1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,599 Speaker 1: Building the Good Life with John Hope Bryant is brought 2 00:00:02,600 --> 00:00:05,480 Speaker 1: to you by Potential Financial. My vision is is that 3 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:09,320 Speaker 1: we continue to build that that close connection with our customers, 4 00:00:09,400 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: would build that close connection with our communities in such 5 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:17,639 Speaker 1: a way that we're integral to the economic fabric or 6 00:00:17,680 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 1: where we live, where we work, and where we play. 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: Hey man, I love that. Hey. Hey, this is John 8 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 1: Hope Bryant, entrepreneur, founder of Operation Hope, and I'm here 9 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: with my friend Brian Jordan's president and chief executive officer 10 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:34,840 Speaker 1: of First Horizon Bank, one of the top five bank 11 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:38,680 Speaker 1: institutions in the entire American South, the biggest institution f 12 00:00:38,800 --> 00:00:41,240 Speaker 1: D I C insured in Tennessee. You understand why that's 13 00:00:41,240 --> 00:00:44,159 Speaker 1: so powerful and important. A minute, This is John O'Brien 14 00:00:44,159 --> 00:00:47,480 Speaker 1: and I'm building the Good Life today with my friend 15 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:50,680 Speaker 1: Brian Jordan. Brian Jordan, welcome, Thanks John. It's great to 16 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 1: be with you. As always, So we don't have enough time, 17 00:00:54,320 --> 00:00:59,080 Speaker 1: space or radio ways for the power of this conversation. 18 00:00:59,120 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 1: This thing is gonna go real quick. Take notes, put 19 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: off side of the the roads. You don't drive off the 20 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 1: side of the road. This is gonna be And you say, well, 21 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 1: how can a park conversation with a bank CEO be 22 00:01:09,280 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 1: interesting because you've never met Brian Jordan's. Brian Jordan's is 23 00:01:13,680 --> 00:01:17,880 Speaker 1: the is the I don't know the Matt Damon of 24 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,959 Speaker 1: banking in the South. He's handsome. You can't see on radio, 25 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:27,280 Speaker 1: but google searcher's name. He's charismatic, he's cool. I mean, 26 00:01:27,760 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: I think he's got a little black indom Actually he's 27 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: sitting there right now. He just unbothered, like nothing ever 28 00:01:33,600 --> 00:01:35,840 Speaker 1: bothers him. I call him with all kind of crazy stuff. 29 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,479 Speaker 1: Nothing nothing bothers him. He raises his voice. By the way, 30 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:41,200 Speaker 1: when you've got the power, you don't need to use it. 31 00:01:41,600 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 1: He never raised his voice. He never you know, shouts 32 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: and screams, at least not to me. Um. You know, 33 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:53,320 Speaker 1: he's genuinely decent human being. Now you might say, what's 34 00:01:53,320 --> 00:01:58,960 Speaker 1: so special about that? You're talking about a traditional suthing. Um. 35 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:02,920 Speaker 1: And he and I are dear friends. I mean, he's 36 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:05,240 Speaker 1: I'm not gonna talk about his politics, but let's just 37 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:09,120 Speaker 1: say he is in mind. Are probably different, Um, but 38 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: we but we disagree without being disagreeable. Uh. We both 39 00:02:13,680 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: have a philosophy of leading each other with their dignity 40 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,920 Speaker 1: no matter what the conversation is. Um, we've we we 41 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,200 Speaker 1: When I go to Memphis, I stay at his house. 42 00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:26,560 Speaker 1: Unfortunately for him, his dog likes me more than it 43 00:02:26,639 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: likes him. Uh. But on the business side, he's built 44 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:34,240 Speaker 1: up almost a hundred billion dollar institution. It's eighty nine billion, 45 00:02:34,280 --> 00:02:36,280 Speaker 1: I think it is now that it's a hundred and 46 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,000 Speaker 1: fifty plus years old, hundred and fifty eight to be exact. 47 00:02:39,200 --> 00:02:41,800 Speaker 1: So he was born the civil in the Civil War era. 48 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:47,680 Speaker 1: This is gonna be such a fascinating conversation. First question, Brian, 49 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:49,800 Speaker 1: because we're gonna go We're gonna talk about the bank 50 00:02:49,840 --> 00:02:51,920 Speaker 1: and talk about your merger recently. I think it was 51 00:02:51,960 --> 00:02:54,760 Speaker 1: Iberia if I got that right, um, And that this 52 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,639 Speaker 1: is the most recent merger you had mergers before that, 53 00:02:58,000 --> 00:03:01,520 Speaker 1: and how you're growing a culture, and how you're growing 54 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,960 Speaker 1: an institution and integrating all these uh different view points 55 00:03:05,960 --> 00:03:09,040 Speaker 1: and perspectives in the in the middle of I think 56 00:03:09,040 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 1: a historic period we're living right now where nothing is 57 00:03:13,280 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 1: the way it used to be and you have some 58 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:21,400 Speaker 1: tensions that that remind us all. Oh, the last time 59 00:03:21,400 --> 00:03:23,960 Speaker 1: America had a reconstruction period, which was a civil rights 60 00:03:23,960 --> 00:03:29,400 Speaker 1: move and you're navigating all that just beautifully in my opinion, 61 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:33,480 Speaker 1: But how did you get so nice? Look what you're 62 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:37,160 Speaker 1: like normal, which is sort of abnormal. What what amongst 63 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 1: leaders these days? How did you become decent? Is that apparentingly? 64 00:03:41,440 --> 00:03:45,600 Speaker 1: Where'd that come from? Yeah, So before I get into 65 00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:48,000 Speaker 1: that with you, John, I gotta take exception. I was 66 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,520 Speaker 1: hoping we would have to disagree. And this My dog 67 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: likes me a lot better than he likes you. Like. 68 00:03:54,720 --> 00:03:59,480 Speaker 1: I think we're all of a reflection of our bringing 69 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: and some sense. And you know, all the things that 70 00:04:03,480 --> 00:04:05,720 Speaker 1: my mom and dad used to say that I said 71 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,200 Speaker 1: I would never do and say I find myself doing 72 00:04:08,280 --> 00:04:10,880 Speaker 1: and saying a lot of those. And and I was 73 00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: raised in North Carolina. My dad, who's still live, turns 74 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:17,720 Speaker 1: eighty five the end of this week, was a banker, 75 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 1: and I saw the role he played in community development 76 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,680 Speaker 1: and being involved in the community in a small town 77 00:04:24,680 --> 00:04:29,800 Speaker 1: in North Carolina. And I don't know that I'd characterized 78 00:04:29,880 --> 00:04:33,159 Speaker 1: myself as as decent or anything like that, but I 79 00:04:33,200 --> 00:04:38,880 Speaker 1: do think that that all of us in and incorporate life, 80 00:04:39,080 --> 00:04:42,839 Speaker 1: and in life more broadly, as individuals, we have a 81 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,240 Speaker 1: role to play and making the world we live in better, 82 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 1: and and if you're the