Founded in May 2004, PEP is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Houston, Texas. The mission of PEP is to stimulate positive life transformation for executives and inmates, uniting them through entrepreneurial passion, education and mentoring.

PEP engages the nation’s top business and academic talent in this innovative solution by creating high-impact service opportunities. We constructively redirect inmates’ talents by equipping them with values-based entrepreneurial training—enabling them to productively re-enter society.

See our value chain.

Catherine Rohr is the founder of PEP. Prior to founding PEP, Catherine worked in private equity as Director of Investment Development for American Securities Capital Partners in New York City, and as a venture capitalist at Summit Partners in Palo Alto. She worked with more than 4,000 CEOs and generated $32 million in equity investments in her investment career. Catherine earned a degree in business administration from University of California Berkeley Haas School of Business.

While still working in New York City for a private equity firm, Catherine took a tour of Texas prisons with colleagues and instinctively realized the powerful entrepreneurial drive of many inmates. She saw a group of individuals eager to live out their transformation after release, but with few resources to help them reach their potential. She recruited fellow executives to host a Business 101 panel at the prison the following month. A formal Business Plan Competition was launched four months later, culminating in a two-day event in September 2004 in which 55 inmates presented business concepts to a nationwide executive judging panel. The event received national coverage in The Wall Street Journal. The inmates averaged a seventh-grade education and many had never touched a computer. Through PEP’s teaching process, each inmate completed a business plan, including 12-month Excel operating budgets and financial analysis and delivered a professional investment presentation to the executives.

Catherine realized that while prison business classes were an effective means of equipping these men with entrepreneurial/business skills, the curriculum didn’t address a critical issue: most men re-entering communities from prison are lacking even the most rudimentary resources. She left her career in New York to devote her efforts fully to building PEP. Catherine resigned her position as CEO in 2009, but continues to prayerfully and financially support the mission of the organization.

PEP is not incorporated as a faith-based organization. PEP is focused on teaching entrepreneurship to inmates of all faiths by leveraging the expertise of executives from all faiths. However, PEP’s founder, and the others involved in setting the vision for this work, love God and felt God’s calling to do such work. PEP’s leadership is committed to applying our organization’s 10 Driving Values, which are derived from Judeo/Christian principles, in all of PEP’s endeavors. Further, we believe that values-based personal transformation is required for people to stay out of prison. We do not know of a better catalyst for transformation than God, and participants desiring to pursue their walk with God are encouraged to do so, though no one is required to do so. Spiritual teaching on topics such as generosity, obedience, integrity and purity is a vital part of PEP.

Private funding for PEP comes from corporations (10%), individuals (30%) and private foundations (60%). Government funding is not solicited nor provided; for the time being, PEP is able to succeed without taxpayer dollars, which keeps us efficient and lean.

One of the statistics we are most proud of is that 13% of all donations to PEP are from graduates of our program.

2006: $680,000
2007: $1.6M
2008: $2.5M
2009(P): $2.6M

PEP headquarters are in Houston, and we also have an office in Dallas. We additionally have remote employees located nationwide.

Through December 2007, our prison work was offered at the Hamilton Unit in Bryan, Texas. Beginning with Class VIII in January 2008, PEP now operates exclusively at the Cleveland Correctional Facility in Cleveland, Texas. Cleveland is a 520-bed minimum/medium security pre-release facility operated by a private management company, GEO Group, Inc.

PEP has incredible staff members who work diligently to serve our constituents. About half of the staff is made up of PEP graduates, and most others come from business backgrounds. We also have inmate peer educators who supplement classroom and computer lab instruction at the prison.

PEP has a volunteer Governing Board, consisting of senior business professionals who are deeply committed to PEP’s mission. PEP also has three advisory boards—Houston, Dallas, and National Advisory Boards—which consist of 40+ influential executives and leaders.

No, PEP is a privately run program. However, we have the support of TDCJ and work under the authority of the agency, which is a tremendous privilege.

During the five-month prison program, PEP participants complete an entire entrepreneurship textbook while they each craft a business plan for a business they could start upon their release from prison. Basic business concepts are taught from the textbook and pop quizzes, impromptu presentations and constant feedback allow the men to learn both the theory and practical application of the material.

