LeRon Barton authored his first book called Straight Dope several years ago. He wanted readers to understand America’s drug culture and the consequences that followed for those involved with drugs. Now he is searching for a bigger market and will soon release his new book: All We Really Need is Love. LeRon also writes regular articles for GorillaConvict.com.
If you’d like to learn more about LeRon Barton’s work, or receive a digital copy of his book to review, please contact him at Info@MainlinePub.com.
Mike has been prosecuted for his role of working in a medical marijuana dispensary. The prosecution has tormented his life for longer than three years. Initially, prosecutors threatened to lock him federal prison for 10 years. His sentencing date is only weeks away and now he is preparing for the journey ahead, hoping for an alternative sentence.
Surrendering to federal prison can traumatize many people Today's podcast features Jim Varni. He and his finance, Anna, called to chat less than one hour before he was scheduled to surrender to the federal prison in Pekin Illinois.
I met Juan Berganzo very early during my federal prison term. He was beginning a 15-year prison sentence and I was beginning a 45-year prison sentence. We exercised together and we became friends when we were locked inside the United States Penitentiary in Atlanta. He reached out to me and I invited him to share his story on the Earning Freedom podcast.
Those who want to try Juan's baked goods may reach him at the following contact numbers:
Email: brazogitanoberganzo@gmail.com
Phone: 787-324-3652
The injustices of mass incarceration influence every American citizen. That’s why I feel passionately about working to help. As Justice Anthony Kennedy said to the members of the American Bar Association, far too many people serve sentences that are far too long. Further, as recidivism rates show, the longer we expose someone to corrections, the less likely those people become to function as law-abiding citizens after release.
People released from prison frequently face challenges. To start, people with prison records have hard time finding a job. Many employers resist hiring the formerly incarcerated. Valid reasons may exist for not hiring people with prison records. Rather than questioning those reasons, I advise formerly incarcerated people to chart their own path to a paycheck. They must succeed in spite of the challenges they will face. By anticipating obstacles and objections from prospective employers, formerly incarcerated people can prepare themselves to overcome.
If employers won’t hire the formerly incarcerated, then the formerly incarcerated can take a different tactic. In an effort to help, I’ve made it my mission to reach out to entrepreneurs who can offer guidance. That strategy carried me through 26 years in prison and it has led to a successful transition into society. Anyone can do the same.
I cold called Brandon Lucero, CEO of Sold With Video. He’s a leading expert on teaching business owners how YouTube marketing can bring in more customers. After explaining challenges the formerly incarcerated face in finding employment, I asked Brandon to be a guest on my Earning Freedom podcast. During our 30-minute podcast, Brandon taught our listeners strategies he used to launch his business without having any money at all.
Brandon advised that anyone, including the formerly incarcerated, could use YouTube to create an income from nothing more their phone and the willingness to try. If they had a talent, skill, or commitment, they could find all the customers they wanted by following the same steps that he used to build Sold With Video.
The first step, Brandon advised, was to consult the Google Keyword Planner Tool. It’s free! After signing in with Google, they could begin searching for the types of “keywords” that people use to find specific products or services they need. For example, Brandon advised, if a person became an expert in fitness while in prison, and wanted to work as a personal trainer, Brandon suggested the person could type personal trainer into the search bar. The Google Keyword Planner tool would offer ideas for other search terms that visitors might use.
By researching keywords, Brandon advised, a person could find problems people were struggling with and wanted to solve. Then, with nothing more than a smartphone, a person with a commitment to succeed could create a video. The Video would show people how to solve the problem. Rather than using the video to give the “why” for the problem, he suggested that the video should be direct—offering answers for the problem that the customer wants to solve. If it’s a recipe for gluten-free cookies, Brandon urged listeners to film a video showing the recipe rather than explaining the benefits of gluten-free cookies.
After making the video, Brandon explained the next step would be to publish the video on YouTube. To make sure that viewers would find the video, Brandon advised people to use the keyword in the title. He suggested that the video description include the keyword. To give an added boost, he advised people to include a keyword-rich transcript into the video as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqYOjxiCjw0 (steps to ranking videos/how to rank videos)
Brandon used that same strategy, he said, to launch his business. Without having any financial resources, he walked into local businesses and offered a value proposition. For $1,000, he would film a video and make sure the video ranked on the first page of Google. At the time, he said that he didn’t even have a camera. When a business owner recognized the value, Brandon landed his first customer. He used the first payment to purchase the necessary camera and went to work. Since then, he has repeated the strategy over and over again to build a business that has generated six-figure revenues.