CEO of billion dollar banking organization, 83 00:04:52,720 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: it gives you a little bit more platform. I supposed 84 00:04:55,640 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 1: to do that, but at all fundamental in my behavior 85 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:04,160 Speaker 1: around these things, I'll fundamentally go back to if, if, 86 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,800 Speaker 1: if there's things that I can do to make the 87 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: communities that we live in, that we operate in, that 88 00:05:10,480 --> 00:05:13,120 Speaker 1: we work in better, and I can play a role 89 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:17,520 Speaker 1: actively there, I intend to do it. And uh, I 90 00:05:17,560 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 1: mean we'll get into the why about that, but the 91 00:05:22,160 --> 00:05:27,760 Speaker 1: what of that is courageous because bankers typically want to 92 00:05:27,760 --> 00:05:31,160 Speaker 1: be first and second place. Banking is not typically a 93 00:05:31,200 --> 00:05:35,520 Speaker 1: pioneering business. Um. And so to step out like you 94 00:05:35,600 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: did on to be blunt social justice issues. Now, clearly 95 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 1: it's social justice doing economic lends, would you you understand? Well, 96 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: but it's still social justice. One could find I mean, 97 00:05:47,800 --> 00:05:50,520 Speaker 1: won't find that a little odd for you to be 98 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:56,560 Speaker 1: so interested. You've had Ambassador Andrew Young come and speak, Uh, 99 00:05:56,560 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: both of them. I think this are easy to say, 100 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,880 Speaker 1: both of our heroes come and speak before your entire team. 101 00:06:01,920 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 1: You've had Reverend CT Vivian uh In, other civil rights 102 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 1: leaders coming and give share of voice. You had me 103 00:06:07,880 --> 00:06:11,160 Speaker 1: come uh and have very interesting and deep conversation when 104 00:06:11,160 --> 00:06:13,480 Speaker 1: he was unscripted. You let me just all of us 105 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: just say what was on our minds um you have 106 00:06:18,080 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: uh this full disclosure he took me us. I was 107 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:23,640 Speaker 1: I'm gonna call it skeet shooting. It's probably was, but 108 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 1: deeper than that. It was in the Deep South, and 109 00:06:26,400 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: I'm like, look, they could they could leave me here 110 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,640 Speaker 1: and confuse me with a with a you know, one 111 00:06:32,640 --> 00:06:35,960 Speaker 1: of these skeets and I'd be you know, where's John 112 00:06:36,120 --> 00:06:41,640 Speaker 1: who knows out safely? And we were driving. I don't 113 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 1: know if you remember this conversation, Brian, and I'm gonna 114 00:06:43,560 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 1: have to clean it up a little bit. We we 115 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:47,760 Speaker 1: talked very bluntly with each other out of love, and 116 00:06:47,800 --> 00:06:50,159 Speaker 1: I said, you know, Brian, I was feeling very idealist 117 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,440 Speaker 1: at this moment. We're doing these hoop inside locations and 118 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:54,880 Speaker 1: some of these towns, and I know they might not 119 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: have a lot of exposure to people like me, and 120 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:58,839 Speaker 1: maybe he might have a different view, a different word 121 00:06:58,880 --> 00:07:01,880 Speaker 1: they might use in describe people like me. I don't 122 00:07:01,960 --> 00:07:04,119 Speaker 1: to graize their credit school, and I want to reduce 123 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:06,640 Speaker 1: their debt. I want to give them savings options to 124 00:07:06,680 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: give them earning them tax credit and give them financial optionality. 125 00:07:09,920 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 1: Maybe then they will, you know, call me by my 126 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:14,920 Speaker 1: first and last aim, and you know, honor me and 127 00:07:15,360 --> 00:07:19,080 Speaker 1: my ancestors meet Bryance as well. Maybe but probably not 128 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:21,520 Speaker 1: some of them, but they will respect you made their 129 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: life better. Now, that's just a real conversation. I mean, 130 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: he wasn't sugarcoating. You can't You can't change people overnight, 131 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:33,120 Speaker 1: but you can't help the change the situation. And hope 132 00:07:33,160 --> 00:07:35,480 Speaker 1: that that changes people over a lifetime or it maybe 133 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:38,920 Speaker 1: it affects their children. So Brian, help get me inside 134 00:07:38,960 --> 00:07:41,480 Speaker 1: of your head and is a gateway to your heart. 135 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: You're running this institution. You've brought us into ten percent 136 00:07:45,720 --> 00:07:50,119 Speaker 1: operational is now has hope inside locations where ten percent 137 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:54,640 Speaker 1: of all of the first Horizon Bank locations. That's more 138 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: than charity. Now, that's real money. That's a real investment 139 00:07:58,360 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: and it has to have real results. What is it 140 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: that you're trying to achieve and how does that intersect, 141 00:08:06,680 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: if at all, have about trying to heal the breaches 142 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:13,960 Speaker 1: in this country and make this country better. Yeah, I 143 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,920 Speaker 1: remember the conversation you're referring to in fact it occurred 144 00:08:17,960 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: after we drove by a Confederate flag hanging out in 145 00:08:21,920 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 1: the in the country backside. It actually was the the 146 00:08:25,920 --> 00:08:30,520 Speaker 1: weekend before with a dedicated the memorial or plaque out 147 00:08:30,560 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: at the airport for Dr King's last flight in the month. Uh. 148 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:37,720 Speaker 1: But you also helped helped to make happen, by the way, 149 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:39,679 Speaker 1: I should add I didn't take any credits for whatever, 150 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:41,079 Speaker 1: but he helped him to make it happen. You go 151 00:08:41,120 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: do Memphis Airport. Now you see a marker. I had 152 00:08:44,080 --> 00:08:47,680 Speaker 1: forgot about that, a marker, uh for Dr King's last flight. 