We recently connected with Janette Graham and have shared our conversation below.
Janette, I’m looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, you had your idea—then what happened? Can you walk us through the story of how you went from just an idea to executing it?
The journey from an idea to executing my business was emotional. It began with a life tragedy no mother wants to face. Our family suffered a great loss, leading to tears and multiple stressors. Questions flooded my mind: How can a child be put in prison? What does this mean for my other children? Was I being targeted? Was I a horrible mother? Was this the only form of corrective punishment? Why were parents excluded from the process? Why wasn’t there a discussion with the parents about the child before stripping away all innocence?
My son was 13 when he committed his first criminal offense of theft. He was removed from my home without a clear path for rehabilitation, consequences, or family support. Within two years, he was exposed to more drugs and violence in juvenile detention facilities than on the streets of Baltimore. At just 15, he received a 25-year sentence. I wanted to serve that time for him so he could live a little. I strived to find the best solution that would place my son, my family, and all involved parties in a healing state, with adequate resources for redirection. The idea was to understand the ‘why’, ‘how’, and ‘who’ within the legal and criminal system. It was about addressing uncomfortable topics like racism and health disparities, seeking out those already doing the work, understanding what laws needed enforcement or modification, identifying who could relate, and determining if there was financial support.
I researched articles and community leaders involved in this work. Why weren’t hospitals involved, given the clear indications of medical and mental health issues? What would it take to help myself and my son? This journey is still unfolding; it’s life-changing! At 18, my son gave me the words, “No Struggle, No Success.” He said that being in prison made you often think about freedom, family, and finance. These words resonated with me deeply. My child, a minor kept in solitary confinement, relied on self-hope. With just a ninth-grade education and little life experience, he was removed from his home. He had no knowledge of starting a business or mapping out operations and strategies for a better life. Yet, amidst feelings of abandonment, neglect, abuse, and unhealthy trauma, he yearned for a life where he could gain skills and resources.
As his mother, I felt responsible for him. I began looking into copyrights, patents, and the structure of the business, exploring avenues of revenue, and researching licensing and the development of business planning. This included marketing, logos, social media, permits, safety protocols, target population, capacity of services, organizing information systems, and securing stability to enter entrepreneurship. Was I ready? I was willing to try anything to get my son back into my arms.
From May 2018 to January 2019, I diligently researched banking products, certifications, educational services and materials, technology services, legal assistance and liabilities, potential partnerships, and gathered feedback from friends, family, and mentors. This effort led to the creation of a pilot program that demonstrated the challenges and accomplishments needed to become a fully operating nonprofit organization. The pilot program provided data insights on best practices, customer service (understanding the population), refining services, career readiness, and healthcare support. It also unveiled the darkest aspects of mass incarceration, victims’ rights, unfair sentencing, and the need for reform in the juvenile and criminal justice systems.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights. We have a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that, can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some background and context?
I am Janette Gonzalez-Graham, a mother, and prior to my career change, I was an executive assistant for over 20 years in healthcare information technology and community initiatives via grants management. I have always aimed to be resourceful and provide value to my employers and community. I enjoy building lasting relationships grounded in truth and authentic living. I participate in various groups and committees, including Hispanic/Latina WorkLife balance, women empowerment, trauma healing tools, Parent Advocacy/Support, Diversity and Inclusion, and many others. My involvement in these groups helps me gain insight and bring awareness to criminal justice and juvenile justice reform, as well as mass incarceration.
The name stood out, the draft logo conveyed emotion, and the stories connected were heartbreaking yet real. I knew I needed to balance my corporate life with entrepreneurship to streamline the launch of this nonprofit. This involved interviewing board members, seeking inspirational and honest mentors, and finding ways to secure funding.
No Struggle No Success Inc. (NSNS) has been serving the youth and adults of Baltimore City since 2018. This robust program is designed to demonstrate that there’s “no excuse” to return to prison. NSNS supports motivated individuals who are incarcerated or recently released from prisons and detention centers. The objective is to break the cycle of (1) entering the adult prison system, (2) engaging in criminal behaviors and juvenile delinquency, (3) reducing homelessness, and (4) unifying families and communities.
