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 I say.
The number one thing I remember about growing up and how mom raised me, was that she told me she loved me every single day. Nothing is more powerful, than a child being told that they are loved.
From this small but powerful pouring into my life, I also created this core, foundational quote for the organization I founded, Operation HOPE.
“There is a difference between being broke and being poor, being broke is a temporary economic condition, but being poor is a disabling frame of mind, and a depressed condition of your spirit, but you must vow to never, ever be poor again.”
Because of my mother, I knew who I was, and I knew that I had value, and I knew that this internal value of mine, had nothing to do with how much money was in my pockets, as a child or no. She poured into me, self esteem. I cannot express, how powerful this one thing — self esteem — can be to the core of an individual. And Ms. Juanita Smith made mine bulletproof as a child. Thank you mom.
My mother raised me in love and support, and she backed my very first business, when she loaned me $40 to start my first business — the Neighborhood Candy Shop —- when I was 9 years old in Compton, California. She has been backed me ever since. She traveled around the world with me, and she has attended every event that I ever organized.
It would be a vast understatement to say that my mother, Ms. Juanita Smith, was my ultimate venture capitalist backer.
I am who I am today, because of her undeniable love and confidence — poured into me, at scale, by my mother. A debt. An investment. Which I can never repay. But I can say, thank you! And happy birthday mommy!
From brother Dave ‘Donnie’ Harris, sis Mara ‘Montie’ Hoskins, Chaitra and me.
John Hope Bryant, Son