From the Streets to the Suites: John's Story

Summary

From the Streets to the Suites: John's Story
Money And Wealth With John Hope Bryant
Release Date: November 28, 2024

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Introduction

In the compelling episode titled "From the Streets to the Suites: John's Story," John Hope Bryant delves deep into his personal journey from homelessness to entrepreneurial success. Hosted by The Black Effect and iHeartPodcasts, this episode provides an unfiltered look into Bryant's resilience, mindset, and strategies for wealth-building, particularly within the Black community.

Early Struggles: Homelessness and Financial Hardship

Bryant opens up about one of the most challenging periods of his life—his experience with homelessness. He shares, “I was homeless six months of my life. Real talk. And I want to remove the shame from that experience through me for you” (02:38). This candid admission sets the tone for a narrative centered on overcoming adversity.

Growing up in South Central LA and later in Compton, Bryant faced numerous obstacles beyond homelessness, including limited access to resources and systemic barriers. He emphasizes the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on homelessness, noting, “Now a lot of people, you know, actually making an economic choice... I made an economic choice” (02:50).

The Hustle: Building a Business from Scratch

Despite earning only about $500 a month from various endeavors such as concert promotion, marketing, business development, and acting residuals, Bryant was determined to create his own path. He recounts juggling multiple jobs, working 18-hour days to avoid traditional employment. This relentless work ethic was driven by his refusal to rely on handouts, stating, “I had too much money in my money. I didn't want to take handouts from my mother or my father. I want to do it on my own” (04:15).

A Critical Decision: Renting an Office Over an Apartment

Faced with the choice between using his limited funds to rent an apartment or an office, Bryant chose to invest in himself by renting an office space within a public relations firm owned by a friend named Kip Morrison. He explains, “It was a critical decision... I was banking on the long-term success of me” (06:45). This decision allowed him to cultivate a professional environment conducive to networking and business growth, despite not having a permanent place to live.

The Turning Point: Securing the Foster Shoe Co. Contract

Bryant's perseverance paid off when he secured a significant contract with Foster Shoe Company, a retail store on Pico Boulevard. Reflecting on this milestone, he notes, “The $10,000 contract I got for that year... was a really big deal for me back then” (15:10). This contract not only provided financial relief but also validated his efforts and strategy, enabling him to further invest in his business ventures.

Meeting Quincy Jones: A Defining Moment

One of the pivotal moments in Bryant's journey was his encounter with legendary musician Quincy Jones. Determined to meet his mentor, Bryant attended a fundraiser at Jones's house, investing his hard-earned $1,000 advance from Foster Shoe Co. He describes the experience: “I show up to Quincy Jones's house and I hug a wall... And then I heard in the distance from another room my name... and Quincy couldn't have been more gracious” (19:05).

This meeting blossomed into a mentorship and friendship, providing Bryant with invaluable guidance and opportunities. He shares memorable experiences, such as traveling to the Montreux Jazz Festival and attending the launch of an African American museum, highlighting how these relationships opened numerous doors for his burgeoning career.

Building Relationships and Expanding Influence

Bryant's relationship with Quincy Jones led to further connections, including interactions with Clarence Avant, a renowned music executive. Despite initial challenges, including misunderstandings with Avant, Bryant's persistence resulted in access to private jets and exclusive events. He recounts, “We became fast friends that night... We got the... that was my first time on a private jet” (25:30).

These relationships not only expanded Bryant's professional network but also reinforced the importance of perseverance and maintaining a positive mindset. He emphasizes, “If you don't quit, you can't fail” (17:35), underscoring the critical role of resilience in achieving success.

Transition to Success: Financial Recovery and Business Growth

Through continuous hustle and strategic investments, Bryant managed to work his way out of homelessness. He meticulously rebuilt his credit, paid off debts, and established a robust financial foundation. Reflecting on this period, he shares, “I have a credit score now is 8, I think it's 809 or something like that... I handle all my debts” (28:50).

Bryant's story is a testament to the power of self-investment and the impact of a strong work ethic. He illustrates how managing small debts and maintaining transparent communication with creditors can lead to significant financial recovery and stability.

Lessons and Insights: Mindset and Wealth Building

Throughout the episode, Bryant imparts crucial lessons on developing a wealth-building mindset. He distinguishes between being "broke" and "poor," emphasizing that economic hardship does not equate to a depleted spirit. “Being broke is economic. Being poor is a disabling frame of mind” (32:00).

Bryant advocates for a proactive approach to financial challenges, encouraging listeners to communicate openly with creditors and uphold their commitments. He reflects on his strategies, such as floating checks and managing limited credit lines, to navigate financial obstacles without compromising his integrity or reputation.

