Bryant Journal is where John Hope Bryant shares insights shaped by his journey as a successful entrepreneur, investor, and founder, alongside his work as a social innovator and advisor to global institutions.
Drawing from decades of experience building and leading enterprises across finance, real estate, media, and social impact—and from his travels across the United States and around the world—Bryant reflects on economic empowerment, leadership, innovation, and inclusive growth.
Through a blend of personal perspective and market-informed analysis, Bryant Journal offers forward-looking ideas that challenge conventional thinking, bridge purpose and profit, and inspire action toward a more inclusive and competitive global economy.
Tonight, I had the honor of introducing a quiet giant. At the 2nd Annual ACE Honors Awards, we celebrated the extraordinary Bill Duke—a man whose career spans more than four decades, but whose impact reaches even further. Most people know Bill Duke the actor—Predator, Menace II Society, Commando.Many respect Bill
Ambassador Andrew Young turns 94 today, and it’s a moment worth pausing on, because his life represents one of the most important lessons in American leadership. He didn’t just march. He legislated. He negotiated. He governed. Ambassador Young showed a generation of us that the work of justice doesn’t end
The Financial Literacy Crisis No One Is Talking About Here’s a statistic that should concern every American. According to a new survey from U.S. News & World Report, 59% of consumers don’t know that lenders use FICO scores to determine creditworthiness. Let that sink in. Credit scores are one of
Clark Atlanta University Launches Financial Coaching Initiative Aimed at Equipping Freshmen with Essential Financial Skills for Long-Term Success ATLANTA, March 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Clark Atlanta University (CAU) is thrilled to announce a transformative financial coaching initiative, supported by a generous $5 million in-kind commitment from Operation HOPE, made by its CEO
This past Monday, civil rights icon Ambassador Andrew Young and I traveled to the State Capitol of South Carolina to pay our final respects to a man who bent the arc of history with his bare hands — Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr. We were accompanied by our wives —
Editor’s Note Think about a AAA bond rating for a prominent company on Wall Street, and you have discovered the power and importance of a 4-Star Charity Navigator Rating for a nonprofit. The real star here, on my leadership team, is one Brian Betts, my president and CFO, who annually
Editor’s Note I am honored to be a part of a very special project in and for Atlanta, originally dreamed up and inspired by my friend Tony Ressler (chairman of Ares Management and principal owner of the Atlanta Hawks), and advanced in partnership with his brother Richard Ressler and his
Editors Note: Afrotech wrote a very accurate story here, about the public unveiling of the Centennial Yards project, developed by the CIM Group in collaboration with my dear friend Tony Ressler (the original inspiration behind the project), which is arguably the largest investment in Atlanta, ‘since Atlanta’ itself — at
A Salute to Doug McMillon, former CEO of Walmart There are leaders who manage organizations, and then there are leaders who move mountains. Doug McMillon is the latter. When Doug and I co-founded the Financial Literacy for All Initiative, we shared a simple but audacious belief: that financial literacy is
There are moments that stop you in your tracks — not because of the award itself, but because of who is doing the honoring. Black Enterprise has been a cornerstone of Black economic life in America for over 50 years. Founded by Earl G. Graves Sr. in 1970, it arrived
Every year, I choose one word. Not a resolution. Not a hashtag. A word — something that captures the assignment in front of us and demands that we grow into it. Last year, we built. The year before that, we scaled. And now — now — we have arrived at
One hundred years ago, Carter G. Woodson launched what he called Negro History Week — not as a celebration, but as a correction. He believed America was telling an incomplete story about itself, and that an incomplete story produces an incomplete nation. He was right then. And the lesson is
