When I say I only reach outside myself for the best of the best, I mean it. Today, that means a woman who moves through rooms in Abu Dhabi, Lagos, Mexico City, and Wall Street with the same quiet authority, and who, when she opens her mouth, nobody questions. Meet
John Hope Bryant, Oprah and Forbes 250 Greatest Living Self Made Americans celebration in Pa
In Philadelphia, at the birthplace of American democracy, the woman who started with nothing stood as America’s greatest self-made success story. That is not coincidence. That is proof. I have spent my life talking about the distance between poverty and possibility. I have argued — in boardrooms and on stages,
There is a stage inside Carnegie Hall — the Isaac Stern Auditorium, the Perelman Stage — where some of the greatest voices in American history have stood. On June 19, on Juneteenth, I stood on that stage too. Not as an entertainer. As an economic plumber, still trying to help
This Independence Day, the nation turns 250 years old. We will celebrate a country that has done something no other has done at this scale: written down the idea that all of us are created equal, and then spent two and a half centuries arguing, bleeding and climbing our way
Operation HOPE Global Spokesman Ambassador Andrew J. Young meets with Pope Leo in Rome
John Hope Bryant saluting Jamie Dimon
Capitalism for All book continues #1 bestseller list ranking
John Hope Bryant sits down with world-renowned neurosurgeon and journalist Sanjay Gupta for a powerful conversation about the connection between health, wealth, mindset, and longevity. The two explore how stress, financial wellness, environment, and hope can shape the quality — not just the length — of our lives. From the
What does it really mean to start from the bottom—and how do you rise above it? In this powerful conversation, Operation HOPE Founder, Chairman & CEO John Hope Bryant and Happyness CEO Chris Gardner explore the realities of adversity, resilience, and building success from difficult beginnings. From experiences with homelessness
Your zip code is a bigger predictor of how long you’ll live than your DNA. That’s not me talking. That’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta—practicing neurosurgeon at Emory, Emmy-winning chief medical correspondent for CNN, best-selling author, and one of the most trusted voices in medicine in America. Tomorrow, he joins me on
A Note from John Hope BryantThe Bryant Journal | Bryant Group Ventures Yesterday morning, I wrote a tribute for TIME magazine honoring the life of Alan Greenspan, who passed away Monday at the age of one hundred. You can read it here: “Remembering Alan Greenspan: The Fed Chair, Bookkeeper, and
Freedom Was Always Economic On Juneteenth, the Stage at Carnegie Hall Belongs to All of Us By John Hope Bryant Tonight, I will stand on the stage of Carnegie Hall. Let me say that again, because I need you to feel the weight of it. Carnegie Hall. One of the
Coming Friday to Money & Wealth with John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE When John Hope Bryant says he only reaches outside himself for “the best of the best,” he means it. This Friday, that means a household name you know — and a name you
This week on Money & Wealth, John Hope Bryant, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Operation HOPE, sits down with his friend and brother, Dr. Jamal Bryant — Senior Pastor of New Birth Missionary Baptist Church — for a conversation that goes places neither of them expected. Two men who met
Introducing the HOPE Investor Mindset Experience The Investor Mindset Experience — A Free On-Ramp to Wealth Building for First-Time Investors Operation HOPE, Inc. has launched the Investor Mindset Experience in partnership with the Nasdaq Foundation — a free digital education tool designed to equip first-time investors with the knowledge and
John Hope Bryant and Anthony Anderson Bring Books, Brotherhood, and Big Dreams to Walmart’s Newest Store in Texas We did not plan this. Nobody sat in a room and said, “Let’s get two guys who grew up in Compton, California, put them at the same table in a brand-new Walmart
For more than three decades, I’ve believed one simple truth: you cannot have a rainbow without a storm first. Operation HOPE was born out of that conviction—that the underserved deserve not charity, but access. Not a handout, but a hand up. And today, I’m prouder than ever to share a
Two good men here, and new friends, also. I really like Chase Koch, and Demario Davis, and now we are connected in shared values. I am a better person, because the three of us are now connected by a shared mission, vision and purpose. I like and I respect them,
I’ll be honest with you: a few years back, I was ready not to like the Koch family. You think you know somebody by their last name, their family’s headlines, your perception of the politics. Then you take time to actually listen. You sit across from them live, with no
