MasterClass with Greg

At Prison Professors, our MasterClass lessons are designed to inspire individuals—regardless of their past—to create a brighter future. Whether you’re reading this in a printed workbook or accessing our resources online at PrisonProfessors.org, our message remains the same:

📘 It’s never too early—and never too late—to transform your life.

The future holds more opportunities than the past, especially for those who take the time to prepare.

Today’s MasterClass draws from our collaboration with Greg Vogle, a dedicated volunteer with our nonprofit. Greg participated in a one-hour video interview and worked closely with me to develop this written lesson. I invited Greg to contribute because of his extensive experience as a business builder, job creator, and community leader.

In our conversation, Greg shared how he built multiple successful companies—without formal credentials, without startup capital, and without any built-in advantages. His journey is a powerful example of values-driven leadership and resilience—and it’s one we can all learn from.

If you don’t have access to the video, don’t worry—this lesson provides everything you need in written form. Whether you’re reading this from a prison cell, a county jail, or a reentry program, Greg’s story carries powerful lessons for you.

He shows us that:

✅ You don’t need permission to succeed.
✅ You don’t need a business degree.
✅ You don’t need a perfect past.

What you do need is the right mindset—and a solid plan.
This lesson is designed to help you build both.

Let’s begin.

👤 Who Is Greg Vogle?

Greg Vogle didn’t grow up with wealth or privilege. He was raised in a small farm town in Ohio, where his father worked full-time as a carpenter and part-time maintaining 178 acres of land. From a young age, Greg learned the value of hard work, discipline, and doing what needs to be done—even when no one is watching.

By the time he was ten, Greg had already launched his first side hustle: selling apples and candy to other kids at school. He didn’t learn that in a classroom. He learned it by paying attention to what people wanted—and finding a way to meet that need.

Greg was a solid student in elementary school. But as life got more complicated, school became less of a priority. Still a teenager, he moved out on his own, became a full-time pizza manager, and eventually stepped away from the traditional academic path.

But Greg never stopped learning.

Even without a college degree, he taught himself how to read financials, build websites, structure deals, and buy and sell companies. Over time, he built successful businesses in auto detailing, satellite phones, e-commerce, and business acquisitions—often with little or no money to start.

His story proves what we teach every day at Prison Professors:

💡 You don’t need credentials to create value.
💡 You don’t need investors to build trust.
💡 You don’t need a second chance—you need a first step.

Greg built value from scratch. And in this lesson, you’ll learn how to do the same—starting from where you are, with what you have, right now.

🔑 Key Insight: Don't Wait

Greg Vogle didn’t wait for a job offer. He didn’t wait for permission. He didn’t even wait for money.

He just got started.

In high school, Greg was already finding ways to make things happen. He noticed a small gap in the school vending machine: apples cost just ten cents. So he purchased a few on his own, and then marked them up for resale. He bought candy in bulk, broke it into singles, and sold those too. He turned spare change into a few dollars a day. More than anything, he learned the basics of business: keep your eyes open for what people wanted. Then, create a mechanism to give them what they want.

After high school, Greg kept chasing opportunity. He gave the Amway model a try—a business that promised freedom, income, and residuals. But when he sat his friends down to pitch the idea, they laughed. Greg quit.

❗Key Insight: It’s easy to stop when other people laugh. It’s harder—but much more valuable—to keep going.

So Greg dusted himself off and came up with a new idea.

He loved guitars. Music stores always caught his attention—the shine of new instruments, the vibe, the energy. Those thoughts inspired him to learn more about how he could launch his own music store. He didn’t just dream about the idea of launching a business, he put in time to work and build a plan.

Greg was only 17 years old, but he began by gathering information. He started calling guitar manufacturers, asking for wholesale price lists. He collected catalogs. He studied margins. He drafted a full business plan and calculated how much it would take to open the store. When he put everything together, he reasoned that he would need $250,000 in working capital to get off the ground.

In other words, before he would take in $1 in revenue, he reasoned that he would need to invest $250,000 to gather the inventory, get the space, and get people in the door to begin purchasing his products.

