The Escape Route

What is The Escape Route?

The Escape Route has guides, called Escape Plans, for several trades and professions.

Each Escape Plan explains how you can start up in a specific trade, such as Window Cleaning. Believe it or not, there’s good money to be made in these professions.

Each Escape Plan contains a video interview with someone who is making a living from that profession. Most of the interviewees are ex-prisoners.

The Escape Route Pillars

The Escape Route Method is based on ten Pillars, which we summarise below:

1. Self-employment is a good option for an ex-prisoner, because you don’t have to disclose your conviction.
2. Go for a trade that is cheap to set up in.
3. Choose a service that is always in demand and that people readily understand.
4. Borrow and make-do, rather than buy tools and equipment.
5. Do cheap, constant marketing. You won’t succeed without it.
6. You will face horrendous unexpected problems. Do not give up.
7. Dedicate yourself to your work. Drinking and watching television will drain your time and energy.
8. Treat your customers with honour and respect. They are your future. Never leave a job with a customer less than 100% satisfied.
9. Cut loose from your old prison mates. They will drag you down.
10. Cut your spending to the bone. The less you spend, the better your chances of success.

We explain each of these pillars in more detail elsewhere.