January 23, 2026: Friday

Advanced Courses

Working In the Mission and On the Mission

Prison Professors Charitable Corp is a non-revenue-generating organization. We do not charge for access. Every course, profile tool, and resource we provide is offered freely to anyone who wants to prepare for success and contribute positively to society.

A for-profit enterprise may strive to serve its customers well, but it ultimately measures success through a profit-and-loss statement. We do not earn financial profits. Our success is measured differently—by the impact we have on the lives of people who choose to become part of our community, and by the evidence we can present showing that preparation, discipline, and accountability lead to better outcomes.

Even so, we continue to rely on the same principles leaders use to build great organizations.

Still, in building our non-profit enterprise, I rely upon lessons I learned from business leaders and advisors. I remember one lesson from The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber. Gerber wrote about the importance of working on a business, not just in it. His insight was simple but powerful:

• if leaders spend all their time reacting to daily demands, they never build the systems required for sustainability and growth.

That lesson applies directly to our nonprofit work.

Working In Prison Professors

When I think about working in Prison Professors, I think about the day-to-day responsibilities that keep the mission moving. A significant portion of that time is devoted to requests and coordination with the Bureau of Prisons.

Our internal dashboard shows that more than 100 federal prisons now offer Prison Professors courses. Supporting that level of access requires ongoing communication, troubleshooting, reporting, and responsiveness. It takes time, focus, and consistency.

That work directly advances our advocacy. Every additional facility, every additional participant, strengthens our case for policy reforms that expand opportunities for people to earn freedom through merit.

Working On Prison Professors

At the same time, leadership requires me to step back and work on the organization.

Right now, that means focusing on sustainability.

To ensure that Prison Professors can continue offering everything free of charge, I’m devoting time to developing advanced, premium courses that will be offered through a separate sponsoring entity. That sponsor has asked me to develop two categories of courses:

1. Before Sentencing – Courses designed to help people prepare thoughtfully and strategically before a sentencing hearing.
   
2. After Sentencing – Specialized courses to assist people who want to recalibrate, document growth, and prepare for success after a judge imposes a sentence.
   

These offerings will go beyond our free resources. In addition to digital coursework, they will include interactive webinars, allowing participants to ask questions and gain deeper understanding of how to help themselves through disciplined preparation.

Our engineering team is currently building the infrastructure to deliver these programs. For now, my role requires me to work on the organization by creating the content, designing the structure, and ensuring alignment with our values.

The sponsoring entity has committed to donating 30% of all revenues it receives to sustain Prison Professors Charitable Corp. The remainder of revenues will fund jobs for formerly-incarcerated people, and cover the development costs.

This collaboration allows Prison Professors to remain true to our mission of offering everything free of charge. The new company will generate resources for our nonprofit that allows us to grow and make a larger impact.

Building something meaningful takes time, energy, and resources. I believe this effort will prove helpful for people who want more detailed guidance and deeper instruction than a free platform alone can reasonably provide.

At the same time, it strengthens the nonprofit’s ability to serve everyone—without charge, without barriers, and without compromising purpose.

• Working in the mission keeps us grounded.
• Working on the mission ensures it lasts.

Both are necessary if we want to build systems that reward excellence and expand pathways for people to earn freedom through merit.

• Think about what you’re working on today that will help you reach your future goals and potential.