Conclusion: Empowering the Next Generation

In his closing remarks, Bryant speaks passionately about Operation Hope's One Million Black Business Initiative, which has supported over 400,000 Black businesses through partnerships with Shopify and other organizations. He urges listeners to harness their potential, “Be committed to your growth. Be committed to your authenticity. Be committed to your hustle” (35:10).

Bryant's journey from homelessness to successful entrepreneur serves as an inspiring blueprint for aspiring business owners, particularly within the Black community. His message underscores the importance of self-belief, relentless effort, and strategic investments in oneself to achieve lasting wealth and financial independence.

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Notable Quotes

• “I was homeless six months of my life. Real talk. And I want to remove the shame from that experience through me for you.” – John Ho Bryant (02:38)

• “If you don't quit, you can't fail.” – John Ho Bryant (17:35)

• “Being broke is economic. Being poor is a disabling frame of mind.” – John Ho Bryant (32:00)

• “Be committed to your growth. Be committed to your authenticity. Be committed to your hustle.” – John Ho Bryant (35:10)

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Final Thoughts

"From the Streets to the Suites: John's Story" is more than just a personal memoir; it's a powerful narrative of resilience, strategic thinking, and the transformative power of a wealth-building mindset. John Hope Bryant's transparent recounting of his struggles and triumphs offers invaluable insights and inspiration for anyone striving to improve their financial standing and build lasting wealth.

For those seeking to thrive within a free enterprise system, Bryant's story is a beacon of hope and a roadmap to success.

Transcript

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[John Ho Bryant]

