Boundaries aren’t just protection, they’re STRATEGY. In Part 1 of The Corporate Code Series, Erin Braxton breaks down how Black women can set boundaries at work to protect their peace, preserve their energy, and stop being drained by coworkers who see them as their therapists or emotional crutches.This episode dives into:✅ Why boundaries matter for survival and success.✅ How emotional dumping and “white tears” drain our time and power.✅ Why Black women are misperceived as endlessly strong — with history and stats to back it up.✅ Practical ways to play along at work without oversharing or being used.✅ How boundaries give you back the time to invest in yourself and your next move.✨ Plus: Erin shares the launch of the Coffee No Cream Educational Resource Database — 1,000+ free courses to help you level up outside the workplace.The Code for this episode: The Boundary Code, protect your peace, your plan, and your power.

(00:00) Welcome & Episode Intro(01:10) The Corporate Code Series explained(02:20) Why boundaries matter(04:30) The helper/therapist trap at work(06:15) Viewer comment: “acting like a therapist”(08:00) Story: when emotional dumping drains you(10:25) Story: white tears & emotional fragility(13:40) What boundaries really do (protecting time & energy)(15:20) History: why Black women are seen as “strong”(17:00) Research & stats on pain perception(18:45) Boundaries as strategy, not just defense(20:15) Play along to get along (workplace strategy)(22:30) Protecting your energy for your own plan(23:45) Coffee No Cream Resource Database (tool plug)(25:15) Closing thoughts & today’s Code
Resources & Links👉 Get Our Free Courses Database👉 Join the Coffee No Cream Facebook Community👉 Subscribe for more stories & strategies for Black Women in business

Friendships in the workplace can feel complicated, especially for Black women. In this panel, Erin Braxton, Abby the Attorney, and Tracie Walker open up about their personal experiences with workplace friendships, performative allyship, microaggressions, and the ways racism, sexism, and colorism shape professional relationships.

From “nasty nice” coworkers to being excluded on work trips, this candid conversation is the survival guide we all wish we had earlier in our careers.

Timestamps

(00:00) First thoughts on friendships in the workplace

(00:18) Abby’s story about sharing personal info that backfired

(00:33) Tracie on competition and “nasty nice” coworkers

(00:58) Erin introduces Coffee No Cream and today’s panel

(02:40) Panel introductions

(03:54) What we would tell our younger selves about workplace friendships

(05:40) Abby’s law firm friendship story and betrayal

(09:16) Microaggressions and hair comments

(09:34) Erin’s ad agency story: promoted then fired

(11:57) Tracie’s first workplace and spotting red flags

(14:54) From enemies to friends: shifting dynamics

(17:07) Lessons from growing up in PWIs versus Black spaces

(20:00) Erin on jealousy and subtle digs at work

(21:19) Abby explains why no friendships lasted

(23:51) Secret friendships, forgiveness, and survival

(25:22) How our outlooks changed over the decades

(28:55) Racism in childcare and “is this for white people”

(32:13) The Black church college fair incident

(35:53) Corporate white people versus Air Force base white people

(37:55) Handling work lunches today

(40:37) Work trips, dinners, and being watched

(44:37) Firm retreats, boats, and uncomfortable bonding

(47:22) Exclusion and “team player” pressure

(50:22) Weddings, birthdays, and coworker invitations

(53:50) Why inviting coworkers into your home is a no

(54:40) Abby’s “last white friend” story

(57:37) Erin on explaining Coffee No Cream to white friends

(59:21) Why “leftovers” are not innocent offers

(1:00:13) “I thought racism was over” ignorance

(1:02:19) Performative allyship online

(1:04:56) The mammy role and propping others up

(1:07:49) Being constantly observed and the “Superwoman” trope

(1:09:37) Why Abby left law firms

(1:11:06) Tracie on workplace culture versus the work itself

(1:12:17) How praise sparks resentment

(1:13:20) Tracie’s lifelong perception skills

(1:16:09) Were we prepared by our parents

(1:20:27) Racism, sexism, and colorism colliding

(1:23:05) Growing up in PWIs versus Black communities

(1:26:50) Erin on moving to white neighborhoods and balance

(1:28:02) Abby on resentment and survival

(1:28:59) Why sharing these stories matters

(1:30:25) Closing thoughts and thank yous

CONNECT WITH TRACIE:TikTok YouTubeCONNECT WITH ABBY:TikTokInstagramYouTube LinkedIn April Holloway Resources & Links👉 Join the Free Courses Database Waitlist (Launching Oct 1)👉 Join the Coffee No Cream Facebook Community 👉 Subscribe for more stories & strategies for Black Women in business

Black Women — what’s next after leaving a toxic job? In this special Q&A episode, I’m answering YOUR direct questions from the comments:

✅ “I just left a toxic job — what now?”

• ✅ “How do you become an entrepreneur?”

• ✅ “How did you learn tech, and what steps did you take?”