153 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:53,320 Speaker 1: That's again part of Brian Jordan's unarticulated legacy get credits 154 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: for he actually helped me do it. So you know 155 00:08:56,360 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: to your to your question, John, the the community ties 156 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:04,720 Speaker 1: that that we operate in cover twelves or across twelve states, 157 00:09:04,800 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 1: not cover, but across twelve states today and and you 158 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 1: can look at any community in the United States, you 159 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,920 Speaker 1: can look at any community in the South, you can 160 00:09:13,920 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: look at any community in Tennessee. And we have unique 161 00:09:18,280 --> 00:09:22,640 Speaker 1: challenges and opportunities, but there is a common thread and 162 00:09:22,640 --> 00:09:25,320 Speaker 1: and a lot of that tends to be in my view, 163 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: common threads around opportunity and social justice and economics and 164 00:09:31,040 --> 00:09:35,120 Speaker 1: as you said, sort of an economic thread as as 165 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:42,600 Speaker 1: a banking organization that is part of the circulatory system 166 00:09:42,800 --> 00:09:47,120 Speaker 1: of of our society and economy, taking money from depositors 167 00:09:47,120 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: and landing at the borrowers who want to buy a house, 168 00:09:49,760 --> 00:09:51,800 Speaker 1: or start a business, or buy a boat, or whatever 169 00:09:51,840 --> 00:09:57,079 Speaker 1: their dream happens to be. We're uniquely positioned and and 170 00:09:57,120 --> 00:10:01,480 Speaker 1: I I firmly believe that at at the end of 171 00:10:01,520 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: the day that if if our business is gonna be good, 172 00:10:06,720 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 1: the economic fabric in the communities that we that we 173 00:10:10,320 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 1: work in, that we do business in and ultimately we 174 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 1: all live into that, we we have to play a 175 00:10:17,000 --> 00:10:22,559 Speaker 1: role in strengthening that. And and this notion of creating opportunity, 176 00:10:22,679 --> 00:10:26,520 Speaker 1: whether it be through the d and I work that 177 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:32,520 Speaker 1: we do internally with respect doesn't break that out. What 178 00:10:32,559 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 1: does that mean? The diversity, equity and inclusion And and 179 00:10:37,800 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 1: we we have put a tremendous amount of effort into that, 180 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 1: and we focus on it internally and externally in terms 181 00:10:46,600 --> 00:10:49,120 Speaker 1: of our people. We we think about how do we 182 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:55,640 Speaker 1: create opportunity for our employee base to grow into into 183 00:10:55,720 --> 00:11:00,400 Speaker 1: function and developing in the organization and may sure we 184 00:11:00,480 --> 00:11:03,199 Speaker 1: have equal opportunity and that we create a reflection of 185 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 1: the communities we serve. But in banking we have to 186 00:11:06,920 --> 00:11:11,679 Speaker 1: create diversity, equity and inclusion as it comes to facing customers, 187 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: creating broad opportunity for people. And and one of the 188 00:11:15,960 --> 00:11:21,720 Speaker 1: things that we know after the really the last fifteen 189 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:26,040 Speaker 1: to twenty five years, is we have gotten progressively more 190 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,480 Speaker 1: and more people who are unbanked. They're out of the 191 00:11:29,480 --> 00:11:34,880 Speaker 1: core banking system, and and they use alternative channels. They 192 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 1: don't use credit cards, debit cards, they don't use banking 193 00:11:39,400 --> 00:11:43,839 Speaker 1: system or checking accounts, uh, they use alternative lenders, whether 194 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:47,240 Speaker 1: that be paid a lenders or check cashers. And that 195 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:51,319 Speaker 1: that's not a criticism of any of those channels. It 196 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:54,880 Speaker 1: is though, how do we create a more inclusive system 197 00:11:55,600 --> 00:12:00,840 Speaker 1: that allows our communities. Whether you're a young man with 198 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:03,400 Speaker 1: an idea to start a business and you don't have 199 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: the resources a friend and family money, or you don't 200 00:12:06,520 --> 00:12:09,240 Speaker 1: have a home equity line to draw along, how do 201 00:12:09,320 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 1: you get the resources to start a business. Or if 202 00:12:12,200 --> 00:12:14,079 Speaker 1: you're a young woman and you want to start a 203 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:19,080 Speaker 1: catering business, how do you get the resources in the training? 204 00:12:19,320 --> 00:12:21,880 Speaker 1: How do you get the UH, this is how I 205 00:12:21,880 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 1: build a business plan, so on and so forth, and 206 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,319 Speaker 1: and you know what what really is important to me 207 00:12:28,480 --> 00:12:31,839 Speaker 1: is is that we do that in in a partnership 208 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:37,600 Speaker 1: with with the community so that we create sustainability. It's 209 00:12:37,640 --> 00:12:41,199 Speaker 1: not just getting started, it is how do my bankable 210 00:12:41,240 --> 00:12:44,400 Speaker 1: business down the road? Meaning do I pay my taxes? 211 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:48,240 Speaker 1: Do I have financial statements? Do I have the tools 212 00:12:48,280 --> 00:12:51,040 Speaker 1: that I need to be a growing in bankable asset 213 00:12:51,679 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: um So that that's a long way of saying that 214 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:58,680 Speaker 1: that when what we think about, when I think about, 215 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: you know, the role that we can play. We're in 216 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: a unique spot. We're clearly blessed in that we have 217 00:13:07,400 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 1: the ability to try to influence outcomes. We target trying 218 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:19,600 Speaker 1: to create a more inclusive and equitable and diverse organization 219 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:23,839 Speaker 1: and economic system where we can influence it. And John, 220 00:13:23,880 --> 00:13:26,600 Speaker 1: as you know, and as you highlighted in our conversation 221 00:13:26,679 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: thus far, you know, we built partnerships with the organizations 222 00:13:30,640 --> 00:13:35,640 Speaker 1: like Operation Hope and put thirty Hope inside UH in 223 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:39,080 Speaker 1: our branches or banking centers over the last eight seven 224 00:13:39,120 --> 00:13:43,680 Speaker 1: eight years and really start to impact outcomes well. And 225 00:13:43,679 --> 00:13:47,400 Speaker 1: and by the way you putting us in your locations 226 00:13:48,200 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: has helped inspire other finish institutions to put us in 227 00:13:52,559 --> 00:13:55,400 Speaker 1: their locations. And when I came to Memphis to do this, 228 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: Brian actually encouraged me to go talk to his so 229 00:13:58,520 --> 00:14:01,640 Speaker 1: called competitors to get me in their locations too. He 230 00:14:01,679 --> 00:14:05,320 Speaker 1: didn't see it as a zero subgame or that first horizon, 231 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:08,280 Speaker 1: the first Tennessee had to succeed and others had to lose. 232 00:14:08,840 --> 00:14:10,880 Speaker 1: He thought that in Memphis one, that we're talking about 233 00:14:10,880 --> 00:14:13,160 Speaker 1: Memphis in this one example, that the city that Dr 234 00:14:13,240 --> 00:14:15,800 Speaker 1: King was assassinated, and by the way, for four eight, 235 00:14:16,200 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 1: that the whole city would win. Let me back up 236 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: and say, I'm gonna challenge something you said, Brian's I 237 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: think you're being overly gracious. You said that you're not 238 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:29,000 Speaker 1: criticizing many of these channels. I am, um, look in 239 00:14:29,040 --> 00:14:32,600 Speaker 1: these five in the credit scoret neighborhoods, what you see 240 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:34,840 Speaker 1: and half of Black America, just to be very personal, 241 00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: in my own group, now have a Black America as 242 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:40,240 Speaker 1: a credit score below six twenty. We're not dumb, and 243 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:42,160 Speaker 1: we don't student is what we don't know that we 244 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 1: don't know this killing it, but we think we know 245 00:14:44,120 --> 00:14:46,440 Speaker 1: because the Freedman's Bank of a g C five after 246 00:14:46,480 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: the Civil War, around the time the bank was created, 247 