August is National Black Business Month, a time to celebrate Black entrepreneurship, innovation, and the powerful role that Black-owned businesses play in fueling our economy and communities. This year, Operation HOPE is proud to be part of a national spotlight in partnership with iHeartMedia, featuring our very own Founder, Chairman, & CEO John Hope Bryant and his popular podcast, Money & Wealth.

The campaign, titled “From Hustle to Holdings: A Black Wealth Blueprint,” is designed to inspire, educate, and empower. Its core message? Turning hustle into long-term holdings. It’s about giving side hustlers, small business owners, and aspiring entrepreneurs the financial tools they need to not only survive, but thrive, and to pass on wealth for generations to come.

Why This Campaign Matters

For too long, Black entrepreneurs have faced systemic barriers to building wealth, from limited access to capital and credit to structural inequities in housing, education, and employment. Yet, time and again, the community has shown resilience, ingenuity, and determination to succeed.

“Economic empowerment isn’t just about making money, but it’s about making money work for you,” says John Hope Bryant. “When we turn our hustle into holdings, we create a foundation for generational wealth that transforms families and communities.”

This campaign builds on Operation HOPE’s mission: to expand economic opportunity, advance financial literacy, and empower underserved communities to succeed in the free enterprise system. By partnering with iHeart during Black Business Month, we’re bringing these vital conversations to an even wider audience.

Four Weeks, Four Themes: The Wealth Work

Throughout August, iHeart is rolling out a four-week content series called The Wealth Work, with each week focusing on a key pillar of wealth-building.

Week 1: The Foundation
Credit, mindset, and financial literacy are the building blocks of wealth. In this week’s content, John breaks down why “credit is queen” and how your mindset can be your greatest asset, or your biggest obstacle. Listeners will learn practical steps for building and protecting credit while cultivating discipline to make informed financial decisions.

Week 2: The Hustle
It’s one thing to have a skill or passion, it’s another to turn it into a sustainable income stream. This week focuses on transforming skills into side businesses or small enterprises, exploring the early stages of entrepreneurship and what it takes to go from idea to income.

Week 3: The Strategy
Wealth isn’t built overnight, it’s the result of smart planning and consistent action. In week three, John dives into saving, investing, and scaling a business. He explores how to create a financial plan, identify investment opportunities, and know when, and how, to grow.

Week 4: The Legacy
True wealth is generational. In the final week, the conversation shifts to ownership, estate planning, and passing down assets. As John often says, “You don’t have to be rich to leave a rich legacy.” This week is about making decisions today that will benefit your family and community tomorrow.

Interactive & Engaging

Beyond the weekly themes, the campaign features quick, digestible content like “1-Minute Money Moves”—short clips of John delivering practical wealth-building tips in under a minute. Topics include “Own or Be Owned” and “LLCs & Legacy.”

There’s also an “Ask John” feature on Instagram Stories and LinkedIn, where followers can submit their biggest money or business questions. Selected questions will be answered directly by John in video or audio responses, making this campaign as interactive as it is informative.

Amplifying the Message

Operation HOPE will be sharing highlights from the campaign all month long across our social channels. We encourage you to follow, share, and most importantly, put these lessons into action.

This is more than content; it’s a movement. Every episode, clip, and post is an opportunity for someone to learn a new strategy, change a financial habit, or take the first step toward building a business or creating generational wealth.

The Bigger Picture

While Black Business Month is a moment to celebrate, it’s also a reminder of the work still to be done. The racial wealth gap remains a stark reality. According to the Federal Reserve, the median wealth of Black households is roughly one-tenth that of white households. Closing this gap requires intentional effort, from policymakers, businesses, communities, and individuals.

That’s where initiatives like From Hustle to Holdings come in. By combining the reach of iHeartMedia with the expertise and passion of John Hope Bryant and Operation HOPE, we’re able to equip millions with the knowledge and tools they need to rewrite their financial future.

Join the Movement

Here’s how you can get involved:

• Listen & Learn: Follow Money & Wealth wherever you get your podcasts and catch the themed episodes each week in August.
• Engage: Participate in the “Ask John” feature and share your questions.
• Apply the Lessons: Use the tips from the campaign to start building your own path from hustle to holdings.
• Share: Help spread the word by sharing the content on your own social media channels.

As John says, “We can’t just wish for a better future, we have to work for it.” This Black Business Month, let’s work together to ensure that hustle turns into holdings, and ambition turns into generational impact.