Along with his wife Alecia, they work every day to overcome the stigma of being a victim and understanding that he left a victim behind. Coming from 20 years plus behind bars for murder, James and Alecia have come to grips with his abusive childhood, stress of being a Marine in the Vietnam era and not using that as an excuse to “act out”. This has allowed them not only to discover the artist inside James and for the both of them to start their refuge for young adults out in the hills of beautiful Sheridan, Oregon.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at http://centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at http://startupradionetwork.com

#4 The Marine, the Artist and the Philanthropist - James Garrick

Working on the documentary changed the way Garrett and the entire video crew completely changed their way of looking at “ex-cons”. They realized they could change lives if they could capture the rehabilitation that was going on at institutions such as the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility, where activities such as yoga, beading and other subjects were offered to ease youth into a vision of entering into mainstream society rather than being warehoused. Garrett was director and editor of the documentary and helped orchestrate the film festival.


Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at http://centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at http://startupradionetwork.com

#5 From Prison To Purpose - Garrett Guinn, Documentary Filmmaker of Perception

Sonja started Social Ignition to teach entrepreneurial skills to inmates to prepare them for a successful life after incarceration.  Realizing that isolation from the real world sent inmates out of prison with no marketable skills and set them up to right back into prison.  Sonja's program involves both academic work and interaction with business minds operating in the community.  Her successes speak for themselves.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at http://centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at http://startupradionetwork.com

#10 Taking Down the Walls AFTER Leaving Prison - Sonja Skvarla, A Social Ignition

Monta and Dave Dahl met in Powder River prison Dave's last stretch in the box.  And Monta also was instrumental in helping co-host Ladd Justesen get housing and a job when he really needed it.  An addicted 15-year old on the streets of Portland, his addiction led to crime and put him in and out of prison for a lot of years.  Trying to figure out how to break the cycle, he finally found the "next right thing" in prison bootcamp.  He realized alcohol was the trigger to his drug use and broke the chain.  After the final stretch, he found his calling in helping those felons re-entering society and getting them recovered from their addiction as he had.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at http://centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at http://startupradionetwork.com

#13 Monta Knudson, Bridges to Change

As with many successful ex-felons, it was the time in prison to focus on themselves that turned Matt's life around.  Christianity has been Matt's foundation and when he got outside, he started talking to people in the street who wanted to hear his story and apply it to their own lives.  Now studying Theology in college to continue on his path, Matt has started his own church and has turned his life into helping others.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#17 He is Not a Sell Out, He's SOULED Out - Minister Matt Allen

A story that must be fiction, but it isn't.  In her book, "The Company She Keeps", Georgia was a model at twelve and the original Kodak girl whose picture in retail stores everywhere.  But her neighborhood was full of mafiosos and Georgia was caught up in some of the action, including driving a getaway car without really knowing it.  And that incident laid the groundwork for being a stunt driver in Hollywood.  Like she says, each chapter of her book could be a movie.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#19 From Kodak Girl to Stunt Woman and a Brush with the Mob - Georgia Durante

Sentenced to 25 years to life and put in Folsom prison at a time it was a killing field, Jeff Rousey finally had to realized he couldn't do whatever he wanted without consequences anymore.  Taking advantage of the education system that existed at the time, Jeff earned two degrees and was on the boxing and power lifting teams for his own survival.  But what to do after an unexpected release? The community of drinking coffee appealed to him and he decided on only the best coffee, organic, fair trade beans blended to be the best.  And why not make it a corporate gift?  So custom labels on gift bottles made insanely beautiful gifts that make the top of the company "chatchka" list.  And oh yeah, Rhonda Rousey is his little sister (but he always fought his own fights).

