Criminals Make Some of the Best Entrepreneurs

It’s funny. I don’t remember the conversation or how it came up but I remember flippantly commenting to someone that criminals make great entrepreneurs. They’re organized, self-starters, motivated, strategic, enterprising.

I guess I’m not the only one who had that thought. Tonight I caught 3/4 of one of the most interesting TV shows I’ve seen recently, kinda Apprentice meets America’s Most Wanted. I’m exaggerating. They’re not vicious criminals but ex-convicts who are being given a second chance in a fascinating new CBC show Redemption, Inc. hosted by billion dollar business mogul, Kevin O’Leary of Shark Tank & Dragon’s Den fame.

10 ex-cons compete for a $100,000 prize to start their own business. But the big prize is the mentorship of O’Leary himself. Every week one of them is booted off, but in an interesting twist, they don’t leave empty handed. In fact, they don’t even have to leave at all. They’re given the choice to either take “The Package” (a bundle of stuff they need to get started, like transportation, clothes, entrepreneurship courses at a college) or stick it out another week but risk getting booted off in the future empty handed. The woman who was voted off tonight took the package. It takes a lot of courage to be a contestant on a show like this and tell let the world see what most would want to hide.

In his wonderful book, Invisible, marketing author Harry Beckwith recommended business people “show their warts”. Here’s a guy who did.

According to Canada.com, one of the show’s co-producers, an ex-con himself, one put an Employment Wanted ad one of Canada’s leading newspapers with the headline: “Former Marijuana Smuggler”. He promoted himself referencing the fact that he “participated in the executive level management of 120 people worldwide in a successful pot smuggling venture with revenues in excess of $100 million US annually” and referred to the U.S. District Attorney as one of his references. Like I said, entrepreneurial. Lemons out of lemonade.

Very compelling show. Check it out!