The Person Next to You

Episode 7: Find the Pony

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 02:53:44 -0700

Meet Erin. She’s the Senior Data Architect at Awake Window & Door Co and supports other employees in her role as a growth coach. Erin shares her story of rebuilding her life after spending 19 years in prison through maintaining a positive perspective and going after her goals.

She has been a critical part of building out infrastructure, but was also instrumental in the leading the conversation about the challenges faced by formerly incarcerated individuals. Knowing Erin and seeing her strong work ethic is part of the reason Awake Window & Door Co felt a need to be a part of the solution.

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Links from the episode:

“The Architect of Her Own Comeback” by Jessica Coz

https://www.finequity.org – finEQUITY is dedicated to ensuring financial dignity for communities and individuals impacted by incarceration. They’re a great resource for employees of Awake Window & Door Co to receive financial coaching.

Music by Armond “Mondo” Thomas

Episode 6: Practical Thoughts for Fair Chance Employers

Sun, 03 May 2026 14:57:24 -0700

Meet Maria. She founded Awake Window & Door Co in July 2020 to meet a need. Joining together with three other owners, they recognized qualified men and women were missing out on job opportunities because they had a criminal background. They built a company to prove simply that people can be qualified to do great work despite their past… and it’s working.

In just over five years, Awake Window & Door Co has grown from $200K to over $30 million. Over 50% of the workforce has a justice-involved background and build high-end windows and doors for a demanding market.

Join us in learning from Maria what it means to be a fair chance employer and some practical lessons learned along the way.

Music by Armond “Mondo” Thomas.

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Links from the episode:

https://oudbiztoolkit.org – Opioid Use Disorder Business Toolkit used by Awake Window & Door Co and other AZ business to build a recovery-aware workplace.

https://arizonaatwork.com – AZ @ Work is a powerful community resource connecting talented job seekers to AZ companies.

https://jessecrosson.com – “The Best Part of Prison” by Jesse Crosson is an inside look at the men and women breaking all the stigmas during and after incarceration.

https://www.ihaveabean.com/pages/second-chances - I Have a Bean is a fair chance employer and creator of the best coffee we’ve ever tried!

Episode 5: The Space Between Falling and Rising

Sat, 28 Mar 2026 09:15:33 -0700

Meet Braden. He is a receiving technician, forklift trainer, and growth coach at Awake Window & Door Co. He gets honest about his struggle with substance use, homelessness, and a background that disqualified him from many employment opportunities. Braden breaks the mold and challenges stereotypes that suggest he would be anything less than a great addition to any team.

Music by Armond “Mondo” Thomas.

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Links from the episode:

https://awakewdc.com/news-article/the-space-between-falling-and-rising - “The Space Between Falling and Rising” by Jessica Coz

https://oudbiztoolkit.org – Opioid Use Disorder Business Toolkit used by Awake Window & Door Co and other AZ business to build a recovery-aware workplace.

https://unhookedrecovery.com – Unhooked Recovery

https://www.theworkeraz.org – The Worker provides pathways to self-sufficiency, with employment as the foundation of all they do.

https://pazdecristo.org – Paz de Cristo provides not only meals but also hope and dignity so people can start over.

Episode 4: Embrace not Accept

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 15:33:07 -0700

Meet Erik Maloney. Erik is an author, a mentor, and a man who has served 26 years of a life sentence. Erik shares about his book, Imprisoned Minds: Lost Boys, Trapped Men, and Solutions from Within the Prison. Together, we discuss his unique perspective on how childhood trauma can shape behavior and the opportunity that fair chance employers have to be a part of the solution.----more----

LInks:

Imprisoned Minds: Lost Boys, Trapped Men, and Solutions from Within the Prison

ASU Center for Correctional Solutions

Awake Window & Door Co.

Episode 3: Uncomfortable On Purpose

Sun, 02 Nov 2025 07:55:22 -0700

Meet Lizzette. Hear her story of hope and determination as she nears the end of a 16-year prison sentence. She is one of the 70 million Americans who have a criminal background that makes it challenging to find work, support family, and rebuild after incarceration… and she’s a great hire. Lizzette invites us to join in on her journey of re-entry as it happens.

Episode 2: Being Intentional

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 08:41:53 -0700

Meet Danny. Our goal at The Person Next to You is to introduce the 1 in 3 Americans directly impacted by mass incarceration and recidivism. Danny shares his story of returning home after 8.5 years behind bars. His journey from survival, to stability, and now to thriving is why fair chance hiring makes sense for businesses and for healthy communities.

Episode 1: Potential Over Past

Wed, 03 Sep 2025 07:18:27 -0700

Episode 1 of The Person Next to You sets the stage for the series by uncovering the “Why” behind the urgent need to share experiences of people who’ve lived through incarceration. With 1 in 3 Americans directly impacted by the ripple effects of mass incarceration, this isn’t a “them” issue, it’s a “we” issue. In this opening conversation, we explore resilience, struggle, vulnerability, and unexpected growth, reminding us that the person beside us may carry a story that could change how we see the world….if we choose to listen.