Money Making Ideas for Cousin in the Can



Have you read the Boron Letters by Gary Halbert? Dude was in prison and researching markets with the SRDS catalog and writing copy for products that he would latter sell. He had some help (his sons) but he never went out of touch while in the can.

1. Find & research a market to sell to. For obvious reasons the best thing to create would be an info product.
2. Analyze competition.
3. Get the top 5 books on the subject, make him read them and pick out the best stuff from them.
4. Compile into a 100 page report.
5. Write the copy/sales page.
6. ???
7. Profit!

Now, you would have to help him with some of these, but otherwise you've got a perfect partner for creating products. Your part would be to drive traffic to these: PPC, WaFo, SEO, mailing lists (e or physical)... whatever floats your boat. Rinse and repeat until he gets released and send me a taste.
 
Tensegrity said:
Yes, flash is pretty much dead. He's been reading books on PHP, Javascript, CSS, studying/speaking Spanish, Italian, Latin...etc. I will probably send him a book on iOS development for app building. He's got some ideas for a fitness app he wants to build once out. I also bought him $100 of art supplies so he can get into painting again. Apparently he's taking a painting class that's being taught by another prisoner. So he should be relatively well rounded when he gets out.
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Oooo prison workouts.

Srs, if someone had book/ebook about lifts they do in prison - I'd buy it just out of curiosity as to what they do w their limited resources.
 
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*How to get your whites whiter in the coffee maker

*How to get a heart pumping cardio work out without leaving your cell block

*50 Jail House Recipes for the Commissary Gourmet

What? I only did a week while I was waiting to bond out
 
Maybe instead of thinking how to make profit while in prison he should plan to do more good for the world, such as help prevent other innocent people getting wrongfully convincted.
 
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AquXIlTKxBY]Cant Rock In Alcatraz - YouTube[/ame]
 
Tensegrity said:
So my cousin is in federal prison in Bumblefuck, PA since 1 1/2 years ago. I won't go into the details of his case, but he was basically mixed up with some kids when he was younger who did some shit (drug related) and he was found guilty by association. He has another 1 1/2 years to go.

He's a brilliant guy and had turned his life around in the 6 YEARS that his case was in limbo. He started a web design business and was producing some of the best Flash websites on the planet (and no, i'm not saying this cuz we're related)...his shit is that good. People were waiting 4-6 months for his work.

Anyway, if you know anything about prison or have at least seen "Orange is the New Black", you'll know that prisoners have to buy pretty much anything they need; soap, shampoo, drinking cups...etc. We've had some donations come in from his previous clients, friends, family...etc.

A week ago he ran out of money to make calls to his mother, email..etc.

He and I spoke about ideas for him to make some money while in the can, but it's a bit difficult because we can only communicate through a closed-circuit prison email system. He has no internet. So I can either drive 3 1/2 hours to see him in person or talk to him through the prison email system. Yes, i realize this whole thing falls into a grey area, being that he's in the can.

He's a very educated guy, smart, savvy, creative..etc. Just made a dumb mistake when he was young.

Some ideas i've had for him to make a little cash to help pay for things:

  1. Article writing - problem is he doesn't have internet, so research references are slim. Though, I think they have a very limited library.
  2. Writing niche content for a client's site - he's really knowledgeable about gaming, web design, flash animation. Other topics as well...etc.
  3. Writing content for a site I create for him and make money from adsense (I don't have much time for this)
  4. Write a book about prison life and get famous?

Being that we're a bunch of smartass marketers on here, I thought i'd see if you guys have any ideas given the restrictions I've noted above.

I might take a trip out there this weekend, so would be nice to have some ideas lined up. He's a little down and out and I think it would be a nice motivator if I had some ideas for him.
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If my memory serves me right, they have internet, but it's highly regulated. From experience, the best thing you can do for someone inside is to visit, even it's once a month.

The need to see people from the free world is very moving both emotionally. Forget trying to earn money, unless he can get help through any corrupt guards.

