At the age of 16, Marcus was sentenced to 23 years in an adult prison. Since the judge suspended 15 of those years, Marcus was left to serve eight years of his life behind bars. After his release in 2004, he became a businessman and entrepreneur. In 2006, he launched a residential and commercial painting company called Perspectives Painting Contractors and he is now the CEO of Perspectives Premier Contractors (PPC). As the CEO of PPC he continues to employ other returning citizens.

With the desire to reach back into the cells from which he came, in 2012 Marcus launched the mobile application and website Flikshop.  The free mobile app gives incarcerated people the ability to receive personalized mail and postcards from their loved ones. Flikshop ships postcards to over 2,000 correctional facilities around the country.

 Marcus’ personal journey and his innovative mobile application have received notable media attention, including coverage from CNN and the Washington Business Journal.

Last but not least, Marcus is also the founder of the Flikshop School of Business, a program that teaches incarcerated youth life skills and entrepreneurship.

 Marcus’s dedication to the mission of JPI brings tremendous value to the Board of Directors and we welcome him to our team of dedicated and passionate change makers.