After battling the stigma of a criminal record, at least 11 former jail and prison inmates are now running businesses of their own, thanks to a trailblazing program created by the Gwinnett Library.
Since its launch in 2021, the New Start Entrepreneurship Incubator has become a model of community support and innovation, giving 35 graduates the skills and confidence to re-enter the workforce as entrepreneurs.
At least 11 are operating catering, roofing, martial arts, and other small businesses, said Adam Pitts, the manager of Gwinnett Library’s Lawrenceville branch and the program’s coordinator.
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett Library
Credit: Courtesy of Gwinnett Library
“Researching, we found out there is not a lot in the community to help people who have been incarcerated and want to become entrepreneurs,” Pitts said. “We felt that was a place we could step in and provide something that wasn’t offered yet.”
Participants in the program take a free six-month course where they receive mentorship from business professionals and hands-on training in finance, marketing and business planning.
The program’s structure mimics an accelerated business school experience, complete with lectures, one-on-one mentoring, and vital resources like laptops and hot spots. At each course’s end, graduates pitch their business ideas to local leaders in a “Launchpad” event. Modeled after “Shark Tank,” this final pitch session even offers select graduates seed funding from the Gwinnett Public Library Foundation. To date, $8,000 has been awarded to five promising startups.
Dewy Ventura Joa, who spent 10 years in prison for robbery, said he was hesitant to join the library’s program at first, but his doubts quickly faded.
Credit: Special to the AJC from Gwinnett Library
Credit: Special to the AJC from Gwinnett Library
“I learned a bunch of stuff,” he said. “It was an amazing program with great people and so much community.”
With guidance from two mentors to match his varied interests, Joa now runs an appliance repair business, teaches jujitsu, and does occasional film and video production.
New Start’s impact has gained national recognition, receiving an award for innovation from the Urban Libraries Council for its measurable success and potential as a replicable model for libraries nationwide.
The program grew out of discussions that library staff had with members of the Greater Gwinnett Re-Entry Alliance and inmates at the county jail, said Margaret Penn, Gwinnett Library’s director of grants and community engagement.
“We found out how difficult it can be once someone has paid their debt to society to come back and try to find a job that will pay them a living wage and take care of their families,” she said.
Initially funded by a $120,000 grant from Google and the American Library Association, the program continues to run on grants.
For many, the program has opened doors, not just to financial stability.
One graduate, who declined to be named, said, “I learned so much — beyond business. I also saw that there are genuinely good people out there trying to help.” Another graduate has used her business to provide judgment-free employment to young adults in similar situations, and still, another tells potential job applicants that she never does background checks, offering others a chance they may have previously been denied.
As New Start grows, Gwinnett Library remains committed to being a catalyst for change, empowering those ready to create new lives and rebuild their communities.
“The whole point is to give people a second chance,” Pitts said.
To learn more about the program, go to www.gwinnettpl.org. The deadline for acceptance into the next six-month program has been extended to Dec. 8.
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