Confident in his plan, Greg said that he approached the one person he thought might believe in him—his grandfather.

The answer?

“No.”

Greg didn’t get angry. He didn’t spiral. He learned a lesson.

Just because you see the vision doesn’t mean everyone else will see the vision.
And sometimes, that’s okay.

In hindsight, Greg can look back and recognize that his grandfather’s “no” wasn’t rejection—it was wisdom.

Greg was still a teenager. He had no business track record. No collateral. No experience managing large teams, handling money, or overseeing inventory.

He had a dream.
But he hadn’t proven himself in the marketplace.

And that brings us to an important concept that applies to anyone trying to launch a business—especially if you're just starting out:

💰 Two Ways to Raise Capital

If you want to raise $250,000 for a business—or even $25,000—there are really only two paths:

1. Debt: You borrow the money, with a promise to pay it back over time—usually with interest. That could mean every month, you owe a lender, whether or not your business is making money. It could also mean that you structure some other type of repayment plan. Either way, with debt, you owe the money, regardless of whether the business performs.
2. Equity: You offer a piece of ownership in your company to someone in exchange for their investment. That person becomes a partner. They take a share of future profits, and sometimes, a share of decision-making.

Each path comes with trade-offs.

✅ With debt, you keep full control of your business. But you take on pressure—and risk. If your business struggles, you still owe the lender.

✅ With equity, you lower your personal risk—but you give up a piece of ownership. That might be fine if you build something huge. But it also means sharing the rewards.

In Greg’s case, neither was realistic at the time. He didn’t have credit. He didn’t have collateral. And he didn’t have a proven track record to make an equity investor feel secure.

So when the guitar shop didn’t work out, he did something very smart:

He chose a business model that didn’t need capital.

He turned his attention to the automotive industry. He always loved cars and he enjoyed cleaning cars, and took pride in his work. He started to think about launching a service business—auto detailing—that required:

• No storefront
• No expensive inventory
• No employees at the start
• No debt or investors

He had a bucket, some wax, and a willingness to hustle.

That shift made all the difference.

🧠 Lesson: Bootstrap Until You Break Through

We live in a culture where people celebrate raising money.

But the best entrepreneurs—especially those with something to prove—start small.
They build what’s called a minimum viable product: a version of their service or product that’s good enough to test in the real world.

That’s called bootstrapping—starting with what you’ve got.

Greg did it. I did it. You can do it, too.

If you can build a business that doesn’t require a loan or a partner, you hold all the cards. You learn faster. You adapt quicker. And you’re less likely to get crushed by pressure.

Then, when you do prove yourself, raising money becomes easier.
Because you’re not just pitching a dream—you’re pitching results.

✍️ Reflection Prompt

• Have you ever had an idea that felt “too big” to start?
• How could you test a smaller version of it—with less risk?
• What resources or skills do you already have that cost nothing—but could create value?

📘 A Lesson Inside the Lesson:
What Greg thought would take $250,000—and a bank loan or investor—he ultimately built with sweat equity, elbow grease, and a few dollars for wax and supplies.

• He didn’t need a storefront.
• He didn’t need a college degree.
• He didn’t need approval.

What he needed was belief in himself—and one person to believe in him, too.

Greg’s auto detailing company soon earned $2,000 to $3,000 a week in revenue—over $100,000 a year. And remember, this was 30 years ago. Adjusted for inflation, that would be significantly higher today.

That business became the foundation for everything that followed. And it came after two failed attempts—Amway and the guitar shop.

🧱 What You Can Learn from Greg’s Early Journey

• Failure isn’t final. Greg’s early businesses didn’t succeed. But each one taught him what to do next.
• Mentorship matters. When someone connected him with a man who had the tools and belief, Greg’s business launched overnight.
• Start small, but smart. He used skills he already had—cleaning cars—to build a business that had low overhead, no debt, and huge upside.
• Plan first—but stay flexible. His guitar store plan didn’t pan out. But the act of researching and planning prepared him to launch his next idea faster.