Phone calls are a rip-off and never really helps the prisoner in any way. Just try to visit him and all will be well. Loss of freedom is horrible, and it takes a while to get used to it. The following actions might keep his spirits high

1 - Bring together caring relatives or friends and ask everyone to contribute any amount every month and put it away under his name. Be careful because since it's drug crime, he might also be facing imposed fines, so hide the money from prying eyes. Let him know what you're doing and that should give him hope of better days ahead.

2 - Tell him to get a note book and create an action plan for what he would do once he gets out. This is extremely crucial, if you do not want him going back to the same old habits. Waiting to get out before creating the plan will most likely lead to problems of re-adjusting to the free world.

3 - Most likely since he would be under parole once out, he needs a job as a condition of his release. Forget applying for a job outside, but try creating one. Open up an LLC and register it as a web design company. It looks more legitimate if the company has been operating for over one year. You can start doing some SEO work under this company to create some history. Since the company would be losing money, it's a good way to get deductions on your taxes. (Give the company a sub-chapter S designation through the IRS)

4 - With the company in place, if you want him out early, locate your local congressman or woman and your two senators from your state and start lobbying them. Contrary to what many may hear, early release for federal inmates are common. Obama recently encouraged the re-sentencing of non-violent drug offenders thereby resulting in early release. Your local politicians have huge sway over federal officials, and if they like, they can make his stay more comfortable. I am not going to help you create a story for visiting the politicians, just use your imagination, for most are humans and would like to help if possible. The federal senators have more power and sway. If you have money for donations, then other ideas can be thrown your way.

So, you can forget earning money through the prison walls, at least not legitimately anyway. I am pretty sure all federal prisons have internet, but most inmates are not even aware of it. Tell him to find it. When you visit also bring him books on things he would like to read about.

Goodluck, and what you're at least trying to do is commendable, as most people forget about you once locked-up. Just a warning, expect him to be a changed person, and that can be either bad or good depending on the types of people he has been spending time with while inside.
 
I would be very careful in 'employing' his fellow inmates.. Especially if you're planning on scaling it because word will get around fast the amount of people you're employing/what you're paying.. and some of the prison gangs might see him as a very easy mark for extortion.

In fact, I would highly advise against hiring anyone.. Keep any and all monetarybusiness to yourself. Work for yourself, don't tell anyone, if anyone asks just act like you're writing short stories, letters to a girlfriend, penpal, a journal, etc. Don't tell them you're earning money by writing articles.. Don't mention money, period.

Hell, just knowing you know someone on the outside who has a good chunk of change to pay you anything makes you a target for extortion. Clearly your cousin isn't a street guy, which is a good thihg..just it isn't a good thing in prison..So he should reallydo all he can to make sure he doesn't open himself up to becoming a target in any sort of way.

So yeah, be quiet,mind your own business and earn the maximum amount of money you can on YOUR OWN and keep your mouth SHUT.
 
If he is in jail, he should be laying low, not figuring out ways to make money, he should be figuring out how not to get raped.
 
richcookies said:
If my memory serves me right, they have internet, but it's highly regulated. From experience, the best thing you can do for someone inside is to visit, even it's once a month.

The need to see people from the free world is very moving both emotionally. Forget trying to earn money, unless he can get help through any corrupt guards.

Phone calls are a rip-off and never really helps the prisoner in any way. Just try to visit him and all will be well. Loss of freedom is horrible, and it takes a while to get used to it. The following actions might keep his spirits high

1 - Bring together caring relatives or friends and ask everyone to contribute any amount every month and put it away under his name. Be careful because since it's drug crime, he might also be facing imposed fines, so hide the money from prying eyes. Let him know what you're doing and that should give him hope of better days ahead.

2 - Tell him to get a note book and create an action plan for what he would do once he gets out. This is extremely crucial, if you do not want him going back to the same old habits. Waiting to get out before creating the plan will most likely lead to problems of re-adjusting to the free world.