Last month, Walmart asked me to do a signing for my book, Capitalism For All: Inclusive Economics and the Future-Proofing of America, at their new store opening in Celina, Texas. The actor Anthony Anderson and I signed books, talked about the future of America, and I left wondering: Why Celina? What
In December, 2025, I was honored to be recognized amongst the 2025 U.S. News & World Report 25 Best Leaders, and to now contribute to their Best Leaders Podcast Series as one of their first guests. As America celebrates 250 years, one of the things that defines this great but
Thanks to you and all the Financial Literacy for All members, I am pleased to share that Financial Literacy Month (April) was filled with impactful activity, including the successful execution of the second annual Green Socks Day Challenge (GSDC). Special appreciation to all the FL4A members who not only participated — but helped amplify a movement built
AJC editor-in-chief Leroy Chapman sits down with John Hope Bryant on the AJC Podcast Politically Georgia, to discuss Bryant’s new book, Capitalism for All, and his argument that economic mobility is the unfinished work of the civil rights movement. Bryant explains why he believes Atlanta is uniquely positioned to lead
How One Nonprofit Mapped Every Zip Code in America and Discovered That Credit Scores Predict Life Expectancy, Crime Rates, and Homeownership—and Why It Matters for Policy, Practice, and American Renewal Part I: A Map of Inequality—Drawn from Home When I drive through the Crenshaw District today—the neighborhood where Operation HOPE
Compton made me, so when I tell you Kristy Fercho came up out of those same streets and climbed all the way to the first Black woman ever on Wells Fargo’s operating committee, you understand what that distance really means. She helped run one of the biggest banks on earth
Episode Description This week on Money & Wealth with John Hope Bryant, John sits down with Kristy Fercho — Senior Executive Vice President at Wells Fargo and the first Black woman ever to serve on the bank’s operating committee. From growing up in Compton to leading billion-dollar businesses and helping shape
By John Hope Bryant This past Mother’s Day, I did what I have done every Mother’s Day since September 10, 2023, when my mother, Ms. Juanita Murray Smith, transitioned from this life — I thought about her. I talked to her. And then I tried to live like her. Not
Following a landmark debut on USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Walmart.com and Amazon bestseller lists, John Hope Bryant’s audiobook, released May 12, now tops Audible charts in multiple categories ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The momentum behind Capitalism for All shows no signs of slowing. John Hope Bryant, Founder and CEO of Operation HOPE and one of
She was born from the fight to end slavery. The chains are still there — if you know where to look. I was standing on Ellis Island last night, celebrating friends who were receiving the 2026 Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and I could not stop looking at her. Lady
On an island that welcomed millions chasing the American Dream, this year’s honorees prove that dream is still very much alive Last night, Chaitra and I had the honor of standing on sacred American ground — Ellis Island — to celebrate some extraordinary people we are proud to call friends.
JOHN HOPE BRYANT: NOW YOU CAN HEAR THE MISSION The Capitalism for All Audiobook Arrives as a Bestseller — Because This Message Was Always Meant to Be Heard There is something different about hearing a message spoken aloud. I have spent more than three decades standing in rooms — church
BANKING ON PURPOSE: WHAT STEVE STEINOUR AND HUNTINGTON BANK TEACH US ABOUT CAPITALISM THAT WORKS A Conversation with the Chairman and CEO of One of America’s Largest Banks — and Why It Matters for You I do not normally bring guests onto the Money & Wealth podcast. When it is
As Jerome Powell concludes his tenure as Chair of the U.S. Federal Reserve, I want to take a moment to honor a man who served this country with uncommon grace. I had the pleasure of meeting with Chair Powell recently, and I can tell you — he is a good
The United States Senate confirmed Kevin Warsh as the 17th Chair of the Federal Reserve, and I want to be among the first to offer my sincere congratulations. I’ve had the pleasure to know Chairman Warsh for many years, dating back to my time as Vice Chair of the President’s
The most powerful people I know are also the most decent. Wait until you meet the one I sat down with this week. Steve Steinour runs one of the largest banks in America. He has the kind of access most people only read about — Republican governors, Democratic presidents, Federal
I’m going to be honest with you. When I held that Forbes magazine in my hands and saw Dr. Dre, another Black man from Compton, California on the cover, and me listed amongst the 250 — at number 145 on the list — I didn’t feel special. I felt grateful.