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#30 Turning "Unforgivable" Into the Gift of Giving - Jeff Rousey, Pilot House Coffee

Being an entrepreneur at a very early age, Jacob Hill had a great idea, the Lazy Camper.  Wouldn't people going to a rock concert want to have a backpack full of everything they need to camp out and enjoy the concert?  Seemed like a great idea to Jacob and his investor.  But it didn't work out, Jacob wound up in debt and in desperation started selling drugs at those same concerts, which landed him in prison, and was a real embarrassment to his ex-police officer parents.  There he found a better outlet for his entrepreneurial bent and realized another valuable resource - inmates hungry for a legitimate career after release.  So he became a match maker for companies who wanted motivated future employees and inmates who wanted training while incarcerated and Offploy was born.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#34 Even if Mom and Dad are Ex-Cops, You Can Still Wind up in Prison - Jacob Hill, Offploy

A Jersey crime background right out of a movie, we have Larry Lawton. Larry's business started when a friend asked him to talk to his son after catching him smoking some dope.  After a "real" discussion with the boy - not the scare treatment, just the real story - father and son turned things around.  After that he was asked by a judge to talk to other young people who were at risk, and that was the beginning of the number one program in the US to help youth.  The only ex-con was sworn in as an honorary police officer, and is the only ex-felon recognized on the floor of the US Congress. Larry's story is amazing, just like his transformation and his business.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#36 Reality of Prison Life, Pay Attention Potential Residents - Larry Lawton, Reality Check Program

Prisons are a good thing?  They keep us safe?  That theory was debunked for Jessica Jackson when, at 22 years old, she found herself standing in a court room holding her two-month-old daughter and watching her husband hauled off for a drug charge.  It was obvious to her that prison wasn't the place for him to kick his addiction and sort out his life, thus the long painful road to Cut 50 began.  She got an education, a law degree and began defending those on death row.  Cut 50 aims to cut the recidivism, the prison population and the crime rate by 50%.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#50 Maybe Not Everyone in Prison Should Be There - Jessica Jackson Sloan, Cut 50

Perry founded a textbook retail business with an online adjunct business.  He's advocated for book donations to prisons and libraries for years.  Chris was once a homeless teenager and a felon.  He's now an attorney.  Perry started with the gangs of DC and his first arrest was for an $8 robbery, not a brilliant start.  But it gave him time to get his GED, become a trustee and editor of the paper.  Chris had to become an attorney with his record.  He not only was able to navigate that path, he wound up working in the White House with a top security clearance.  In both men's cases, they took the energy and passion of their outlaw past, turned it around and applied it to the lawful side of society.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#55 Perry Gaidurgis, ResiliencyArts & Chris Poulos, WA State Reentry Program

A disgruntled employee started a snowball effect that landed Teresa Hodge into years of trial and eventually a 70-month sentence in Federal prison.  Frightened before going in because she had no idea of the people she was about to encounter, Teresa was "lucky" enough to self-surrender, which meant she was given some time to get her affairs in order and she could take herself to the prison.  Not a pardon, but every little bit helps.  After living a straight life before prison, she was amazed how much the prison stigma followed her after her release.  It gave her the impetus to help ex-felons be recognized for the people they are now and not the people they were.  Their R3 Score tells an employer how qualified the ex-felon is for the job, much like a credit score.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#61 Teresa Hodge, R3 and Mission:Launch

At the Columbia River Correctional Institution in Portland, Oregon, USA, Dave and Anna - previous guest, Episode # 49 - interview three Adults in Custody who have found their "insights" through Anna's program. The Insight Alliance's philosophy is that we need to live from the inside/out, not the outside/in, that our very thinking determines our environment. Only then can real transformation occur. Eve (no last names), a transgender female, came to the realization that everything will be OK, no matter what. When Eve stop letting others' judgement become her judgement, life became settled and happier. Eve also learned from Anna not to worry so much about negative thoughts, that all thoughts come and go and they pass on their own. Angel has been in and out of prison many times; even served time with Dave! His turning point came in an accountability session, where he was called out by fellow AICs. Through his raging thought came his ah-ha moment, where he understood that THOUGHT created his experience of life not the world around him. He sees that but for this thinking he's OK.  Damian is a veteran with PTSD and a retired paramedic. He should be used to dealing with high-stress situations, right? Well, he didn't in one situation and it landed him in prison. When he came to the realization that he created his own misery and understood the power of his thoughts, his mental pain started to subside. Or as Earl Nightengale said, "We become what we think about."

