Adulting with AI Assists

About Adulting with AI Assists

Adulting is hard, but it doesn't have to be with the right assists. Hosted by Nicole Russell-Wharton, founder of Precious Dreams Foundation, this show is for young people who have questions nobody is answering and moves nobody is helping them make. We get into money, relationships, mental health, and careers, practical wins that elevate every area of your life, and the real about AI, the good, the bad, and how it's shaping the world you're inheriting. The smarter you are, the better you perform. The more informed you are, the more authority you carry into every room, every decision, and every tool you choose to use.

Publisher

Nicole Russell-Wharton

Category

education · education · technology

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

26 May 2026

Latest episode

28 Jul 2026

Latest episodes

8 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Jul 2026

   How to Become a Successful Designer and Get Noticed in Any Room

   This week on Adulting with AI Assist, host Nicole Russell Wharton sits down with Maxwell Osborne. Maxwell is the co-founder of Public School, a CFDA Menswear Designer of the Year and a two-time Woolmark Prize winner. He’s also the creator of AnOnlyChild, his newest brand built from dead-stock fabric and his own family story and turning it into one of a kind pieces.Born in Brooklyn to Jamaican immigrant parents, Maxwell built Public School into a brand worn everywhere from Saks and Barneys, to Jay-Z's recent Yankee Stadium residency.  In this conversation, he opens up about moving back home to chase a dream, what it really takes to break into fashion without a traditional design school background, and why doubt never actually goes away, you just learn to work with it.Whether you're an aspiring designer, entrepreneur, or anyone navigating a career pivot, this episode offers an honest look at reinvention, purpose, and building something meaningful on your own terms. .In this episode: Major AI error and how the system gets it wrong sometimes How AnOnlyChild was born out of a COVID-era creative reset — with no plan to build a brand Passion vs. practicality: Maxwell’s honest answer on choosing between a stable paycheck and chasing your dream Interning under Sean "Diddy" Combs and the moment that turned into his big break Why mentorship and manners can open doors money can't "Designer's disease" — the doubt every creative deals with, and why it's actually useful Where to shop for budget-friendly fashion Breaking down barriers for designers of color in fashion His no-nonsense advice for young creatives: there are no shortcuts Links to include: Good Will (https://shopgoodwill.com/home) Uniqlo (https://www.uniqlo.com/us/en/) Follow us on IG (https://www.instagram.com/adultingwithaiassists/) and Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@preciousdreamsfoundation) Connect with Maxwell (https://www.instagram.com/maxwellosborne): (https://www.publicschoolnewyork.com/)AnOnlyChild (https://anonlychild.com/?srsltid=AfmBOoqCG0yKhRoS0EPiWOopHgiT7Tp3pXuJ36o2JAAyYCxAQ2qzQDfF) and Public School (https://www.publicschoolnewyork.com) Powered by Precious Dreams Foundation (https://preciousdreamsfoundation.org)

2. 

   21 Jul 2026

   So... What's a Data Center? AI and The Environment Explained

   Host Nicole Russell-Wharton (https://instagram.com/nicolerussell) sits down with Steph Speirs, clean energy entrepreneur, climate educator at Yale School of Management, and host of Future in Bloom (https://futureinbloom.substack.com). Steph spent a decade building Solstice into a 350-megawatt community solar company before it was acquired by a global infrastructure firm. Raised on welfare as the child of immigrants, she built her career on making clean energy accessible to the people usually left out of it, and she's spent the years since teaching people the parts of the energy system nobody explains to them. In this episode, she and Nicole break down what actually happens the second you send an AI prompt, why some data centers help the communities they land in while others quietly wreck them, and who really holds the power to decide which one gets built next door. If you've ever felt guilty for using AI, confused about what a data center even does, or unsure whether any of this is something you can actually influence, this episode is for you. In this episode: What actually happens in the seconds after you hit enter on an AI prompt Why "heat islands" are real, but not what the internet thinks they are Who's really responsible when a data center raises a community's electric bill The five questions every community should ask before a data center gets built Why NDAs between tech companies and towns are more common than people think Whether it's fair to feel guilty about using AI at all What actually separates a good data center from a harmful one Follow us on IG (https://www.instagram.com/adultingwithaiassists/) and Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@skyspeirs) Connect with Steph: Steph Speirs on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@skyspeirs) Future In Bloom  (https://futureinbloom.substack.com) A Podcast Presented by Precious Dreams Foundation (https://www.preciousdreamsfoundation.org/)

3. 