Welcome to Money and Wealth with John Ho Bryant, a production of the Black Effect podcast network and iHeartRadio. Yo, this is John O'Brien and this is dedicated to. Well, this is about me being homeless and dedicated to all the strivers out there, all the achievers, the dreamers. To quote My friend, Dr. Dorothy Hite, the late Dr. Dorothy Hite. John Bryan, I love you because you're a dreamer with a shovel in your hands. This is a tribute to everybody who's a dreamer with a shovel in their hands. But you may not have a place to live and people don't believe it when it's mentioned to them. So I need to make it clear I wasn't always this way. I wasn't always so called successful. I was homeless. I mean, I grew up first of all in South Central LA and later on in Compton, California. But that wasn't the roughest period. One of the roughest periods, certainly the roughest period before I was 20 years old was when I was homeless. Most people who are homeless, at least in the time I was coming up, it was. And up until even recently, until the, you know, just before the pandemic, it was, you know, substance abuse, it was mental illness, a lot of policies, the government kicked people out of medical facilities and into the streets. Now a lot of people, you know, actually making an economic choice, which is what I did or the choice was made for me. No, no, I made an economic choice. So I was homeless six months of my life. Real talk. And I want to remove the shame from that experience through me for you. If you're having too much at the end of your money problems, if you're arguing with your mate, if you are frustrated with yourself, if you are depressed, distressed, you know, in middle part of last year, 50 plus million Americans were on antidepressants. Then a lot of other people were medicating their depression through, you know, recreational drugs and alcohol and et cetera. So it could be 100, 150 million Americans that are just depressed adults and young people and, you know, feeling that hope has walked away from them. And this country is not a country. She's an idea. And we can make her anything we want. And we need to repair the ladder of aspiration and opportunity for all. That's my goal, to unleash your untapped potential at scale. That's my goal. So I want you to see yourself in me in this story. I want you to understand That I have been there, I have actually been depressed. I have been down on myself. There were times didn't last long where I thought as a young man, okay, life is over. Maybe I should not go on. I don't. Can't say I actually, you know, thought about literally suicide. But, you know, it was pretty bleak there for a minute. So let's get into the details here. Let's get into the facts of the matter. The story behind the story. The details behind the story. So I was making money and not very much as an entrepreneur, as a business owner. Those two things are different. I'll break that down in a separate podcast. By the way, if you want a podcast story, leave me a comment, leave me a note, you know, let me know what your interests are. You can also hit me on social media and, you know, tell me what you want me to talk about. I'll be happy to get into it as part of this process of building a new you. So I had several jobs at the same time, right? An entrepreneur works 18 hours a day to keep from getting a job. I had tried a number of things. Concert promotion and marketing and business development on behalf of others in acting. That was a part of my career early on, in my teens. And I had about $500 a month coming in from residual payments from acting. That's. Residual payments are when you do a show and it repeats on tv, television back then, and you get a check. And so when you combine all of my income sources, I had about $500 coming in a month. And I had a choice to make because I had more going out than coming in. I had a black Montero Jeep. I'm not sure they make them anymore, but it was a beautiful. Well, it was. It was beautiful to me. I owned it. Well, I didn't own it at least, and I know at least it'd be because the owners were looking for it. The dealership had financed it. Very expensive financing, as I recall. My credit was shot back then and I had made several payments. And they were looking for the Jeep, or they're looking for me driving the Jeep. They wanted the Jeep back. It's called repo, man. They wanted to repossess my. Yes, me, right. And by the way, that was my second repossession that I can think of before that. I had a dream of owning a BMW 320i back in the day. And I. My credit was so tore up, I took it out for a day. Even the dealership that wanted to take back the paper and finance it themselves after A day said, no, man, you just. Your credit's tower from the flow up. We can't even take a risk on you Bring that car back. I brought that car back and they actually allowed me to take another car out, which was a Datsun 2. I think it was a 260Z, 280Z. And actually they had to come get that one too. This was one of my early teens, but. But so that later on in my life, and I'm so called mature, at least I was about, you know, trying to actually build something. I still had too much money in my money. I didn't want to take handouts from my mother or my father. I want to do it on my own. Well, things didn't work out. That's the short version. And I may get into some of the details of some of the businesses that didn't work out. But the meat of this matter is that I had $500 a month coming in. That was dependable. And I had a choice to make. Do I rent an apartment or do I rent an office? And I decided to bank on myself and to rent a office. It wasn't a full office. It was an office within an office complex. A friend of mine owned a public relations firm and I wanted a good address. I wanted to be in a good location, an aspirational location, someplace I could do marketing and go and look, you know, like the clients I was trying to secure. So I was in, you know, technically Beverly Hills, but really on the outskirts. It was anybody knows, la, Los Angeles. It was Pico Boulevard, west of Doheny, south side of the street. And again, a friend of mine had a public relations firm and I asked her could I rent one of the offices sublease? And she said yes. Now, this was important