A conversation with Marshall University President Brad D. Smith — and a lesson a century in the making There are moments when history, geography, and purpose converge in ways that feel less like coincidence and more like calling. Last week, I had one of those moments. I was invited to
Recently, I became a certified open water scuba diver in Maui. I had been saying I would do it for years, but like many things in life, the delay wasn’t about ability. It was about fear, and about respect for an environment I did not yet fully understand. Years ago,
I am pleased to announce I am becoming a Global Advisor to the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center. The Center and I have a shared mission of growing access to entrepreneurship, and we’re importantly – they are working with one of the largest data-sets on the planet around lived experience, trained on
February 17 Proclaimed “John Hope Bryant Day” in the state of Georgia to honor Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO Editor’s Note: A special thank you to Georgia State Senator Randal Mangham for asking me to speak before the Georgia’s Youth Entrepreneur Day at the State Capitol, and for honoring
Twenty-three years ago, I published my first book with Beacon Press — Dr. King’s publisher. That was not an accident. Dr. King began a Poor People’s Campaign that was cut short before he could finish the economic chapter of the Civil Rights Movement. I believed then — and I believe
Atlanta News First spotlights John Hope Bryant’s journey from Compton to becoming a national voice for financial literacy and economic empowerment. Editor’s Note: I was honored (and actually pleasantly surprised) that my new home city of Atlanta, Georgia, thought enough of me and our work — rooted and headquartered in
Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr., understood something fundamental: dignity and economics are inseparable. He belonged to a generation of leaders who helped transform American democracy, not only by challenging unjust laws but by confronting unequal systems that limited access to capital, ownership, and economic participation. Reverend Jackson helped carry forward
How Jed York Helped San Francisco Win There are moments when sports transcend the scoreboard. This year’s Super Bowl in the Bay Area was one of those moments — and my friend Jed York understood that from the very beginning. Jed didn’t just host a championship game. He quarterbacked a
The latest jobs report carries a warning most Americans will miss. Black unemployment has climbed to its highest level since 2021 — hovering around 7 percent — nearly double the unemployment rate for white Americans and significantly above the national average, which remains closer to 4 percent. Let me translate
The 2024 The Closers List, and Announcing 2026. The 2024 TIME Closers List was a moment of substance for me. It reminded me, that what I was ‘about,’ mattered. The TIME Closers List is not about visibility. It is about measurable impact. Each year, TIME curates this list to honor
From the Streets to the Suites — And Now to the Future This week in Minnesota, I had the honor of speaking at BestPrep’s 50th Anniversary Celebration. Fifty years strong. But this wasn’t just an anniversary event. It was a reminder that movements evolve. In the 20th century, we had
My Leader and Friend Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines, announced as Co Chair of the Financial Literacy for All Initiative Editor’s Note: Ed Bastian, is one of the special ones. Ed leads from the front, and not just in the public view as CEO of this great airline,
Honored to Speak at Prince George’s County Chamber – Business & Economic Summit 2026 The Future Is Built — Not Promised Prince George’s County Business & Economic Summit 2026 Today I have the honor of speaking at the Prince George’s County Business & Economic Summit — a county that represents
Editor’s Note The environments couldn’t be more different—but the lesson was the same.Within one week, John Hope Bryant completed his scuba diving certification in Maui and stepped into a Ferrari 488 Challenge race car at Dubai Autodrome on his birthday. One demanded stillness. The other demanded speed. Both demanded presence.