Instead of asking for a job, Brandon suggested that the formerly incarcerated should use the same strategies he used to build a successful business. By showing others how he could create value for them, he has thrived. And when selling services to help business owners generate more customers, no one asks about criminal background checks.
The formerly incarcerated can learn a great deal from successful entrepreneurs like Brandon Lucero. I know that I have!
Prison consultant Justin Paperny discusses ideas that defendants should consider. Many of those defendants hire lawyers blindly. Then, uninformed defendants make decisions that expose them to harsher sanctions. Listen and learn how to prepare.
Since concluding my 26-year journey through federal prison, I've been working toward prison and sentencing reform. The majority of work that I do doesn't generate any revenues. My strategy? I create revenues through other ventures, including real estate investing. Today's podcast shares a strategy that has been working for me.
Austin will soon stand before a federal judge for a sentencing hearing. He pleaded guilty to selling synthetic drugs. That guilty plea resulted in expectations of a federal prison sentence of between seven and nine years. He contacted me in search of information that would help him prepare. Since Austin didn't have the resources to retain me so that we could work together, I invited him on to the podcast so that I could provide some guidance he may consider in preparation for sentencing.
Help spread the word on why we should reform our prison system by subscribing, rating, and reviewing the Earning Freedom podcast on iTunes.
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Today I spoke with Chelsey for the first time in my office. We discussed bringing on a team of interns that she will oversee. I'm very excited to advance this process. Together we will get back on track to producing a new podcast every day.
Isaac Torres started off on the wrong track. He described himself as hanging out with bullies as a child. By the time he was 17, he dropped out of school and faced his first felony. He didn’t learn his lesson. A few years later his activities resulted in his being charged with another felony. Then he met a young woman who mentored him, convincing Isaac to pursue an education. After attending community college to earn his GED, Isaac advanced to earn an undergraduate degree and then a master’s degree. Now he is enrolled in a program that will lead to his earning a Ph.D.
Isaac created a program to reverse the trends of poor people. Through his group known as TheSeedsProgram.org, Isaac mentors young people who were in trouble with the law. He helps those people grasp the power of language. Those who’d like to learn more should visit Theseedsprogram.org. Or they can watch on YouTube by searching for Isaac Torres Poet. Write him directly at TheSeedsProgram@gmail.com.
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I'll be delivering a keynote presentation soon for prison administrators. The Washington State Department of Corrections invited me to make this presentation for prison administrators in several Western states. In today's podcast I did a reversal. The graphical slides that will accompany the presentation are available on my webiste at the following link:
Mastermind Course for Corrections--Keynote Slides
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Today I spoke with Melissa O’Dell. She gave me an inspiring story about why she works to help people in prison succeed.
Melissa works with the leadership team at Defy Ventures, a nonprofit organization that helps people with criminal backgrounds. They’ve created a program that teaches participants about the principals of entrepreneurship, matches participants with business mentors, and helps successful participants raise funding to launch their business ventures. One successful candidate, Seth Sundberg, made such a powerful presentation that he has received thousands of dollars in funding to launch Prison Bars. Check out his company:
I encourage listeners to get involved with Defy Ventures. Google has backed the organization with substantial funding. Defy Ventures serves thousands of people with criminal backgrounds, helping them to emerge as law-abiding, contributing citizens. Defy Ventures currently operates in several prisons and jails across the United States.
If you’re inclined to become involved, visit DefyVentures.org and learn how you can participate.
If your loved one is in prison and he wants to participate, reach out to the organization through Recruiting@defyventures.org and someone will respond with news on how to participate.
Facing a federal indictment? Then the time is now to begin learning how to master the journey ahead. That is why I created a webinar called:
I created a slide show to accompany the podcast. It's available at the following link:
If you haven't done so yet, please subscribe to the Earning Freedom podcast. Rate and review Earning Freedom so we can help more people understand America's prison system--and how to thrive through it.