• I’m sharing my personal journey — from being fired, broke, and embarrassed… to building a business, learning tech, and creating opportunities on my own terms. Plus, I’ll give you a sneak peek at the Coffee No Cream Free Courses Database, launching October 1st 🎉

  If you’ve ever felt stuck, pushed out, or ready for something new — this episode is for you.

  
  

  Timestamps

  (00:00) What’s Next After a Toxic Job?

  (09:30) What If You Don’t Have Money Saved?

  (18:00) Centering Yourself & Finding Creativity

  (25:00) How to Become an Entrepreneur

  (36:00) My Journey Into Tech

  (50:00) Preview: Coffee No Cream Free Courses Database (Launching Oct 1)

  (56:00) Finding Coaches & Getting Help

  (1:02:00) Closing Encouragement + Next Week’s Panel Preview

  
  

  ✨ If this spoke to you, follow the podcast and share it with another Black woman who needs encouragement right now.

  👉 Join the Free Courses Database Waitlist (launching Oct 1):

  👉 Join the Coffee No Cream Facebook Community

  
  

As Black women, we carry so much stress and toxicity in the workplace, and too often, we stay longer than we should. In this episode of Coffee No Cream, I’m talking about how to know when it’s time to go, the signs to watch for, and how to prepare yourself for higher ground.I share my own Coffee No Cream moments from the advertising world and toxic clients, plus practical tools you can start using today: building an escape fund, keeping a CYA journal, finding community, and taking baby steps toward your next chapter.If you’ve ever felt stuck, drained, or disrespected at work, this episode is for you. 💼✨👉🏾 Don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe to Coffee No Cream. And join our private Facebook group for Black women who want a safe space to share and connect. ⏱️ Timestamps(00:00) Why leaving is about your mental & emotional health(02:10) My toxic client story: Lexus vs. Toyota moment(04:45) Staying too long at a “good old boy” ad agency(07:30) Christmas Day breakdown & finding Battlefield of the Mind(11:00) Being used as the “Black face” in the room(14:00) How it feels to finally leave a toxic workplace(16:20) Preparing your exit: building an escape fund(19:10) CYA journal & protecting yourself(21:00) Community, networking, and skill-building(23:20) Why passion matters before you pivot(26:00) Facing fear & taking baby steps(29:30) Stop proving yourself to the wrong people(31:20) Closing encouragement: you deserve peace & joyFollow the Conversation:🌐 Join the Coffee No Cream Facebook Group 📺 Subscribe for more episodes📱 Follow on Instagram and TikTok

In this powerful episode, immigration attorney AbbyTheAttorney (known as @AbbyWinters80 on social media) shares her harrowing journey through systemic racism at a Georgia law firm - from a racist assistant who refused to work for "that little Black girl" to discovering a conference room filled with Confederate memorabilia.

Abby opens up about the physical and mental toll of workplace discrimination, her struggles with depression and disordered eating, and the moment she realized she was being strategically used to manipulate other Black people in legal depositions. Her story culminates in a courageous decision to leave the country with her son, moving to Mexico to teach English and ultimately rebuild her legal career on her own terms.

This episode tackles the complex dynamics between Black women in corporate spaces, the pressure to conform to respectability politics, and the healing power of authenticity. Abby's transformation from someone who initially judged other Black women for being "too Black" to embracing her full self is both inspiring and necessary.

TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) - Racist assistant refuses to work for "that little Black girl"(01:27) - Welcome to Coffee No Cream(04:48) - The Confederate train celebration incident(09:16) - Firm dynamics and the Civil War memorabilia room(13:11) - Physical and mental health impacts of workplace racism(18:06) - Sexual harassment and finding an ally partner(22:02) - Being strategically used against other Black people(27:47) - Tension with "unapologetic" Black colleague Erica(32:40) - Breaking point and planning an exit strategy(36:23) - The decision to move to Mexico(42:26) - One year in Mexico teaching English(47:36) - Building an immigration law practice(51:35) - Filing a lawsuit and going solo(55:49) - Healing through TikTok storytelling(58:22) - Reclaiming authenticity and self-worth

CONNECT WITH ABBY:TikTokInstagramYouTubeLinkedIn: April Holloway JOIN THE COFFEE NO CREAM COMMUNITY:Facebook Group

Like and share to support Black women in business

ABOUT COFFEE NO CREAM:A podcast unapologetically dedicated to Black women, sharing "Coffee No Cream moments" - those unique experiences that happen to us just because we're Black women in business and life.

