On the second day of Think Outside the Cell Week, I stressed the need for participants to embrace entrepreneurship as a necessity, not a luxury. For people with prison in their backgrounds, it's just that critical.

I cited a recent Wall Street Journal article that highlighted how difficult it is for people who've been in prison to find jobs. And I listed the four tracks that the formerly incarcerated usually end up on once they return home. They will either:
1. Find a job
2. Become self-employed entrepreneurs
3. Go on public assistance
4. Resort to crime and go back to prison

From there, I talked to the men about how they might already possess what they need to begin the journey toward successful entrepreneurship. I explored with them the 12 characteristics of successful entrepreneurs. I told them to think about the skills they've already acquired and how those skills could be transferred to a business.

Sometimes, we're not aware of the skills we have. For example, if someone has a lot of experience working in the prison mess hall, perhaps he has the kind of knowledge that could help him to start a catering business. If someone has organized a series of events for fellow incarcerated men and women, he might have what it takes to be an events planner, which can be a lucrative career.

I told the men that the two greatest assets we have in prison are time--believe it or not--and our minds. We must not limit ourselves. We must continue to work toward our dreams, so that we can have a great headstart on becoming all that we want to be once we return home. To borrow Arthur Ashe's words on how to achieve greatness: "Start where you are, use what you have, do what you can."