John’s Blog
Squawk Box: Small Businesses and the Highest Inflation Since 1982
January 13, 2022With inflation at its highest rate since 1982, CNBC’s Squawk Box asked me what rising costs mean for small businesses and working families. Inflation is a tax on the people who can least afford it. Small business owners feel it in every invoice, and families feel it at the grocery store and th
Inside the Vault With Ash Cash: How to Come From Nothing
January 6, 2022Ash Cash brought me onto Inside the Vault on the Earn Your Leisure network to start the year with a conversation about coming from nothing and building something that lasts. Growing up in Compton, the odds were stacked against me. What changed my life was learning how money works. That is what we ar
The 1 Million Black Businesses Pitch Competition at HOPE Global Forums
October 22, 2021One of my favorite moments of HOPE Global Forums 2021 was the 1 Million Black Businesses Pitch Competition. Three entrepreneurs pitched for $10,000 from 25madison and a free e-commerce site from Shopify. Watching founders stand up and make their case is the whole point of this work. Source: Operatio
Black Enterprise Tea Time: The Art of Leadership
October 4, 2021Black Enterprise invited me onto Tea Time with Shimite to talk about what it takes to build and excel as an executive of color, and to build wealth along the way. Source: Black Enterprise, October 4, 2021.
Operation HOPE Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant Awarded “Advocate of the Year” by Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA)
September 28, 2021Recently, the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) of the U.S. Department of Commerce honored Chairman Bryant with the “Advocate of the Year” award during their annual Minority Enterprise Development (MED) …
World Affairs Council of Atlanta: Building the Black Middle Class
April 7, 2021The World Affairs Council of Atlanta invited me back for a conversation on racial equity and economic development. COVID-19 exposed unequal access to health care, education and fair housing. The way forward is a stronger Black middle class, built on credit scores, homeownership and business ownershi
A Call for Empathy: Valuing Women’s Experiences in the Workplace During the Pandemic
March 26, 2021In honor of Women’s History Month, I want to discuss how women have been impacted by this pandemic and what we can do to help bring a different…
Across the Margin: From Survivor to Thriver to Winner
March 18, 2021Michael Shields of Across the Margin had me on the podcast to talk about Up From Nothing. We went through my family’s story across generations, the Five Pillars of Success, and why believing in yourself is where wealth actually starts. America works best when we invest in each other’s su
Today is Your Lucky Day!
March 17, 2021Today’s your lucky day and all we’re seeing is GREEN. No, we’re not just celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, and there’s no reason for any American to be green with envy. …
Squawk Box: Who Is Responsible for the Financial Literacy Crisis?
February 9, 2021Millions of new retail investors had just poured into the stock market, and CNBC’s Squawk Box asked me whether trading platforms were doing enough to teach their users. Access without education is a setup. Financial literacy is the new civil rights issue, and everybody who profits from new inv