✍️ Reflection Prompt

• Have you ever had an idea you didn’t pursue because someone else said “no”?
• What’s one small skill you already have that could solve a problem for someone else?
• Who might be willing to mentor or guide you—if you were brave enough to ask?

Write your answers. Add them to your Prison Professors Talent profile. These early reflections are part of your long-term success plan.

🚀 Detailing Cars to the Digital Economy

Thanks to his mentor’s offer to send out a flyer announcement on Greg’s auto detailing business via the fax machine, Greg business took off. He had more customers than he could handle. He learned more about operating a business and hired a small crew. Greg said that with the high demand, he worked long hours, perfecting the art of making cars shine—and he made real money doing it.

In less than two years, Greg was earning several thousand dollars each week, and after all expenses, he cleared more than $100,000 annually. It was a remarkable accomplishment for a young man with no college degree and no outside investment, especially considering that he earned such wages more than 25 years ago.

Despite the massive earnings, Greg started looking for new opportunities. Being ambitious, with a desire to grow, he started looking for a new path that wouldn’t require him to spend so many hours working in the hot sun, with revenues depending on weather, physical labor, or long days out in the heat.

Greg didn't just dream about new opportunities, he made a bold decision to sell the business he built to one of his employees. That move taught him one of the most valuable—and painful—lessons of his early career.

💸 The Sale That Didn’t Work Out

Greg had built his business from scratch. It was clean, profitable, and efficient. He assumed that selling it would be easy. He offered the business to someone who had worked alongside him—a team member whom he had brought in, nurtured, and mentored along the way. Since his employee knew the process, the clients, and the equipment, Greg believed it would be a great win-win situation.

They agreed on a price, and since the employee didn't have much in the way of capital, Greg agreed to set up a long-term payment plan. He anticipated getting a regular check each week that he could depend upon while he set out to launch something new. Unfortunately, the buyer of Greg's business didn't have Greg’s drive.

Over time, the business crumbled. The new owner filed for bankruptcy. Greg lost the payments he was owed. Worse, he lost the equipment and vans that had once made his business thrive.

The whole thing disappeared.

📘 Lesson Learned:
Greg later realized he could have protected himself with a UCC-1 filing—a legal document that would’ve put a lien on the company assets until the debt was repaid. It would’ve cost just $20 to file. But he didn’t know that at the time.

📘 Understanding UCC Filings and Collateralization 

A UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) filing is a legal tool that secures an interest in the assets of a debtor to ensure repayment of a debt. Specifically, a UCC-1 filing creates a public record indicating the creditor's claim on specific collateral, like equipment, vehicles, or inventory. This mechanism legally protects creditors by ensuring they have priority in recovering assets or income if the debtor defaults. 

Collateralization, which is the act of securing a loan with assets, plays a crucial role here. By filing a UCC-1, the creditor establishes their right to those assets should the borrower fail to meet their obligations. This not only reduces financial risk for creditors but also creates a framework of security in business transactions. For entrepreneurs like Greg, understanding and utilizing UCC filings can be a simple, cost-effective way to protect income and business assets against potential loss. It’s an essential tool for mitigating risk in deals involving credit or loans.

It was a painful lesson—but a powerful one.

📌 If you’re going to sell a business, document everything. Protect your assets. Know the risks.

Still, Greg didn’t wallow in regret. He went back to work.

🍕 Humility at Papa John’s—and a New Mentor

After losing the detailing business, Greg didn’t sit around waiting for the next opportunity to land in his lap.

He got a minimum wage job delivering pizzas for Papa John’s. It was humbling. He had gone from earning $3,000 a week to clocking in at an entry-level job.

Instead of complaining, Greg stayed open to new ideas. One night, while talking with a friend at work, he heard about someone named Jim—an ex-professor with a Ph.D. who was experimenting with web development and digital marketing. Greg took the initiative to reach out.

That connection changed everything.

