Entrepreneur Allen B. was inspired to join Operation HOPE’s Small Business Development Program—through the 1 Million Black Business (1MBB) Initiative—after hearing a podcast episode from our founder, John Hope Bryant, about self-reliance and how he built the organization to give back to the community and empower people. “John said, ‘we all go through trials and tribulations. We can take those experiences and benefit others with it,’” shared Allen.
Decades of experience working in social services meant that Allen understood this sentiment deeply. Serendipitously, a new technology was going mainstream that gave Allen an idea of how he could help others—but this time in a business context. “As I joined [the Operation HOPE cohort] it was during a very monumental moment in history because artificial intelligence (AI) came out and it was one of those things that I embraced and learned everything I could,” Allen said. After completing the Operation HOPE program, Allen was able to create a service offering: guiding small business owners on how to use this game-changing AI technology to increase productivity and save costs.
In addition to learning about business fundamentals like marketing, financing, and developing a business plan, it was the belief that the Operation HOPE team had in Allen that helped him soar. “The biggest thing Operation HOPE offered me was confidence. They were my thought partner … I really needed someone who didn’t know my personal background to be able to push me along while giving me a safe space to spitball ideas and make mistakes,” Allen said.
From Operation HOPE’s perspective, Allen was a star pupil—he sought out all the opportunities the organization offered, including network events, and attended every single one. “I was seeking this information and here was a place that was willing to give it to me. All they required of me was to apply the knowledge, so I just really leaned into it,” he said. In our experience, having a self-starter attitude like Allen’s is one of the most important traits of a successful entrepreneur.
Allen also gives a lot of credit to his coach, LaQuita Carrington, who tapped her connections to help him grow his business. “This really helped me to transition into entrepreneurship because the largest issue I was experiencing was how to reach the right people. All my experience up until then has been networking within silos because I came from a social service background. I loved that Operation HOPE created avenues where I could thrive,” said Allen. To this day, LaQuita and Allen connect regularly to review his progress: “I’ve been in other business classes where, when the class ends, so does the support, and I really appreciate our ongoing relationship,” he said.
LaQuita noted that Allen has a gift to lead and build organizations. “Effective leaders like Allen,” she said, “think of the things that will include more people in the future and give them a voice even while working on the present goals. The key is to dream big while still living in the present because people depend on your abilities.”
Echoing the earlier sentiments of John Hope Bryant, Allen firmly believes that if you’re receiving you must give back. To that end, he’s volunteered his time with several Operation HOPE cohorts (and counting) to introduce AI to participants and show them how tools like ChatGPT can assist them in drafting a business plan. To get started, he encourages cohort members to experiment with the tools by entering prompts on subjects they are knowledgeable about. It’s a way for members to see firsthand how accurate the tool is so they have confidence about the results when they enter subsequent prompts for unfamiliar topics.
Allen sees this ongoing relationship with Operation HOPE as foundational to building a community that “meets people where they are and provides opportunities for them,” he said. “The biggest thing I am trying to do is foster community and show people that I’m a reflection of the community that they have just joined. I give them my perspective on where I started—with a product that just didn’t work—up until now when I’ve developed a tool that brought me into this room that was fostered and harnessed here.”
While the feedback and questions about AI from Operation HOPE program participants help Allen refine his product for paying customers, what motivates him is helping others. “I always leave the Operation HOPE sessions and laugh because as soon as I log off, I’m like, all right if nothing else happens today, I’ve done something,” he said.
Operation HOPE helped Allen build confidence, connections and community, and they can help you do the same.
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