   7 Jul 2026

   Start Your Business or Non-Profit in 60 Seconds Using AI

   In this solo episode of Adulting with AI Assist, Nicole Russell Wharton (https://www.instagram.com/nicolerussell), founder and Executive Director of Precious Dreams Foundation (https://www.preciousdreamsfoundation.org), shares the real story behind building an organization from the ground up into one that has now touched over 30,000 lives globally. She walks through the skills that actually made it possible: how to raise money and build the confidence to ask for it, how to start a business or nonprofit with no roadmap, how to learn by asking better questions instead of waiting for permission, the skills that help you stand out and get hired, and how young adults today can start using AI to build something of their own. Nicole didn't follow a traditional path to get here. No degree in this field, no big name internship, no built in connections. What got her here was determination, the willingness to ask the right questions, and the discipline to keep moving even when the path wasn't clear. She's joined in this episode by Icon, a 23 year old mom, hairstylist, and production assistant on the show, who was living in a shelter at 19. Today she's married, raising two kids, and building her own business. Icon is also a current cohort member in the program Precious Dreams Foundation runs to support young adults navigating this exact kind of transition, which makes her story a living example of the work, not just an example alongside it.This episode is for anyone who's ever felt like they were starting with nothing. Nicole and Icon are proof of what's possible when you keep going anyway. 6 Key Moments 00:20 You Don't Need a Degree for Every Pivot — Nicole opens with a bold statement: she did not go to college for this. She breaks down why credentials aren't the only path and how hard work and determination built a 15-year nonprofit with a global footprint. 04:03 How to Ask a Stranger for Money — Nicole shares the two questions that changed everything for her, and delivers a practical framework for asking for grants, sponsorships, or investments without a résumé to lean on. Lead with the problem, not yourself. 07:33 Meet Icon — From a Shelter at 19 to Thriving at 23 — Nicole introduces cohort PA Icon, who opens up about becoming a first-time mom at 19, navigating housing instability, and how she's grown into a married mother of two running her own business. 15:27 Live AI Demo: Building Icon's Business from Scratch — Nicole and Icon use AI in real time to build a full 30-day Instagram content strategy for Icon's natural hair business Infinitely Rhythm — including captions — in under 60 seconds. 25:52 Say It With Your Chest — Nicole delivers her most direct message of the episode: stop waiting for life to come to you. Get out of your comfort zone, walk into businesses, talk to people, and show the world your energy — because online applications alone won't get you there. 29:48 Use AI to Get What You Can't Afford — Nicole closes with a bonus prompt: how a friend with 15K followers used AI to draft outreach emails to furniture brands in exchange for content — and is about to get a free couch. A practical, creative way to use AI to meet real needs right now. Follow us on IG  (https://www.instagram.com/adultingwithaiassists/) and Tiktok Connect with Nicole: Nicole Russell Wharton (https://www.instagram.com/NicoleRussell/) https://www.preciousdreamsfoundation.org (https://www.preciousdreamsfoundation.org) A Podcast Presented by <a...

4. 

