Quick Facts
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 ].
Episodes
Latest Episode
October 22, 2026 · 1h 0m
Send us Fan Mail 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/cw/AWFTheRecord In this episode of AWF The Record , Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi sit down with world-renowned plastic surgeon and Botched star Dr. Terry Dubrow for an unfiltered conversation about the truth behind plastic surgery, beauty standards, and reality TV. From the deadly risks of Brazilian Butt Lifts (BBLs) to cosmetic procedures he considers a waste of money, Dr. Dubrow reveals what patients should know before going under the knife. He also reflects on the controversy surrounding The Swan, the dangers of chasing ever-changing beauty trends, and why even the best plastic surgery can go wrong. Plus, he opens up about pretty privilege, the pressures women face to be beautiful and successful, and how The Real Housewives transformed his career. KEY POINTS 00:00 - Introduction: World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon Dr. Terry Dubrow 02:05 – How Botched and reality TV changed the stigma around plastic surgery. 05:30 – The controversy behind The Swan and why Dr. Dubrow wouldn't do the show today. 15:32 – How beauty standards and looksmaxxing culture push people to dangerous extremes. 18:50 – Cosmetic procedures that waste money, from thread lifts to overhyped skin treatments. 22:08 – What actually works for under-eye hollows, smile lines, and facial aging. 24:44 – Why Dr. Dubrow refuses to perform BBLs and the potentially fatal complications. 29:44 – The long-term consequences of chasing plastic surgery trends. 35:33 – Pretty privilege, beauty standards, and why attractive women struggle to be taken seriously. 41:02 – How reality TV transformed Dr. Dubrow's career and the secrets to building an authentic brand. QUOTES "If you send a message out that it's really your life is really only as valuable as your looks are, as good as your looks are. That is the worst message for a male, and I can't stand that." – Dr. Terry Dubrow “I think that's the challenge women face that it's very hard for people to accept two things that you can be beautiful and qualified." – Jeannette Reyes “A BBL, a Brazilian buttock lift. That, I won't do it because no operation is worth that fatality rate." – Dr. Terry Dubrow GUEST RESOURCES: Dr. Terry Dubrow IG | @drdubrow 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: Follow Mona on TikTok and IG Follow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
More Episodes
Oct 20, 2026 · 9m
Send us Fan MailWhat if you're leaving thousands of dollars on the table every time you sign a brand deal? In this segment of AWF The Record, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi sit down with Hollywood talent manager Stephanie Piza to uncover the truth behind influencer pay and brand negotiations. From a shocking $80,000 pay gap between creators doing the same work to the contract clauses that could cost you control of your content, Stephanie breaks down how to negotiate smarter, recognize your value, and find representation that actually fights for you.GUEST RESOURCES: Stephanie Piza IG | @stephanie_pizaRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:YouTube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Oct 15, 2026 · 54m
Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Awf The Record, Jeannette Reyes and Mona Kosar Abdi welcome Stephanie Piza, Hollywood talent manager and founder of Piza Global, to break down the new rules of the $21 billion creator economy.From building a personal brand that attracts opportunities to turning influence into a profitable business, Stephanie shares what it really takes to stand out in an oversaturated market. They unpack the realities of influencer pay, why creators of color still face unequal opportunities, how to negotiate brand deals, and the role AI will play in the future of content creation.Whether you're an aspiring creator, entrepreneur, or professional looking to build your influence, this conversation is about knowing your value, betting on yourself, and building something that lasts.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: patreon.com/c/AWFTheRecord KEY POINTS00:00 – Introduction: The rise of the creator economy and why personal branding matters06:24 – How to stand out, grow an audience, and turn influence into income09:30 – Turning down $10 million and building businesses beyond brand deals13:31 – The inequality creators of color face in brand partnerships20:47 – How to attract brand deals and build authentic partnerships24:08 – Building a personal brand as a creator, entrepreneur, or professional29:34 – Negotiating higher rates, protecting your content, and avoiding costly contracts35:27 – The $15K vs. $95K pay gap and why the right representation matters40:54 – The future of influencing, AI, and staying ahead of the industryQUOTES “I have always just bet on myself. I'm first gen; I'm going to make it work.” – Stephanie Piza “There comes a point in a creator's career where they realize they're providing more value than a one quick off brand deal.” – Mona Kosar Abdi“I don't think it's too late. I think that you have to make yourself an anomaly, because again, there's so much talent out there.” – Stephanie Piza GUEST RESOURCES: Stephanie Piza IG | @stephanie_pizaRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:YouTube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Oct 13, 2026 · 5m
