Frederick Hutson, the founder of Pigeonly, a business that offers prison inmates an easy and efficient way to receive photos from loved ones and to make inexpensive phone calls. Mr. Hutson knows his market well due to his own experience of imprison from the distribution of marijuana. Ironically, this gained him the “domain expertise” as good hustling and sales skills are primary skills required to survive on the street. Through the mentorship from NewME, Mr.Hutson was able to gained investors despite his record. He also created a database that contains all federal prisons allowing customers to search for inmate by name, regardless of location. In order to expand his business, Mr.Hutson is aiming to “build relationships on the inside” with inmates that are to be released by helping them get cellphones, set up bank accounts and find employment.
I thought it was smart for Mr.Hutson to approach the Low cost Focus strategy in this particular market as he chose to aim at a demographic that few understand with the provision of low cost. He targeted and filled up a void in the market, which I thought serves as a turning point for every entrepreneur. The reason behind Mr.Hutson successful business is his focus on satisfying customer needs, by first targeting “why” he chose to establish this business therefore creating a strong value proposition of his company.
From a more personal perspective, it was unexpected for a prisoner being able to pursue his entrepreneurship after being released. What caught me off guard was his ability to persuade and gain investors into his business despite his background. This is definitely breaking the ground rules; breaking free for Frederick Hutson.
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