| NXT Chapter with T.D. Jakes Editor’s Note: I was so excited to do my brother and friend’s new podcast, NXT Chapter with (Bishop, Chairman, Leader) T.D. Jakes this week. This was a different version of me. I unpack and explore areas I have never really discussed publicly before. But
Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant Surpasses 1 Billion Social Media Views, While “Money and Wealth” Podcast Ranks Among Top Business Shows of 2025 Editor’s Note: One Billion Views — and the Message Behind the Milestone Numbers matter. But meaning matters more. This week, John Hope Bryant
Beneath the Surface: Turning 60, Finding Calm, and Swimming with Sharks There are birthdays, and then there are moments of reckoning—moments that invite you to pause, breathe, and step into something unfamiliar. For my 60th birthday, I did just that. I went underwater. In the clear blue waters off Maui,
Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant Surpasses 1 Billion Social Media Views, While “Money and Wealth” Podcast Ranks Among Top Business Shows of 2025 ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant, one of the nation’s most influential voices on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and inclusive
Moderating a conversation with Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay on growth, governance, and global economic leadership in Dubai. Editor’s Note: Some moments are difficult to frame in words and phrases — and my time getting to know the Prime Minister of Bhutan, His Excellency Tshering Tobgay, prior to our main
A Conversation with the Prime Minister of Bhutan At the World Governments Summit in Dubai, I had the honor of sitting down with His Excellency Tshering Tobgay, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Bhutan, for a conversation centered on a powerful question: What should governments actually optimize for? GDP? Growth?
On the Edge of the Old World and the New Chaitra Bryant and I arrived in Dubai just as the night was giving way to morning—when the air is still, the city quiet, and the future feels close enough to touch. Some places announce themselves the moment you land. Dubai
As I approach my 60th birthday, I decided to give myself a gift that would be deeply meaningful. Something personal. So, a few weeks ago, I became a certified open water scuba diver in Maui. This was not just about learning a new skill. It was about confronting something deeper.
Quick thank you: because of you, Money & Wealth is now ranking on Apple Podcasts in the U.S. and around the world. This has become a global conversation about one question—how do we create opportunity for all in a future that’s moving fast? In this episode, I sat down with
Dream Machine Innovation Lab Founder, CNN Host, and New York Times Best-Selling Author Joins Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant to Co-Lead HOPE AI™ National Strategy for Inclusive Financial and AI Literacy Editor’s Note: With deep personal appreciation and thanks, I and we are honored to welcome
On purpose, early belief, and the quiet power of lifting others as you rise Editor’s Note: This reflection is written in appreciation of Oprah Winfrey—whose example, early belief, and enduring leadership helped shape my understanding of purpose, service, and the highest use of life. There are moments in life that
Earlier this week my publisher Wiley announced the coming release of my newest book ‘Capitalism for All: Inclusive Economics and the Future Proofing of America,’ which is scheduled for a publish date of March 31, 2026. I was pleased and thankful to hear that the response from this first announcement
Capitalism for All: Inclusive Economics and the Future Proofing of America, on America’s 250th Birthday
A reflection on Dr. Bernice A. King’s leadership, the responsibility of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy, and advancing the dream through economic justice and civic responsibility. Dreaming Forward. Leading Forward. Last week, I had the honor of standing alongside my friend Dr. Bernice A. King at her Dream Forward
John Hope Bryant’s Money & Wealth podcast receives an NAACP Image Award nomination for Outstanding Podcast in Lifestyle/Self-Help ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Money And Wealth With John Hope Bryant, the personal finance and self-help podcast hosted by entrepreneur and Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant, has been nominated for an NAACP
Advancing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy through economic dignity, financial literacy, and leadership that strengthens the American Dream. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream was never only moral. It was also deeply economic. Dr. King understood that dignity requires access: access to education, to capital, to opportunity, and to
John Hope Bryant speaks with UAE AI Minister Omar Sultan Al Olama on innovation and the future economy. In one of the most powerful conversations ever recorded on Money and Wealth, John Hope Bryant sits down with His Excellency Omar Sultan Al Olama — the world’s first Minister of Artificial
Backstage in Atlanta with the legendary group ahead of their upcoming tour. This week I was honored to spend some quality time backstage with the legendary guys in our Atlanta, at The New Edition Way Tour – Bootcamp – 10 day countdown, before they blast off in Oakland, Ca, on
Remarks delivered during the 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. observance in Atlanta. I was deeply, deeply honored to be asked to speak before a unified Georgia State Capitol, before both Republicans and Democrats alike, along with new friend Governor Brian Kemp and the King family and state and local leaders
I was deeply honored to learn first from my friend Charlamagne The God (Co-Host for The Breakfast Club and CEO of The Black Effect Network, where I am honored to have a hosted podcast, and to also serve on the board) — that our podcast “Money & Wealth” has been nominated for an NAACP Image Award, for Outstanding
30B+ Asset CIM & Bryant Ventures Launch Strategic partnership introduces first impact fund focused on affordable housing and inclusive economic growth. https://youtu.be/0zFDkme2YSk I was honored to join the CNBC SquawkBox team on November 14th, 2025, along my friend Joseph Otting, Executive Chairman & CEO of 100B+ asset Flagstar Bank, to announce our first new investment
Money & Wealth Podcast with Joe Baratta Blackstone’s global head of private equity discusses markets, opportunity, and economic impact. This week’s episode of Money & Wealth was and is especially important – for two reasons. One, Joe Baratta is a new friend of mine and a very, very good man,
Operation HOPE is proud to announce that its Founder, Chairman and CEO John Hope Bryant has been named one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Leaders in Business in 2025.