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,160 Speaker 1: your bank was created. Making created a bank called the 248 00:14:51,200 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 1: Free Bank to teach free slaves about money. Unfortunately he 249 00:14:54,720 --> 00:14:56,680 Speaker 1: was killed the next month. The same month is is 250 00:14:56,920 --> 00:14:59,720 Speaker 1: dr king by the way April and the bank fail 251 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,080 Speaker 1: at just repair was manipulated, so we never got to them. 252 00:15:03,040 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 1: Are on month, folks, listen to this. We're are black 253 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:11,400 Speaker 1: folks killing professional sports. The arts are two examples, but 254 00:15:11,480 --> 00:15:15,280 Speaker 1: we're not killing it generally speaking. Succeeding in capitalism writ 255 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:18,240 Speaker 1: large because we never got that memo. We confuse making 256 00:15:18,240 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: money with building wealth. So I actually do think, Yeah, 257 00:15:21,680 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 1: there's nothing wrong the check cash. It was created by 258 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:28,080 Speaker 1: grocery stores writing signing convenience checks. There's nothing wrong in 259 00:15:28,160 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 1: theory of the payday loanment. But when you take a 260 00:15:30,480 --> 00:15:33,400 Speaker 1: payday long lender, which is giving you basically advanced when 261 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 1: your pay check. But when you take these these these players, 262 00:15:36,440 --> 00:15:38,440 Speaker 1: you put them in an underserved neighborhood of five of 263 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 1: the credit score, with lack financial literacy and lack of hope. 264 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 1: Now you got a check cash next to a payday 265 00:15:42,720 --> 00:15:44,320 Speaker 1: long lender, next or rent to own store next, or 266 00:15:44,400 --> 00:15:46,680 Speaker 1: title lener next for bigger store next, will paun shot 267 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 1: without banking, charging very expensive fees the people who can't 268 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,760 Speaker 1: afford it. And I just think that that's wrong, and 269 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,920 Speaker 1: I think that you cannot have growth in America, and 270 00:15:58,920 --> 00:16:03,560 Speaker 1: I would argue around the world without a functioning banking system. 271 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:07,400 Speaker 1: You need a banking system, and you need a banker 272 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:11,520 Speaker 1: who wants to say yes to you irrespective of your race. 273 00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 1: And what Brian has proved to me, is it whether 274 00:16:15,240 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: you're white, black, red, brown, and yellow. He wants to 275 00:16:17,400 --> 00:16:18,920 Speaker 1: give you some green if you can prove that you 276 00:16:18,920 --> 00:16:21,200 Speaker 1: can sustain that he mentioned in his comments, We want 277 00:16:22,240 --> 00:16:25,240 Speaker 1: this is to be sustainable business. Translation, he's not giving 278 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:28,360 Speaker 1: you charity here, like he's got shareholders. You gotta repay 279 00:16:28,400 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: your loan, but if you get your credit score up, 280 00:16:32,800 --> 00:16:35,880 Speaker 1: the bank's trying to get into the Yes business, Yes 281 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:39,800 Speaker 1: to home ownership, the average homeownership rate for black folks, 282 00:16:40,720 --> 00:16:44,440 Speaker 1: white folks, se plus, Yes the small business ownership. Yes 283 00:16:44,480 --> 00:16:47,000 Speaker 1: to entrepreneurship, but you gotta get your credit score up 284 00:16:47,040 --> 00:16:49,240 Speaker 1: so he can say yes. But no one tells anybody 285 00:16:49,240 --> 00:16:51,840 Speaker 1: these rules. So he's allowing us to operating the branches 286 00:16:52,160 --> 00:16:53,640 Speaker 1: so that we can talk to you in ways that 287 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:55,960 Speaker 1: banks can't, and we can coach you up so the 288 00:16:56,000 --> 00:17:00,600 Speaker 1: bank can say yes. And this becomes an immer market, 289 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:02,480 Speaker 1: a new a new marketplace for him in the bank. 290 00:17:02,560 --> 00:17:07,480 Speaker 1: So he's really doing some truly pioneering, extraordinary work. And 291 00:17:07,600 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: this d and I think he mentioned I made him 292 00:17:10,000 --> 00:17:13,240 Speaker 1: unpack it. It sounds like a speech, didn't it. No, no, no, 293 00:17:14,040 --> 00:17:16,680 Speaker 1: It's like it's reading a note that this lady named 294 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:22,440 Speaker 1: Monica Jones who works the bank. Is she an E V. P. Right, Yes, 295 00:17:22,520 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 1: she is black woman. Last time I checked the charge 296 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:32,080 Speaker 1: of commercial credit. I mean she makes lending decisions for 297 00:17:32,800 --> 00:17:35,200 Speaker 1: a full range of businesses that are ninety billion dollar bank. 298 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,240 Speaker 1: And he's continued to promote her. Now, Bryan, did you 299 00:17:38,280 --> 00:17:40,720 Speaker 1: promote shoot because she was black and because she was good, 300 00:17:41,760 --> 00:17:46,560 Speaker 1: because she was good, because she's actually great? That's it. 301 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:49,120 Speaker 1: That's what you want. Isn't that what we all want? 302 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:54,439 Speaker 1: A society that works based on your merit, that you're married, 303 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:59,840 Speaker 1: and the fact that Brian Jordan is operationalizing so she 304 00:18:00,160 --> 00:18:04,040 Speaker 1: justice through an economic lens at all levels. Quietly, I'm 305 00:18:04,080 --> 00:18:07,199 Speaker 1: telling some of the stories here, but every week, you know, 306 00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,320 Speaker 1: every other week, for sure, we have some conversation that matters. 307 00:18:11,080 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: Remember you called me Brian. I can't tell because we're 308 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:14,560 Speaker 1: still in the middle of all that. You call me 309 00:18:14,600 --> 00:18:17,320 Speaker 1: about a guy who came to me with a vision 310 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:19,320 Speaker 1: for a financial institution, and you wanted me to talk 311 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:21,639 Speaker 1: to him that, you know, to try to work it 312 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 1: out for he had all the twols to be successful 313 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:26,520 Speaker 1: like that. That had nothing theoretically to do with you 314 00:18:26,560 --> 00:18:29,080 Speaker 1: other than you were writing a check anyway to help 315 00:18:29,119 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 1: him moving along the road. But you keep extending yourself 316 00:18:34,760 --> 00:18:38,440 Speaker 1: beyond where you have to where I come from. That's 317 00:18:38,440 --> 00:18:42,240 Speaker 1: called love night. You're not living not exactly a you know, 318 00:18:42,359 --> 00:18:49,040 Speaker 1: a liberal, you know, bleeding heart. Um, what's driving your 319 00:18:49,080 --> 00:18:53,360 Speaker 1: love for a guy like me? Well, and you're you're 320 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:58,359 Speaker 1: you're unique in your case is just charisma. Um, I'm 321 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:02,280 Speaker 1: a I'm a big lever in in people, and I'm 322 00:19:02,320 --> 00:19:07,480 Speaker 1: a big believer in opportunity. And and I know I 323 00:19:07,520 --> 00:19:10,159 Speaker 1: can actually say this because because you can't see it, 324 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 1: but John's wearing a T shirt that says self made 325 00:19:12,880 --> 00:19:18,600 Speaker 1: something right now and yeah, self predit entrepreneur. And and 326 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:23,720 Speaker 1: you know, while while all generalizations are wrong in some way, 327 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:27,000 Speaker 1: shape or form. You know, we we have all gotten 328 00:19:27,080 --> 00:19:30,840 Speaker 1: the benefit of advice or counsel or mentorship or a 329 00:19:30,920 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 1: helping hand somewhere along the way. And in my case, 330 00:19:36,119 --> 00:19:39,840 Speaker 1: it's what can I do to to help? What can 331 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:43,359 Speaker 1: I do to be of assistant? Um, you know, In 332 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:48,359 Speaker 1: in your case, John, you know, you'll you'll remember we 333 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:52,840 Speaker 1: have a mutual friend out of Dallas who who suggested 334 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:56,400 Speaker 1: I sit down and and have breakfast with you. And 335 00:19:56,560 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 1: uh and and you know John, for those of you 336 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:03,040 Speaker 1: that know John, well, you know he didn't have breakfast 337 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:08,359 Speaker 1: till about eleven in the morning. And uh and and 338 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:12,600 Speaker 1: we got together for breakfast. Yeah, we got together for breakfast. 