Starting a Business Employing Ex-offenders and Felons

Building a Business One Felon at a Time

Hi,

I am trying to start a business that employs ex-prisoners, primarily. I have a close family friend that has some theft charges from Indiana, (automatically felony in Indiana), the charges were placed on him by his Step-mother and a former girl friends mother after the Step mom told her she had pawn tickets indicating that her stepson pawned some of the womens' things,(given to him by the woman's daughter he was dating). Anyway, he is at heart a good kid and as time went on we found more kids that have ruined lives because of their not so loving family. I want to sell clothes and other popular items to teens and middle twenties types that are created and sold by former inmates.

I would like to see if former inmates that have a piece of a business and pride in what they do, while making some cash to live, will stop the pattern of repeat jail terms.
I have been trying to find more funds and was hoping you can help me so I can help them.

Leslie

Starting a Business Employing Ex-offenders and Felons

Hello Leslie,

This is certainly a worthy endeavor. Often I encourage those choosing to start a business is to contact the Service Corps of Retires Executives (SCORE.) SCORE is a nonprofit association dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small business start, grow and succeed nationwide. There are both pros and cons to ex-offenders and felons starting businesses over getting jobs. You can get more information here and the locations in Indiana here:

http://www.score.org/findscore/index.html