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#64 Don't Chase the Chicken with Dave Dahl and Anna Debenham, The Insight Alliance

One of Hollywood's most successful female stunt drivers, Georgia Durante was also the most photographed girl in the US at 17 years of age.  In her book, "The Company She Keeps", Georgia talks about the other side of her life in upstate New York, including her rape at the hands of her brother-in-law, entanglement with organized crime, the birth of her daughter and a failed marriage before she turned 20.  A repeat guest, Georgia has had her life story picked up as a screenplay and there is talk about a Netflix series.  "It takes more than two hours to tell my story", Georgia quips.  Stay tuned.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#65 The Kodak Girl's Bizarre Story - Georgia Durante, Performance Two

Walking the straight and narrow until he was around 15, Jeff's parent's divorce took him off course.  Drinking at an early age wasn't exactly good, but when he started using meth it got him down the path of crimes to support his habit and landed him in the house.  He broke into pop machines and was in and out four times.  That was enough.  He got clean, set small goals and hit them one at a time.  And with each success, his confidence grew.  He took a mechanics class and started working as a mechanic.  It turned out not to be the long term career he had hoped, and when talking to a customer about the towing industry, he became excited.  Using a friend's truck and doing the towing, Jeff launched his business.  It didn't work out with the friend, but his family believed in him and loaned him the money to get his own truck and now he's making a good living and taking care of HIS family.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dave Dahl and Ladd Justesen

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#67 Tow or be Towed - Jeff McCarter

Clackamas County, Oregon, is very, very fortunate to have Doug Vanzant working to make their county a better place to live.  Doug's clients receive an upbeat, can-do attitude that trickles down from the top - Doug himself.  Ex-felons come to Doug to get their head straight and to train for well-paying, solid jobs so they can contribute to the community in which they live.  His background is typical for those who go to prison.  Coming from a dysfunctional family, he focused on playing sports, but they didn't keep him from sliding into the drug scene.  He recycled through prison and treatment programs until he decided it was the last cycle for him.  After finishing his post-prison program, he continued to work (helping himself), volunteer (helping others), work out and get a little sleep.  His dedication was noted by Clackamas County and they reached out to him to run their program providing job training to those formerly incarcerated.  And the rest is history being written.

Felony Inc Podcast with your host Mark Gailey

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#78 Help Yourself, THEN Help Others - Doug Vanzant, Workforce Programs Clackamas County

"Fresh Out - Life after the Penitentiary" is Marcus' series of YouTube shows to help ex-felons stay out of prison for the next phase of their lives.  Born to a young mother, Big Herc never got the full story on his father, and spent most of his youth growing up with his grandmother.  His step father was in the military and he moved around a lot, but ended up living in the Bay Area for a time when being a "BMX" on a skateboard was pretty cool.  But a divorce caused a move to a tough, crime-ridden neighborhood and with his Mom working two jobs, he let go of his athlete/good student routine and started selling drugs.  He loved "Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous" TV shows, so he always dreamed of getting out of the hood and living well and even sent shoe designs to NIke, trying to get out legitimately.  But getting out of the trap wasn't easy and, even though he was in college, he got caught and put in the system.  A body builder, he actually won a contest with a special decision from the warden.  He took his build to the porn industry, where he got the nickname "Big Herc".  But back in the system after a slip up, he put together a crew to help other inmates with their legal troubles and that was a real business.  It turned into a business brainstorming group and after getting out, he started "Fresh Out".