decision. It was a critical decision I made to bank on me. It was a bank of John. I could have rented the apartment, which is what all of my friends were doing. It was what was, you know, was. And then is today socially acceptable to have the right look, the right place to live. But that wasn't making me any money or bringing me any wealth. And I didn't care about how it looked. I was banking on me. And I thought the best investment was to take this $500 into rent. This room within her is kept. Morrison, by the way, is her name within her PR firm. And God bless her soul. And so the problem was I had to know no place to live. And I couldn't be driving this Montero jeep around town because, well, folks were looking for it the repo man, to be specific. So I would go to the office, I worked all day and maybe this is where I got comfortable with working 15, 18 hours a day because I had no choice. It couldn't be out running the streets in this Jeep. So I would put a car cover over the Jeep and over the license plate. By the way, I ultimately paid my debt. So just so you know, I wasn't a bum. I just was delayed and I end up paying the, you know, my overages what I owed plus you know, late fees and all that stuff. So. But it was well worth it. I mean that was, that was, you know, that was also an investment in me. I was banking on the long term success of me. So I would stay there all day, work all day. I would sometimes run out to potential clients that were close by where I could get marketing jobs, marketing consulting jobs representing their companies like Foster Shoe Company I remember was one company that was down the street. It was a family that owned the company and I had befriended them and impress them, I guess. And they gave me, you know, one of my first jobs. I will talk more in detail about that in a moment because it ties back, I mean the thousand dollar check they got for me. I did not use to go rent the apartment. It was a retainer they gave me that was over the $500 a month I was coming in. I could have rented an apartment. And I'll tell you in a minute why I didn't. Let me get back to the story. So I stayed there all day. And then when people left Kip Morrison and Associates for the day and went home, I went to the restroom at Kit Morrison and Associates and cleaned up in the sink. So I would close the door, I would take off my shirt and clean the collar and clean the, I guess where my wrists were. I take some soap and a towel and I would make sure I had no dirt showing. I cleaned my shoes, certainly the tops and the sides of the shoes. Back then I wore boots and black leather sole shoes, black leather shoes, dress shoes. And I would wear a dark suit so you couldn't tell I'd been wearing it over and over. But I made sure that white shirt, that the collar and the cuff were clean. So I presented myself well, right, presentation is important. And then I'd go back to work and of course eat. And then around midnight I would head out, take the car, cover off the Jeep and you know, tow trucks weren't typically looking for people who repossessions in lower Beverly Hills. Just, you know, that's not the place where they were hanging out. And that's not where they suspected I'd be for sure. So I would then drive every night to the airport. La Tierra and Airport Boulevard. There's a. Was an old Italian restaurant on that corner, a Caddy corner, like a V. And behind the old Italian restaurant was a parking lot. And I'd pull in that parking lot and I would put the car cover over the front of the Jeep. I'd roll it back over the doors and over the top of the Jeep. I'd get inside of the Jeep in the back, close the door, and as I was closing the door shut, I would drop the car cover over the back. That would of course cover the license plate, and it would also cover me. I had a hot and cold running igloo, you know, ice chest or food container in there where I would eat late snacks. And I had a low light that I could keep on my computer. Not so hot. And the windows were tinted so it was hard to see between the tent and the car cover. You couldn't really see inside. And I park in this parking lot and I'd stay there from, you know, midnight 1 in the morning until 6ish. That's probably where I got the habit of sleeping for six hours. So I was there after business hours and gone before business hours. And I did that for six months. And I just kept. I just kept harvesting, just kept harvesting, kept hustling. Wealth is through compounding. You don't have inherited wealth, you know, money from other sources, revenue from other sources. Sometimes you gotta have compounded hustle. So I had hustle on top of hustle, creating more hustle. And one I think I've learned is that fear and failure and the devil are lazy bastards. You know, they don't do the work right. They expect us to give up. And so love is work, not love is work, non, love is laziness, anti, love is evil. Evil exists, but it's very rare. Most people are just lazy. I found intellectually lazy, spiritually lazy, financially lazy, dream lazy. I mean, it would have been so easy for me to just default on all my obligations and file bankruptcy and throw in the towel. But that was my name out there, that was my reputation, my rep out there. Put some money on your name, put some respect on your name, right? Um, and even though I didn't have money, didn't mean that I didn't, I didn't have wealth. There's a difference between being broken, being poor. Being broke is economic. Being poor is a disabling frame of mind, a depressed condition of your spirit, and you must vow never, ever, ever to be poor again. That's a lesson my mother taught me. And so I was broke. I wasn't poor and I wasn't going to act poor and I wasn't going to give in the poverty mindset. And those people loaned me money and I signed on the dotted line. I knew what I was signing or I should have. And you know, they deserve to have their money back or to have the cheat back. And so I didn't resent them coming looking for the cheat. I just didn't have a conversation for them that was acceptable. I couldn't even make payment arrangements because it would have been a lie. I mean, I couldn't keep the commitment at that point. I had to wait until I actually had something to say that was meaningful.

