Escape The Odds

..Jacques Loftin did not imagine becoming an Airbnb expert while doing time for drug distribution. However,after seeing an oppurtunity in this new space she put her all in and now has properties in Atlanta,Miami,and Houston. In this episode she demystifies the Air BNB Game with great tips on setting yourself apart. Follow her on IG at iamjacquesr.

Watch video podcast www.Escapingtheodds.com Ed  Hennings , The Comeback coach , grew  up on the tough streets of Milwaukee  ,Wisconsin particularly in the zip code 53206 which has the highest incarceration rate of black men in the United States. So as you can see the Odds were hard to Escape.

 At 24,ED Hennings was sentenced to 40 years in prison for a homicide. After redeeming himself, he set on a path to change his life whether he was coming home or not. Ed was released in 2016 and has sent started a Trucking company with 5 trucks and recently sold his salon. He’s also an awarded wining author which has led to a growing Public speaking career. The comeback coach is motivating life to wholeheartedly believe that we can bounce back from any adversities. So as Ed says, Let’s GO!!!

EdHennings.com

Ryan Willis was most likely to succeed, receiving a scholarship to De Paul University in Chicago. However, the Chicago streets possessed an allure that Ryan chose not to escape. While attending college, Ryan seen an opportunity to sell cocaine and marijuana to the affluent students on campus. This behavior led to an arrest for possession with the intent to distribute , heroin,crack and marijuana. With his freedom uncertain , a sense Of hopelessness fell over Ryan as he thought about the dissapointment on his moms face. He knew that he  was better than jail and illicit hustles. 

Eventually, Ryan was convicted but later was able to receive an expungement of his record. He began to look at life and his career differently. With a knack for numbers and business, he embarked on learning the financial markets including crypto currency and running a successful TURO car rental business. This discussion was not only insightful but inspiring. You will hear how he lives life on his own terms, travels to a new  country once Per month and leads a cult like following with his Trade bangers investment group. @deanofforex to reach out to Ryan Willis .

In this 1st interview on his platform Aaron Smith sat down the co founder Yasaman Hadjibashi of Stretch finance( www.stretch.money) which is an online bank that provides banking/Full time employment to the formerly incarcerated about his life and all things finance. Aaron Smith is a native of the South Side of Chicago and lived in the Dearborn homes public housing and the South Shore area. He earned a bachelor degree in business Management from Columbia College of Chicago. It wasn’t long after that he began his journey within the criminal justice system.  In 2009, He was sentenced to 12 years in federal prison for Distribution of Heroin/Fentanyl  resulting in death. Aaron led a Heroin operation making upward to $15k per day while attending college and after. The business sense was there, but as he likes to say “ I was selling the wrong product, so I had to switch hustles” Aaron admits he loss himself in the streets and God used his incarceration as a way to gain freedom from his warped mindset. Aaron says, “he began to dream again and get back to the essence of who I was” while in prison.

He was  released from federal prison after 9 years 5 months in February 2019. With his belief In God and a lot of hard work his focus was to live out his passion of  entrepreneurship and make an impact through his Media company Escaping the Odds.In December 2019,  Aaron launched Escaping  the Odds Podcast as a way to build his social capital and tell amazing stories of redemption through business. He interviews the formerly incarcerated who are now successful entrepreneurs. His story has been featured on Fox 32 Chicago, the Wall Street Journal, Minnesota Business Journal. He’s the Recipient of 2021 Media for a Just Society Award in the  podcast/radio category.

escapingtheodds.com [email protected] , @iam_aaronsmith instagram

(watch full podcast video https://www.escapingtheodds.com/ )Befitting for a queen is the best way to describe Ms. CoCo Davis. Growing up on the West side of Chicago, Coco made a name for herself as a hustler distributing Kilos of Columbian produced Cocaine. Her status in the streets was that of a Queen pen but the fast life caught up with her in 1999. She was convicted and sentenced to 262 months in federal prison as a 1st time offender. I will let you all do the math. During her incarceration she became an author and upon her release she is now the founder Xsqusite Premiere banquet hall. In addition, Sisters of Support transitional housing and Founder of Talk2mefoundation.org. This is a remarkable story of switching hustles and bouncing back.

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Tat Jesus ( Rahman Morgan) learned how to tattoo while in prison which has taken him all over the country and provided a great life. He is an artist at the world renown 9 mag tattoo studio which is the basis of the hit reality show " Black Ink Chicago" on VH1 seen by millions every week. Tune in as he breaksdown his life in the system and the business of Ink. He can be reached on Instagram @tatjesus

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(watch full podcast video https://www.escapingtheodds.com/)

Pierre Baker is the best example of "Doing the time and not letting the time Do You" .He's been incarcerated for  marijuana and a robbery charge, but  some how created an online affiliate marketing business FROM PRISON . He started a thousand dollar business  before he left prison. This brother is unstoppable! I look forward to seeing what the future holds upon his release. Stay tuned! facebook @pierrebaker

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( Watch video podcast www.Escapingtheodds.com Pete "Esau" Keller made it out of one of Chicago's most dangerous housing projects. In and out of the penitentary and gun fights most of his life provided the experience to reach the youth with his organization ULON.life. He has penned an autobiograohy entitled Pete Keller, The Canrini Green Chronicles. This is a Must Read!!!

Antwoin "Chef fresh" Gutierrez,  At the age of 16, He demonstrated the 1st signs of of an emerging, but misguided entrepreneurial spirit when he began to sell illegal narcotics on the streets of New York. He eventually was incarcerated a few times and realized he had to Switch Hustles or spend his life cycling in and out of prison. Chef Fresh created FRESH TASTE BAKERY, a delicious brand of alcohol infused pastries served at some of the most prestigous events in the Country. Chef fresh has appeared on Good Morning America's and has worked closely with national liquor brands. Listen as he discusses his life and the Culinary Hustle.

2020 has been a crazy ride and as we close out our year l, I wanted to bring back some guest and catch up on their businesses. Coco Davis us a 9 time book Author, operates Talk2mefoundtion.org, she runs Sisters of Support transitional home, and Xqusite Premiere’ Event space in Chicago. She didn’t almost 14 years in federal prison.. Yohance Lacour us the CEO of YJL leather designs where he specializes in hand made bags and Sneakers. Yohance picked up this skill set while in Federal prison serving a 10 year drug sentence. He’s a sought out leather craft maker instructor.

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