Participants type their business plans on computers inside the unit, and PEP staff members download their files to be taken outside the prison. These files are sent to Business Plan Advisor who are paired with each inmate participant. These Business Plan Advisors provide feedback on both the conceptual and grammatical aspects of the business plans which are then brought back into the prison for the inmates to use to make their plans more realistic and feasible. The idea is not to have the participants write business plans that are “good for an inmate.” These men create excellent business plans that could rival those written by MBA-educated professionals.

PEP hosts many prison events during each five-month class, to which leading business executives from across the country are invited to listen to and provide feedback for sales pitches and investment presentations. The five-month teaching process culminates in the inmates’ creation of full business plans and delivery of 30-minute oral presentations to an executive judging panel during a two-day business plan competition and graduation ceremony. For many of the participants, this is the biggest accomplishment of their lives and their first-ever graduation.

In addition to providing participants with an “MBA boot camp,” prison instructors spend about half of their efforts teaching life skills and decision-making. Case studies on real-life situations are used to inspire integrity and moral excellence. Life topics are diverse and include interviewing techniques, dining etiquette, fatherhood, drug and alcohol abuse, marriage, dating, respect for authority, spirituality and more.

The Director of Prison Initiatives is in prison every day and does much of the business teaching. Along with PEP's inmate peer educators, the in-prison team conducts classes and provides supplemental education five days per week.

The peer educators are inmates who are serving longer sentences, were hand-chosen and were transferred to the PEP facility to provide continuity and consistency for the prison program.

PEP supplements an award-winning curriculum created by the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) (Entrepreneurship – How to Start and Operate a Small Business by Steve Mariotti) with the Kauffman Foundation’s FastTrac curriculum, as well as its own prison-relevant materials. Supplementary materials and weekly tests also cover The Associated Press Stylebook, keyboard memorization, business and personal finance vocabulary, personality and entrepreneurial profiles, as well as feasibility studies and résumé development. The many skills acquired through the Business Plan Competition can be directly applied to entry-level positions as well as new business ventures upon release.

PEP also has its own library at the prison, containing books on topics including business, spirituality, psychology and life skills.

We appreciate your interest in our curriculum. You can find information at the following sites:

• Entrepreneurship – How to Start and Operate a Small Business by Steve Mariotti
• FastTrac curriculum from the Kauffman Foundation

Individual consulting services regarding our curriculum are not provided by PEP.

PEP hosts nine events for each class, each averaging 20 to 50 executives in attendance. Our goal is to introduce participants to at least 100 executives while they are in prison to provide them with substantial feedback and an extensive network upon release.

1. Kick-off— We welcome the new class into the PEP family by sharing inspiring stories of success from both executive volunteers and PEP graduates.
2. Venture Capital Panel—Class participants pitch their preliminary business concepts to determine feasibility. Panelists provide feedback on their ideas prior to participants committing to ideas/writing business plans.
3. Concept Day—Volunteers inspire, encourage, and challenge our participants regarding their new business concepts early in the class.
4. Etiquette Night—Volunteers help our new businessmen look and act like gentlemen by teaching the art and science of dress and dining.
5. Selling Night—Our aspiring entrepreneurs practice their hustling skills while delivering one-on-one sales pitches to executives who play the part of the customer (frugal, distracted, impatient, difficult, attentive, etc.).
6. Business Plan Workshop—MBA students and executives work one-on-one with participants to provide written and oral feedback on their business plans.
7. Employment Night—Volunteers help our participants learn how to present themselves through mock interviews in preparation for their upcoming job searches.
8. Pitch Day—Participants deliver their business plan presentations to MBA students and executive volunteers as a practice session before the Business Plan Competition.
9. Business Plan Competition and Graduation—At the conclusion of the five-month entrepreneurship training program, executives from across the nation come to prison to serve on judging panels for the inmates’ 30-minute investment presentations. The competition is followed by a formal cap-and-gown graduation ceremony.