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[John Ho Bryant]

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Whether you believe you can or whether you believe you can't. You're absolutely right. So I wanted to be around an aspirational environment. So I rented a room. I rented it in Malibu and I rented several rooms in Malibu and worked my way up again. This is another story at another time. I want to stay focused on this, but I mean, I worked my way up to collaborating or co living with one of Flip Wilson's kids for a short period of time in Malibu on the beach. On the beach. Philip Wilson was a great comedian back in the day and I befriended one of his kids. Okay, back to this story. So when I got this thousand dollars from Foster Shoe Co. It was a retail store on Pico Boulevard owned by a Persian family who I had gotten to know. And they became impressed with me. And so I had a contract for the year to do marketing for them of their shoe company, their retail shoe company. I put together a proposal sitting in that Jeep under a light, right? And also, yes, at my office. But when I was at the office, I was busy hustling most of the time. That was my hustle period. And I would work the phones nonstop because I really couldn't go drive around because again, the leasing company was looking for that Montero Jeep. That's why I'm so obsessed with not being about the payment. By the way, when I signed that agreement, I didn't, you know, realize that, I mean, I. People, people ask what the, you never ask what the payment is when there's an interest rate attached. Right. And I asked what the payment was and that was just a mistake. I mean, I end up, yeah, I never would have been able to pay that, that Jeep off because the debt, the loan I got, my credit was so bad. It wasn't credit, it was credit and my credit was bad, as my dad, Johnny Smith would say. But it was where I was at that moment. Right? Don't never let the perfect become the death of the good. So this thousand, this $10,000 contract I had for the year, which was a really big deal for me back then, I guess today you'd think it was a hundred thousand dollar contract. The $10,000 contract I got for that year came with $1,000 advance, which I had to ask for. And I took that thousand dollar advance. I'm trying to make sure I'm getting this right. I think the timing of this was actually a few years later, but the story still holds. They were still a marketing client of mine, Foster Shoes. But just to show you how I made investments it backing myself. So by this time I'd worked myself out of being homeless and I was renting a room in someone's home. And I wanted to model somebody who was international, who happened to be black. And the only two people I knew who were international, who happened to be black, based on my research, was Ambassador Andrew Young and Quincy Jones. Now, I wanted to be a businessman, but hey, take what you can get. And these were two iconic individuals. Just so happens Andrew Young was in civil rights and social justice and Quincy Jones was in music. But you know, they were international brands and extremely prominent in the world and I wanted to role model their success. So how do I get to them? Well, the Ambassador Young story is for another day. That's a separate podcast I'll do if you want me to do it. But the Quincy Jones story I was telling right now, I wanted to meet Quincy Jones. And how do you do that? You can try calling his office. You can try. There wasn't email back then and it wasn't social media back then. You couldn't tag somebody. You can call his office and speak to his secretary, show up at his office and be turned away by security. All those would net you nothing but heartache. And I take no for vitamins, but I try to, so no's don't bother me. But I tried to be smart about it. So there was a fundraiser that was being done for a congresswoman at Quincy Jones house and I found out about it. And what was the entry fee? What was the fundraising commitment for an attendee? $1,000. So that's why I went to Foster Shoe Company which at that point had been a marketing consulting client for me for a minute. I worked my way up from a monthly contract where they just trying to see if I was real or not. And I worked my way up after a few years to having a yearly contract and a monthly retainer. And I, you know, I went and asked for this, this thousand dollars, this advance. I took that check back then, it was a check. I turned the check over, I endorsed the check because there was no money, there was no excess money in my account. I didn't want the check to bounce, wanted one of my checks to bounce. That would have been embarrassing. And I took that check up to Quincy Jones's house. I RSVP, made a commitment of $1,000. Now I didn't have a pot to piss in or window to throw it out of. Now keep, keep in mind I was homeless and then I was still penniless when this was all happening and I was, you know, living at most a subsistence environment. I show up and people think I'm a social animal. I'm really not. If I'm passionate about it, you can get me engaged, get me to talk. But I'm really, I'm actually quite, I'm, I can be pretty quiet and pretty, I mean I'm a very, I'm a very private person living a very public life. And so I just don't have like, you know, how's the weather conversations. And that doesn't really interest me. I want to talk about something that's real and substantive. So I show up to Quincy Jones house and I hug a wall. Basically. I find a wall and I stand next to it and all these pretty people and beautiful people and handsome people and smart people and hooked up people and connected people walking past me and celebrities and all these people I can recognize but I don't see Quincy. And so I just, you know, I just, I stayed there, I paid $1,000. I was going to make sure I met him before I left, at least shook his hand. And you know, Ambassador Young has this great quote. Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous. And I guarantee you Tony Restor, billionaire friend of mine and business partner, told me, if you don't quit, you can't fail. If you don't quit, you can't fail. And that's true because that night I didn't quit. And I was there for a couple hours holding up that wall and looking at my watch and I heard in the distance from another room my name, do you know John Bryant? And it was Quincy Jones's voice. And I'm like, what the heck? And he was talking to the congresswoman and she says, yes, I know John Bryant. He's, you know, he's a wonderful young man. I don't want to say who the congressperson was. I don't want to be smirk her name. But she wasn't helpful. I mean she wasn't hating on me, but she, to say that she was, she loved me and she was supporting me and all that stuff just wasn't true. It just wasn't true. But she told Quincy, oh, we love that young man. He's doing great work in the community and we, we support him. Okay, fine. This is a lesson. Stepping over mess and not in it. By the way, don't, don't rearrange the deck chairs and the Titanic in your life, right? Don't, don't step over a dollar to pick Up a dime. Don't, don't get emotional, right? That was no time for me to go and step to her and correct her, right? Quincy Jones is mentioning my name and she's bragging on me. I'm gonna let both of them talk about me. So Quinn. And so she says, well, Quincy, he's here. He's at your. He's in your house. And he's like, what do you mean he's in my house? Where? And so I don't know whether they came around the corner to get me or I walked around the corner. Probably knowing me, walked around the corner. And Quincy couldn't have been more gracious. And so all I remember is Quincy and I shook hands and we, we start talking and I. Talking to me like back then was like getting a glass of water out of a fire hydrant. Like, you know, I had a lot of stuff to say, right? And I looked up and six, no, five hours had passed. I'm pretty sure it was five hours. And because everybody was gone. And we, and Quincy and I were sitting at the entrance of. Or the exit because he was saying hello or goodbye to people as they left. I remember any of that. I was just, I was telling them my dreams, telling them how much I respected them and, you know, asking questions. And we were sitting right below a Michael Jackson, you know, platinum record situation which, you know, Quincy, of course it produced, amongst other, other incredible achievements of his. And we became fast friends that night. Forward as a bad brother. More Grammy nominations than anybody, I think until recently in history. Just, I mean, just unbelievable talent. And he wouldn't let me call him my mentor. He, he called himself my big brother. That's what he was. And I learned so much from Quincy and that led to a real relationship, including out of town travel. I went to Montreux Jazz Festival with Quincy several times and he was one of the innovators in the Montreal Jazz Festival we went to. He invited me to go to the launch of the. It was a African American museum. I forget the name of it in. I think it was Cleveland. And I remember he told me, you gotta stay cool now. He told me to talk to his friend Clarence Avant Garessa about the transportation. So I had my assistant, my then assistant call Clarence Avon at this point. So this is years, years and years later. And my assistant called Clarence Avon. She came to my office crying. I mean, she was just, she, you know, Clarence had cursed her out. Who do you call me? Am I in charge of his transportation? So I called Quincy. Hey, man, I mean Sir, I think, I think we offended Clarence. So you just started laughing. He said, come on, man, that's just Clarence. He just messing with you. So I called Clarence and yes, he was clowning. And so we got the. That was my first time on a private jet. So here we go. From homeless, living in my Jeep and meeting Quincy Jones and ultimately riding in a private jet with Quincy Jones and Clarence Avon. And that relationship capital opened many, many doors. I remember we got back, by the way, from that trip, and Clarence was like, you know, you're okay. You know, I'm sorry I treated you so badly, young man. He said, tell you what, next time you have a trip, you're going to use one of my jets. I have three of them. Oh, my God, that's fantastic. Thank you. We were at Van Nuys airport, private airport, and he says, yep, it's Southwest, United and Delta. And he walked off.