Send us Fan MailHow 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 | @kiergainesIt 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: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Oct 8, 2026 · 1h 1m
Send us Fan MailJoin 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/AWFTheRecordIn 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 POINTS00:00 - Introduction: Social media is reshaping love, vulnerability, and conflict01:35 - Kier reflects on becoming an instant New York Times bestselling author03:19 - Kier explains why his work blends clinical expertise with real humanity05:42 - The pressure on Black men to be impenetrable, useful, and unaffected12:02 - Men are not women’s job to fix, but relationships need more emotional presence16:09 - Therapy language and how it can also shrink emotional tolerance17:58 - Social media comparison can quietly damage relationships24:22 - Kier unpacks women’s emotional load, tone, contempt, and the work of repair37:25 - What to look for in dating: accountability, listening, kindness, & emotional maturity42:20 - Vulnerability requires mutual trust, safety, and timeQUOTES “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 GainesGUEST RESOURCES: Kier Gaines IG | @kiergainesIt 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: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Oct 6, 2026 · 6m
Send us Fan MailTennesha 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 | @tenneshawoodRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:YouTube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Oct 1, 2026 · 59m
Send us Fan MailWhat 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 POINTS00:00 – Introduction01:47 – A reality check on what’s actually happening in today’s dating market03:34 – Why dating can be harder for high-achieving Black women and where to meet compatible partners04:51 – What successful men and women are actually looking for in relationships09:01 – How unrealistic checklists and the search for perfection can keep people single12:22 – Why focusing too heavily on looks can be a dating red flag20:00 – Why your usual “type” may not actually be your best match22:17 – The role of accountability and self-awareness in being ready for a relationship24:00 – Why height, income, and other preferences may unnecessarily shrink your dating pool32:31 – How career success can become your identity and affect the way you date49:03 – Why finding love may require the same intentional strategy you use for your career and other life goalsQUOTES “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 WoodGUEST RESOURCES: Tennesha Wood Website | www.thebroomlist.com IG | @tenneshawoodRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:YouTube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Sep 29, 2026 · 5m
Send us Fan MailWhat 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 TuWebsite | https://www.yourrichbff.com/ IG | https://www.instagram.com/your.richbff/ RESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:YouTube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Sep 24, 2026 · 50m
Send us Fan MailIn 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 POINTS00:00 - Introduction: Vivian Tu breaks down the new rules of money01:15 - The old money blueprint no longer works03:30 - Social media is making fake wealth look normal08:18 - Budgeting starts with knowing what you can actually afford10:00 - Career security means being loyal to yourself first11:38 - The “up and out” rule has changed in this job market14:41 - Raises require receipts, confidence, and self-advocacy17:56 - Major life milestones now require tradeoffs and timelines24:19 - Family planning and benefits are part of the money conversation27:04 - Money in relationships requires honesty, equity, and autonomy39:13 - Rich people spend based on value, not performance41:30 - Debt, credit scores, and family money need better boundariesQUOTES “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 TuWebsite | https://www.yourrichbff.com/ IG | https://www.instagram.com/your.richbff/ App link | http://askdolly.com/AwfRESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:YouTube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG
Sep 22, 2026 · 4m
Send us Fan MailHow 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 TeesaIG | @reesateesaAmazon book | What (TF) Do I Do Now?: Reclaiming Myself, One Piece at a Time RESOURCES: Keep in touch with Awf The Record:YouTube: @AwfTheRecordInstagram: @awftherecordpodcastTikTok: @AwfTheRecordMona Kosar AbdiIG | @monakabdi Jeannette ReyesIG | @msnewslady Keep in touch with Awf The Record:Watch on Youtube: @AwfTheRecordFollow us on Instagram: @awftherecordpodcastFollow us on TikTok: @AwfTheRecordVisit our website: www.AwfTheRecord.com Follow Mona on TikTok and IGFollow Jeannette on TikTok and IG