Our History: Our "Why?"

Our "WHY"& What Makes Us Different

Throughout the U.S., business owners and nonprofit leaders from almost ever profession (construction, accounting, banking, teaching, medical, charities, education, etc.) can connect to membership organizations to network with other like-minded business professionals and nonprofit leaders that share their profession, gender or their culture. Although formerly incarcerated people may be among the numbers of these membership associations, there is not one membership association that is EXCLUSIVELY for entrepreneurs (or nonprofit founders) that have been impacted by the criminal legal system.  Although it is always rewarding and important to be in the same networking spaces with others who work in the same fields as we do, share our genders or culture, it is just as important to be in spaces with entrepreneurs (and nonprofit founders) who have shared the same challenges and successes that are specific to justice involved people which ultimately led to our decision to pursue entrepreneurship (or nonprofit leadership) in the first place: barriers to successful reentry community integration and working twice as hard to shatter stigmas and biases, dispel myths and prove ourselves.

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Often on our journey to entrepreneurship or strengthening our leadership skills, we participate in cohorts, trainings, fellowships and other programs aimed at supporting or investing in justice involved people as business owners and leaders but their promises to "make us entrepreneurs" or "notable leaders and storytellers" often falls flat as what starts out as hopes of being a part of something that will prepare and excel us on our chosen paths merely ends up us to being "alumni" who, years later" still haven't gained the access to funding, speaking opportunities or the skills needed to effectively start, run and manage a business or nonprofit! But guess what we did do? We were counted in the numbers needed for that program host's metrics to get more funding and to their visibility while we are now just an afterthought. 

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WHAT MAKES NAFIBO DIFFERENT?​

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While many of these training programs offer valuable programming that does support justice involved people's goals of entrepreneurship or nonprofit leadership, are well-established, recognized , have high

visibility, strong funding and structured employment support, they fail in ways by offering limited accessibility to the resources and tools that we sought when we initially applied to the program, provide limited follow-up support, access to workspace and events, true mentorship, branding opportunities, are heavily driven by metrics and image (rather than deepening client outcomes that result in successful start up pathways) and have a narrow focus—either focusing exclusively on employment, education, or elite-tier entrepreneurship. The membership networks, although beneficial to most who are a part of them, have expensive and opaque pricing levels and selective networks that's often prohibitive for small or reentry-stage entrepreneurs and nonprofit founders, creating barriers for those without existing social capital. NAFIBO differentiates itself by offering affordable, fixed-rate and transparent membership plans and a community-first approach that prioritizes equal access and deepening member outcomes that result in successful start up pathways and long-term growth. Unlike programs that end after a cohort or serve only those with strong networks or capital, NAFIBO welcomes entrepreneurs and nonprofit founders at all stages—especially those just starting out after incarceration.

 

This is why NAFIBO was started: to create an exclusive membership network for convicted and formerly incarcerated business owners (and nonprofit founders) to fill a critical gap in the current reentry, entrepreneurship and nonprofit leadership ecosystem. 

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WHY WE FOCUS ON SUPPORTING ENTREPRENEURS?

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Men and women released from incarceration have extreme challenges and barriers to finding employment and when we do, the jobs are often in low-wage jobs that offer little or no job security, do not lead to financial independence or offer the opportunity for advancement and upward mobility.  Businesses have found ways to capitalize on the desperation of justice involved applicants and exploit the fact that we have less bargaining power to demand changes in conditions of employment, such as better wages benefits and protections. Often because of the harsh stipulations and conditions of probation or parole that make employment a condition of staying out, we are literally forced to find alternative ways to make money legally and this is often how we begin our paths to entrepreneurship.

 

Entrepreneurship interrupts the challenges to gaining sustainable income via employment and gives us our power back. Entrepreneurship offers a pathway that low paying job doesn't...protections, stability, financial security, independence and it reduces our chances of re-offending. Justice Involved entrepreneurs, particularly those who have been incarcerated, posses a unique experience, tenacity and journey to entrepreneurship that those who have not been impacted by the criminal legal system. 

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WHY WE FOCUS ON SUPPORTING NONPROFIT  FOUNDERS & LEADERS?

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In simple words....to BE the change we seek! Oftentimes, justice involved people, including those who are incarcerated do not receive the dignity, humanity, care, consideration, education, access to resources, funding, treatment, etc. that others receive, and that we deserve too, and because there is usually not an organization or agency that advocates for us and our needs, CREATING the pathway to get what we and others need (that was more than likely not met for us during our time of need) is just the natural thing for us to do!  

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The National Association of Formerly Incarcerated Business Owners, LLC. changes the deficit of our lack of representation in spaces by making what has once excluded us to now making us the exceptional exception to the rule that being a successful entrepreneur (or nonprofit leader) is unattainable to those impacted by the criminal legal system. NAFIBO is a private, members only networking space for its members to connect, support, mentor, network, collaborate, grow and thrive. NAFIBO is committed to providing training and support, fostering innovation and creativity,  and providing access to resources so our members can attain financial growth, success, economic stability and prosperity. 

 

In a world that sees having a criminal record as liability, NAFIBO aims to elevate our members to allow the world to see us differently...as successful and professional business owners (and nonprofit leaders). NAFIBO members are professionals, disruptors of the status quo and forward-thinking entrepreneurs and nonprofit leaders whose justice-involvement no longer allows us to be seen as liabilities but as assets!  

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GOAL: to provide national networking, business support, resources, empowerment, coaching, and business tools to all our members to accelerate business development and growth of  justice-involved entrepreneurs and nonprofit founders and leaders in an effort to help them successfully grow their businesses and nonprofits and to strengthen our participation in, and impact on, the economy and our communities. 

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Although the information found on our website benefits the professional community as a whole, the National Association of Formerly Incarcerated Business Owners (NAFIBO) is a membership association that serves as a virtual hub for its members to connect, support, mentor, network, collaborate, grow and thrive. Members are professionals, disruptors of the status quo and forward thinking entrepreneurs and executives whose journeys have made an impact on their communities. NAFIBO's exclusive programs and activities are for the benefit of  our members. We do not operate as a professional association or as a lobby group, and we are financed by member subscriptions, donations and fundraising activities.