• Business/entrepreneurial knowledge
• Professional writing/grammar
• Written and oral presentation skills
• Financial analysis and income statement
• Professional résumé that includes graduate’s accomplishments with PEP
• Interview skills, including teaching on proper speaking and body language
• Computer literacy (including MS Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
• Personal finance and budget
• Business and social etiquette
• Hope and restored self-esteem resulting from a new focus on leading a productive life
• Confidence and a strong sense of accomplishment from completing a major project: writing a business plan and presenting before a distinguished panel of executives
• Other soft skills (interpersonal relations, team dynamics, leadership, etc.)
• Strong fellowship and accountability, extending post-release

PEP works closely with TDCJ to identify eligible men throughout the Texas state prison system who qualify for PEP. Qualifications include, but are not limited to:

• Within three years of release (long way discharge date)
• Clean recent disciplinary case history
• Minimum education of GED or HS diploma
• No history of sexual convictions
• No current gang affiliations
• Must be committed to personal change
• Must be willing to be released to a positive environment that will increase his chance of success. (PEP’s effectiveness hinges on its ability to work with inmates while they are incarcerated to equip them for their release and then also to walk with them through the re-entry process. This two-part process requires that participants who are selected into the program must be released to one of our post-release service areas. The post-release service areas provide a positive and supportive environment complete with case managers, other PEP participants and additional resources to ensure the men are given the best chance for success.)

If an eligible inmate desires to get involved with PEP, he faces a rigorous application process. The entire process is structured to eliminate those who “still act like criminals” as well as allow the unmotivated to self-select out of the process due to the intense study requirements and continuous homework assignments. Only those who really want the hard work and accept accountability are left standing in the end. There is no preference for any crime, race, religion, etc. The only prejudice is for transformed hearts. Whether the charge is drug dealing, robbery or murder, all applicants accepted in the class are required to demonstrate their willingness and ability to live transformed lives of accountability and respect.

PEP typically accepts 15-30% of its applicants. PEP looks for participants who demonstrate the following characteristics (in order of importance): 1) commitment to personal transformation, 2) work ethic and 3) entrepreneurial ability.

Those accepted into PEP are transferred by TDCJ to the Cleveland Facility to participate in PEP.

• Age: 18 to 63, with 75% of participants in their 20s and 30s
• Ethnicity: Approximately 35% African American, 40% Caucasian and 20% Hispanic
• Prison sentences: Average of five years served (actual time served ranges from 6 months to 30 years), with 40% of participants having served more than one prison term
• Criminal charges: Approximately 35% violent offenses; the vast majority are drug-related (whether violent or not); no sexual offenses; less than 1% are “white-collar crimes”
• Geographic location: 90% of clients are released to Dallas, Tarrant and Harris counties in Texas upon release
• Socio-economic status: Most clients were raised in poverty, and upon release, most live in poverty (with approximately 60% of clients paroling to half-way houses)
• Gender: male only

We do not currently run our program in women’s prisons. Males constitute 90-94% of the inmate population. PEP seeks to link inmates with executive mentors of the same gender, and most executives in our network are male. Also, working with female inmates would require tackling an entirely different set of re-entry issues; therefore, we are focusing our efforts on working with men at this time.

Unfortunately, we are unable to assist inmates or former inmates other than those who complete our program inside prison.

PEP’s enrollment and interview process takes place inside of the prison system; all qualified prisoners will be notified of upcoming classes. Please do not contact us regarding signing up for PEP.

Studies show that former inmates’ most vulnerable and impressionable time occurs in the first 72 hours following release. PEP’s re-entry services begin the moment the participant is released from prison. PEP case managers pick up participants at the release gate and give them rides to their halfway houses/homes. Transportation is provided to parole offices, food stamp offices, churches, drivers’ license offices and job interviews. Participants have access to bus passes, phone cards, reduced-cost dental services, and complementary medical services and eye exams/glasses through partnerships with private service providers. PEP’s relationships with apartment owners allow participants to relocate to more permanent housing once they prove themselves accountable. Hands-on assistance from PEP case managers also includes regular counseling and guidance, a support network and emergency financial assistance.

PEP equips participants with:

• Professional résumés and cover letters, including PEP experiences
• Career counseling (determining industries of aptitude and interest)
• Training in advanced interviewing techniques and mock interviews
• Application completion assistance, including reference letters
• Job referrals
• Scheduled interview appointments, including transportation
• Introductions to business executives through networking events
• Interview and work clothing

We circulate participants’ résumés with personal reference letters to our rapidly expanding executive network. We also have relationships with local employment services providers who also provide educational and career opportunities.