THE WORLD IS LISTENING 130 episodes in. 11 countries charting. And we’re just getting started. When I launched Money & Wealth, on the Black Effect Podcast Network on iHeart Media, the mission was simple — give people the memo on money that nobody gave us. Not theory. Not motivation. The
There is something different about reading your own book aloud. When I sat down to record the audiobook edition of Capitalism for All: Inclusive Economics and the Future-Proofing of America, I thought I knew what to expect. I wrote every word. I lived every word. But hearing myself speak them
There is a statistic I carry with me everywhere I go — into boardrooms and classrooms, into city halls and community centers. It comes from researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, and it is as simple as it is powerful: a child with a savings account in their name
Editor’s Note When TIME calls and asks you to stand alongside some of the most consequential technologists, inventors, and innovators in the world — and to answer one question about what defines America right now — you don’t hesitate. You answer with the truth you’ve been living. As part of
There’s something that happens when an idea whose time has come meets a people ready to receive it. You can’t manufacture it. You can’t fake it. You just feel it. Over the past several weeks, readers from coast to coast have been sending me photos — holding up their copies
This week on Money & Wealth, I sat down with Arik Armstead, first-round draft pick of the San Francisco 49ers, now a defensive end with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and the NFL’s 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year. The Walter Payton honor is given to one player a season for
A Manifesto for the Passionate Middle of America. Seven Principles for an Economy That Works the Way It Was Supposed To. By John Hope Bryant, from the Milken Global Conference. On Operation HOPE’s Birthday week (actual birthday anniversary was May 5th 2026), in America’s 250th Year. John Hope Bryant PART
Capitalism for All Achieves Bestseller Status on Audible Pre-Order — Before a Single Word Has Been Played Something happened over these past few weeks that I did not fully expect, and that I want to take a moment to honor. Capitalism for All: Inclusive Economics and the Future-Proofing of America
There is something powerful about two kids from Compton, California ending up at the same table — not on a street corner, not in a courtroom, but at a book signing inside a brand-new Walmart Supercenter in one of the fastest-growing cities in America. That is exactly what happened recently
Capitalism For All: Inclusive Economics and the Future-Proofing of America — Available now at all major booksellers. John Hope Bryant — founder of Bryant Group Ventures, Operation HOPE, Inc, publisher of the Bryant Journal and author of his 7th book Capitalism for All: Inclusive Economics and the Future Proofing of America, now a bestseller.
Bryant Journal | Bryant Group Ventures EDITOR’S NOTE Green Socks Day is not a promotion. It never has been. It is a proof of concept — proof that when you give Americans a visible, shareable reason to care about financial literacy, they show up. This year, they showed up in
By John Hope Bryant | Bryant Journal | April 29, 2026 Yesterday morning, I had the honor of standing in the Nasdaq MarketSite in Times Square and ringing the Opening Bell — not for a stock offering, not for a corporate milestone, but for something far more important: the financial
THE BRYANT JOURNAL The People Have Spoken. And What They’re Saying Changes Everything. By John Hope Bryant | Founder & CEO, Operation HOPE | Author, Capitalism For All I want to tell you something about writing books. You spend months — sometimes years — wrestling with an idea. You argue
This one means something to me. Capitalism for All reaching the #1 spot on Amazon in Business Diversity & Inclusion eBooks is not just a publishing milestone — it is a signal. A signal that people across this country are hungry for something beyond the argument. They are hungry for
When the CEO Shows Up: What the New HOPE Inside in Chula Vista Says About the Future of Financial Inclusion That is exactly what happened in Chula Vista, California, when Wells Fargo Chairman and CEO Charlie Scharf stood beside me to cut the ribbon on our newest HOPE Inside location,
This past weekend, I traveled to Dallas, Texas for one of those moments that reminds you why you do this work. Together with Bishop T.D. Jakes and the extraordinary team at the T.D. Jakes Foundation, we cut the ribbon on a new T.O.R.I. Community Office at The DEC Network near
The headlines are loud. The markets are nervous. And too many Americans are sitting still, hoping the turbulence passes on its own. It won’t. Every economic disruption in modern American history has followed the same brutal pattern: those who prepared, survived. Those who didn’t, got swept away — not by
On the Occasion of Capitalism for All Editor’s Note: The following is a direct message from John Hope Bryant — founder, chairman, and CEO of Brynat Group Ventures and Operation HOPE, Inc. — written on the occasion of the release of his now bestselling book, Capitalism for All. It is
I hear you. I hear the frustration, the exhaustion, the rage. I hear a generation that was told the rules were fair — and then discovered they weren’t. A generation promised the American Dream — and handed a system that was quietly rigged against them before they ever showed up
Just two weeks after its release, Capitalism for All: Inclusive Economics and the Future-Proofing of America has debuted at #9 on the Publishers Weekly Hardcover Nonfiction bestseller list — one of the most closely watched and widely respected book industry rankings in the country. This is not a niche list.
