America's poor, working poor, and middle class are in a waiting game they cannot win. Jobs will not come, times will not get better, and communities will not flourish until they "get the memo"-that is, take charge of their own financial futures. Bestselling author John Hope Bryant (How the Poor Can Save Capitalism-40,000 copies sold) tells them how. At long last, John Hope Bryant lays out five simple rules to provide a path to economic liberation for anyone in any situation. The Memo provides a simple path from financial literacy and mindset shifts to ownership, positive relationships, and a completely new attitude toward money. In a provocative exploration of the intersections of race and class, Bryant preaches the definitive conclusion that to be free, one must be economically liberated. Readers will learn how to achieve economic power in the following chapters: - We Live in a Free Enterprise System-Embrace This - Your Mindset Makes or Loses You Money and Wealth - Your Relationships Are Your Investments-Your Most Important Relationship Is with Yourself - Don't "Get a Job"-Create Value. You ARE Capital. - Spiritual Capital Is the Start of True Wealth Those who suffer from poverty haven't gotten "the memo"-until now. For decades, John Hope Bryant has reached out to the underserved in our "free enterprise" system. Through Operation HOPE, he has reached tens of thousands of people. In this work, he's found that most problems that stem from racism are directly linked to economic slavery. The five rules are spelled out clearly: readers must embrace the "free" in free enterprise, shift their mindset, build relationships, switch from working a job to actively creating value from within, and realize that they can never be truly wealthy without hope.