Episode 271: Entrepreneurs Changing Lives

Episode 271 originally broadcast on August 14, 2010

It’s the classic “started a company in his garage” story of American entrepreneurship, except that Larry Keast, founder of Venturetech Corp., decided to share his success with “the unemployables.” What a great story! Then, flashback to a discussion of Catherine Rohr’s Prison Entrepreneurship Program.

School of Business 08/14/10

Russ and John present the show about the risk-takers, those who drive employment in the private sector who are the stars of our economy. Includes: the BusinessMakers Quote of the Week—eloquent wisdom from former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher; This Week in Business History includes Pilgrims, bankruptcy (and debtors prison), helium and Toyota; the Jargon Challenge Round—trendy technospeak that YOU should know; and Dumbest Moments in Business History—Public sector employees (which WE pay for) now make more than WE do.

Larry Keast - Venturetech Corp. Intl

It’s the classic “started the company in his garage” story of American entrepreneurship; his wife ran the bookkeeping. He has stayed at the helm of his company for 30 years, kept it a private enterprise; his wife is still the company bookkeeper. Along the way, he founded non-profit America in Recovery Inc., and began hiring “unemployables,” including recovering alcoholics, ex-offenders, the disabled and “old people.” It’s created an amazing work environment with employees who are more loyal and productive than he ever expected. And it’s created an incredibly inspiring story.

Flashback - Catherine Rohr: Prison Entrepreneurship Program

Russ flashes back to his broadcast from the Hamilton Unit of the Texas Dept of Criminal Justice (prison). Catherine Rohr’s BusinessMakers interview in October 2006 introduced to listeners her prison entrepreneurship program that trains prison inmates to transition their “street smart” abilities to legal activities. In this segment, we hear about Selling Night, where inmates present sales pitches to MBA students and other “outsiders,” a preliminary step toward their goal in the spring of presenting business plans to potential investors. Her story is a mission of passion you don’t want to miss!