Texas Prisoners Prepped for Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneur and Home Office Resources

Texas Prisoners Prepped for Entrepreneurship

Previous

Contents

Next

Entrepreneurship is an interesting characteristic. Some people become entrepreneurs on the wings of an amazing product invention. Others go into business because they are tired of working for someone else and want the freedom to be their own boss. And there are others who become entrepreneurs because they cannot find work with any company.

An example of the later group is Cedric Hornbuckle. In 2008, he started a moving company soon after being released from prison. After serving eight years of a 12-year sentence, Hornbuckle realized finding work as an ex-con would be difficult at best. Rather than go through countless interviews only to be rejected, he started his own business.

Hornbuckle had help from the system, however. In the final year before his parole, he entered the Prison Entrepreneurship Program. In a classroom environment, he brought his street learning and merged it with business school lessons. Hornbuckle says he always had an entrepreneurial side but used it in the wrong ways - hence his prison sentence for drug distribution.

The Prison Entrepreneurship Program picks candidates from Texas' 60 correctional facilities each year. Once accepted, prisoners are moved to the program's facility in Cleveland for the five-month program. Taught by volunteers from the business world, the entrepreneurship program is intensive.

The course covers business from marketing to accounting and inmates take regularly scheduled exams that measure their progress. During the course, they meet with business leaders to learn more of the process of running a business. Their final exam is a 30-minute oral presentation delivered to a panel of CEO's and venture capitalists from around the country.

Program participants receive assistance for reintegration into the world that includes housing, clothing, transportation, medical care and job assistance. Mentors follow their progress and assist with computers and other business tools through a business incubator center in Houston.

Hornbuckle is a proud graduate of the entrepreneurship program. He started his moving business with one small van and now has three large trucks and a mid-size staff. He and the program are proof positive that motivated people deserve a second chance.

You can talk about... Texas Prisoners Prepped for Entrepreneurship

Tags: • transportation • accounting • marketing • volunteers • classroom • freedom • invention • entrepreneurs • entrepreneurship • prisoners • texas • second chance • business incubator • business tools • business leaders • business school • finding work •

• Texas Entrepreneur Hires Those Without Hope (unusual business)
• Journalism Entrepreneurs Go Digital at Arizona State (digital age)
• Montana Hot Spot for Economic Development (economic development)
• Building Connections (small medium enterprises)
• More related articles for Building Connections

Previous

Contents

Next

• <a href="http://article-library.office1000.org">Entrepreneur and Home Office Resources</a>
• <a href="http://article-library.office1000.org/second_chance">Texas Prisoners Prepped for Entrepreneurship (second chance); Entrepreneur and Home Office Resources </a>

Privacy & DMCA Policy -- Sitemap
second chance Texas Prisoners Prepped for Entrepreneurship