Fresh Startup Volume 2: 15 More Businesses Felons Can Start Right Out of Prison

By Michael Lewiston

If you're getting out of prison and worried about getting a job, you might want to start your own business instead! During the pandemic, Michael Lewiston realized that his previous book wasn't enough, that's why he found 15 more businesses any felon can start right out of prison. Don't wait for someone to hire you, start your own business today and get the financial freedom you deserve!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Cantonfield Publishing
• Release date: Sep 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215782224

Book preview

INTRODUCTION

After going through the pandemic and seeing the problems the past 2 years have shown us, I decided that my previous books weren't enough. I still think Clean Slate is a good book and has some good info for getting a job out of prison, but as I look at the world now, there has never been a better time to start your own business. Especially for a felon.

The COVID-19 pandemic showed me the need to set yourself up and not have to rely on anyone else. Businesses can fire you easily. They can lay you off without warning. As felons, we have to rely on ourselves, not on others.

My previous book, Fresh Startup only had 8 businesses that any felon could startup once they get out of prison. It was a good book but I see now that it wasn't enough. I think that book is good on its own, but I decided to add 15 more business from teaching to dropshipping to landscaping. These are businesses that take a little education and a lot of grit to make happen, but that's what we specialize in, right?

I made each chapter a mini-course in how to start each idea and turn it into a business. First we go over what the idea/business is and the benefits. Then I talk about some of the startup costs for the business idea. From there we discuss the challenges of each business, how hard it is to actually do it. Then I walk you through the exact steps you need to take to do the business. Finally, I've done some research on secrets to succeeding in the business.

Your past doesn't determine your future, but it can fuel your passion to achieve greatness. I don't care how you caught your case, you don't have to repeat what you did before. Your future is up to you now.

The message behind this slogan is simple but powerful: Your future is up to you.

In other words, whatever happens in your life is ultimately determined by you. What you do matters. How you act makes a difference.

But here's the thing: You can't predict the future. So your actions are important, but they aren't enough.

You also need to understand the forces that shape your fate. And you need to prepare yourself for them.

This book is designed to help you understand the forces that shape our destiny. It's designed to teach you how to navigate the currents of life and make decisions that lead to greatness.

It's designed to show you how to seize the moment.

To put it bluntly, this book is about preparing for the future.

My hope is that after reading it you'll look at your life differently. You'll realize that there is something you can do to improve your odds of living a great life.

You'll realize that you have options. That you have the power to shape your future.

As long as you stay focused on the future, and you work to build it, your future is up to you.

How many times have you heard someone say something along the lines of: I wish I knew then what I know now?

Or If only I knew then what I knew now?

Those statements are usually accompanied by regret. Regret for the decisions they didn't make. Regret for the opportunities they missed. Regret for the wrongs they did. Regret for the pain they caused others. Regret for themselves.

They're also usually followed by an explanation. An excuse. Something like: Well, I was too young. Or I didn't know any better. Or My parents wouldn't let me go. Or I was afraid. Or I was stupid.

All of which is true.

But here's the thing: None of those reasons matter anymore. What matters is what you decide to do with the rest of your life.

Your future is up to you, and it begins right now.

What will you do with your life? How will you spend the rest of your years? Will you continue living your life as though the past has already happened? Or will you seize your future?

Will you seize your destiny?

In order to seize your destiny, you must first understand that your future is up to you...and yours alone.

There's no one else involved.

There's no fate. There's no predestination. There's only you. And you alone.

Only you. Only you.

Seize your future. Seize your destiny. Seize your life.

CHAPTER 1

DROPSHIPPING

WHAT IS THIS BUSINESS?

Dropshipping is an online retail model where you do not own any inventory. Instead, you act as a middleman between customers and retailers.

You buy products from manufacturers and resell them to customers. This means you don’t have to worry about storage space, shipping costs, or even keeping track of stock levels.

The beauty of dropshipping is that you can set your own prices. And because you don’t pay for inventory upfront, you can charge more than most traditional retailers.

Dropshipping businesses also give you the opportunity to make money without having to spend time managing inventory.

This is why dropshippers often say that they can run a successful e-commerce store while working full time.

