her matchmaking process, from two-hour interviews and home tours to reference checks and conversations about money, family, therapy, sex and past relationships. She also explains why someone who is overly focused on looks can be a dating red flag, why chemistry can grow over time, and why she refuses to create relationships built solely around beauty and money. Then, Tennesha breaks down why matchmaking packages can cost a lot of money, what clients are actually paying for, and why she created a matchmaking service specifically designed to help Black professionals find one another. GUEST RESOURCES:  Tennesha Wood  Website | www.thebroomlist.com  IG | @tenneshawood RESOURCES:  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: YouTube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

  4. Oct 1

    Top Matchmaker: The Dating Standards Keeping Successful Women Single

    What happens when you’ve built the career, earned the degree, bought the house, and still haven’t found the relationship you want? Professional matchmaker Tennesha Wood joins Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi for a reality check on the modern dating market, especially for high-achieving Black women. Tennesha breaks down what men and women are actually asking for, why accomplishments don’t automatically translate to compatibility, and how rigid standards around income, height, looks, and “type” may be shrinking the dating pool. They also get into the strategy behind Tennesha’s matchmaking process, why attraction can grow, the importance of self-awareness and accountability, how to communicate in high-achieving relationships, when dating should become intentional, and why finding love may require the same level of planning you’ve given every other major goal in your life. KEY POINTS 00:00 – Introduction 01:47 – A reality check on what’s actually happening in today’s dating market 03:34 – Why dating can be harder for high-achieving Black women and where to meet compatible partners 04:51 – What successful men and women are actually looking for in relationships 09:01 – How unrealistic checklists and the search for perfection can keep people single 12:22 – Why focusing too heavily on looks can be a dating red flag 20:00 – Why your usual “type” may not actually be your best match 22:17 – The role of accountability and self-awareness in being ready for a relationship 24:00 – Why height, income, and other preferences may unnecessarily shrink your dating pool 32:31 – How career success can become your identity and affect the way you date 49:03 – Why finding love may require the same intentional strategy you use for your career and other life goals QUOTES  “You're not going to get everything on your list.” – Tennesha Wood “Who your type should be is who your values align with.” – Tennesha Wood “If you're not at a place where you understand what you did wrong in your last relationship or how you could have changed or improved it within yourself, then that's not going to bode well for the next relationship either.”  – Tennesha Wood GUEST RESOURCES:  Tennesha Wood  Website | www.thebroomlist.com  IG | @tenneshawood RESOURCES:  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: YouTube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

  5. Sep 29

    [Go Awf] How To Help Family Without Draining Your Future | Vivian Tu

    What do you do when you become your family’s financial safety net? In this segment of Awf The Record, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi talk with Vivian Tu about the pressure of being the person everyone turns to when money gets tight, especially in immigrant families and communities of color. Vivian explains why constantly giving from your own savings can keep you from building the future that would allow you to help more meaningfully later. She breaks down the difference between giving a gift and creating a loan that turns into a family fight, why a “gift fund” can help create boundaries, and how to decide whether a request is an emergency or an expectation. Honest, practical, and deeply relatable, this conversation is about learning how to say no without abandoning the people you love. GUEST RESOURCES:  Vivian Tu Website | https://www.yourrichbff.com/  IG | https://www.instagram.com/your.richbff/  RESOURCES:  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: YouTube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

  6. Sep 24

    Rich BFF Vivian Tu: Why You Still Feel Broke Even When You Make Good Money

    In this episode of Awf The Record, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi welcome  Vivian Tu, aka CEO and Founder of Your Rich BFF and Ask Dolly, for a no-fluff conversation about why so many people still feel broke even when they are making good money. Vivian breaks down the money blueprint most of us inherited, why working hard is no longer enough, and how asset ownership, investing, budgeting, and career strategy can help people build real financial security. From fake wealth on social media to salary negotiation, dating with financial clarity, family money boundaries, trad wife culture, credit scores, debt, and the cost of adulthood, Vivian brings the group chat version of financial advice: honest, sharp, funny, and deeply practical. This conversation is for anyone trying to stop chasing a lifestyle that does not actually exist and start building a life that can hold them. KEY POINTS 00:00 - Introduction: Vivian Tu breaks down the new rules of money 01:15 - The old money blueprint no longer works 03:30 - Social media is making fake wealth look normal 08:18 - Budgeting starts with knowing what you can actually afford 10:00 - Career security means being loyal to yourself first 11:38 - The “up and out” rule has changed in this job market 14:41 - Raises require receipts, confidence, and self-advocacy 17:56 - Major life milestones now require tradeoffs and timelines 24:19 - Family planning and benefits are part of the money conversation 27:04 - Money in relationships requires honesty, equity, and autonomy 39:13 - Rich people spend based on value, not performance 41:30 - Debt, credit scores, and family money need better boundaries QUOTES  “Let me be entirely clear. Those people are broke. The vast majority of the showy, loud, portrayed wealth that you're seeing on social media is fake.” – Vivian Tu  “It's not how good you are with money; it's how good you are at playing this game.” – Vivian Tu  “Debt has been made into like this swear word when real rich people know that debt is leverage.” – Vivian Tu  GUEST RESOURCES:  Vivian Tu Website | https://www.yourrichbff.com/  IG | https://www.instagram.com/your.richbff/  App link | http://askdolly.com/Awf RESOURCES:  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: YouTube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

