Okay, now I really know what my personal hero Ambassador Andrew Young means when he says that "coincidence is God's way of staying anonymous."  

This video of young Caine Monroy, which features a young person from East Los Angeles who has found his vision for himself — in BUSINESS, is precisely what I had in mind when on February 6th, 2012, I announced HOPE Business-In-A-Box.  For Caine, business and fun are one in the same.  I agree. When you do what you are passionate about, work becomes easy, and fun.

This proves one thing — our young people are assets, not liabilities, and their hopes, dreams and desires will go just about as far as we limit, allow, encourage or empower.

Caine's real benefit? His father, who believed in him enough to allow him to operationalize his belief in himself.  And do not under-estimate the fact that his father, George Monroy, is a small business owner himself. His family, is a family of business owners.  Get it? Success is a culture, and this culture can be inspired.

We simply need to figure out a child's strengths, and to encourage them, rather than to simply focus on their weaknesses.  The Gallup-HOPE Index is our strengths-finder for the future of 30 million youth across America, 4th grade through 12th grade. Young dreamers, just like young 9-year old Caine.

A special thank you to Shannon Campbell, Rachael Doff, Rod McGrew and Lance Triggs from my team at Operation HOPE, who continually bugged and pestered me until I STOPPED — and watched this video. They were 100% right, as usual. That is why they are part of the Operation HOPE Leader team.  

Okay, let's go.

Onward and with HOPE,

 

John Hope Bryant is a thought leader, founder, chairman and CEO of Operation HOPE and Bryant Group Companies, Inc. Magazine/CEO READ bestselling business author of LOVE LEADERSHIP: The New Way to Lead in a Fear-Based World (Jossey-Bass) the only African-American bestselling business author in America, and is chairman of the Subcommittee for the Under-Served and Community Empowerment for the U.S. President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability, for President Barack Obama.  Mr. Bryant is the co-founder of the Gallup-HOPE Index, the only national research poll on youth financial dignity and youth economic energy in the U.S. He is also a co-founder of Global Dignity with HRH Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and Professor Pekka Himanen of Finland. Global Dignity is affiliated with the Forum of Young Global Leaders and the World Economic Forum. 

 

 

 

 

Pin It on Pinterest