Felony Inc Podcast with your host Mark Gailey

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#88 Fresh Out Should Mean a Fresh Start - Marcus "Big Herc" Timmons, The Hard Way

Deciding "never, never to go back (to prison)", our returning guest Meg Thibodeaux was a single Mom when she entered the prison system with a son 18 months old staying on the outside.  She began her criminal career as an entrepreneur, doing a bad job of choosing a dating partner and being dazzled with the huge profit margins selling Ecstasy drugs.  Her involvement put her in the circle of organized crime families in the New York area and also in the crosshairs of law enforcement.  Feeling disconnected and lacking confidence, being a dealer made her feel wanted and empowered; she was now in control.  Of course, it ended with incarceration in 2003 in Federal, then transferred to County jail in the same county where she had previously imported and sold her drugs.  The irony here is when she was arrested, she had been clean and sober for three years and had a two-month old son.  Fast forward: She, her son and new partner have taken her love of yoga, art and clean living to help people manage their lives and have transformed a tavern into a beautiful part of the world.  But it's not your usual tavern; alcohol is not a focus, the focus is using the tavern as an entryway to Forest Park, the largest urban park in the US.  Meg urges her customers to enjoy art, good organic food and beverage or to go for a hike - they even sponsor runs in the Park.  She has come full circle and turned her experiences and triumphs into inspiration for all, especially ex-felons.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Mark Gailey

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#90 Never Look Back, Never Go Back - Meg Thibodeaux, Skyline Tavern Project

A Boston native, Josh Menges moved to Salem, Oregon and enjoyed a middle class upbringing.  He enjoyed it a little too much, starting as a tagger in the seventh grade.  From there he got caught with pot in school, graduated to cocaine as a young adult and of course sold it to support his own habit.  In and out of the institutions until his early 30's, a real friend "ratted" on him while on parole simply to get him caught and hopefully straightened out.  It worked.  He got into a circle of addicts who were sober and his life turned on a dime.  His first real job was with Goodwill, riding a bike to work and packing clothes.  But he moved on, now buying old houses, fixing them up and selling them.  Also, he has found a niche buying bare land, building four-bedroom duplexes in a small college town.  The model is for students who have spent their first year in a dorm (required) and are ready for unsupervised living (party time).  Josh is raising his sights even more, looking to become a developer who builds his own sub divisions.  Always looking up and on, no more looking backward for Josh.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Mark Gailey

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#91 From the Big House to Building Houses - Josh Menges, Menges Investment Properties LLC

Returning to the show to continue inspire ex-felons to stay on the right side of the bars, Sean Beers has an update on his world-wide enterprise.  Defying all odds, Sean has evolved from ex-felon to attorney, CPA and now CEO of Portland Product Werks, an international clothing brand wholesaler.  He recommends a book, "David and Goliath", by Malcolm Cladwell.  These short stories about individuals who came from not-so-sumptuous backgrounds to become successful points out that sometimes overcoming tough circumstances can be an advantage and not a disadvantage.  As Sean says, it may not have been the smartest thing to dig himself a big hole from which to climb out, but that's the way it happened and he dealt with it.  The shock value of the LA County jail was what it took to turn him around, but it worked.  So what's been happening?  Sean's company is licensing Pendleton footwear and the Dovetail brand is taking off.  Dovetail is a Portland manufacturer that tailors work clothes for the women who are entering the construction, engineering and electrical fields.  And consumer acceptance has been tremendous.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Mark Gailey

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#93 It's Werking - Sean Beers, Portland Product Werks

While hiding under a tree in rainy Portland, Oregon, Tobias of the band Soft Kill gives this interview;  very Portlandish.  He grew up in the other Portland - Maine - and was raised by his Mom while his father was a musician on the road.  Suspicious his parents were addicts and battling with his stepfather, Tobias gravitated to a crowd that got into trouble and the path led to doing bad stuff.  He wanted to be part of an older crew and did what he needed to impress them, a typical situation.  It was cocaine to heroin and all the crime that goes with keeping supplied.  He was looking at 21 years of prison time.  Now out, he is lead singer of Soft Kill, but that didn't happen until he confronted the fact he was an addict.  It was Narcotics Anonymous that helped him to see that life could exist without drugs and alcohol and now he's out in front of the audience and creating music for all to enjoy.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast live on-air every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#109 You Don't Have to be High to Create Music - Tobias Grave Musician, Soft Kill

