How would you handle a life threatening situation? Kevin Donaldson is an ex-police officer whose life changed one night when he was shot at, and a bullet grazed his ear. His life after this event began spiraling down a dark black hole. It triggered post traumatic syndrome that led to thoughts of ending his life and trying to cope through heavy drinking. Kevin is a mesmerizing storyteller that leads us into his world of struggle and then finally finding a way to overcome. It is interesting to hear his story through the eyes of a police officer. He now has an incredibly popular nationally ranked podcast "The Suffering Podcast." As Kevin says, "Suffering is the way to sustainable success." Kevin helps people who are in a similar situation as his... find their way through the darkness to success.  Kevin Donaldson is a true Nightmare Success Story!

How do you flip the script on a really tough childhood? Shawn Medina had the type of childhood where both his parents were no help to his sister and him. They were shipped around in and out of foster care because his mom was strung out on drugs and his dad wasn't any better living 1000's of miles away with his own personal issues. Shawn is very open and honest about his own struggles that landed him in prison and then a return to prison on a violation of his probation. He leads us through his struggles and how he found his way.  He finally found his passion... met a woman that he loves, and operates Steel and Ink Tattoo Studio with his wife. This famed ink shop is not just doing award winning tattoos. Shawn and his wife have a passion for giving to the underserved communities and charities such as the Shriners, women's safe houses, Missouri Network and Opiate Reform, local school fundraisers, as well as, volunteering his time to help feed the homeless. Steel and Ink offers a financial scholarship program for graduating high school seniors from the area called, "Good Decisions." All the things that Shawn knew he needed growing up he tries to give back now using his success to elevate people in need.

Could you take a mess and make it into a powerful message? Travis Richey did exactly that! He is known as the Prison Education Czar in the United States. Travis is the man behind AccomplishED Ventures, the largest prison content provider in the U.S. Quite a journey that led him to his destiny. He had a tough childhood, his father struggled with drug addiction, and his mother worked hard to make ends meet. Travis got a scholarship and studied finance at the University of Miami. He became incredibly successful running an investment hedge fund. A knock on the door and life changed with Travis receiving a 2 year sentence due to a regulatory oversight in the State of Arizona. Those 2 years changed his mindset and purpose for life. AccomplishED Ventures is now on 750,000 inmate tablets in prison providing real hope for inmates to fix their lives and be a better part of society. His curriculum teaches life skills, job skills, entrepreneurial skills, and financial literacy. Travis is using his experience to change the narrative around incarceration and providing hope and opportunity for millions of incarcerated individuals who desire to change their lives. Wow! This is a feel good story. As Travis says, "You hold the pen to how you want to write your story!"

Did you like the movie "Catch Me If You Can"? Well, you will find Matt Cox fascinating. The episode of American Greed titled the episode "The Modern Day Bonnie and Clyde of Mortgage Fraud." His story has been chronicled on DATELINE NBC, FORTUNE magazine, and several others. Cox was a fugitive for over 2 years and ended up on the Secret Service Most Wanted list. Interestingly, there were always girlfriends assisting him with his cross country scheme. He had a strained relationship with his Dad. Matt was diagnosed with a learning disability early on. I believe, he was always trying to prove to his Dad that he was smart (Insurance Test Story)...with an IQ over 140 he was smart. He was finally captured and sentenced to 26 years in prison. While he was in, he began writing books for several inmates that he was incarcerated with. One of those inmates was Efraim Diveroli. That manuscript was made into a very popular movie titled "War Dogs." 

Matt began teaching a GED class in prison. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge about the business of real estate, and eventually began teaching a real estate class to inmates. Several of those inmates left prison and began successful real estate careers. I know Matt takes a lot of satisfaction with that. Matt now has a successful podcast titled "Inside True Crime with Matt Cox." He has several published books that can be found on Amazon. Matt is an entertaining storyteller and brutally honest about what he did and how he did it.

Can someone be sentenced to 10 years for selling marijuana? My guest, Stephanie Shepard, was.  She was a first time, non-violent offender from a two parent suburban household. Stephanie said, "I thought going to prison would never happen to me." Her story of being arrested is mindboggling. She was released after 9 years and 5 different prisons, in 2019. Her emotions about the experience are still gripping and raw with how she survived. She shares the things that she learned in prison, and how she uses it on the outside. She also discusses how she did specific things not to lose "herself" in prison.  Stephanie talks about the nervousness of getting back into society. How she had to fight for that first job opportunity. She is now a director of the Last Prison Project. LPP's mission is to set 1,000's of prisoners free that sit in prison for cannabis related convictions. President Biden, October 6th, pardoned 6500 with simple marijuana possession offenses. This is obviously a very current topic. The organization also helps with grants to help the ex-inmates get back into society who do not have a support system. Stephanie is using her experience to effect positive change and instill hope. She says, "It makes everyday worth it." This is a feel good story of overcoming!

