A Letter from PEP’s Acting CEO

Dear PEP Friends & Supporters,

I am writing to you as a follow–up to our Chairman Mike Humphrey’s letter in December about PEP’s long–term prospects. Thanks to you‚ PEP ended 2009 on a strong note and began 2010 with some very positive events.

First‚ our meeting with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in mid–January went very well. Not only did we emerge with a "clean bill of health‚" we also have a renewed commitment from TDCJ that PEP can continue operating at the Cleveland facility. As this is our most important partnership‚ this was very good news.

Second‚ as you likely read last month‚ the Weinberg Foundation decided that their confidence in our programs was so strong that they would pay out our challenge grant for 2009 — $250‚000! We are still expected to meet a $1.9 million goal in 2010 to receive the final installment of our grant. This payment put’s PEP on solid financial footing so we can focus closely on making sure our programs run smoothly and continue to improve.

Read More of Phi Tran’s Letter to PEP Supporters HERE.

PEP on the Web!

PEP is now officially on Facebook‚ Twitter and LinkedIn. Check out these sites for daily updates about PEP‚ photos‚ videos of events and interviews with volunteers and graduates!

To find us on these networks‚ check out these links:

Find us on Facebook Here

Follow us on Twitter Here

Find us on LinkedIn Here

Want to Come to Prison?

Please join us for these upcoming Class 13 Prison events at the Cleveland Unit:

Venture Capital Panel‚ Friday‚ February 26th from 2pm–7pm

The participants are ready to pitch their initial business plan ideas and receive feedback on the feasibility on their concepts from panelists like you! As a panel judge you will challenge the participants on obstacles they may face in starting a business‚ ask questions about how to finance the business‚ and offer real–life feedback they may encounter in a real–life ask for funding or investment into their business.

Concept Day‚ Saturday‚ February 27th from 10am–8pm

After pitching their business plan idea on Friday‚ Saturday’s event will focus on the details of that business plan and what it will take to make it successful.  During one–on–one time with the participants you can trade ideas on how to make the business successful‚ or offer suggestions on the direction to take the business to make it work.  The participants have learned a variety of business concepts during the first five weeks of class‚ and this is their opportunity to work through those concepts with you to insure a solid business plan to present at the Business Plan Competition.

To RSVP for these events go to www.pep.org/rsvp.  You will find all logistical details about the event and sample agenda for each day.  You can come to one or both of the events‚ and if you have any questions or concerns about visiting prison let us know!

Put Your Inbox to Work for Prison!

As a Business Plan advisor for the last class‚ I would strongly encourage it. I really enjoyed sharing my knowledge – and the process was easy as I could do the reviews/research and emails on my own schedule. The plan is sectioned into reasonable 1 or 2 week windows‚ allowing ample time to fit in even when I travel.
-- Class 12 Advisor

We are currently searching for Class 13 Business Plan Advisors to help the participants write and edit business plans – and you can do it all over email! 

As a business plan advisor you will assist the participant in completing market research‚ SWOT (strengths‚ weaknesses‚ opportunities‚ threats) analysis and grammar/punctuation editing to help produce a final plan  at the Business Plan Competition in June.  Because you have access to the internet‚ research materials or case studies‚ you are providing the necessary tools for their business idea to turn into a working business plan.  You will have regular assignments that follow the 5 month in–class curriculum and all the work is done by e–mail files; however you are also encouraged to visit prison for one of our prison events to gain valuable one–on–one time with your participant to further explain your market research findings. 

To sign up as a Class 13 Business Plan Advisor please visit www.pep.org/advisors and see what it is all about.  We know you will find the work to be challenging yet rewarding as you are helping to transform these men into entrepreneurs!  Still have questions?  E-mail Matthew Blank at mblank@pep.org and we hope to have you sign up soon!

A Prison of Our Own Making

Enneagram Facilitator Susan Olesek joined PEP participants on 2 separate occasions at the Cleveland Correctional Unit. The following is a reflection on her experiences.

What I knew for certain‚ before I rubbed shoulders with 150 Texan inmates‚ was that we are all in a prison of our own making in the ways we suffer our personalities. What I seriously underestimated was the profound manner in which the PEP men could remind me of the way out. I was invited to teach to my passion‚ a psychological system called the Enneagram‚ to Class 12 just before Thanksgiving and to Class 13 at the end of January. Thanks to the keen foresight of the founder and former CEO‚ this insightful roadmap of personality was introduced to PEP years ago.

"I enjoyed accompanying and observing Susan in the unit. It’s always a treat for me when I meet a volunteer who truly gets the essence of our program and what we’re all about … transformation! Change from the inside out! The participants were eager to learn more about the Enneagram‚ themselves and they really connected with Susan." – Kristie Wisniewski‚ PEP Human Resources Manager

The Enneagram is a fascinating typology which suggests that there are nine personality styles‚ called Types. Once people are able to identify their territory‚ a wide array of objective data becomes available to us about why we do the things which we do. This powerful system is essentially like ten years of therapy in a few illuminating paragraphs.

To Read More of Susan’s Reflections from her visit to PEP, click here.

Straight from the Inside

Class 13 is making their way through pop quizzes‚ character assessments‚ and tough lessons on ROI and cost/benefit analysis. They are also working hard to keep us up to date on their journey. Check out an excerpt from the most recent Class 13 journal entry here:

"Our first event‚ Kick–Off, was just a small taste of the blessings to come. To get to graduation day we must look into ourselves and want to change‚ not only for ourselves‚ but for our families.

This week has impacted us tremendously. We got to see executives and see that we are no different from them."

Read More Journals Here