   23 Jun 2026

   Pivot or Stay? Employee to Founder ft. Les Alfred

   Nobody told you there was a word for the person who thinks like a founder but does not necessarily want to own the whole thing. That word is intrapreneur — and this episode might change how you see your options. Host Nicole Russell-Wharton sits down with Les Alfred (https://www.instagram.com/lesalfred) - podcast host, media entrepreneur, angel investor and wellness expert. Les talks about what it actually looks like to pivot, build, and bet on yourself. In this episode, she sits down with Nicole to get real about what building a life you actually want looks like — the pivots, the pressure, the setbacks, and the slow build that most people don't talk about. She shares how she taught herself to podcast in a week, and why she believes luck isn't something that happens to you it's something you create. If you've ever felt behind, lost, or like everyone else has a plan except you, this episode is for you. In this episode: Why your 20s are supposed to feel uncertain (and what to do with that) The difference between being lucky and creating your luck Why entrepreneurship isn't the only path — and what to do if it's not yours How she went from googling "what is a podcast" to millions of downloads The AI tools she swears by (and the one thing she'll never hand off to AI) What she wishes someone told her when she was your age Key Moments 05:00 Les talks about sitting in a corporate office as an intern, bored out of her mind, and just assuming that was her future. If you've ever felt stuck in a path you didn't choose, this one hits. 06:30 Les gets honest about being a first-gen college student with zero entrepreneurial role models. She didn't even know creating your own job was an option until she stumbled onto it. 07:47 A real question submitted by a young cohort member. Les's answer is honest and reframes everything — life doesn't get easier, we get better. 10:55 What luck actually means. Les breaks down how people use "she's just lucky" to dismiss women who work hard. Her take: every lucky thing that happened to her had a specific decision behind it that put her in position to receive it. Luck isn't random — you build it. 13:55 Les stops mid-conversation to look straight into the lens and tell you: entrepreneurship is not the only path, and if it's not for you, that is completely okay. No guilt, no shame. Just honesty. 17:34 Les talks about the top 3 tools she uses to support her business. 22:15 During a rapid fire, Les says the thing young women building something need to stop doing is overthinking and looking for a perfect answer outside of themselves. You learn by doing, not by waiting until everything is perfectly lined up. 23:01 Les talks about the pressure to have a perfect plan. She talks about making the best decision you can with what you have right now, and that's enough. Follow us on IG (https://www.instagram.com/adultingwithaiassists/) and Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@preciousdreamsfoundation) Connect with Les Afred: https://www.shessoluckypodcast.com/ (https://www.shessoluckypodcast.com/) She's So Lucky Podcast on IG (https://www.instagram.com/shessoluckypod/) She's So Lucky Pod (https://www.tiktok.com/@shessoluckypod) on Tiktok A Podcast Presented by Precious Dreams Foundation (https://www.preciousdreamsfoundation.org/)

5. 

   16 Jun 2026

   YOLO Has a Price Tag ft. Troy & Rashad of EYL

   Host Nicole Russell-Wharton sits down with Rashad Bilal (https://www.instagram.com/rashadbilal/?hl=en) &amp; Troy Millings (https://www.instagram.com/troymillings/?hl=en), the founders of Earn Your Leisure (https://www.instagram.com/earnyourleisure/?hl=en) — a highly popular financial literacy platform and podcast. Their platform approaches finance from a practical, "assets over liabilities" perspective, breaking down complex wealth-building concepts into language that is accessible to everyday people. In this episode, they talk about how two best friends from the suburbs of New York built one of the most influential financial literacy platforms in the world, and what it really takes to get there. From recording in a dining room with iPhones to becoming New York Times bestselling authors and creators of Invest Fest and EYL University, Rashad and Troy break down the mindset, strategy, and daily habits behind their success — and what young people need to hear right now. You’ll learn: How Earn Your Leisure started (and why the audience demanded it) The meaning behind the name "Earn Your Leisure" How they're using AI every single day in their business and investing How young people can use AI to budget, get out of debt &amp; build wealth Hard work vs. smart work — what's the difference? Their advice for anyone starting with no savings, no credit, and no blueprint YOLO vs. planning for the future — can you do both? Key Moments: 04:17 Rashad explains how EYL was born from audience demand 07:25 Troy breaks down how he created the name as a hashtag, inspired by LeBron's "Earned Not Given" motto 09:20 Nicole asks in order to start a successful business, can you have a balance of working extremely hard and having “living a soft life”? 11:21 Troy talks about incorporating hard work with smart work. 13:33 Feeding AI ideas and then getting its feedback 15:50  Nicole asks is there a relationship that our young people should be building with AI to improve their relationship with their finances? 16:47 Troy talks about using AI as a tool that can give you everything you need to know about finance. 37:12 Troy talks about going from survival mode to “thrival” mode. Follow us on IG (https://www.instagram.com/adultingwithaiassists/) and Tiktok Connect with Earn Your Leisure: https://eyluniversity.com (https://eyluniversity.com/) EarnYourLeisure (https://www.instagram.com/earnyourleisure) EYL University (https://www.instagram.com/eyl_university/) EarnYourLeisure (https://www.tiktok.com/@earnyourleisure) A Podcast Presented by Precious Dreams Foundation (https://www.preciousdreamsfoundation.org/)

6. 