Phillip "Uccikhan" Sample is a story of a complete life transformation. You will be immediately captured by the rawness and honesty of how Phillip describes his journey. In 1975, he was born into the toughest neighborhood in Detroit. He was raised between the slums of Detroit to the gang ridden streets of the Southside of Chicago. As a result of dysfunctional and unstable housing, ill-education and violence, Phillip became his environment. He joined a gang at 11 and became a leader of a gang at 14. He was eventually convicted of 3 counts of assault with intent to murder at 18 years old in a gang related war. He served 15 years in prison. He used the time to educate himself, studying psychology and what made him think the way he was thinking...undergoing a complete self-evaluation. Phillip was released after 15 years with a passion to amend past actions and rebuild the community he had helped to destroy. He established RAHAM Detroit (Response Able Hands and Minds). This organization is inspiring youth that there is an alternative to crime and incarceration. His organization is clearing and beautifying lots, building new homes, establishing areas of recreation, entertainment, and culture. Phillip's non-profit is teaching youth enduring life skills, that may continue the process of strengthening family and community bonds. Phillip has always had leadership skills...now he is using his experience to effect real change for the good. These young people admire and listen to him. He is the author of the book "The Passion Of The Life (Part 1) the life, death, and resurrection of Phillip A Sample." This is an inspiring story of hope, and hope never goes out of style! I would love to wave a magic wand and clone Phillip Sample nationwide!

Getting out of prison is an incredible feeling, but going in and out of prison can become a depressing cycle. How do you reach down deep in your soul and change that cycle? Harvey Galler has an unbelievable story of what put him back in prison the last time. He finally made the break, and changed his life. Harvey gives the listener an honest, real, description of how he climbed out to the right side of his life. It wasn't easy, but he has put in the work to stay on the right track. He earned a degree from Washington University. Once Harvey was released, he took it on himself to create an organization to help others who were being released from prison with the basics they needed to get started back in their lives. Harvey wanted to help others break the cycle of not returning back to prison. He is currently working on a documentary. Harvey has lived to step over his nightmare to be the man he wants to be.

Would you become a fugitive if you were looking at 25 years in Prison? Writer/Director Seth Ferranti did just that. He faked his suicide and landed on the US Marshals Top-15 Most Wanted list. He was finally captured and sentenced to 25 years in prison for selling marijuana and LSD. As a drug dealing teen, Ferranti sold drugs at 15 East Coast colleges, crisscrossing across five states. This story attracted media attention from The Washington Post, Rolling Stones, and others for this  first time, non-violent offender.

Seth did not waste his time in prison. He found a passion for writing. He also studied the trade earning a associates, bachelors, and masters degree while in prison. With unlimited access to criminals and their stories Ferranti began crafting raw portrayals of prison life and crack era gangsters. Seth wrote 22 books while in prison, while also penning columns in VICE, Don Diva, and others. He began building his brand from prison, Gorilla Convict. Ferranti became a true crime publisher documenting stories mainstream media refused to share. He became the most prolific writer of the War on Drugs era. 

In 2015, Seth was released from prison after 21 years behind bars. Seth hit the ground running, continuing his writing career penning pieces for VICE, The Daily Beast, and others. Ferranti teamed up  in Hollywood with Shawn Rech and Transitions Studios to make "White Boy", a feature documentary on Richard Wershe Jr., that aired on STARZ, and became a Top 10 hit on NETFLIX. There was also a movie "White Boy, Rick." He has over 5 documentary projects in production. This man is relentless. Each time you think he is down, Seth gets back up and even makes a louder statement of what he is doing and where he is going. This man does not stand on the sidelines. He jumps in the game making a difference!

Could you or would you kill your father if he sexually abused you for 10 years? Stacey Lannert did kill her father at the age of 18 and received a life sentence without parole. This is a story that has been covered by national media...Oprah Winfrey Show, 20/20, American Justice, CNN Nancy Grace, Glamour Magazine to name a few. Her story is honest and painful, but inspiring by how she survived. You feel her triumph. She never lost hope. Stacey's prison sentence was eventually commuted and then pardoned after 18 years in prison. Stacey got out of prison and was accepted into law school, and is now a Missouri State Public Defender Parole Revocation Defense Team Attorney. A great quote from Stacey, "No matter what has happened in our past, we choose the life we want to live. Never allow your past to dictate your future." Tune in to hear her powerful story!  Stacey is the author of the book, 'Redemption: A Story of Sisterhood, Survival, And Freedom Behind Bars' (Amazon).

Would you have the courage to post something on social media about your past, fearing it could possibly destroy the company you have built? That is exactly what my guest Andrew Gibbs-Dabney (Founder and CEO of Livsn Designs) did on LinkedIn because he knew it was time and he wanted to take back control of his story of going to prison. An investor had just backed out of a big funding deal with Andrew because they did a background check. Andrew decided he no longer wanted to be bullied with his past. He was going to stand out in front of his story and let the chips fall where they may. Andrew admitted he robbed a liquor store in his college years while in a Xanax and Oxytocin haze, knowing he owed a lot of money to bad people. He turned himself in and began treatment. He eventually was given leniency from a potential sentence of 40 years to serving 6 months in a hardcore Texas Bootcamp. If you failed the camp you had to do the rest of the long sentence. Andrew did his time, went back to school, got his degree, married his high school sweetheart and had two kids. He followed his passion for the outdoors, and became the founder and CEO of Livsn Designs, a very cool outdoor company that makes clothing for outdoor activities. The company was growing, but there was always the fear of the lifetime background check. Andrew published his personal story to LinkedIn, and a tidal wave of support followed in the comments. He received a flood of new investors who wanted to be part of his company because of his courageous story. The Outside Business Journal interviewed Andrew about his post and story. The steps Andrew has taken to get where he is today were not easy, but the story he shares with how he got to where he is today is certainly inspiring! The old fashion feel good, underdog, winning story!