Cat Hoke: Defying the Odds: Giving Current and Former Convicts, Herself, and the Rest of US a Second Chance

Cat Hoke is the founder and CEO of Defy Ventures, a non-profit which creates personal and economic opportunities for people with criminal histories. She’s been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and a number of other publications.  Her new book is called A Second Chance: For You, For Me, and For the Rest of Us.   

Some interesting insights from this episode: 

• Learn how she converts hardened criminals into entrepreneurial, hard-working, law-abiding citizens upon their release from prison. 

• Ask yourself this question: “If I died today, why would my life matter?” 

• Most people are unhappy with their work because they prioritize self-preservation over fulfillment. 

• Hear how a former kingpin drug dealer became a very successful entrepreneur running a hugely popular fitness program called ConBody. 

• Forgiveness is critical. If you want a better life for yourself in the future, you have to be willing to forgive yourself for the past. 

• Many of us who have never lived in a physical prison are still trapped in our own personal prisons. 

• “We feel most alive when we are investing sacrificially in the lives of other people.”

Show Notes

Defy Ventures website: https://defyventures.org/ 

 Cat’s book: A Second Chance: For You, For Me, and For the Rest of Us: https://www.amazon.com/Second-Chance-You-Me-Rest/dp/0999669508/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1518990788&sr=8-1&keywords=a+second+chance

 Tedx Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4J1pgxYTww