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The holidays are about spending time with your loved ones and creating magical memories that will last a lifetime. So whether it's family and friends you haven't seen in a while, or those who you see all the time, share holiday magic this season with an ice cold Coca Cola. Copyright 2024 the Coca Cola Company.

[Pandora Jewelry Spokesperson]

The holidays are here, and it's that time of year to think about, yes, gifts, but not only gifts. It's the guests, the party planning, and the true meaning of the season. Spending time with family and friends. We know it's a lot, but we're here to ease your mind and share some tips. So we'll make it through together. With the season getting underway, now is the time to shop early for amazing holiday deals at Amazon. Amazon has a wide selection for all your holiday needs. The reason I love this so much is because it is the holidays. And there's things that I've had family members and friends ask me for throughout the year that I simply would not give them the money to get. But I will get them the actual items. So whether it's laptops, hair steamers, dining sets, makeup, better wigs for Lauren La Rosa, whatever it is they need, Amazon got it. So please remember that Amazon Black Friday week is here with deals up to 40% off. Shop black Friday Week deals now on Amazon and visit Amazon.com black effect podcast for my favorite picks.

[Home Depot Spokesperson]

The holidays are officially here at the Home Depot, which means it's time to deck the halls and your home with festive cheer. If you're on the hunt for the perfect tree, we've got you covered. Explore our huge assortment of trees in all shapes, sizes, and styles designed to fit any holiday vibe and every holiday budget. Like the Jackson Noble Fir, it's not only super easy to assemble, but it also comes Pre lit with 1200 color changing bulbs and multiple lighting functions. Or maybe the flocked starry light Frasier Fir is more your style. With over 1900 pre lit memory wire branches that hold their shape, this tree's ready to shine right out of the box. Whether it's trees, wreaths or twinkling lights, we've got everything you need to make your home holiday ready. So shop now@home depot.com and enjoy fast and free delivery on select holiday decor subject to availability. See home depot.comdelivery for details.

[Diet Coke Spokesperson]

You could sit there and listen to ads or you could take a moment to have a Diet Coke break. First, grab a chilled Diet Coke because if you want it to be perfect, it needs to be crispy. Next, get a big cup of ice because everyone knows Diet Coke is best served swimming in ice. Then sip it slowly, feel that burn and enjoy your break for as long as possible. When you need a break, don't forget to grab an ice cold Diet Coke and take a Diet Coke break.

[AT&T Spokesperson]

What does it feel like to get the new iPhone 16 Pro with AT and T? Next up anytime. It's like when you first pick up those tongues and you're now the one running the grill. It's indescribable, like something you never felt before. All the mouthwatering anticipation of new possibilities, whether that's making a perfect cheeseburger or treating your family to a grilled baked potato, which you know will forever change the way they look at baked potatoes with AT&T. Next up anytime you can feel this way again and again. Learn how to get the new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence on AT and T and the latest iPhone every year with AT and T. Next up anytime ATT connecting changes everything. Apple Intelligence coming fall 2024 with Siri and device languages set to US English. Some features and languages will be coming over the next year. $0 offer may not be available on future iPhones. Next up Anytime features may be discontinued at any time, subject to change additional fees, terms and Restrictions apply. See att.com iPhone for details.