When a book about inclusive capitalism becomes a bestseller on Walmart.com — where everyday Americans shop for everyday essentials — the message is clear: this idea has moved from the boardroom to Main Street. Capitalism for All by John Hope Bryant now carries the “Best Seller” badge on one of
EDITOR’S NOTE Capitalism for All at the Milken Institute Global Conference 2026 There are certain stages that, by their very design, demand that you bring your biggest ideas. The Milken Institute Global Conference is one of them. On May 6th, I will take the stage in Los Angeles for an
The list highlights people who started with nothing and made it big. He dropped out of high school, but Tyler Perry converted 330 acres of a former Army post in southwest Atlanta into one of the largest studios in the United States. (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue) Some
How these entrepreneurs and entertainers went from sleeping in cars and flopping on friends’ couches to becoming some of the most successful people in America. In 1992, struggling playwright Tyler Perry invested his $12,000 life savings into his first play, “I Know I’ve Been Changed,” attended by 30 people. It left
When Forbes announced its inaugural list of the 250 Greatest Living Self-Made Americans last week, in honor of our nation’s 250th birthday, I received the news with a profound sense of both personal gratitude and collective responsibility. To be recognized alongside luminaries like Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Dre, Supreme Court Justice
The first week of and for my new now bestselling book, ‘Capitalism for All,’ has been incredibly strong, and a big thanks to each and everyone who purchased a copy of my 7th published book. This one — matters. Particularly blessed to see it make the USA Today Bestseller List
One week after publication, the book claims multiple Amazon #1 bestseller rankings and an Amazon Editor’s Pick, as its author traverses the country for a landmark series of conversations on financial dignity and inclusive growth. Just one week after its release, Capitalism for All — the powerful new book by
At a recent Atlanta book launch for Capitalism for All, one of the evening’s most memorable moments came not only from the message on stage, but from the imagination in the room. Inspired by my friend Tim Birt, the youth and adults of Make Believe Village in Atlanta created and
There is something that happens when you walk into The Breakfast Club studio that does not happen on most stages. The room is honest. Charlamagne Tha God does not let you hide behind talking points, and he does not pretend to be something he is not. Neither do I. That
Thanks for continuing to ‘chart’ the newest book by John Hope Bryant, his 7th book, ‘Capitalism for All: Inclusive Economics and the Future Proofing of America.’ Get your digital or physical copy today. The audiobook version is coming soon.John Hope Bryant — founder of Bryant Group Ventures, Operation HOPE, Inc, publisher of the Bryant
Downtown Atlanta was once the center of the city’s cultural and economic life, but decades of decline left much of it underused. Now, a $5 billion redevelopment project known as Centennial Yards aims to transform a 50 acre site called the Gulch into a new hub for housing, entertainment, and
Deeply honored to see my new book, the 7th book, to hit the Editor’s Choice and Top 100 Hot New Release list from Amazon today, two days after release. Of more than 5 million books on Amazon’s site, we cracked the top 1,000 on yesterday. Let’s keep it going all.
Foreword Authors Andrew Young, Ed Bastian, and Michael Milken to host John Hope Bryant for Tour Stops in Atlanta and Washington, D.C. ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Operation HOPE, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping low-and moderate-income Americans thrive in an ever-changing economy, announced today the upcoming release of its Founder, Chairman and CEO
Editor’s Note: There are people you admire from a distance, and then there are people you know up close — whose character only deepens the closer you get. Brad D. Smith and his wife Alys are those kinds of people for me. Brad is a friend, a member of the
Yesterday, March 28th, my friend Dr. Bernice A. King turned 63 years old. And while the world knows her as the youngest daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King — and as the CEO of The King Center — I want to take a moment to
There are love stories. And then there are love stories that feel like they were written by history itself. Thirty years ago yesterday — March 28, 1996 — Ambassador Andrew J. Young and Mrs. Carolyn McClain Young were married in Cape Town, South Africa, with Archbishop Desmond Tutu presiding over
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
Editor’s Note: I don’t usually wade into culture war debates. That’s not my lane. But when a cultural moment intersects with a fundamental economic lie — one that erases the contributions of half the population — I have an obligation to speak up. A recent Netflix documentary gave a platform
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