Another alumni of FPP, Ashley Dorety was struggling with alcohol and an abusive relationship, was a Mom and going to school, ALL at the same time.  It came to a head when she was in a drunk driving accident where her passenger was injured and that led to four years of incarceration, because of the laws surrounding the accident.  Her two-year-old daughter also was in the car so that complicated even more.  The daughter was considered a victim of the crime and Ashley didn't see her for nine months because of the bureaucracy between DHS and DOC.  But she joined made herself be busy in prison and wound up meeting Jessica Katz of FPP who helped her work with DHS and get to see her daughter.  The rules and regulations of prison weren't known by DHS and thought Ashley wasn't communicating when in fact she couldn't.  But Jessica kept helping and eventually Ashley got to be guardian while in prison and help heal the trauma and get set for a transition after release.  And coming to grips with being an alcoholic who can be sober was the big breakthrough and life is bright and good.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast very Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#113 Finding Hope Was the Turning Point - Ashley Dorety, Family Preservation Project Alum

Justice Arts Coalition member, Carole Alden, is currently dodging the fires in Utah.  Born in France as part of a military family, Carole moved back to the US as a baby, moved around the western states plus a stint in New Zealand, getting married and settling in Utah.  With an artists' bent "from birth", Carole was constantly scanning for all the elements to make something; rocks, sticks, clay.  A high school teacher encouraged her to feel she could make a living as an artists and that was the catalyst.   "Aggravation is the mother of Invention" became her motto and adversity was her partner in prison, pushing her to learn to create.  A self-proclaimed idiot savant when it comes to crochet, Carole's first notoriety as an artist came with creating a salamander while in prison and sending it off; the big start.  Married to a man who pretended to be kind and loving, he turned out to be a con artist to marry and defraud his string of wives.  When he realized Carole was not a goldmine, he became abusive and tried to kill her.  Not getting police protection and cornered by him one night, Carole shot him and he died.  Politically, the environment was against her and she had to take a plea bargain and gave up.  She received her sentence and served partly in prison and county jail, which was much more restrictive than prison.  But she overcame and now shares her talent to help heal.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#115 Carole Alden, Artist

Focusing on the Austin, Texas community, the Austin Justice Coalition supports, teaches and advocates for black, brown and poor people by influencing local government and creating policy.  Originally from Houston, Chas Moore, who heads the Coalition, moved to Austin because of sports.  His brush with the law happened in high school, where he was caught up in a bad crowd and an incident gave him a record.  But with that record and the subsequent stigma of being an ex-felon, Chas became a strong advocate for changing a system that punishes ex-felons with essentially a life sentence for many crimes that are not that serious.  Chas had to sit in jail every weekend throughout high school and left him totally unprepared for college and the racial stigma of being black.  He participated in marches and demonstrations, but came to the realization that long term improvements could only come with policy and law change, and so began the genesis of AJC.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Theme music "Free" written and recorded by Dave Dahl, all rights reserved, motherfuckers

This weeks podcast brought to you in part by soap-on-a-rope, when you don't want to drop stuff

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#121 It Takes More Than a March, it Takes Policy Change - Chas Moore, Austin Justice Coalition