339 00:20:12,640 --> 00:20:15,399 Speaker 1: And and I knew just a little bit of what 340 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:20,240 Speaker 1: background research I was able to do on Operation Hope. 341 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:24,160 Speaker 1: But you'll you'll remember the conversation was was a rather 342 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:28,320 Speaker 1: straightforward conversation. There was already an Operation Hope location here. 343 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:32,560 Speaker 1: It was in Memphis. It was in a truest banking center. 344 00:20:33,320 --> 00:20:36,639 Speaker 1: It was sun Trust at the time. And and you 345 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 1: and I talked for about forty five minutes, and he said, 346 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:41,800 Speaker 1: you'll me to give you the best reason you need 347 00:20:41,840 --> 00:20:46,080 Speaker 1: to do this. And I said, give me the best reason. 348 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:53,240 Speaker 1: And you said to me something like the the issues 349 00:20:53,480 --> 00:21:00,720 Speaker 1: around financial literacy and credit score and and these these 350 00:21:00,760 --> 00:21:07,560 Speaker 1: issues around um banking issues are very broad based, and 351 00:21:07,640 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: that we are working with people who work in your 352 00:21:11,359 --> 00:21:17,560 Speaker 1: bank to help them through these challenges. And and when 353 00:21:17,640 --> 00:21:20,959 Speaker 1: when we went, when you put it in those kinds 354 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:25,639 Speaker 1: of terms, it was real clear to me that that 355 00:21:25,800 --> 00:21:30,680 Speaker 1: this is a huge and a broad based need. And 356 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:35,840 Speaker 1: and uh, I found in in you somebody who, as 357 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,800 Speaker 1: you said, we don't agree on everything, and and we 358 00:21:39,520 --> 00:21:43,080 Speaker 1: but we have constructive debate, but we do share a 359 00:21:43,200 --> 00:21:48,320 Speaker 1: passion for making a difference and putting people in a 360 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:54,000 Speaker 1: position where they can do more, do better, meet their dreams, 361 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:59,560 Speaker 1: meet meet the needs of their family with stability, and 362 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 1: create more homeownership, create more small businesses, create greater sustainability. 363 00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:08,800 Speaker 1: But it's all about giving back. Building the good life 364 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:12,200 Speaker 1: is brought to you by Prudential Financial. For over forty 365 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:15,200 Speaker 1: five years, millions of people have counted on Prudential to 366 00:22:15,280 --> 00:22:18,800 Speaker 1: help solve for life's most important financial needs. Because at 367 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 1: Prudential they live their purpose to make life better by 368 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:26,359 Speaker 1: solving for the financial challenges of our changing world. Prudentials 369 00:22:26,359 --> 00:22:29,360 Speaker 1: Who's Your Rock campaign is also about helping people reach 370 00:22:29,400 --> 00:22:32,480 Speaker 1: new heights and providing a platform for people to reach 371 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:36,280 Speaker 1: their financial goals. I do remember calling you one day 372 00:22:36,280 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 1: and saying that we'd opened up this this hope inside 373 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:44,879 Speaker 1: UH location. UM and UM with his blessing. Brian with 374 00:22:44,920 --> 00:22:48,840 Speaker 1: another stitution and set over his employees that come over 375 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 1: financial coaching at the other institution because they were ashamed 376 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:56,320 Speaker 1: to admit that they were a banker and they had 377 00:22:56,320 --> 00:22:58,159 Speaker 1: some financial challenges. They didn't want to go to the 378 00:22:58,240 --> 00:23:00,520 Speaker 1: HR department for fear of getting fired. I get it 379 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:04,520 Speaker 1: by the way we opened up it first horizon, and 380 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:08,120 Speaker 1: then we had twenty of the other institutions employees come 381 00:23:08,160 --> 00:23:10,400 Speaker 1: over the first horizon because they had the same issue. 382 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:12,479 Speaker 1: They didn't want to go to their HR department. And 383 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:16,040 Speaker 1: we found that this issue affects everybody. Doesn't matter what 384 00:23:16,200 --> 00:23:19,360 Speaker 1: race doesn't matter, what color doesn't matter, what income level. 385 00:23:19,400 --> 00:23:22,120 Speaker 1: People with a hundred thousand dollar incomes have too much 386 00:23:22,160 --> 00:23:23,840 Speaker 1: month at they end of their money, it over spent. 387 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:28,399 Speaker 1: It confused making money with building wealth. And and so Brian, 388 00:23:28,480 --> 00:23:31,800 Speaker 1: I found a commonality there and something we could do together. 389 00:23:32,320 --> 00:23:35,000 Speaker 1: And and I and I love what the way he 390 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,240 Speaker 1: out basically because I believe in the James Round version 391 00:23:37,280 --> 00:23:40,680 Speaker 1: of affermative action. Open the door, I'll get it myself. 392 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,200 Speaker 1: And I didn't want to hand out from from Brian 393 00:23:43,280 --> 00:23:46,639 Speaker 1: Jordan's I wanted to hand up, and everybody in my 394 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: community wanted to hand up. And Brian also suggested that 395 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:56,560 Speaker 1: we open a hope inside it Mason Temple, Church of 396 00:23:56,640 --> 00:23:59,520 Speaker 1: God in Christ And I said, you, as said, you 397 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,080 Speaker 1: must be in your mind. What what did you say 398 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:04,840 Speaker 1: opened up at a church? Yes, I did, he said, 399 00:24:05,200 --> 00:24:08,359 Speaker 1: I think the community needs it. That area is underserved 400 00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:10,159 Speaker 1: by the way. It happened to be the church that 401 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:13,640 Speaker 1: Dr King gave his last speech before he was assassinated. 