Why Homeownership Still Matters John Hope Bryant reflects on the EMPIRE Realtists 65th anniversary and the role of homeownership in building generational wealth. Last weekend, I joined the EMPIRE Board of Realtists here in Atlanta to celebrate their 65th anniversary. They were kind enough to honor me with an award
Why Black Wealth Requires More Than Inspiration Recently, I had the privilege of joining some of the brightest entrepreneurs, executives, and community builders at the Power Networking Conference (PNEx) here in Atlanta. Forbes calls PNEx one of the top entrepreneurial conferences in the world, and I agree — it’s somewhere
Hope Is On The Way: Government Shutdown Relief Operation HOPE offers free financial counseling and recovery support for Americans impacted by the federal government shutdown. When America hits pause, it’s everyday people who pay the price. The ongoing federal government shutdown has become a financial crisis for millions of families
A 12-year-old with a pro rig
It is impossible to communicate, in an article, the power and transformational impact that this man had on my life, but I will try, by telling you a couple intimate stories about the man. When I first showed up at the church, the Rodney King Riots of 1992 had engulfed
In times like these, it’s natural for hope to flicker while passions stay ablaze. But we must remember that to keep that hope alive, we must remain optimistic about the future. History has shown us that the moral arc of the universe always bends toward justice. It’s on us, though,
While we passionately support underserved people here and around the world—they need to be heard, have their voice at the tables of power, andhave agency in their lives, this is no way to get it. This is just wrong. This is terrorism, against totally innocent people — women, children and
I was honored to join NBC, CNBC and MSNBC leadership and some of Stephanie Ruhle’s circle of support in Manhattan last night as she and they celebrated her one year anniversary of and for the 11th Hour on MSNBC. Notable amongst notable attendees was my friend Rashida Jones, president of
Operation HOPE CEO John Hope Bryant Joins SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman and U.S. Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Wally Adeyemo to Lead Roundtable Discussion with Black Leaders on Advancing Black Entrepreneurship ATLANTA, March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Operation HOPE, Inc., the nation’s largest non-profit dedicated to financial empowerment for underserved communities, joined Administrator Isabella
What if I told you that if you raise credit scores 100 points on average, neighborhood by neighborhood across America, you stabilize the nation? Well, as odd as it sounds, I mean it. At Operation HOPE we launched the HOPE Community Credit Score Index powered by data from Experian, which
Sadness. 😔 Because of weather, I was not be able to make it back to Atlanta, Ga, in time for my dear friend Tommy Dortch, Jr’s memorial home going at New Birth Church, as led and organized by our friend Reverend Jamal Bryant. Thankful to Rev. Bryant and the church
Introducing, my friend US Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyamo. This is walking Black History. He is the highest ranking person of African decent in the history of the US Treasury Department, and he’s the US official that unethical foreign leaders around the world (you can fill in the blanks here)
Congratulations to the Kansas City Chiefs on their Super Bowl win tonight! It was a fun game to watch. The Super Bowl is always a great night, but all year round Operation HOPE and the NFL’s Inspire Change initiative are out there in the community, on the ground, making change
THE CHAVIS CHRONICLES is a thought-provoking half-hour television series that features interviews with newsmakers, celebrities, and significant figures from the fields of politics, medicine, science, activism, education, and entertainment. Legendary civil rights leader and program host, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. takes a deep dive, going beyond the headlines to
