Beyond the Title: 12 Questions with Jerome Hunt

Jerome Hunt

CEO, Get Rich Community Inc

Jerome Hunt is an entrepreneur, community leader, and CEO of the Get Rich Community Foundation, dedicated to empowering individuals and strengthening communities through education, mentorship, and economic opportunity. With more than 25 years of entrepreneurial and leadership experience, Hunt has built initiatives centered on youth development, financial literacy, homeownership, entrepreneurship, and community advancement. Through the Get Rich Initiative and Get Rich Academy, he provides resources designed to help youth and families build stronger futures. Guided by the Get Rich Mentality, Hunt's mission is to inspire people to become rich spiritually, mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially while creating lasting generational impact.

01Built to Last starts with a strong foundation. What is the foundation your leadership is built on, and how do you return to it when things get shaky?

My leadership is built on my confidence and my work ethic. When things get shaky, I'll watch Rocky III and play “Eye of the Tiger,” or think of the scene in The Lion King where Simba looks in the water and Mufasa comes in a cloud to remind him to remember who he is and that he's more than what he's become. Those thoughts always get me back on track.

02Where do you come from, and how do your roots keep you steady when leadership gets hard?

I was born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in South Madison, so I'm deeply rooted in strong community, and I come from a proud and accomplished family. Having all of these key ingredients in my success bowl has always given me a great foundation. Being rich in family and community will always be my backbone and moral compass as I navigate being one of the strong Black leaders in my city.

03What's a piece of advice that has stood the test of time for you, the kind you still come back to years later?

Live while you're alive.

04What's a book, quote, lyric, or scripture that has stayed with you and shaped how you lead or live?

A Jay-Z line from “Can I Live” about choosing to live enormous rather than dormant.

05What's something you've had to rebuild after it broke or fell apart, and what did that teach you about building things that last?

My music career fell off after 2016. I wasn't actively dropping or creating new material, and in 2022 I used my love for sports and my undying love for my Milwaukee Bucks to revive my rap career. With my resurgence to the culture, I became larger and more successful in my 40s than I was in my 20s and 30s.

I learned during this process that it's never too late to do what you love. Since I built my brand and record label on great music, cultivating long-lasting relationships, and memorable performances, I was able to tap back in, pick up where I left off, and go even further than I ever could have imagined.

06What's one question every leader should ask if they want to build something that outlasts them, and why?

“What's your end game?”

I knew early on in my career that I loved music so much I would forever be attached to it. I foresaw myself teaching, mentoring, and educating the next generation of amazing talent, and that passion and love still burns the exact same way. When I started my rap journey, I knew I wanted to give back to the youth. Thinking about how you want to be remembered, and what kind of legacy or imprint you want to leave on the world, in the beginning of your life is super important, because when I'm dead and gone there will be a new generation living the Get Rich mentality.

07Who are you actively preparing to carry this work forward, and what are you doing to set them up to succeed without you?

I'm a huge Star Wars fan, so I believe in the Force in real life. As a true Jedi Master, you always have an apprentice. I'm a very hands-on teacher because that's the way I learn best. There's something special about letting people see what's going on behind the curtain instead of just telling them about it.

08When leadership feels heavy, what do you turn to (music, travel, culture, faith) that restores you and keeps you feeling like yourself?

It's crazy, because all four of those things are what I rely on to reset, replenish, and restore my energy levels to lead at a high clip.

09When you think about the legacy you want to leave, what do you hope still stands long after you've moved on?

My hope is that each day, the people whose lives I touched are living to be rich in spirit, mind, emotions, health, and wealth.

10What's a small daily habit or discipline that has compounded into something meaningful over time?

I collect the small W's every day. No big moment in my life happened without my ability to accumulate those small wins day to day.

11What's a moment in your life where the music playing in the background ended up meaning more than you expected, a song that showed up right when you needed it, or made an ordinary moment stick with you?

In 2007 I was shot three times in Milwaukee in a failed robbery attempt. A couple of days later I got a call from my producer in Minneapolis, checking to see if I was good. He spent the next 20 minutes double-talking, not really saying what he wanted to say, so I finally told him, “Yo, what's good?” He told me he had made me something and said to check my email, not today, but when I was feeling up to it.

I immediately went to my email and downloaded the track. It was an old “Staying Alive” song that he had sampled and made new. I sat there listening to it on repeat for about 15 minutes. Then I went into the vocal booth and recorded my song “Staying Alive” with two bullet holes in my leg, so you can see straight through to the other side.

12What's a tradition in your life or family that you hope lasts for generations?

Cousins Christmas, with my sons and my sisters' daughters.