True power in this world comes from economic independence, but too many people have too much month left at the end of their money. John Hope Bryant, founder and CEO of Operation HOPE, illuminates the path toward liberation that is hiding in plain sight. His message is simple: the supermajority of people who live in poverty, whom Bryant calls the invisible class, as well as millions in the struggling middle class, haven’t gotten “the memo”—until now.
Building on his personal experience of rising up from economically disadvantaged circumstances and his work with Operation HOPE, Bryant teaches readers five rules that lay the foundation for achieving financial freedom. He emphasizes the inseparable connection between “inner capital” (mindset, relationships, knowledge, and spirit) and “outer capital” (financial wealth and property). “If you have inner capital,” Bryant writes, “you can never be truly poor. If you lack inner capital, all the money in the world cannot set you free.”
Bryant gives readers tools for empowerment by covering everything from achieving basic financial literacy to investing in positive relationships and approaching wealth with a completely new attitude. He makes this bold and controversial claim: “Once you have satisfied your basic sustenance needs—food, water, health, and a roof over your head—poverty has more to do with your head than your wallet.”
Bryant wants to restore readers’ “silver rights,” giving them the ability to succeed and prosper no matter what very real roadblocks society puts in their way. We have more power than we realize, if only we can recognize and claim it. “We are our first capital,” Bryant writes. “We are the CEOs of our own lives.”
“I know nobody working harder than John Hope Bryant to deliver success and resources to those who feel left out.”
—Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu
“I have known John Hope Bryant for a long time and can say he has been fighting tirelessly to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots. You should read this book. It made my soul smile.”
—Quincy Jones, entertainment icon and CEO, Quincy Jones Productions
“John Hope Bryant makes a clear and compelling case for taking control of your future by managing your ‘inner capital.’ With The Memo, he shows how to tap into your wisdom, creativity, and intuition to lead a successful, thriving life.”
—Arianna Huffington, cofounder and former Editor-in-Chief, The Huffington Post
“John Hope Bryant has dedicated his life to educating the poor in financial responsibility, and his simple solutions for navigating a complex landscape are an absolute must-read.”
—Andrea Jung, CEO, Grameen America, and former Chairman and CEO, Avon Products