402 00:24:13,960 --> 00:24:15,560 Speaker 1: I think it was that I have I think he said. 403 00:24:15,840 --> 00:24:17,159 Speaker 1: I think it was a version of the I Have 404 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: a dream of speech, as I recall I've been. It 405 00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 1: was a mountaintop speech. I'm sorry now he collapsed, and 406 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:26,040 Speaker 1: I remember Dr King collapsed. He never collapsed before, collapsed 407 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:29,040 Speaker 1: in the arms of Andrew Young, my mentor, Reverend Jesse 408 00:24:29,119 --> 00:24:31,119 Speaker 1: Jackson and others. And and the next day he was 409 00:24:31,160 --> 00:24:35,600 Speaker 1: assassinated in Memphis and dot and Brian Jordan called me again, 410 00:24:35,840 --> 00:24:38,119 Speaker 1: then when you talk to the mayor, mayor, when you 411 00:24:38,200 --> 00:24:41,240 Speaker 1: come and speak at theft anniversary. Remember this anniversary of 412 00:24:41,280 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 1: that of the sanitation workers. Well, the sanitation workers is 413 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:48,440 Speaker 1: the reason Darter King was there, and those problems proliferated 414 00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:51,639 Speaker 1: for another few decades and he but it's like the 415 00:24:51,680 --> 00:24:54,959 Speaker 1: works unfinished. These are things that people doing behind closed 416 00:24:55,000 --> 00:25:00,720 Speaker 1: during when nobody's watching, called leadership. And last thing I'll say, 417 00:25:00,760 --> 00:25:02,960 Speaker 1: and I want I want us to. I want to end, Brian, 418 00:25:03,040 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 1: with you talking about, in whatever way you want to, 419 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:08,000 Speaker 1: some of the things you're proud of that the bank's 420 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:10,200 Speaker 1: doing now that you've merged, and what the future looks 421 00:25:10,240 --> 00:25:13,200 Speaker 1: like and what people can expect from your growing enterprise. 422 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:17,720 Speaker 1: Um and to see this come from any bank institution 423 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:21,280 Speaker 1: is a hundred fifty years old, had a interesting background 424 00:25:21,400 --> 00:25:24,080 Speaker 1: in the eighteen hundreds, all of them, all of them, 425 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:26,560 Speaker 1: and to see them come from that to what he's 426 00:25:26,600 --> 00:25:31,000 Speaker 1: doing now makes me so um so proud just to 427 00:25:31,080 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 1: be to be blunt about it. So let's see what 428 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:36,800 Speaker 1: politics were a second. And we're not gonna get into 429 00:25:36,800 --> 00:25:38,320 Speaker 1: details here, but I just want you to understand how 430 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,679 Speaker 1: authink this friendship is. Brian, I have different politics generally speaking, 431 00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:47,400 Speaker 1: we also have a bum factor. And I didn't tell 432 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,080 Speaker 1: Brian this. I'm just I'm gonna say it. I think 433 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:56,200 Speaker 1: we both agree. Republicans and bumps, when present Democrats abumps. 434 00:25:57,000 --> 00:25:59,520 Speaker 1: When he presented black folks abumps, when you presenter white 435 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:03,800 Speaker 1: folks bum so called leaders of bums, they say it, 436 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:06,080 Speaker 1: but they don't mean it. They're manipulating their playing games, 437 00:26:06,480 --> 00:26:08,000 Speaker 1: and when we see it, we call it for what 438 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:10,280 Speaker 1: it is. But any percent of people are good people, 439 00:26:11,359 --> 00:26:13,320 Speaker 1: and we shouldn't generalize, and we should try to find 440 00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:15,720 Speaker 1: solutions where we can find them. But we need to 441 00:26:15,760 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 1: call out bums when we see it. And we're not 442 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,000 Speaker 1: getting a name calling whatever. But Brian and I we 443 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 1: we've we've had this conversation and we meet him and 444 00:26:22,160 --> 00:26:24,919 Speaker 1: his wife Kim. We've had a conversation and we've disagreed 445 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:29,200 Speaker 1: on a range of things. We always agreed on doing 446 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:31,640 Speaker 1: the right thing, and as soon as we figured out 447 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:33,560 Speaker 1: what was the right thing, we're on all over that 448 00:26:33,640 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 1: like a cheap suit. Brian, this concept of talk about 449 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:43,680 Speaker 1: being offensive, listen without being defensive, and always leaving even 450 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: our adversary with our dignity. I would say if we 451 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: could do that in Memphis, Tennessee, with folks who grew 452 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:57,440 Speaker 1: up radically different background, where we stay in each other's homes, 453 00:26:57,960 --> 00:27:01,800 Speaker 1: eat the same food, hug the same, love, the same, laugh, 454 00:27:01,840 --> 00:27:04,760 Speaker 1: the same, cry, the same. We could probably do that 455 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:08,040 Speaker 1: across this country as a business plan. What do you think? Yeah, 456 00:27:08,480 --> 00:27:11,639 Speaker 1: I think we've got to do that. John h. You 457 00:27:11,680 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 1: know you you often restite the statistic that you know 458 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,600 Speaker 1: your DNA and my DNA white man and a black man, 459 00:27:20,040 --> 00:27:23,159 Speaker 1: are you know, ninety nine point six percent the same? 460 00:27:23,359 --> 00:27:28,240 Speaker 1: And what differences we have are extraordinarily small? And why 461 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:31,040 Speaker 1: is it that we spend more time on our differences 462 00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:35,200 Speaker 1: as a society. And and I don't understand that I 463 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 1: read just about every day. I usually start my day 464 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 1: with it, and then I check the afternoon edition the 465 00:27:41,760 --> 00:27:46,159 Speaker 1: website Real Real Clear Politics dot com. I think it 466 00:27:46,240 --> 00:27:49,119 Speaker 1: does a great job of even when you get a 467 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:51,920 Speaker 1: strident position on one side, you get a strident position 468 00:27:51,960 --> 00:27:55,520 Speaker 1: on the other side, but it gives you sort of 469 00:27:55,840 --> 00:27:59,200 Speaker 1: a chance to hear both sides of it. And and 470 00:27:59,600 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 1: I'm for particularly frustrated in in our politics and that 471 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:07,600 Speaker 1: I think we've stopped listening to one another. Most most 472 00:28:07,640 --> 00:28:11,919 Speaker 1: people don't talk just to be provocative. Some some folks do, 473 00:28:12,000 --> 00:28:14,880 Speaker 1: of course, but most folks don't talk to be provocative. 474 00:28:15,400 --> 00:28:19,040 Speaker 1: And if you have a belief about something, it's my 475 00:28:19,160 --> 00:28:22,920 Speaker 1: job to figure out why you believe what you believe, 476 00:28:23,400 --> 00:28:26,640 Speaker 1: and and then I have better understanding and hopefully you're 477 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:30,000 Speaker 1: doing the same. And I think in our relationship we 478 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: we have done that. And you know, I wish through 479 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:38,120 Speaker 1: through the grace of God and John Bryant, I've gotten 480 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 1: to know a bastor Andrew Young over the last I 481 00:28:41,680 --> 00:28:45,840 Speaker 1: don't know ten years, fifteen years pretty well. And you know, 482 00:28:45,880 --> 00:28:49,040 Speaker 1: if you look at his political career, if we had 483 00:28:49,200 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 1: more people in leadership positions like ambassadoryom who we're always 484 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:58,400 Speaker 1: thinking about how we move everybody forward, not my side, 485 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 1: not your side, everybody, for we would we would be 486 00:29:02,960 --> 00:29:08,440 Speaker 1: a much much better off society. And I went into 487 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:12,920 Speaker 1: this pandemic with a what I would describe self describe 488 00:29:12,960 --> 00:29:16,760 Speaker 1: as a very naive view of things, and that we 489 00:29:16,760 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 1: were all gonna deal with a pandemic that was um 490 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 1: a shared experience. It was gonna be bad for everybody. 491 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:30,400 Speaker 1: We're gonna have lockdowns, the economic cost was gonna be high. 492 00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:34,520 Speaker 1: And and I look at where we are today and 493 00:29:34,520 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 1: and it's divided us as as opposed to pulling us together. 