This week we unveiled our 214th HOPE Inside location just outside of Atlanta in DeKalb County, in partnership with Citizen Trust Bank, the largest black bank in the Atlanta area. we currently have 230 locations open and operating nationwide (we soft opened this branch a few months ago and already
Since 2016, Fulton Bank has made a substantial number of low- to moderate-income home loans through its partnership with Operation HOPE Founders Note: I keep saying that home ownership is the number one way to build wealth, and with a homeownership rate in the low 40% range, Black America is
The organization I founded 30+ years ago is absolutely on fire — with scaled mission, results and most of all outcomes. They are on a serious mission of Silver Rights, opportunity for all, and what I have come to term a 3rd Reconstruction. And my team has never been stronger.
I was honored to join my friend and MSNBC 11th Hour Anchor Stephanie Ruhle for a special Friday night segment on the State of our America. We dived into a lot of important topics, and were focused on solutions, and resolving our conflicts, and not complaining and pointing fingers and
Sometimes seemingly simple discussions, mean much more. This session with MSNBC Anchor Stephanie Ruhle last Friday on ‘Netflix passwords’ was one of those times, and discussions. This was about our values, actually, and ‘what we value.’ This conversation got real deep, real quick. Check it out, and share it with
Sometimes, you experience magic in a bottle. That is the essence of the partnership between Operation HOPE and Delta Airlines. Operation HOPE is honored to have been selected to be the national financial wellness coaching partner for all 80,000+ Delta Airline employees. This partnership began through a friendship. An enduring
This week I was invited to join President Joe Biden’s Cabinet Member for Small Business, U.S. SBA Administrator Isabella Guzman, U.S. Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adayamo, Gene Sperling, Senior Advisor to the President of the United States and NEC Deputy Director Bharat Ramamurti from the Biden Administration, and U.S. Senator
I had quite an adventure getting from Atlanta to Davos, Switzerland last week, preparing to speak at the Wall Street Journal House on our Financial Literacy for All Initiative, where I also attended the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2023, in Davos. But I finally made it on Tuesday, January
Transaction Is Second Multimillion Dollar Investment to Expand and Enhance Portfolio of Single-Family Rental Homes Benefitting Low- and Moderate-Income Individuals December 12, 2022 08:00 AM Eastern Standard Time ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Promise Homes Company, the largest minority-led manager of institutional-quality, single-family residential rental homes in the United States, announced today that
As the year ended up for 2022, and during our 30th anniversary HOPE Global Forum December, 2022, the Operation HOPE family and 1MBB (One Million New Black Business Initiative) leadership team were super proud to announce a benchmark achievement, 2 years into the 1MBB partnership: 155,000 new Black Businesses have
“We want all of our associates to understand how to manage their money,” McMillon said during an exclusive interview with CNBC at the HOPE Global Forums. “John Hope Bryant and I have come together to form Financial Literacy for All to take on financial education. “We think it’s a foundational
Operation HOPE, the nation’s leader in financial literacy and economic inclusion, and I, are proud to announce that the 9th Annual HOPE Global Forums will return to Atlanta, GA December 11-13, 2022. This year’s event – the Annual Meeting of the HOPE Global Forums – is themed “Bridging the Divide.”