Woody Allen once famously said, “Eighty percent of success is showing up.” This simple, yet profound statement encapsulates the idea that taking action—however small—can open doors to unexpected opportunities. For Greg, reaching out to Jim was his version of "showing up." Despite his circumstances, Greg didn’t retreat into self-pity or inaction. Instead, by staying curious and taking the initiative to connect with someone new, he positioned himself for growth. The act of showing up led to the pivotal moment that would redirect his life, proving that forward momentum often starts with just taking the first step.

💻 Discovering the Internet—and Learning to Build

This was the late 1990s. The internet was still new, and relatively few people understood how to make sense of the slowly loading web pages. It was an era before Google, or mass adoption, yet Greg saw something opportunities with the new technology, and he wanted to become a pioneer in building a web-based business. He could see that the internet would change the way that business worked.

He started learning everything he could.

Jim became his mentor. Together, they tried building websites for clients, offering search engine optimization, and experimenting with e-commerce. It was slow going. They made barely any money at first. Yet they persevered, staying with the commitment to build.

• They studied how people found products online.
• They learned how to build digital storefronts and shopping carts.
• They studied customer behavior.

Then came the break.

One of their long-distance suppliers called and said, “We’ve got some satellite phones. We can’t move them in our store. Think you can sell them online?”

Satellite phones, often referred to as sat phones, are specialized mobile devices that communicate directly with orbiting satellites rather than relying on traditional cellular networks. This unique capability allows them to provide reliable communication in remote areas where standard cell coverage is unavailable. They became essential tools for adventurers, emergency responders, military personnel, and professionals working in geographically isolated locations such as deserts, mountains, or open seas. Satellite phones were particularly valued for their ability to function in extreme conditions, making them a critical lifeline during disaster recovery efforts or when traveling through areas with no infrastructure.

Greg and his partner agreed to the new business proposition, even though they didn’t know anything about satellite phones. They knew that if they could buy a product for a lower price, and customers were willing to pay a higher price, they would have a business. To get started, they took photos of the phones, wrote product descriptions, and began listing their web-based storefront on search engines like Yahoo.

📦 Their first sale? $14,000.

It was the moment everything changed.

🔑 Lessons from the Leap to E-Commerce

Greg didn’t know what a satellite phone was at first. But he knew how to learn.

And he knew how to sell.

As more orders came in, Greg and Jim sourced the phones directly from a Canadian wholesaler. The purchase price was $2,300. They sold them for $3,997—earning a margin of approximately $1,700 per unit.

• They built their own storefront.
• They handled logistics.
• They managed customer service.
• They even added a rental model and became airtime providers—building multiple revenue streams from one product.

It all started with a failed business sale, a job delivering pizzas, and a willingness to say “yes” to learning something new. Greg put himself in the pathway of opportunity.

✍️ Reflection Prompt

• Have you ever had to start over after a major setback?
• What could you learn from someone around you right now—if you were willing to ask?
• What skills could you start developing today that might open doors in a changing world?

📈 Scaling Up—and Stepping Away

Greg and Jim’s satellite phone business kept growing.

At first, they were just selling hardware—$4,000 satellite phones with a $1,700 margin. But as they listened to their customers, they discovered other needs.

Not everyone wanted to own a phone. Some just needed one for a trip.

So they created a rental model—offering satellite phones for a few days, a week, or a month. The numbers were simple: after just six weeks of rental income, a phone paid for itself. After that, it was pure profit.

Then came the next revenue stream: airtime.

Each satellite phone required a data plan, and airtime sold for nearly $3 per minute. Greg and Jim struck a deal with their supplier: if they billed the airtime directly, they could buy it wholesale at $1.40 and keep the markup.

They built a simple billing platform. It printed off invoices that looked like traditional phone bills. Suddenly, Greg wasn’t just a retailer—he was a service provider.

With these combined revenue streams—hardware sales, rentals, and airtime billing—the business grew to over $3 million a year in gross revenue, generating roughly $120,000 a month in net profit.