  7. Sep 22

    [Go Awf] Reesa Teesa on Dating After Deception and Learning to Trust Again

    How do you date again after someone used vulnerability as a strategy? In this segment of Awf The Record, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi talk with Reesa Teesa about trust, dating, and the psychological aftermath of being deceived by someone who seemed to say all the right things. Reesa reflects on how her ex “beat her to the story,” sharing false details about past relationships, therapy, and heartbreak before she could even ask the questions that might have protected her. She also opens up about why her circle is smaller now, why dating still scares her, and why she believes background checks should be part of modern dating. Honest, sharp, and deeply relatable, this conversation is about what happens when someone learns your wounds, flips the truth, and makes you question how easily trust can be weaponized. GUEST RESOURCES:  Reesa Teesa IG | @reesateesa Amazon book | What (TF) Do I Do Now?: Reclaiming Myself, One Piece at a Time  RESOURCES:  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: YouTube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

  8. Sep 17

    Reesa Teesa: How to Spot a Pathological Liar Before You Marry One

    In this episode of Awf The Record, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi sit down with Reesa Teesa to talk about life after the viral Who TF Did I Marry? series, the red flags she missed, the shame that kept her silent, and the healing she is still walking through in real time. Reesa opens up about dating from potential instead of reality, realizing she had married a pathological liar, and why the fear of admitting “I’m getting played” felt scarier than the truth itself. From background checks and desperation dating to miscarriage, loneliness, faith, book deals, TV development, and learning how to edit the dream without giving up on it, this conversation goes far beyond the viral story. It is honest, funny, painful, and deeply human, reminding women that being single is never worse than being married to the wrong person. KEY POINTS 00:00 - Introduction: Reesa Teesa’s story became a viral cultural moment 02:15 - Reesa reflects on life after going viral 03:50 - Reesa summarizes the story behind Who TF Did I Marry? 05:26 - Reesa explains why accountability shaped the story’s reception 09:27 - Reesa pushes back on the “it could never be me” mindset 12:30 - Reesa explains how dating potential made her vulnerable 15:14 - Reesa admits that facing the lie meant facing her own fear 18:16 - Reesa breaks down how a pathological liar builds a false foundation 22:39 - Reesa explains how money became part of the manipulation 24:46 - Reesa explains how he “beat her to the story” and damaged her trust 28:46 - Reesa opens up about the book, healing, and loneliness 40:19 - Reesa talks about the TV series, business, shame, and life after virality QUOTES  “I tend to date off of potential and not reality.” – Reesa Teesa “There’s a difference between being alone and lonely.” – Jeannette Reyes “Being single is nowhere near as bad as being married to the wrong person.”  – Reesa Teesa GUEST RESOURCES:  Reesa Teesa IG | @reesateesa Amazon book | What (TF) Do I Do Now?: Reclaiming Myself, One Piece at a Time  RESOURCES:  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: YouTube: @AwfTheRecord Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Mona Kosar Abdi IG |  @monakabdi  Jeannette Reyes IG |  @msnewslady  Keep in touch with Awf The Record: Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecord Follow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcast Follow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecord Visit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com  Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG

See All (131)

Trailer

4.9
out of 5
488 Ratings

About

In a podcast that lives up to its name, Mona Kosar Abdi and Jeannette Reyes go “Awf the Record” with industry disruptors and cultural tastemakers, bringing you candid conversations that reflect the dynamic intersection of media, culture, and society . It’s a show that lives between the news of the day and the group chat. [Awf- Thuh- Rekərd ].

Information

  • Creator
    Jeannette and Mona
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    131
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Awf The Record
  • Show Website
    Awf The Record

You Might Also Like