In this bitesize  episode, Paul sits down with Stacey Putka for a conversation about life at Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility. Together, they unpack the emotional impact of walking into a room full of men serving serious sentences and discovering something unexpectedly human — real presence, eye contact, openness, and a level of vulnerability that challenged every stereotype.

Links to full episode: 

https://youtu.be/kiIAbi4h-sE?si=i0ovlqetG-nh-6SK

https://open.spotify.com/episode/6LyZ5vAkKhMov2CawfZTNI?si=gdU4jddpRNGG5U_o16q0SA

Stacey explains why she founded Breakthrough: because punishment alone doesn’t create healing, accountability, or safer communities. They tackle the hardest question head-on — are some people simply “bad”? — and Stacey offers a deeper framework: holding two truths at once (real harm was done, and real change is possible), while prioritizing accountability and protecting future victims through transformation.

About the Guest; Stacey Poka is the founder and Executive Director of Breakthrough, a U.S.-based nonprofit that delivers transformational programming inside prisons and provides practical, emotional, and community support after release. https://timetobreakthrough.org/about-us/

About the Host: Paul Ryan is a mentor,  eight-figure CEO and the host of The Inner Entrepreneur Podcast, where he explores what’s really going on beneath the surface of success — purpose, identity, values, leadership, and the inner work that shapes the outer results.  https://pauljryan.net/

Work with Paul: Paul works with seasoned entrepreneurs to clarify what’s next and align their life and business around what matters most.  https://pauljryan.net/