It was the kind of business most people dream about. Greg liked the business very much, and he enjoyed working with Jim, But after a couple of years, he felt a new urge to evolve. He wanted to learn something different. He wanted to use the experience—and the credibility—he had built to pursue a new challenge.

So he sold his 50% ownership stake to Jim.

They worked out a deal: Jim paid Greg a modest amount of cash up front, with the rest to be paid over time—funded directly by the business’s monthly profits. Greg had a guaranteed income stream. Now, he had time to launch his next venture.

🏢 Brokering Businesses—Becoming the Deal Maker

While running his satellite phone company, Greg developed a relationship with a pair of mentors who ran a carpet cleaning business. They often talked about marketing, growth, and systems.

One day, those mentors gave Greg a call:

“We just sold our company for $650,000,” they said.
“A business broker helped us do the deal.”

Greg’s ears perked up. “What’s a business broker?” he asked.

The answer changed his direction.

A business broker is like a real estate agent—but instead of selling houses, they help owners sell companies. They find buyers. Negotiate deals. And earn a commission—usually 10%—on the sale price.

Greg saw the potential immediately. He already understood how small businesses worked. He knew how to sell. And now, he saw a path to earn big money by connecting sellers and buyers.

So, once again, he invested in education.

Greg found a veteran business broker in New York, paid him to fly out to his home, and spent a full week learning everything he could:

• How to value businesses
• How to create contracts
• How to market a listing
• How to qualify buyers
• How to close a deal

Greg didn’t go back to school, take out loans, or bring in partners. He invested resources to accelerate progress, hiring a consultant who helped him gain invaluable experience. Once he felt confident, Greg jumped right in, taking action by running a newspaper ad:

“Looking to become a business broker. Training available.”

Ten people responded. He invited them to his living room, trained them using what he had just learned, and built his first brokerage team.

Each week, his team hit the streets—knocking on doors, asking business owners if they’d ever thought about selling.

Roughly 20% said yes.

Every Friday, the team returned to Greg with leads and contracts. Greg’s company then marketed the listings, connected with buyers, and helped close deals—earning 10% commissions.

On a $500,000 business, that meant $50,000—split between the broker and the company. The model worked.

It was repeatable, scalable, and the work opened new opportunities once Greg realized that some businesses shouldn’t be sold. They should be acquired.

💼 From Brokering to Flipping—and Then to Owning

Over time, Greg started to notice a pattern. Some business owners weren’t just looking to sell—they were desperate to get out.

• Maybe they were tired.
• Maybe their books were messy.
• Maybe they didn’t know how to grow.
• Maybe the business made money, but the owner had lost steam.

Greg started spotting “diamonds in the rough.”

One of the first examples came in the form of a company selling luxury cigar humidors online—$3,000 to $4,000 units that preserved high-end cigar collections. The business was still profitable—about $50,000 a year—but the owner was burned out.

“I just want out,” the seller said. “I’ll let it go for $17,000.”

Greg saw the opportunity. A few days later, a friend called Greg and said he wanted to buy a small online business. His budget? $60,000. Spotting an opportunity, Greg did something creative. He signed a contract to buy the cigar humidor business for $17,000.

Then he signed a second contract to sell the same business—for $60,000—to the friend who had called.

Greg never spent a dime of his own money. He connected two people, solved two problems, and pocketed the $43,000 spread.

That’s what we call flipping—buying low, selling high, and capturing the margin in between.

Over time, Greg flipped dozens of small businesses.

Some businesses generated $1,500 or $2,000 a month. It was the equivalent of the income that might come from owning a duplex or a few vending machines. Others were larger. Some businesses he sold. Some he kept. The point is: he knew how to spot opportunity.

And because of that, Greg eventually transitioned from broker to buyer.

He built a due diligence team. He studied financials. He learned how to clean up messy books, organize marketing systems, and restructure operations so that a business could grow—or sell. He became what’s called a turnaround specialist—someone who takes a struggling business and brings it back to life.

• Sometimes, he partnered with investors.
• Sometimes, he brought in operators.
• Sometimes, he just cleaned up the business, told its story more clearly, and flipped it to someone who needed it.