Damien Linnane's first book, "Scared," is a reflection of his unusual background.  From inner-western Sydney, Australia, Damien's father met his mother, a social worker, while in prison for robbery.  His parent's relationship was rough, leaving Damien caught in the middle.  This dynamic, combined with Damien's experiences of child abuse, manifested as anger issues leading to the violent incidents that put him in prison.  Although sentences in Australia tend to be lighter than those in the US, Damien still had a few years in front of him, including therapy.  Diagnosed with autism, he had to move to a large city for the specialized treatment, which was not funded.  Moving meant losing his job, leaving him with no money to pay for the therapy, or stay in place and violate his court order and go to prison.  Catch 22!  He wound up with two years because he had $1,200 to hire a psychiatrist, but if he had $20,000, he would not have even gone to prison.  But that's where he started his book, which he credits with making him take the time to write.  And he wrote it in five months because of the focus of his time, which is very fast in the eyes of most writers.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#122 Damien Linnane, Author

A middle school dropout, James Monteiro left his mother's house, moved in with a woman 10 years his senior and was "exposed to things no 15-year old should be exposed to".  That experience set James up to spend the next 20 years or his life incarcerated up and down the east coast.  Upon release, he only had his 8th grade education to fall back on and that led him back to prison, a repeating cycle.  His last incarceration of 10 years made him think he never wanted to go back and he began working on getting a college degree. He got his associate degree, but a bachelor degree on his prison pay was out of reach.  But he had people who believed in him and he was able to get the degree before release.  However,  as the Re-Entry Campus Program's website says, it's one thing to be locked up in prison, it's another to be locked OUT of society. So began Re-Entry Campus Program, to help other incarcerated souls achieve a college degree whether out of prison or still in.  Nationwide, there are 90,000 incarcerated people taking college courses, but after release, there is no tracking of who is following through and finishing to get their degree.  That's where Re-Entry is their safety net, helping them with financial aid, enrollment, proctoring exams and so forth.  And so far, there has been little recruiting, almost everyone finds Re-Entry by word of mouth.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#123 Education is Key to Not Going Back to Prison - James Monteiro, Re-Entry Campus Program

Brian Stanley is a Court Advocate for the East Harlem, New York City, for Avenues for Justice.  Which means, he helps save young lives by giving youth who have been caught up in crime a second chance to straighten out their lives for the good.  And the results are impressive.  Through "AFJ" as they call it, young adults receive drug rehabilitation, education, counseling and job training to create a path to a successful life on the outside.  And their results are impressive.  AFJ has been at it for 40 years, and at a fraction of the cost of incarceration per youth, their website boasts that 90% of their graduates stay out of prison, versus the incredible high recidivism rate of the current prison system.  Brian himself was arrested at 18 facing felony charges that gave him a chance to keep his records sealed if he got his life straightened out.  He did, and went on to Howard University successfully and inspired him to want to show other troubled youth that there could be a second chance to a better life and was obviously drawn to AFJ and its mission.  Perhaps the largest accomplishment of AFJ is its "partnership" with the court system.  They intervene when they feel there is a youth who could successfully navigate their program and give the courts an alternative to incarceration.  This model is one that definitely should be copied and recreated throughout the country.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#124 Second Chances Have Happy Endings - Brian Stanley, Court Advocate, Avenues for Justice

No, not an ice cream flavor, Cheri Garcia is a vibrant personality, really more of a machine.  Absolutely not from a broken home or the typical tough background, she was the ideal kid.  On the cheerleading team, pitcher for the softball team, anchor for the school newspaper - the ideal kid.  So what happened?  She decided to try meth with the promise to lose weight.  That did happen, but so did her interest in all the good things she was doing.  As an addict, people stop caring about their former lives and that's exactly what happened to Cheri.  Miraculously, she graduated from high school and managed through sheer will to cold turkey.  Then she focused in on her life's goal, being a journalist on TV.  She got a job in the newsroom and also pursued other entrepreneurial passions, such as teaching gymnastics.  She then took her ability to the prison system, helping inmates in their entrepreneurial programs establish a business or career.  Since starting a business with "fifty bucks and a bus ticket" was not viable, she shifted to helping get released felons prepare for and get a job.  Having now put herself out of a job, she figured that now connecting those ex-felons with employers, and second-chance hiring was born.  With a great name, Cornbread Hustle now finds itself with more demand for employees than they currently can meet, a real change in hiring philosophy on the employer side.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#125 She Made Her Own Second Chance, Now She Makes Them for Others - Cheri Garcia, Cornbread Hustle