But there are downsides to dropshipping too. For example, you may find it difficult to compete against larger companies that have established customer bases.

Also, you won’t be able to accept returns or refunds. So if a customer doesn’t like a product, you’ll lose out on potential revenue.

There are some benefits to starting a dropshipping business however:

1) No inventory management – This is the biggest benefit of dropshipping. When you run a dropshipping business, there is no need for you to manage the inventory. All you need to do is to find a reliable supplier and wait for your orders.

2) Low startup cost – There is no need to buy expensive tools like a warehouse or a shipping container. You just need to invest in a good laptop and a reliable printer.

3) Easy to scale – Once you have started a dropshipping store, you can easily expand your business. You can add more suppliers and increase your sales.

4) Flexible hours – Since you don’t need to bother with inventory, you can work around your schedule. If you want to take a day off, you can simply close your store for a few days until you’ve replenished all your stocks.

5) No minimum order size – You don’t need a lot of capital to get started. In fact, you only need a small amount of cash to purchase goods from manufacturers.

6) No overhead – Unlike brick and mortar stores which require a large investment in rent and utilities, you don’t incur any additional expenses when running a dropshipping business.

7) No minimum selling price – Because you don’t hold any inventory, you don’ t have to sell at a certain price. You can choose what you want to charge per item.

8) Fast growth – With the right strategy, you can grow your dropshipping business quickly. As long as you keep finding new suppliers, you can continue expanding without slowing down.

9) High profit margins – The high profit margin allows you to charge higher prices compared to other types of retail businesses.

10) Potential tax advantages – Some countries offer tax breaks to people who start their own online businesses. These include zero income tax and reduced rates on payroll taxes.

So if you’re looking to launch an online business but aren’t sure whether dropshipping is something you should try, here are some reasons why you should consider this type of business model.

HOW MUCH DOES THIS BUSINESS COST?

It costs nothing to start a dropshipping business. All you need is an internet connection and a computer. If you already have a website, you can set up a store within minutes.

You can also buy products wholesale and resell them online for profit. This means you don't need any inventory.

The best way to make money is to find a product that sells well and then add your own twist to it. For example, you could create a range of clothing items based on popular movies or TV shows. Or you could design your own clothes or accessories. Or you could create a range based on sports teams or hobbies. You can also combine both methods and sell products directly while offering services to your clients.

Look on Amazon or other popular retail sites for ideas about what products sell well and what customers are searching for. Then you can use these keywords to attract potential customers through search engine optimization (SEO).

If you're not tech savvy, you may be able to hire someone else to help you set up your store or build a website for you.

Overall there's not much cost involved to setting up a drop ship business.

Whatever you do, make sure you choose a niche that you love. That way you'll enjoy creating your designs and making your customers happy.

HOW DIFFICULT IS THIS BUSINESS?

It's really easy to set up an online store that sells products from China. All you need is a computer, a credit card and a few clicks of the mouse. But there's more to running a successful dropshipping business than that.

You'll also need to learn how to source quality products, ship them quickly and keep track of inventory levels. And you'll need to find ways to promote your business without spending too much money.

But once you've done those things, you'll be able to make a profit selling products from China.

The key to success is finding a niche where demand for your product is strong and competition is low. That way, you can focus on building relationships with suppliers and customers while making sure you're offering the best prices.

Once you've found a profitable niche, you'll need to decide whether to open your own website or join a network of other dropshippers. If you choose to go it alone, you'll need to learn how to create a professional-looking website and manage customer orders.

But if you join a network, you won't have to worry about any of that. Instead, you'll simply pay a monthly fee to access a marketplace full of thousands of products.

In either case, you'll need to spend time promoting your business. You can do that by creating social media accounts and posting regular updates. Or you can hire someone to help you out.

HOW TO START THIS BUSINESS

Dropshipping is an online retail model where you buy products from a manufacturer and resell them directly to customers. This means that you don’t have to worry about inventory management, shipping costs, returns, customer service, etc. All you have to do is find a supplier and set up your store.

You can also choose to run your own e-commerce website and handle all of these tasks yourself. But for most people, setting up