[John Ho Bryant]

Going back to the story of me being homeless once I was able to work my way out of that financial hole and it was hard and I would I couldn't resolve the card note issue, but there were smaller bills. I had my cell phone bill. The cell phone back then, it was a. I mean I used to carry a brick on my shoulder Like a, like back in the back of those days was 45 cents a minute, by the way. And it was not digital. This was really crackly lines, right? Some of you know what I'm talking about. And so I had a cell phone bill that I had to pay. I had a landline bill at the office I had to pay. I had business expenses, I had whatever they were. And I would call all the folks who I owe money to and I would settle on some kind of a payment arrangement. And what I found is as long as you communicate with people, they're pretty cool with you. People don't like to be dignified, de, dignified. They don't like to be blown off. You wouldn't want to be blown off, right? If you lost somebody some money and they won't call you back, you're offended by that. So why would, why would the opposite not be true? Like don't get offended or hurt by somebody because they're calling you looking for their money with that joke from Chris Rock. I don't know nobody with no 1, 800 number. I ain't answering that phone, you know, so you got to answer the phone and deal with it before it deals with you. And if you deal with it, they tend, you know, they tend to work it out. This, the car note situation was, was different. It was such a big amount that when I talked to them, you know, if I gave them my, my details, I would have had to give them my location. They might have said they would take the payments, but they would have just taken the car. And I needed the car for transportation. So I apologize to Mitsubishi of West Covina I believe it was, who had either directly or indirectly financed my trade. But they, they became a venture capitalist for me. I didn't have any, any money. So I used that. I used to have a Pep Boy's card and a Macy's card and a J.C. penney's credit card. And you know, this is, this is, this was my made up capital stat of how I got into business. I use these credit, these places to float my. I had a secured credit card, by the way, that had a $300 limit and I think was a $300 deposit. And I was always bumping up against the $300 limit. Can somebody out there say, man, you know what I'm talking about? And I remember going to lunch trying to impress somebody sometimes. A girl. Yes. And sitting there sweating, trying to think, did my $25 payment. This is back in the days you could float a check. Don't act now, don't you guys act like you don't know what I'm talking about. Now you know what I'm talking about. You write the check and you put it in the mail and you put on the slow boat to wherever and you hope that it don't show up. You want it to show up, sorry, but you hope that it doesn't process because you need to make sure that you've got the money in the bank before the check showed up. And these are $25 payments I was making. Well, the lunch I was at was $22 plus a tip which I had to make sure was cash because otherwise I had a three dollar buffer. But I had to make sure that payment showed up and they registered it. And I, and I wouldn't dare call the credit card companies. I would just sit there lunch and just sweat bullets and hope that the credit card charge go through. I remember Dick Gregory once said back in the day, he said, I love going to Africa. Even my old canceled credit cards still work. It's not that way anymore, but it was that way back in the day. Another thing I used to do was I would if I owed somebody some money. I'm so, so sad I did this, but you know, I own it and I made it all right. I would if I owe somebody some money and I just, I had to talk to him how to make it right. But I didn't have the money that moment. I had it like two weeks. I would write the check and put it in the mail and forget to put the stamp on it. Forget quotation marks, right. And of course they call me and I said, well I put that in the mail to you. I mean I sent that check, which I did. And then I said, oh my God, it's returned because I didn't put a stamp on it. I, you know, apologize concepts. I was sorry because I wasn't sorry. I did it intentionally, but I apologized and I put, very intentional about my words. I put the stamp on it and put it back in the mail when I knew I had the cash. This is back in the day when you could float a check for a week. Now everything is instantaneous with debit cards or whatever, so you can't play those games. But all this was my hustle. These were my hustle periods. And I made the credit card companies whole. I got, I mean I have a, amongst other things, an American Express black card today, which I guess has no limit on it. I've got, you know, credit cards from all the major banks and Corporations, I've got lines of credit, you know, I guess I could say this, you know, millions of dollars of credit availability through my businesses. You know, I have a credit score now is 8, I think it's 809 or something like that. My mother's credit score was 854. So I got my life, right? And I paid off the Mitsubishi company. Yes, but plus penalties. I handle all my debts, right. And it wasn't pretty, but you know, neither is making certain types of food. It may not, it may not be pretty to look at, but it's delicious to eat when you finish. Just be committed to your growth. Be committed to your authenticity. Be committed to your hustle, Be committed to your dreams. Be committed to living your best and most authentic version of yourself in your life and bank on you. That's what I did. It was a bank of John. Right. I didn't have anybody, by the way. I guess you should say this, people would say, well, why didn't you just go, you know, you had this great mom and this great dad. Your dad was a business owner. Your mother was, that was gainfully employed. Why didn't you just go home to your parents? Well, my mother worried for a living, right? My mother, my dad would put me to work at his construction company and I wasn't trying to get no calluses on my hands. I think after working for my dad in a construction site, I'm like, look, the only thing I'm getting, only injury I'm getting on my hands when I get it, when I grow up, is a paper cut from depositing a check in the bank, right? That's it. I'm not doing this manual labor. I'm using my brain. I'm going to grow from the neck up, not the shoulders down. I'm going to use brain, not bra. So my dad would put me to work for his construction company. I wasn't feeling that. And my mother would have made me come home and live with her and would have gotten me a job at McDonnell Douglas Aircraft. I believe that's where she was working at the time. At what today would be $18 an hour, 20 bucks an hour and look, great job. That wasn't for me. It was for my mother, but it wasn't for me. That was not my destiny. And so unless I'm willing to listen to their rules and follow them, and kids listen to this. Young people, if you're under your parents roof, you got to follow their rules. I wasn't, I wasn't trying to do that. I had my own dream and I wanted to pursue it. So I had to take the risks tied to that and the penalties tied to that and the licking tied to that. So my parents never knew I was homeless this entire period. And they found out when I was 23 or so, giving a speech somewhere and they were in the audience and I told the story for the first time because they, you know, they would have overrode my vision for myself. And I was banking on John. It was the bank of John. And you know, I was my own venture capitalist and it worked out. Rainbows only follow storms, you guys, you cannot have a rainbow without a storm first. So go pursue your dream. Go to Operation Hope at the One Million Black Business Initiative where we created just about 400,000 created, supported, advanced, hooked up 400,000 black businesses through the One Million Black Business Initiative, our partnership with Shopify, we raising credit scores and serving as a private banker through Hope Inside Networks. Through the operation of Hope Inside Network, we're helping people like myself, you know, to come up from nothing. And you know, this is an opportunity for you to plug into a new ladder of aspiration and hopefully be a dreamer with a shovel in your hands and let me help you put some silver tone dirt in the shovel to balance it out as you throw it over your shoulder and set yourself free. All right, John O'Brien, this is civil Rights Movement. I'm out. Money and wealth with John O'Brien is a production of the Black Effect Podcast Network. For more podcasts from the Black Effect Podcast network, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.