🔁 Why This Matters for You

Greg’s story is full of reinvention.

• He started as a farm kid.
• He became a candy hustler.
• Then a car detailer.
• Then a pizza delivery driver.
• Then a satellite phone entrepreneur.
• Then a business broker.
• Then a flipper.
• Then an acquirer.

At each stage, he used the same tools:

✅ Initiative
✅ Curiosity
✅ Discipline
✅ Willingness to learn
✅ Humility to start small
✅ Courage to start over

And those are tools anyone can develop—even from inside prison.

✍️ Reflection Prompt

• What stage are you in right now?
• Are you building? Rebuilding? Learning? Waiting?
• What would it take to start seeing yourself as a builder of value?
• What’s one area where you could become a problem-solver—not someday, but today?

📘 Lessons from Greg’s Journey

Start Where You Are

Greg didn’t wait until he was rich. He didn’t wait until he was “ready.” He started where he was.

📍 He used apples and candy to build his first micro-business.
📍 He launched a mobile car detailing business with just a few tools and sweat equity.
📍 That business made him over $100,000 a year—and he sold it to an employee.

Reflection Prompt:

• What skills or tools do you already have that others value?
• How could you turn that into a service or project?

Use Each Business as a Stepping Stone

Greg’s businesses weren’t random. Each one taught him something new—and those lessons stacked over time.

🧱 His auto detailing business taught him to sell and manage.
🧱 His satellite phone business taught him e-commerce and margins.
🧱 His brokering business taught him negotiation and valuation.
🧱 His current work focuses on acquiring underperforming companies and growing them.

Each chapter built on the last. You can do the same.

Reflection Prompt:

• What job, hustle, or program are you involved in now?
• What lessons could you take from it to build your next opportunity?

Find a “Who,” Not Just a “How”

Greg learned from mentors. He paid experts to train him. He didn’t try to figure everything out alone.

That philosophy came from a book he recommends: Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy.

Instead of asking, “How do I do this?”
Ask: “Who already knows how—and can help me?”

In prison, your “who” might be a teacher, mentor, cellmate, or chaplain. Outside, it might be someone who sees your potential.

Reflection Prompt:

• Who in your current environment could help you grow?
• What could you ask them to teach you?

Document Everything—Like a Business Manual

When Greg built businesses, he thought like a system.

🗂 He documented processes.
🧾 He organized financials.
📊 He made his businesses easy to understand—and easy to sell.

Reflection Prompt:

• How are you documenting your personal growth today?
• What systems are you building for your future?

Take Full Responsibility

Greg didn’t wait for permission to grow. He didn’t blame the system. He didn’t make excuses. He kept moving forward—even when things fell apart.

When one of his buyers defaulted and filed bankruptcy, Greg didn’t quit. He learned. And next time, he structured a better deal.

He kept showing up. He kept leveling up. He kept taking ownership.

So can you.

Reflection Prompt:

• What mistake have you made that taught you something valuable?
• How can you turn that experience into a strength?

💬 Journal Prompt

• Think about a time when you solved a problem—no matter how small.
• What did you do? What did it teach you?
• How could that experience help you build something in the future?

Write your answer. Add it to your Prison Professors Talent profile. Use it to show your growth.

📚 Recommended Reading from Greg

Members of our community know that we encourage participants to write and publish book reports to show their intentional pursuit of learning. Read with intention by writing book reports. When Greg and I worked together to build this supplemental reading list, we decided to author some book reports, using our system of writing why we chose to read a book, what we learned from reading a book, and how reading such a book would contribute to success in the future, or upon release. Consider this system and see how it could strengthen your self-advocacy.

📘 Why I Chose to read See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar

I chose See You at the Top because of what I learned from Greg Vogle’s MasterClass. During his interview with Prison Professors, Greg said this was the first self-help book he ever read—and that it completely changed the way he saw the world. At the time, Greg didn’t know there were books that could help a person grow into the best version of themselves. But after reading this one, he committed to a lifetime of learning.

