America has become the world’s largest steward of felons with 5% of the world’s population, but 25% of the world’s jailed prisoners – some 6 million people under “correctional supervision”. According to Fareed Zakaria in his article in Time Magazine, “In 2011, California spent $9.6 billion on prisons vs. $5.7 billion on the UC system and state colleges. Since 1980, California has built one college campus and 21 prisons. A college student costs the state $8,667 per year; a prisoner costs it $45,006 a year.”
There are many paths to correcting this deplorable situation, and one of them is to help prisoners learn how to support themselves and their families so they can rejoin society equiped with valuable skills that provide them with an inspiring alternative to returning to the prison system.
I have been working with my friend Ellen Rohr who has been helping one prisoner to achieve this goal. Here is her story, in her own words:
“A few years ago, I received a book order from Corrections Corporation of America (CCA.) Hmm. I write business and accounting books so I wondered why someone at a prison would be interested. I followed my curiosity and called the phone number on the order form.
Thats how I met Randy MacKenzie. Randy teaches technical cleaning skills to inmates at CCA. He also engages them in business planning. He uses my books to teach business basics: How to read financial reports, how to come up with a selling price and how to put a business plan together.
Randy told me, Knowing how to use a power washer or a floor buffer isnt going to do a fellow that much good once he is released. He cant support a family on a minimum wage job. And who would hire him, anyway? Poverty, abuse and drug addiction are big problems to overcome. Some of the guys are in for crimes of passion, or as a result of anger issues. We decided we would work on life skills, communication skills and business planning during our class time, alongside the technical training. You should hear the ideas they have for their own businesses!
I decided to do that and took a trip down to CCA in Holdenville, Oklahoma, USA. Up until this point, the only awareness I had about convicts is that you want to protect yourself from them. Never hire someone with a felony record. Avoid them at all costs. I was humbled to discover that the fellows in prison look a lot like people outside of prison. A few of them look a lot like my son. Hearing their stories, I realized how easily one can slip (or freefall) from outside to inside.
Ive been visiting the Bare Bones Business Planning Class for three years now, going to the facility every few months. Each time, I bring an armful of books with me, mine and lots of others written by teachers who have had a powerful impact on my life. As I hand out the books, I try and find a good match based on the business plan presenter and the author of the book.
During one or our business planning classes, Eric Phan shared his business plan.
It was cool to see Eric engaged in the class. He was incarcerated because he had made a series of bad, passion-fueled decisions that led to a serious, fatal crime. Prior to that, he was a kid who had a clear path of success in front of him. Smart, handsome, good family. It can all change in a heartbeat. For Eric, it did.
Eric came to prison ready to end his life. He got involved in a positive, faith-based program and started to experience love and acceptance. He joined the Bare Bones Business Planning class. He began to rise up from his crippling guilt and depression. Perhaps he could help others. Perhaps he could keep someone else from taking a devastating wrong turn.
In class, he shared his idea for a business that would provide temporary employee services. I visited with Eric after his presentation and gave him a copy of The Spark, the Flame and the Torch. I told him that Dr. Secretan had experience in the staffing business and more importantly he elevated his work into a process for fostering and developing inspired leadership.
Apparently, Eric absorbed the book. I was at CCA recently. I took a couple of business mentors with me and we created a Shark Tank inspired class. The students presented their business plans and we all shared enthusiastic support and tough-love critique. We filmed the event. Take a look at this video clip of Eric sharing the plan for his business, Youth on a Mission, inspired by The Spark, The Flame and The Torch
Thanks, Randy, Eric and the Bare Bones Biz Plan Challengers at CCA. You are impacting so many in powerful, positive ways.
Thank you, Lance. Your spark has ignited massive possibility. Youve certainly gotten me and the team at CCA all fired up.”