Founded in 1971 by Morris Dees, an Alabama lawyer and businessman, Morris saw an obligation to stand up for the disenfranchised.  He sold a successful book publishing company and started a law practice to give them a voice.  Jackie Aranda Osorno is a staff attorney at the law center.  A self-described "Latinx queer woman", Jackie immigrated from Mexico and experienced legal systems that categorized and pigeon-holed people by stereotypes.  After graduating from law school, she went to Southern Poverty Law Center for a couple of years, then left to do some immigration work, then returned where she currently resides.  She deals with revising the legal system to direct sentences to be more in line with the crime, and treatment as opposed to long incarceration and real rehabilitation as opposed to warehousing with no change in behavior.  In particular, dealing with prison systems that are overcrowded and understaffed is a huge challenge that she and the SPLC are addressing currently.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#126 Jackie Aranda Osorno, Staff Attorney, Southern Poverty Law Center

Artist, organizer, advocate and speaker, Aimee Wissman is a machine.  An Ohio native, Aimee had a lot of instability growing up and those insecurities led to a heroin addiction at age 16 that lasted about 10 years.  She did, however, manage to graduate high school and get a couple of years of college.  But bad relationships and bad choices put her in the prison system.  Aimee tried to get treatment before that, but the typical system of expensive treatments, no insurance, yaddah yaddah made it impossible.  She did use her incarceration time to make a short film, reflecting how she tried to change her life but nothing was available in her situation.  A burglary and robbery charge were considered violent crimes, so her sentence was harsh.  Aimee gave birth to her daughter about a year before starting her sentence and tried to shake her drug habit.  However, a domestic altercation with the girl's father threw a wrench into that path.  Coupled with an eight-year sentence and a maximum security incarceration for the first two years, Aimee had her face-the-music moment.  She began making art objects to send to her daughter to keep connected, and that gave birth to a full-blown program that was running full steam by the time Aimee left the system.  Others have produced their own films and and have gotten public notoriety giving rise to a larger discussion of why people go to prison, and particularly, why women go to prison.  And if you have a chance to visit the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in the near future, you can see Aimee's work on display.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#127 Life Becomes Art - Aimee Wissman, Returning Artists Guild

Want to take the guesswork out of your next big surprise party?  Then have an all-day spa delivered to your home, hotel room - basically anywhere - by Pamper Perfect Mobile Spa.  But that's just one of the side businesses for dynamo Allison Garret, a motivational speaker and life coach.  Born to teenage parents and put up for adoption immediately, what was supposed to be a short term stay with adoptive parents turned into long term.  Then her birth mother died of leukemia at 19 when Allison was a two-year old.  Allison went through the foster care system, which was a tough journey.  She dropped out of school in the eighth grade to take care of her siblings.  A move from New York to Delaware did not work out well and she started running away to be "on her own", for which she was not prepared.  Petty crime led to the in and out of the courts routine until she was declared a habitual offender, after which she received a seven year sentence in the Pennsylvania system.  The shock made her figure out how to change her life.  With two small children at home, Allison was at least fortunate to serve two and a half years before being paroled.  And she used that time wisely, to research what opportunities she could pursue, and NOT pursue.  As a felon, she identified 250 professions she could not practice as an ex-felon.  So the idea of a mobile spa was born, as often happens, out of necessity!  She knew people in the industry and it became her first business.  From just asking friends and family to come over for a party, it literally grew from there.  Coaching and speaking came after she told people over and over her story of having a felony charge on her back, no money, no credit and only the drive and confidence to succeed.  So the "How did you do it?" question led to the book and her writing career.  Allison realized she was in prison long before she was incarcerated, and that realization has set her free.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#128 She Certainly Wasn't Pampered Growing Up - Allison Garret, Pamper Perfect Mobile Spa