I wanted to understand what made this book so powerful for Greg. If it helped him take control of his life and build businesses from scratch, I knew it could help me build something better for myself, too.

🔍 What I Learned from reading See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar

Zig Ziglar’s message is clear and consistent throughout the book: “You can have everything in life you want, if you just help enough other people get what they want.”

That idea hit me hard.

In prison, it’s easy to get caught up in survival mode—thinking only about your own problems. But Ziglar challenges us to flip the script: focus on how we can add value to others. Success isn’t about selfishness. It’s about service.

Some other major lessons I took from the book:

• Attitude matters more than circumstances. We may not control where we start, but we do control how we respond.
  
  
• Self-image is the foundation of success. If you don’t believe you’re worthy, you’ll sabotage every opportunity that comes your way.
  
  
• Goals must be written, specific, and measurable. A goal that’s not written down is just a wish.
  
  
• Discipline and repetition build confidence. There are no shortcuts—just consistent daily effort.
  
  
• People don’t climb to the top—they grow to the top. Personal development is the path to freedom, whether you’re behind the walls or on the outside.
  
  

Ziglar uses stories, humor, and real-life examples to bring these lessons to life. He writes like he’s cheering you on—and it made me want to cheer for myself, too.

🎯 How Reading See You at the Top by Zig Ziglar contributes to my success

This book reminded me that change starts on the inside. If I want to build a better future, I need to start by building a better mindset. Ziglar showed me that I don’t have to wait for my sentence to end before I start preparing for success.

He gave me tools I can use now:

• I’ve started writing down my goals.
  
  
• I’ve started journaling about my attitude and thoughts each day.
  
  
• I’ve made a list of people I can help—right here, right now.
  
  

I know that if I make myself valuable—if I focus on helping others—then I will create opportunities to succeed, just like Greg did.

After release, I want to build something. I may not know what that looks like yet, but I now know what the foundation has to be: a strong mindset, a clear purpose, and a heart for serving others.

That’s what See You at the Top taught me. And I’ll carry that with me—inside and out.

‍

Why I Chose to Read Who Not How by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy
I chose Who Not How because of how often Greg Vogle referenced it in his MasterClass with Prison Professors. Greg explained that this book introduced him to a whole new way of thinking. Instead of always asking himself “How can I do this?”, he started asking “Who can help me make this happen?”

That question helped Greg launch multiple businesses, avoid years of trial and error, and fast-track his growth. Since I don’t always have access to resources, I wanted to learn how I could apply this mindset in my own life—starting now.

🔍 What I Learned from Reading Who Not How

The central idea of the book is simple but powerful:

‍Stop asking “How can I do this?” and start asking “Who can help me do this?”

Most of us believe we have to figure everything out on our own. Especially in prison, it can feel like you’re isolated or limited to what you personally know. But Sullivan and Hardy challenge that belief. They show how true growth comes not from doing more ourselves, but from finding the right people to collaborate with—people whose strengths fill in for our weaknesses.

Some of the key lessons I took from the book:

• Asking “how” creates friction. Asking “who” creates momentum.
  
  
• Collaboration isn’t cheating—it’s leadership. The best leaders focus on results, not ego.
  
  
• Time is more valuable than money. “Whos” help you get farther, faster, by saving time.
  
  
• Great ideas don’t matter without execution. And you don’t have to execute alone.
  
  
• Relationships are assets. The more people you help, the more “Whos” you attract.
  

The book also emphasizes the importance of trusting others, letting go of control, and creating a clear vision for what you want—so others can help you build it.

🎯 How Reading Who Not How Will Help My Future

This book gave me a new way to think about success. Instead of asking myself, “How will I do everything on my own?”, I’m starting to ask:

• Who can teach me the skills I need?
  
  
• Who already knows how to do this well?
  
  
• Who would benefit if I succeed—and how can I invite them in?
  
