When you think of inmates or prisoners, we think about people who have made bad choices in life, people who are an outcast, or more so, individuals that are considered a misfit in a civilized society. Well, wait till you here the story of Frederick Hutson: the 29 year old prison inmate who currently owns a technology company called Pigeonly, a platform that identifies and organizes data on the incarcerated, an idea that he developed while his time in federal prison.
An entrepreneur in the true sense, Frederick Hutson launched and sold his first business at the age of 19 while on active duty in the Air Force. Later, he left the military to build his second business which he also sold for a profit. At the age of 21, fate took a different turn, Hutson was caught and sent to prison for a four year term on the charges of trafficking marijuana.
While at prison, he realized that suddenly a person could be out of control of his own life. The only thing that could keep him going was his communication with his loved ones. Throughout his time in prison, Hutson realized how truly difficult and expensive it is to stay in touch with loved ones when behind bars. This was the seed to his business idea for Pigeonly. He found out that communication with loved ones was the key motivator for inmates. In fact, The Federal Communications Commission noted last year in a statement that inmates who maintain contact with family while in prison are more likely to become productive citizens upon their release.