Host: Erin Braxton, CEO & Founder of The Rebel Geek LLC

#BlackWomenInBusiness #LawFirm #WorkplaceRacism #BlackAttorney #CoffeeNoCream #BlackWomen #Immigration #MentalHealth #Entrepreneurship

In this shocking episode of Coffee No Cream, Stephanie Davis shares one of the most extreme workplace racism incidents we've heard yet. While working at a cellular phone store in Jefferson County, Missouri, Stephanie faced not one but two devastating attacks - first finding KKK graffiti spray-painted across her workplace, then being falsely accused of threatening violence by a white coworker just weeks later. Stephanie reveals how she suppressed this traumatic experience for years and discusses the dangerous assumption that "being liked is the same as being valued." This episode tackles the reality that even the most resilient responses to workplace racism come with hidden costs, and emphasizes that it's okay to not be okay when facing such extreme discrimination.

Chapters

00:00 - Introduction

03:12 - Background Setup

07:52 - The KKK Incident

10:05 - Anger Over Fear

12:49 - The Investigation Begins

16:23 - The Company's Response

18:40 - Lessons Learned

22:24 - Processing Trauma

28:00 - Supporting Others

35:40 - The Value of Revisiting

39:58 - Closing Thoughts

Key Takeaway: Being well-liked by colleagues doesn't protect you from systemic racism, and there's no "right" way to respond to workplace trauma.

CONNECT WITH STEPHANIE:

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COFFEE NO CREAM COMMUNITY:

Join our Facebook group for continued conversations in a safe space.

Like, subscribe, and share if this episode resonated with you. Your support helps us reach more Black women who need these tools and community.

When a white paramedic told Valencia Dantzler "you will never be at my level," she didn't lose her cool - she got strategic. In this powerful episode, elite neuro-encoding specialist Valencia shares her Coffee No Cream moments from her time as an EMT in North Carolina, including workplace racism from coworkers and being kicked out of a fire station by a captain.

Valencia reveals the mental tools that helped her survive toxic work environments before making the bold move to relocate to Rwanda. From her FLYHIGH framework to neuroscience-backed techniques for protecting your peace, this episode is packed with actionable strategies for Black women navigating hostile workplaces.

TIMESTAMPS:(00:00) - Cold Open: "You Will Never Be At My Level"(03:03) - Meet Valencia: From Suicidal to Rwanda(04:29) - What Is Neuro-Encoding?(05:15) - Valencia's Dark Period & Transformation(07:15) - Working as an EMT: The Racist Paramedic(08:33) - "You Will Never Be At My Level"(11:59) - Documenting Everything & Filing Reports(13:10) - Why Valencia Left: The Pattern of Racism(16:52) - How to Categorize Toxic People(19:16) - Valencia's Response Strategy(21:42) - Fire Station Captain Kicks Her Out(26:35) - Tools for Black Women in Toxic Workplaces(28:00) - "Never Let Them See You Sweat"(29:22) - Reading Energy & Trusting Your Gut(32:09) - The Smile Technique: Neuroscience Hack(34:22) - Sunday Scaries & Mental Preparation(37:55) - The FLYHIGH Method Explained(41:20) - Valencia's Ease Over Exhaustion Bundle(43:45) - Why Younger Black Women Need These Tools

CONNECT WITH VALENCIA:LinkedIn: Valencia DantzlerDM "EASE" for her free bundle

COFFEE NO CREAM COMMUNITY:Join our Facebook group for continued conversations in a safe space.

Like, subscribe, comment, and share if this episode resonated with you. Your support helps us reach more Black women who need these tools and community.

Black women, we need to have an honest conversation about how we treat each other. 💯 In this episode, I'm diving deep into the ways we police, judge, and tear each other down - and why we need to do better. ✊🏾

From workplace dynamics to social media behavior, from speech policing to celebrating each other's downfalls, it's time to examine our own actions and ask ourselves: are we lifting each other up or pulling each other down? 🤔

This isn't about perfection - it's about accountability, growth, and building the supportive community we all deserve. 💪🏾✨

TIMESTAMPS: ⏰(00:00) - Introduction: The Hard Truth About Black Women 🗣️(02:08) - Why We're Amazing (But Also Our Own Worst Enemy) 👑(04:19) - The Perfectionism Problem 🎯(08:22) - The Mirror Effect: What Triggers You Says Something About You 🪞(11:25) - Historical Context: Crabs in a Barrel & Workplace Dynamics 🏢(15:36) - The Exposure Problem: Limited Circles, Limited Thinking 🌍(17:27) - Being Called an "Oreo" and Speech Policing 🗣️(22:11) - Pick a Side: Representation vs. Reality ⚖️(24:30) - Time for Self-Examination 🔍(27:21) - SELF-CHECK QUESTIONS: ❓(27:35) - Workplace Dynamics 💼(30:00) - Speech & Authority Policing 🎤(32:02) - Social Media Behavior 📱(33:50) - Personal Relationships & Friendships 👭🏾(36:51) - Supporting Other Black Women's Content 💗(39:29) - Final Thoughts: Check Your Heart ❤️

Join the conversation in our private Facebook community 👥 where we continue these important discussions in a safe space.

What's your biggest takeaway? Let me know in the comments below. 👇🏾💬