Beyond a Second Chance: Building a Pathway to Success with P.E.P.

In this episode of The Edge, Bill and Stephanie sit down with Chris Valka, CEO of the Prison Entrepreneurship Program (P.E.P.), and Jeremy Jones, a P.E.P. alumnus and Life Caddie, to explore how this transformative program is turning reentry from a second chance into a pathway to lasting success.

Chris explains how P.E.P. combines business training, character development, and lifelong mentorship to build confident, purpose-driven men ready to succeed beyond prison walls. Jeremy shares how the program helped him not only gain practical tools, but also reshape his identity—seeing himself no longer through the lens of his past, but through the promise of his potential.

He opens up about his struggle with stuttering, how P.E.P.’s leadership and communication training helped him find his voice, and what it means to now mentor others walking the same road. Together, Chris and Jeremy show that real transformation isn’t just about being given another chance—it’s about being equipped to walk a new path with confidence, faith, and purpose.