National statistics show that 89% of people who recidivate are unemployed at the time of arrest; therefore, our employer relationships are a key factor in equipping PEP participants for success.

PEP’s weekly eSchool, short for Entrepreneurship School, (hosted at Rice University in Houston and the University of Dallas) is led by executives and university professors who teach in the area of their expertise. Participants are required to complete a minimum of 20 workshops to graduate, which then makes them eligible for small business financing through PEP’s network of angel investors.

We have recruited top-notch executives to teach eSchool, ranging from CEOs of billion dollar publicly-traded companies to venture capitalists at top-tier firms.

PEP’s weekly eSchool includes:

• Business workshops covering topics from sales and marketing to financial management
• Personal finance classes
• Business networking events with additional executives

After attending eSchool for at least four weeks and proving themselves accountable to PEP’s rules, participants are matched with an executive mentor who they meet with on a weekly or biweekly basis. PEP provides training to equip executives to properly equip and understand our participants. All mentor/participant relationships are overseen by our mentor program manager to assure that relationships foster positive personal transformation and accountability.

PEP matches clients with executives who provide:

• General guidance with re-establishment into society
• Role model/father figure who holds the participant accountable
• Assistance with job upgrades; networking with other executives
• Coaching through eSchool
• Guidance in launching and growing a small business

Access to Small Business Consultation - Tapping PEP’s network of executives and professionals, PEP participants have access to top-tier consultants for nearly every aspect of their start-up business. In the past, participants have received pro bono consultation for everything from negotiation, marketing and web development to portfolio management, tax and legal counsel. Additionally, many times a PEP participant’s business will benefit by receiving contracts through our ever-increasing network of influential volunteers.

PEP’s post-release services are offered in Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth.

Most of the men do not have positive home or neighborhood environments to return to upon their release from prison. As part of the PEP application process, we work with each participant to find a housing option that will set them up for success upon release. About 60% of our participants choose to parole to PEP transitional homes to give themselves the best chance to stay free.

Although we are interested in expanding our program to be able to positively influence more lives, we are not planning to expand our program beyond Texas in the near future. We are working to establish a well-functioning model for PEP in Texas before considering other options. After we have our statewide Texas operations running more efficiently, we may try to expand to other states with large prison populations, such as California and New York. Expansion is important to be able to affect more lives, but it is not more important than being able to provide great services for our current participants.

At this time, PEP is not considering out-of-state expansion requests.

We plan to run a lean and efficient program in Texas. We operate exclusively from the Cleveland Unit, and intend to maintain our operations at this unit. We are growing PEP through statewide recruiting efforts at other units. We run our application and selection process at 60+ units in the State of Texas, and then transfer qualified inmates to Cleveland to participate in PEP. We are ramping up our capacity to be able to serve thousands of men over time.

You are more than welcome to start your own version of entrepreneurship training for inmates, but we are not available to provide consulting services on the creation of a program such as ours. We are more focused on providing services for our participants than scaling the program through third parties. We do permit selected individuals/groups to join us in prison to see how our classes operate, but we unfortunately cannot be devoted to helping develop other programs at this time.

The short answer is no. We are very proud of the effectiveness of our program, and we feel our culture and values are big contributors to that success. Because of this, we plan to grow organically rather than through franchises or other third-party relationships.

To find out how you can get involved with PEP click here.

PEP is growing at an aggressive rate, and we are always looking for high-quality applicants. We look for results-oriented people who work hard and have a passion for our mission. Check our website for updated job postings. Inquiries should be emailed to recruiting@pep.org.

PEP is not run like the typical non-profit organization. We have a fast-paced, results-oriented and passionate culture that is run in a corporate manner. For our employees, PEP is more a way of life, than it is a job.

PEP has been built by felons. We have “hired from within” (employing our graduates upon their release) since the beginning, with the belief that exceptional talent exists behind bars. We complement our graduates’ skills with top-notch “free world people” with business backgrounds. Our staff will always consist of many of our own graduates.

Additionally, at PEP we believe in the importance of “practicing what we preach.” Parolees are not permitted to drink alcohol by law; therefore, alcohol is never part of any of our activities or events. PEP seeks employees with a strong moral compass; employees are expected to demonstrate strong moral values to all our constituents.

Click here for more information about working for PEP.