[Coca Cola Spokesperson]

The holidays are about spending time with your loved ones and creating magical memories that will last a lifetime. So whether it's family and friends you haven't seen in a while or those who you see all the time, share holiday magic this season with an ice cold Coca Cola. Copyright 2024 the Coca Cola.

[Pandora Jewelry Spokesperson]

The holidays are here. It's that time of year to think about, yes, gifts, but not only gifts. It's the guests, the party planning, and the true meaning of the season. Spending time with family and friends. We know it's a lot, but we're here to ease your mind and share some tips so we'll make it through together. With the season getting underway, now is the time to shop early for amazing holiday deals at Amazon. Amazon has a wide selection for all your holiday needs. I don't care if you want to get your people's laptops, gaming screens, whatever it is they need, Amazon got it. So please Remember that Amazon Black Friday Week is here with deals up to 40% off. Shop black Friday Week deals now on Amazon and visit Amazon.com black effect podcast for my favorite picks.

[Amazon Spokesperson]

Ready Set Shop the Black Friday sale.

[Diet Coke Spokesperson]

At Ulta Beauty is on up to 50% off. The best gifts now through November 30th.

[John Ho Bryant]

Starting Tuesday, November 26th. Snag twelve dollar mascaras from brands like.

[Diet Coke Spokesperson]

Fenty and Tarte plus $12 lippies from brands like NARS and Kylie K Cosmetics.

[Amazon Spokesperson]

But of course I had to show out with the Mac Maximal Silky Matte Lipstick.

[Diet Coke Spokesperson]

Then I topped that off.

[Amazon Spokesperson]

I love a little glitter with the.

[Diet Coke Spokesperson]

Morphe Shade Thrower eyeshadow palette.

[John Ho Bryant]

Get all the best gifts all at Ulta Beauty.

[Diet Coke Spokesperson]

You could sit there and listen to ads or you could take a moment to have a Diet Coke break. First, grab a chilled Diet Coke because if you want it to be perfect, it needs to be crispy. Next, get a big cup of ice because everyone knows Diet Coke is best served swimming in ice. Then sip it slowly, feel that burn and enjoy your break for as long as possible. When you need a break, don't forget to grab an ice cold Diet Coke and take a Diet Coke break.

[AT&T Spokesperson]

What's it like to get the new iPhone 16 Pro with ATT? Next up anytime. It's like when you first light up the grill and think of all the mouth watering possibilities. Learn how to get the new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence on AT&T and the latest iPhone every year with AT and T. Next up anytime ATT connecting changes everything. Apple Intelligence coming all 2024 with Siri and device languages set to us. Email some features and languages will be coming over the next year. $0 offer may not be available on future iPhones. Next up Anytime feature may be discontinued at any time, subject to change additional fees. Terms and restrictions apply. See att.com iPhone for details.