Interconnected and interdependent is how George Galvis, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice, sees the world his organization is building.  He takes a view of history where he broadens the context of events and particularly the versions of history.   It inspires him to move forward working with young people with experiences similar to his.  As early as three years old, George remembers fearing domestic violence and his mother's life;  his father at maximum rage and his mother turning blue from lack of oxygen.  And, as happens so often, George then repeated what he had experienced.   He took his rage and violence to the street as a young man.    At 17, he was arrested and charged with a felony.  He was lucky  that he was not a legal adult, so his sentence was not as severe as it could have been.  He then entered community college and started moving on, always worrying about his record becoming public knowledge and hurting his chances for advancement.  Then he met some influential people who taught him cultural awareness which meant healing was a big part of his daily life.  Community involvement was another leg of the stool and George interpreted that to mean activism as well as connecting.   He then organized resistance to some California ballot issues he deemed to marginalize specific groups.  The last component was higher education, learning the vocabulary and framework  to express himself and his views.  He took that to the hilt, transferring to UC Berkeley and graduating with honors.  Thus the foundation for CURYJ.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#129 Striving for Youth Justice - George Galvis, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice

Los Angeles based 70 Million Jobs was founded by Richard Bronson, formerly of New York.  You know, the home field of Wall Street?  Where the Wall Street Wolf story took place?  Well, Richard was a partner in that company and lived the crazy life for some time.  He then left, moved to Florida and started his own company, another financial services company that grew to $100 Million with over 500 employees.  But the same Wall Street greed was there and a lot of things Richard did were illegal.  The saving grace was that he and his partners paid back all the investors before being prosecuted, which probably made his sentence as light as it could have been.  Even going to prison was a relief to Richard, as the constant pressure of untangling the web they has spun was having a huge drag on his life, the guilt and sense of embarrassment being part of it including the loss of all his friends and wealth.  So he came out of prison completely the opposite of the life he had been living: broke and homeless as opposed to having private jets, mingling with celebrities and gambling the night away in casinos.  The time he spent in prison humbled him, but did not prepare him for release.  He wasted a couple of years figuring out what to do with the rest of his life, and he found a non-profit organization to work.  He enjoyed the food for the soul he got out of it, but decided the organization was not really having an impact.  And that impact, he decided, was lowering the recidivism rate.  So that gave him a goal and his calling in life.  He launched a for-profit company that took an approach which employed technology and being aggressive business people - showing employers the "profitable" practice of hiring ex-felons and those with misdemeanors.  That was a win-win-win; the employers got a benefit, the ex-incarcerated got a job, and 70 Million Jobs made money for the investors.

Felony Inc Podcast with your hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux

We record the Felony Inc Podcast inside NedSpace in the Bigfoot Podcast Studio in beautiful downtown Portland.

Audio engineer, mixer and podcast editor is Allon Beausoleil

Show logo was designed by Carolyn Main

Website was designed by Cameron Grimes

Production assistant is Chelsea Lancaster

Felony Inc Podcast supports City Central Concern at centralcityconcern.org

10% of gross revenue at Startup Radio Network goes to support women entrepreneurs in developing countries thru kiva.org/lender/markgrimes

Listen to the Felony Inc Podcast every Friday at 10:00am pacific time on Startup Radio Network at startupradionetwork.com

#130 Everybody CAN Win - Richard Bronson, 70 Million Jobs

The Felony Inc Podcast (tm) features weekly interviews with ex-felons who have launched their own startup companies after serving time in prison, with hosts Dick Hennessy and Meg Thibodeaux. The Felony Inc Podcast also airs live every Fridays 10-11am Pacific Time.

Felony Inc Podcast (tm)

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