494 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: And it makes me wonder, you know, how do we 495 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:45,280 Speaker 1: get leadership at the highest levels? And I'm not sure 496 00:29:45,320 --> 00:29:47,800 Speaker 1: it has to be our political leaders, but it can 497 00:29:47,840 --> 00:29:51,520 Speaker 1: be church faith, it can be civic leaders, it can 498 00:29:51,560 --> 00:29:55,000 Speaker 1: be anything. How do we start bringing ourselves back together 499 00:29:55,080 --> 00:29:59,320 Speaker 1: and focus on that that I'll use the DNA analogy 500 00:29:59,360 --> 00:30:03,120 Speaker 1: that not even and point six pc of shared experience, 501 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:05,680 Speaker 1: that says we all to all be pulling in the 502 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:09,320 Speaker 1: same direction. It's okay to disagree, but let's figure out 503 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:12,440 Speaker 1: how we pull in the same direction and get out 504 00:30:12,480 --> 00:30:15,320 Speaker 1: of this zero sum game that we've ended up in 505 00:30:15,800 --> 00:30:18,560 Speaker 1: where for John to win, I have to lose and 506 00:30:18,600 --> 00:30:20,680 Speaker 1: for me to win, John has to lose. That makes 507 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:24,040 Speaker 1: no sense to me at all. Right, right, yeah, you 508 00:30:24,040 --> 00:30:26,720 Speaker 1: can take no pleasure in the fact there's a hole 509 00:30:26,760 --> 00:30:31,440 Speaker 1: in my end of our boat. If the boat thinks 510 00:30:31,720 --> 00:30:35,200 Speaker 1: we're all done right and what what? And you know, 511 00:30:35,520 --> 00:30:38,920 Speaker 1: I think this is my sort of some recomment on 512 00:30:39,000 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 1: why I love my conversation with Brian Jordan. It's remarkably 513 00:30:43,440 --> 00:30:46,120 Speaker 1: I mean, it's it's simple, it's common sense. But common 514 00:30:46,120 --> 00:30:48,520 Speaker 1: sense is not so common it's decent. Decency is not 515 00:30:48,600 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: so common is authentic. Authenticity is not so common. We 516 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,880 Speaker 1: love math because it doesn't have an opinion. Uh. And 517 00:30:55,360 --> 00:30:57,880 Speaker 1: and we believe that if we we that if we 518 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:00,960 Speaker 1: work together as partners and brothers and friends, the too 519 00:31:00,960 --> 00:31:04,040 Speaker 1: plus two just might equal sixth eight or ten. Um. 520 00:31:04,080 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 1: This just might be the third reconstruction we're experiencing right now. 521 00:31:07,480 --> 00:31:09,920 Speaker 1: The first reconstruction was after the Civil War. It was 522 00:31:09,960 --> 00:31:14,080 Speaker 1: about basic basic freedom and basic democracy and basic access. 523 00:31:14,480 --> 00:31:17,320 Speaker 1: So I think that we're experiencing what I call a 524 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:22,160 Speaker 1: third reconstruction, Brian. The first reconstruction came after the Civil War, 525 00:31:23,000 --> 00:31:27,200 Speaker 1: and that was about basic access, basic freedom, real reinformation 526 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:31,080 Speaker 1: of our democracy. We're better together. The second reconstruction was 527 00:31:31,120 --> 00:31:33,520 Speaker 1: a civil rights movement. Um. We talked a little bit 528 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:36,920 Speaker 1: about that now was about jobs getting from the fields 529 00:31:36,920 --> 00:31:42,280 Speaker 1: to the factories, voting rights, reformation of voting rights and 530 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 1: uh and political freedom. And this third reconstruction, I believe 531 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:50,880 Speaker 1: is social justice to an economic lens. I think it's economics. 532 00:31:50,960 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 1: I think it's ownership. I think it's wealth and income. 533 00:31:52,800 --> 00:31:56,480 Speaker 1: In to quality, I think it's diversity and inclusion. Um. 534 00:31:56,600 --> 00:31:59,520 Speaker 1: And we're I mean, I think your model in my model, 535 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:02,120 Speaker 1: and there is are proving that a diverse and inclusive 536 00:32:02,200 --> 00:32:05,640 Speaker 1: organization is a more prosperous organization. It's not only decent, 537 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:08,000 Speaker 1: it's not only the right thing to do, it's also 538 00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:13,240 Speaker 1: quite profitable. Did I write about that, Brian? Yeah, yeah, 539 00:32:13,280 --> 00:32:16,440 Speaker 1: it is, it is, it's you know, if it if 540 00:32:16,440 --> 00:32:19,440 Speaker 1: it's it's it's back to so much of life. If 541 00:32:19,480 --> 00:32:22,840 Speaker 1: we create win win situations, if we can create good 542 00:32:22,920 --> 00:32:27,360 Speaker 1: situations for our customers, for our communities, it's gonna be 543 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:30,280 Speaker 1: good for our company and our shareholders, and vice versa. 544 00:32:30,280 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 1: If it's good for our shareholders, it's likely to be 545 00:32:32,520 --> 00:32:36,560 Speaker 1: good for our community, because it's not sustainable. If you 546 00:32:36,640 --> 00:32:39,000 Speaker 1: let it get out of balance for long, it just 547 00:32:39,120 --> 00:32:43,200 Speaker 1: doesn't work. Yes, what I knew was that this conversation 548 00:32:43,240 --> 00:32:45,160 Speaker 1: with risk going over and I don't want to do that. 549 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:47,440 Speaker 1: I want to abuse Brian's time. He's gotta bank to 550 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:50,880 Speaker 1: run um, And I don't want to bore you the 551 00:32:50,960 --> 00:32:53,440 Speaker 1: thirte commandment that shouting I bore people. I just love 552 00:32:53,520 --> 00:32:56,720 Speaker 1: talking to this dude, And every time I leave a conversation, 553 00:32:56,720 --> 00:32:59,320 Speaker 1: I leave better. If you love Operation Hope, you gotta 554 00:32:59,360 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: love Brian Joe Um. I can't get into the details 555 00:33:02,760 --> 00:33:04,520 Speaker 1: of it with on time. But he really helped to 556 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,520 Speaker 1: turn the organization around about five years ago and stabilized 557 00:33:07,680 --> 00:33:12,560 Speaker 1: stabilize us financially, donated time through heat so the company 558 00:33:12,560 --> 00:33:16,440 Speaker 1: called Accenture Ahead consulting time that they owed him a 559 00:33:16,440 --> 00:33:19,160 Speaker 1: few hundred thousand dollars. He donated that to us. We 560 00:33:19,160 --> 00:33:22,440 Speaker 1: didn't have to pay the consulting firm to help us 561 00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:25,560 Speaker 1: restructure Operation Hope. And that's led to a point now 562 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:29,800 Speaker 1: our Operation Hope itself is self sustainable. We had a mission, 563 00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:31,760 Speaker 1: but we didn't have a business plan. And what he's 564 00:33:31,800 --> 00:33:34,000 Speaker 1: trying to do through the bank is to give every 565 00:33:34,080 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 1: family a business plan, to give every entrepreneur and small 566 00:33:38,560 --> 00:33:42,600 Speaker 1: business owner a shot a successive failure on your own merit. 