3 - Most likely since he would be under parole once out, he needs a job as a condition of his release. Forget applying for a job outside, but try creating one. Open up an LLC and register it as a web design company. It looks more legitimate if the company has been operating for over one year. You can start doing some SEO work under this company to create some history. Since the company would be losing money, it's a good way to get deductions on your taxes. (Give the company a sub-chapter S designation through the IRS)

4 - With the company in place, if you want him out early, locate your local congressman or woman and your two senators from your state and start lobbying them. Contrary to what many may hear, early release for federal inmates are common. Obama recently encouraged the re-sentencing of non-violent drug offenders thereby resulting in early release. Your local politicians have huge sway over federal officials, and if they like, they can make his stay more comfortable. I am not going to help you create a story for visiting the politicians, just use your imagination, for most are humans and would like to help if possible. The federal senators have more power and sway. If you have money for donations, then other ideas can be thrown your way.

So, you can forget earning money through the prison walls, at least not legitimately anyway. I am pretty sure all federal prisons have internet, but most inmates are not even aware of it. Tell him to find it. When you visit also bring him books on things he would like to read about.

Goodluck, and what you're at least trying to do is commendable, as most people forget about you once locked-up. Just a warning, expect him to be a changed person, and that can be either bad or good depending on the types of people he has been spending time with while inside.
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Thanks for the thoughtful words.

1 - This is more or less already being done, though my family & relatives are more or less broke as it is, so that makes this a little more difficult than just "give him money", but I do manage to raise donations and give him some cash myself.

2. He's constantly working on this. His crime is over 8 years old (but wasn't sentenced till 2011), so needless to say he had already self rehabbed before he was even sentence. He ran a legit business with paying clients and was living on his own doing well, so i'm not worried about reverting back to old ways, but yes this is a good point for anyone.

3. Great idea. I might have myself incorporated by then, so I could probably take him on as a contractor of some sort for proof for the PO.

4. Yes we've been petitioning and paying attention to the good-time changes with the 2nd chance act and all that jazz. It's a mega pain in the ass, but it's Prison and Congress, so I expect nothing less.

There is no internet, just calls and prison email. I've been there 3 times and it's some serious shit, sniper posts and all that. I can't bring in more than $5 during my visit to buy him a hot pocket or whatever shit they sell in the machines. He can't move once he sits down and I'm in a big room with probably like 20-30 other prisoners and their families. It's a really weird feeling thinking that i'm probably sitting right next to a handful of guys who murdered people. Pretty nuts.

In the end, he's gonna just have to serve his time and make the most of it. Reading tons of books is my best piece of advice to him. Now if only he could write that mega million dollar prison guide for geeky white guys.
 
Tensegrity said:
He started a web design business and was producing some of the best Flash websites on the planet (and no, i'm not saying this cuz we're related)...his shit is that good. People were waiting 4-6 months for his work.
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How about making the prison thing his brand, and turn the negative into a positive? He can register a domain like OrangeJumpsuitWebDesigns.com, and develop the company in prison. Play it up, make the prison thing a cute gimmick. He'll have a thriving company by the time he gets out.

Prisoners run some very profitable and creative companies. Check this out:

Inmates Discover Prison Sells : Think all prisoners make license plates? Not anymore. Now it's crafts--and jeans. - Los Angeles Times
 
tell him to get a job in the oifields for a couple of months. prolly half of roughnecks have been to prison, they don't care about hiring people that went to prison. Odessa and Williston are still booming and there's a lot of high paying labor jobs out there. he can put away a nice piece of change after a couple of months and use it for start up capital for whatever
 
1. Scam the blacks out of their smokes and commissary
2. Pay the mexicans w/ the "money" from the blacks to buy drugs
3. Sell the drugs to the whites
4. Pay off the guards w/ the drug money from the whites, for "protection" from the blacks
5. Rinse and repeat
 
dmnEPC said:
1. Scam the blacks out of their smokes and commissary
2. Pay the mexicans w/ the "money" from the blacks to buy drugs
3. Sell the drugs to the whites
4. Pay off the guards w/ the drug money from the whites, for "protection" from the blacks
5. Rinse and repeat
Click to expand...

I feel like I just watched an episode of Sons of Anarchy.
 
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