July 20, 2025

How to Build Your Profile

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How to Build Your Profile

If the federal government has charged you with a crime, today is the day to start thinking seriously about your future. That indictment or press release isn’t just a line in the news—it’s a label with lasting consequences. It will follow you. But I want you to understand something critical:

  • You have the power to change the narrative.
  • You can restore your reputation.
  • And in doing so, you can restore your confidence.

The Weight of a Government Press Release

When you're under investigation or facing charges, it can feel like you're no longer in control of your life. Like someone else is pulling the strings—deciding where you go, what you say, what happens to your future. You become a marionette in someone else’s show.

I want you to stop, take a breath, and look at what the system is doing. Go to the U.S. Attorney’s website. Click through the press releases. They’re publishing stories every day: “Man sentenced for real estate scheme,” “Woman indicted for robbery,” “CEO convicted of fraud.” These headlines are powerful. They shape how the public sees you. They shape how the system will treat you.

But they do not have to define you.

A New Narrative Starts with You

My name is Michael Santos, and I made many bad decisions as a young man. At 20 years old, I made reckless choices. I saw Scarface and got seduced by a lie. I wasn’t a drug user—but I wanted the fantasy: the cars, the lifestyle, the power. That illusion led me into the world of cocaine trafficking.

I rationalized it: If I never touch the drugs, I’m not really breaking the law. That delusion brought me a 45-year prison sentence under the “Continuing Criminal Enterprise” statute. I entered the system at 23 years old.

But I refused to be defined by my worst decisions. Instead, while in solitary confinement, after reading about books that taught me how to think differently, I began working to build a new identity—one step at a time. I made a three-part plan:

  1. Educate myself.
  2. Contribute to society in meaningful, measurable ways.
  3. Build a strong support network.

I visualized success from the very beginning—even when I was in solitary confinement. I asked myself:

  1. "Who do I want to become?"
  2. "What do I want my legacy to be?"
  3. "How will I get there?"

Rewriting the Digital Record

Today, if you type “Michael Santos” into Google, you’ll see my story. You’ll find my books. You’ll read about how I earned university degrees while incarcerated, how I built a support system with professors, business leaders, and eventually even found the love of my life—my wife Carole—while serving time.

You’ll also see that I built a nonprofit that advocates for justice-impacted people like you. That didn’t happen by accident. That came from decades of intentional, consistent work—even while I was confined.

Why You Should Write Your Biography

This isn’t about me. This is about you. Our team created the platform to help people in prison memorialize their journey, and to assist with our advocacy. Anyone can participate. It’s free. Just take the first, most important step: Write your biography.

Ask yourself:

  • Who am I?
  • Where am I in my life right now?
  • What does success look like for me?
  • What steps am I taking to achieve that vision?

Your biography is more than words on a page. It’s a tool. A weapon. A defense. A seed that can blossom into opportunity, transformation, and early release.

How It Works

You don’t even need money. If your family or loved ones can help manage your account, great. If not, our nonprofit will sponsor you. We just want you to build that narrative. Build your support. Document your journey.

Then start writing to build your coalition of support:

  • Describe what you want to share about your past.
  • Show what you’ve learned and how you’re learning.
  • Outline your goals and how you plan to reach them.

Include what success means to you now—not just in terms of freedom, but in purpose and service.

Live as the CEO of Your Life

Don't wait for someone to hand you a second chance. Create it. Be the CEO of your life:

  • Build a plan.
  • Prioritize your daily actions.
  • Use tools and strategies that advance your goals.
  • Track your progress with real metrics.
  • Adjust when needed.
  • And above all—execute every day.

No one is going to give you a trophy just because you worked hard. You have to show results.

My Three Promises to You

If you're willing to walk this path, I make you three promises:

  1. I’ll never lie to you.
  2. I’ll never ask you to do anything I didn’t do.
  3. I’ll never charge you a penny for the resources I give away.

This work is my ministry. It’s my life’s purpose. And I believe in yours, too.

But you have to take the first step. You have to plant the seeds. You have to demonstrate who you are becoming, not just who you were.

Start Now

  • Have your family visit PrisonProfessors.org
  • Register for a free account.
  • Write your biography.
  • Be proud of the person you are becoming.

Reflection Questions:

  1. How do I want the world to see me five years from now?
  2. What choices am I making today to build that image?
  3. What steps can I take to restore trust—with society, with my family, with myself?
  4. How can I use my biography to show the transformation I've made?
  5. What legacy do I want to leave behind?

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