Building a sustainable movement is hard work, but finding a way to continue the unfinished work of the Freedman’s Bank of 1865 (a bank chartered by President Abraham Lincoln, and run by businessman and freedom fighter Frederick Douglass, with a mission to ‘teach freed slaves about money…’) was the only
December, 2022, concludes my third consecutive year as chairman of the Community Advisory Board of and for First Republic Bank, the 25th largest bank in the United States, and I could not be prouder of the institution, nor my association with it. Like my own head-down, get-it-done work ethic, they
Wealth is something that’s obtainable for every citizen of the United States. Despite all of her issues, America is the best place in the world to grow and thrive economically. Here, we have freedom to pursue life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. However, many of us come from communities
Nutrition and Wellness Expert, Chaitra Bryant becomes Board Chair of the National Minority Health Association to Reduce Health Inequities. David Dalton becomes Chairman Emeritus. OWINGS MILLS, Md. – October 5, 2022 — The National Minority Health Association (NMHA), with national campaigns and programs to bring about health equity, has elected Chaitra Bryant as Board Chair, succeeding David Dalton, who becomes Chairman Emeritus.
Today we celebrate the 88th birthday of a lady who not only brought me into the world — her example, set the stage for how I live my life, for the totality of my life. the first lesson she taught me, was the power of love. Love and discipline shall
Earlier today, I joined my mentor and friend, civil rights icon, former Atlanta mayor, former congressman and former United Nations Ambassador Andrew J. Young, whose also the global spokesman for Operation HOPE, on stage for the Fortune Magazine Impact Initiative meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, in a rich discussion led by
We recently opened our 200th HOPE Inside location with Wells Fargo in DeKalb County, Ga. The HOPE Inside Network is ‘America’s financial coach’ and the nation’s private banker for the underserved. The CEO of Wells Fargo joined us for the opening and the bank has ordered 120+ additional locations, as
DALLAS, November 22, 2022–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Creative Media & Community Trust Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCT and TASE: CMCT-L) announced today that John Hope Bryant has been appointed to its Board of Directors. Mr. Bryant is chairman and chief executive officer of Bryant Group Ventures and The Promise Homes Company (“TPHC”), the largest for-profit
We believe that the 3rd Reconstruction is about Opportunity. Powering a 3rd Reconstruction vision, Operation HOPE has implemented a 10-year strategy to raise the economic energy and economic oportunity for the bottom 50% of American society, led by the growing HOPE Inside Network. There are over 200 on the ground
Mayor Andre Dickens led a group of Atlanta’s most prestigious public, community and business leaders this week, as CIM Group announced the groundbreaking for the new Centennial Yards development in our city. The $6 billion Centennial Yards development represents the largest private sector investment in Atlanta, since the founding of
Black Enterprise covered the story and our ongoing relationship with the City of Memphis and the SBA in a recently published article. Enjoy the excerpt below and then read the entire write-up here. “We aim to start, grow, and scale 1 million Black businesses by 2030 to provide a successful
Personal Note from John Hope Bryant My history and background with Truist, and its leadership, is deeply personal to me. I remember my early meetings with Bill Rogers, the company CEO, where he was the first large bank to agree to support the model in 1-3 of their area bank
Who do you call, when you want to change the world? Mrs. Mary Ehrsam is who. She has been my global travel-the-world-for-HOPE companion, including South Africa (she and I have been there together more than 35 times each) and Morocco (we opened offices in South Africa and had a special
For years I’ve been saying that 700 Credit Score Communities don’t riot. That has always been the case, but up until now, it’s purely been anecdotal. Today, Operation HOPE is filling in the gaps with research-based evidence that proves our assertions and the model of our work with the new
Do you know your personal and community credit score? Check it out here and watch the video above. Then, let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
As of the end of last year, HOPE Inside has served more than 4 million clients through offerings including credit and money management coaching, mortgage application assistance, entrepreneur and small business training, financial disaster preparation and recovery, and youth financial literacy programs. HOPE Inside has worked to increase social mobility