   9 Jun 2026

   Cybersecurity, Sextortion and the Upside of AI Feat. The Cybersecurity Girl

   Host Nicole Russell-Wharton sits down with Caitlin Sarian (aka @cybersecuritygirl) (https://www.instagram.com/cybersecuritygirl/?hl=en), one of the top cybersecurity experts in the world and former head of TikTok’s global cybersecurity advocacy team, to talk about the side of the internet nobody puts in the captions. From deepfake nudes and sextortion to “fast money” scams, online dating, passwords, and using AI for “therapy,” this episode is your crash course in staying safe without logging off. You’ll learn: What to do if someone makes a deepfake or fake account with your pics Why “fast money is not a thing” and how scammers are finessing people every day How to set up your phone, socials, and passwords so you’re harder to play with Why sending nudes is risky business How to use AI as a tool, not your therapist or diary If you’re growing up online, this is your starter pack for staying safe. Key Moments: 03:23 – Meet Cybersecurity Girl Caitlin shares her mission to protect regular people, not just big corporations. 5:37 – Deepfake OnlyFans of a Minor Nicole shares a real story of a teen whose photos were used to make a fake OnlyFans. Caitlin breaks down what deepfakes are and where to go for help. 10:39 – “Fast Money Is Not a Thing” Caitlin goes off on job scams, quick cash offers, and sketchy DMs, and why “fast money” is basically a red flag every time. 13:28 – Dating Apps, Data Brokers &amp; Google Voice Numbers How much should you really share when you’re meeting people online? 32:00 – AI Is the Future (If You Use It Right) How Gen Z can use AI to learn, create, and solve real problems without oversharing their mental health or bank info. Important links: https://www.missingkids.org/home (https://www.missingkids.org/home) https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/ (https://takeitdown.ncmec.org/) Follow us on IG (https://www.instagram.com/adultingwithaiassists/) and Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@preciousdreamsfoundation) Connect with Caitlin “Cybersecurity Girl” Sarian: https://www.cybersecuritygirl.com/ (https://www.cybersecuritygirl.com/) IG (https://www.instagram.com/cybersecuritygirl/) and Tiktok (https://www.tiktok.com/@cybersecuritygirl) A Podcast Presented by Precious Dreams Foundation (https://www.preciousdreamsfoundation.org/)

7. 

   2 Jun 2026

   Before You Use AI Again, Listen to This | ft. AI Expert Jayeeta Putatunda

   Welcome to the first episode of Adulting with AI Assists — where we make being grown a little less confusing. Host Nicole Russell-Wharton (https://www.instagram.com/nicolerussell/?hl=en) sits down with Jayeeta Putatunda — AI leader, advocate, and one of the most influential voices at the intersection of artificial intelligence, equity, and opportunity. Together, they unpack what AI means for the next generation: from career opportunities and critical thinking to the hidden environmental costs of the technology shaping our future. They explore why human curiosity and judgment still matter, how young people can use AI to work smarter, create faster, and stay ahead, and what it really means to build a future on your own terms. Key Moments: 09:15 – Will AI Replace Jobs? 10:35 – Vibe Coding &amp; Building a Business with AI 19:20 – Do You Need a Degree to Work in AI? 33:10 – AI's Environmental Impact If you're curious, skeptical, or simply trying to understand the rapidly changing world of AI, this episode is for you. Follow us on IG  (https://www.instagram.com/adultingwithaiassists/) Connect with Jayeeta: • Website (https://ayeetap.github.io) • Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/ai_withjay/) A Podcast Presented by Precious Dreams Foundation (https://www.preciousdreamsfoundation.org/)

8. 

   26 May 2026

   Adulting with AI Assists: Trailer

   Meet Nicole Russell-Wharton, founder of Precious Dreams Foundation, a nonprofit helping thousands of young people transition into adulthood with the means, resources, and support they deserve. Adulting with AI Assists is a conversation series and podcast co-produced with young people from the foundation's Dream Equity Cohort, built to make sure this generation knows how to get it right, advocate for themselves, and understand how AI is impacting all things. Real conversations with real experts and cultural voices about the tools you are already using and how to use them with intention. Like, follow, and subscribe and keep up if you can.

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