  

Inside, I’ve started identifying my “Whos”:

• A GED tutor who helped me understand math
  
  
• A chaplain who gave me my first business book
  
  
• A mentor who helped me start writing my release plan

I’ll always need more Whos—people who believe in second chances, who understand reentry, and who are building something I can contribute to.

I don’t have to do everything myself. I just need to know who to call, who to serve, and who to learn from.

That’s the lesson of this book—and it’s one I’ll carry forward for the rest of my life.

Why I Chose to Read Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki

I chose Rich Dad Poor Dad because it’s one of the most recommended books on financial literacy and wealth-building. In the MasterClass with Greg Vogle, he mentioned how important this book was in shaping his entrepreneurial mindset. Since I want to develop better habits with money—and eventually build something of value—I wanted to learn the lessons that influenced Greg and millions of others.

I also chose this book because I want to break the cycle. I’ve made financial mistakes in the past, and I didn’t grow up with people who taught me about ownership, investing, or cash flow. This book gave me a new way to think about money and the future.

🔍 What I Learned from Reading Rich Dad Poor Dad

Robert Kiyosaki tells the story of being raised by two father figures:

• His biological father—the “Poor Dad”—was educated, had a steady job, and believed in job security.
  
  
• His friend’s father—the “Rich Dad”—was a business owner and investor who believed in financial independence and making money work for you.

The biggest lessons I took from this book include:

• Assets vs. Liabilities: Rich people buy assets that put money in their pocket. Poor people buy liabilities that take money out of their pocket.
  
  
• Work to learn, not just to earn: A job can teach you skills, but financial freedom comes from applying those skills to build systems and investments.
  
  
• Financial education matters: Schools rarely teach how money really works. We must take responsibility for our own education.
  
  
• The poor trade time for money. The rich use money to buy time.
  
  
• Fear and comfort keep people trapped in the rat race. You need courage to break free.
  

Kiyosaki makes complex ideas simple, and he challenges a lot of what society teaches about money. I realized that I’ve been stuck in the “Poor Dad” mindset most of my life—and it’s time to make a shift.

🎯 How Reading Rich Dad Poor Dad Will Contribute to my Success

This book taught me that wealth isn’t about luck, connections, or even having a high-paying job—it’s about how you think. I now understand that freedom comes from building assets—things like:

• A business that earns money without me being there
  
  
• Rental properties
  
  
• Royalties or intellectual property
  
  
• Investments that grow over time
  

Even while I'm incarcerated, I can start developing the mindset and skills I’ll need:

• I’m learning how to write clearly and communicate with purpose
  
  
• I’m studying how small businesses work
  
  
• I’m working on self-discipline, patience, and long-term thinking
  
  
• I’m reading books that give me a financial foundation
  

I won’t be chasing a job—I’ll be building a future. And Rich Dad Poor Dad gave me the blueprint for how to think like an owner, not an employee.

I can’t fix the past. But I can build an asset out of the choices I make today.

✍️ Build Your Own Story

• Greg didn’t have a résumé. He had results.
• He didn’t ask for a job. He built his own.
• And he documented every step.

If you want to build a better future—inside or out—you need to:

✅ Create a personal plan
✅ Set measurable goals
✅ Write daily journal entries
✅ Read books and reflect on them
✅ Develop a release strategy
✅ Build your support network
✅ Show your work

That’s what your Prison Professors Talent profile is for.

🧱 It’s your business manual.
🧱 It’s your record of transformation.
🧱 It’s your asset when advocating for clemency, early release, or employment.

No one should work harder for your liberty than you.

🧠 Final Reflection Prompts

• What kind of business would you start if nothing held you back?
• What skills do you need to develop to make that happen?
• What support do you need—and who could help you get there?
• How can you document your progress starting today?

Write your answers. Add them to your profile. Let your story speak for itself.

Greg Vogle’s story reminds us that anyone can build something of value. He didn’t have money. He didn’t have a degree. But he had a vision, discipline, and the courage to take the first step.

You can do the same. Build your mindset. Build your profile. Build your future. Be the CEO of your life.

‍