567 00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:46,880 Speaker 1: Isn't that what we all want? A shot a successive 568 00:33:46,880 --> 00:33:49,760 Speaker 1: failure on our own merit? Brian Jordan want me as 569 00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:51,440 Speaker 1: we wrapped, but won't you tell us what your vision 570 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:54,040 Speaker 1: is for the bank, what you're doing now, what your 571 00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:55,800 Speaker 1: plan on doing, and what we can expect from you 572 00:33:56,480 --> 00:33:58,480 Speaker 1: and how people find you if they want to work 573 00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:03,840 Speaker 1: for you, invest in you, our partnered with you. Yeah. Absolutely, 574 00:34:04,560 --> 00:34:06,680 Speaker 1: As as you said in the very beginning, we were 575 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:10,719 Speaker 1: founded in eighteen sixty four, Abraham Lincoln was president about 576 00:34:10,800 --> 00:34:14,239 Speaker 1: three blocks from where I'm sitting right now. Today, we're 577 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:20,239 Speaker 1: across twelve states, mostly southern states, Texas to Virginia, Arkansas 578 00:34:20,480 --> 00:34:22,759 Speaker 1: to Florida. If you think about the southern part of 579 00:34:22,760 --> 00:34:26,080 Speaker 1: the United States, you can reach us on First Horizon 580 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:29,680 Speaker 1: dot Com. We're we're looking to grow across all those 581 00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:33,799 Speaker 1: markets are Our view is a very simple, when I 582 00:34:33,880 --> 00:34:36,200 Speaker 1: said it, a couple of different ways in this we 583 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:38,600 Speaker 1: we want to be not only a part of the 584 00:34:38,640 --> 00:34:41,680 Speaker 1: economic fabric in the communities we serve, but we want 585 00:34:41,680 --> 00:34:45,680 Speaker 1: to play a role in strengthening that economic fabric, linking 586 00:34:45,840 --> 00:34:51,480 Speaker 1: capital and council with with the two to improve the 587 00:34:51,520 --> 00:34:58,680 Speaker 1: lives of our customers and communities. We are uh in essence, 588 00:34:58,719 --> 00:35:02,880 Speaker 1: trying to provide a very local experience. We have local 589 00:35:02,960 --> 00:35:05,560 Speaker 1: leadership in our markets that care about their markets, They 590 00:35:05,560 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 1: know their markets, they serve on the city council or 591 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:12,239 Speaker 1: the Chamber of Commerce or whatever happens to be, and 592 00:35:12,239 --> 00:35:15,799 Speaker 1: and we bring the big bank resources that allow us 593 00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:20,680 Speaker 1: to use our balance sheet to really help customers achieve 594 00:35:21,200 --> 00:35:25,759 Speaker 1: very meaningful things in their lives. So my vision is 595 00:35:25,760 --> 00:35:28,880 Speaker 1: is that we continue to build that that close connection 596 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:32,359 Speaker 1: with our customers. We build that close connection with our 597 00:35:32,400 --> 00:35:36,799 Speaker 1: communities in such a way that we're integral to the 598 00:35:36,880 --> 00:35:39,840 Speaker 1: economic fabric or where we live, where we work, and 599 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:43,000 Speaker 1: where we play. A man, I love that as a 600 00:35:43,080 --> 00:35:44,759 Speaker 1: church and was happening? Now? What have you done for 601 00:35:44,800 --> 00:35:47,840 Speaker 1: me lately? Uh, ladies and gentlemen. This is Brian Jordan, 602 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:51,520 Speaker 1: the president and chief executive officer of one of the 603 00:35:51,560 --> 00:35:56,239 Speaker 1: fifth uh five top banks in the entire South, the 604 00:35:56,280 --> 00:36:01,360 Speaker 1: largest bank in Tennessee. Just merge, just quite another Jusian Iberia, 605 00:36:01,800 --> 00:36:04,040 Speaker 1: I believe, which is out of New Orleans. If I 606 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:07,360 Speaker 1: recall it's called First Horizon Bank, that's his bank. I 607 00:36:07,360 --> 00:36:09,640 Speaker 1: want you to think about it. Look look forward, check 608 00:36:09,760 --> 00:36:12,080 Speaker 1: him out. He's a cool dude. He's not perfect, but 609 00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:15,640 Speaker 1: he's perfect in this imperfection because he's authentic. And as 610 00:36:15,680 --> 00:36:18,000 Speaker 1: I close, I'm gonna say this, Ryan Joy trying to 611 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 1: kill me twice shooting. Its snowmobiling, and uh, I've got 612 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:28,239 Speaker 1: I've not got a gun. I'm practicing skee shooting, So 613 00:36:28,280 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 1: I'm gonna I'm gonna make sure I'm not embarrassed. The 614 00:36:30,200 --> 00:36:32,440 Speaker 1: next time. You didn't, you didn't, you didn't succeed in 615 00:36:32,560 --> 00:36:35,680 Speaker 1: discouraging me there and and uh, you know, everybody know 616 00:36:35,719 --> 00:36:38,080 Speaker 1: black folks don't like cold weather. Brian Jordan, you you 617 00:36:38,080 --> 00:36:40,760 Speaker 1: know we from Africa. Man, you got me in the 618 00:36:41,239 --> 00:36:43,080 Speaker 1: zero talking about are you having fun? I had like 619 00:36:43,160 --> 00:36:45,600 Speaker 1: five levels of heaters in my in my midst but 620 00:36:45,640 --> 00:36:47,880 Speaker 1: I had a ball because I was on something with 621 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:51,319 Speaker 1: a motor underneath me. And I'm coming back for more. 622 00:36:51,480 --> 00:36:55,080 Speaker 1: So I'm coming back for some more snowball. So you 623 00:36:55,239 --> 00:36:57,640 Speaker 1: gotta tell the truth about the skate shoot and you 624 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:00,880 Speaker 1: walk out your back door and shoot him. Now that's true. 625 00:37:02,400 --> 00:37:05,799 Speaker 1: I got, I got. I Hope you've enjoyed this as 626 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:09,279 Speaker 1: much as I have enjoyed doing it. You've met not 627 00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 1: just a progressive CEO for the future. You met a 628 00:37:12,080 --> 00:37:15,239 Speaker 1: decent in being for right now, somebody that we can 629 00:37:15,280 --> 00:37:18,200 Speaker 1: all emulate, Ladies and gentlemen. This has been building the 630 00:37:18,280 --> 00:37:23,799 Speaker 1: good life with John Hope, Bryant and Brian Jordan. This 631 00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:27,120 Speaker 1: is the master class for my interview with Brian Georgian, 632 00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 1: President in chief executive officer of First Horizon Bank, one 633 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:33,920 Speaker 1: of the top five banks in the South ninety billion 634 00:37:33,960 --> 00:37:36,640 Speaker 1: dollars in assets, just below that built it over a 635 00:37:36,719 --> 00:37:39,440 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty plus years, and now he's running it 636 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:43,000 Speaker 1: with a new philosophy, doing well and doing good too. 637 00:37:43,160 --> 00:37:46,879 Speaker 1: Brian is the epitome I think of just decency. It's 638 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:50,600 Speaker 1: a radical movement like Operation Hope of Common Sense. Here 639 00:37:50,640 --> 00:37:56,120 Speaker 1: you have a Southerner and white and conservative who's found 640 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:59,560 Speaker 1: a way to bomb with a Northern who's black and 641 00:38:00,040 --> 00:38:03,680 Speaker 1: I believe progressive in my view. Um, and we've found 642 00:38:03,680 --> 00:38:07,640 Speaker 1: a way to disagree sometimes without being disagreeable. We found 643 00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:10,040 Speaker 1: the way to both be nosy. How do you get 644 00:38:10,040 --> 00:38:12,440 Speaker 1: so smart? Quincy Jones, I'm just nosy as hell, he 645 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:15,160 Speaker 1: told both Brian Jordan and I are nosy. I want 646 00:38:15,160 --> 00:38:16,960 Speaker 1: to know what he knows. He wants to know what 647 00:38:17,160 --> 00:38:19,960 Speaker 1: I know. We both lived by the ethos talk without 648 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:24,160 Speaker 1: being offensive, listening without being defensive, and always leave even 649 00:38:24,200 --> 00:38:27,360 Speaker 1: your adversary with their dignity because if you don't, that 650 00:38:27,480 --> 00:38:29,520 Speaker 1: spend the rest of their life trying to make you miserable. 651 00:38:29,680 --> 00:38:32,759 Speaker 1: We both agree that people in his party and his 652 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:36,799 Speaker 1: community aren't perfect. People in my party, whatever that might 653 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:40,640 Speaker 1: be in my community, aren't perfect. There are bums everywhere, 654 00:38:40,719 --> 00:38:43,360 Speaker 1: just like there's brilliance everywhere, and we should we should 655 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:47,880 Speaker 1: site the bums and highlight the brilliance wherever we find them. 656 00:38:47,960 --> 00:38:52,239 Speaker 1: Brian Jordan's It's just normal. We need more normal in 657 00:38:52,320 --> 00:38:55,879 Speaker 1: the world, and we have normal. With decency and authenticity, 658 00:38:55,960 --> 00:39:00,279 Speaker 1: power and access to credit and capital either CEO of bank, 659 00:39:00,480 --> 00:39:03,840 Speaker 1: you can actually change communities and transform all. This has 660 00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:08,120 Speaker 1: been the masterclass John Hope brought it. Building the Good 661 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:10,239 Speaker 1: Life with John Hope Bryant is brought to you by 662 00:39:10,280 --> 00:39:14,120 Speaker 1: Credentials Financial h