From Tragedy to Triumph: Entrepreneur Turns His Life Around After 8-Year Sentence

When most people hear about a teenager going to prison, they don’t think of success stories. However, it is what ultimately led Marcus Bullock to where he is today. As of 2022, he’s an entrepreneur with a company that helps prisoners connect with loved ones.

The Story of a Young Teen

Marcus Bullock was only 15 years old when he and a friend were arrested for carjacking a stranger. A very stupid mistake made by a teenager. Only this black teenager was tried as an adult, landing a sentence of 8 years in prison. And not just any prison; it was a maximum-security establishment made for adults. 

By the two-year mark, Bullock believed his life to be over. It was a hopeless situation; he just couldn’t accept the fact he’d serve the entire sentence. He was depressed and anxious for a way to get out. Or at the very least, achieve some kind of normalcy while serving his time.

When he confided in his mother one day, she said this to him;

 “Marcus, I’m going to write you a letter or send you a picture every day for the remaining six years of your sentence,”

Those were the words that saved Bullock from his downward spiral. For six years, his mother kept her promise, sending him constant reminders of her love. Her daily pictures and letters gave him a reason to live. It’s what kept him going throughout the rest of his term. It’s what made him look towards the future; what his life would be like after his sentence. 

The System

Many people see prisoners as just that; bad people who commit crimes and get punished accordingly. They don’t stop to wonder what drives a person to engage in criminal activity. They don’t even think of the fact that prisoners are human beings; ones with a conscious, with emotions, and with a very high depression rate. 

Doing a bad thing doesn’t always make someone a bad person. Of course, when people make terrible decisions, they must face the consequences. But this doesn’t mean that they have to live a life of endless suffering.

That’s why, when Marcus Bullock got out of prison, he created this awesome company called Filkshop.

What is Filkshop?

Bullock had considerable success starting a painting and construction business once he ultimately got out of prison in 2012. But still, he desired more. Bullock had pledged to send his prison pals postcards after leaving. In addition to sharing his experience of reentering society, he wanted his friends to feel the same sense of hope that he had. So, Bullock came up with an idea that would change his life for the better. 

Filkshop is an app and website that allows people to seamlessly communicate with a loved one in prison. How it works is simple. For only  $0.99, you can upload any picture or message to send to a friend, family member, or anyone doing their time. Flinkshop will print whatever message you have onto a postcard. It’ll then be shipped directly to the inmate in question. 

At first, Bullock admitted to not knowing what he was doing. Though as he got the hang of entrepreneurship, he noticed that he was good at public speaking and taking advice. 

Soon enough, Flinkshop was endorsed by none other than John Legend. As part of his criminal justice organization, #FREEAMERICA, Legend gave Flinkshop strong financial backing. 

Marcus Bullock probably didn’t expect Flinkshop blow up the way it did. But he is very grateful for the opportunity to build his generational wealth.