NSNS adheres to best practices that support the implementation of policies and practices promoting resilience and preventing and mitigating the negative effects of adversity and trauma, while providing services and programming throughout the fiscal year.
I harnessed my organizational and attentive skills to create and design a reentry model that embodies best practices for direct services for ages 11-65. This structure focuses on prevention, intervention, advocacy, and rebuilding lives after exposure to prison and violence. I am most proud of my own healing journey. I am thankful to my family for their patience, for sacrificing their privacy, and for learning, witnessing, and supporting this life-changing event—truly living the struggles to achieve success. This idea, now a fully operating business, has significantly improved my life and the lives of those around me. We climbed out of that dark place of death and prison that once entrapped our mindset.
It’s very hard to be vulnerable in the public eye. I am constantly judged based on others’ performances.
However, when I know I have encouraged another parent, advocated for an individual, or mentored someone towards the success of simply being happy and living safely, it keeps me grounded and gives me the strength to push forward. I love being a grandmother, swimming, and reading—mostly poems, about rare medical conditions, or the function of the brain in mental health issues. I also enjoy food from all around the world and laughing with my children about life and new things to come.
The service provided by No Struggle No Success (NSNS) is reentry mentorship from a place of relatability. We build rapport within the reentry space to foster trust and value for life. Our approach includes demonstrating ways to access free resources and services, such as mental health support, substance abuse treatment, banking, self-care, career readiness, entrepreneurship levels, and improving parent-youth communication, as well as providing technology assistance. Our program durations are 6, 12, or 18 months—please inquire about our program eligibility guidelines.
NSNS program participants adopt the “no excuses to reoffend” mantra. We deliver hands-on, quality, and adequate services. Our goal is not to exploit or relive triggers from the past but to demonstrate that a life outside the ‘criminal plantation’ is possible and desirable. NSNS supports youth to prevent their entry into the adult system, thereby breaking the school-to-prison pipeline. We also support adults to prevent reentry into the adult prison system. By learning the laws and regulations at federal, state, and local levels, we identify gaps and engage in advocacy work. This involves bringing together resources that have not reached people in marginalized communities and addressing racial and ethnic disparities that lead to delinquency prevention.
Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?
As the president, I make sure I’m reachable and step into duties and day-to-day operations with an “all hands-on deck” approach, at any time and any moment. The essence of our brand is “No Excuses.” It’s an oddly gratifying feeling when I can visit homes, schools, and places of employment to assist in navigating through barriers. I don’t overpromise, and I make sure to follow through on commitments. I listen, observe, and think differently to demonstrate genuine support. I am vocal with my staff about following program guidelines to enhance the experience and effectiveness of our mentorship.
Accessibility is key; I ensure I am available to all my clients, working in tandem with their assigned team members to offer various resources and connections. This approach helps them respond in healthy and mature ways to various situations. I strive to be exactly who I am—a human with feelings. This authenticity helps foster brand loyalty by showing that we are genuinely invested in our clients’ well-being and success.
Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?
No Struggle No Success Inc. is a program funded entirely by grants. There have been times when the gap in funding, the lack of philanthropic support, and the actual cost of operating a nonprofit have been physically and emotionally draining.
There were instances when my leadership team and I had to skip our own payroll to cover rent, utilities, or other staff’s salaries. We’ve faced moments when we almost missed payroll, leading to nail-biting anxiety and the tough decision to draft memos to staff about (1) reduced working hours, (2) pay cuts, (3) scaling back services, (4) hustling to borrow funds or secure payday loans, and (5) delays in funding. The overall challenges with procurement systems and processes can be incredibly draining.
These close calls with the business have been difficult, but they’ve also been a testament to our commitment and resilience. They’ve underscored the importance of seeking sustainable funding sources and efficient financial management to ensure the longevity and impact of our work.
There were times I cried, not wanting to fail simply due to a lack of money. I’ve made many sacrifices to keep pushing forward. I still hope to find donors and awaken funders to provide us with funding—we work hard for each dollar that comes in. I’m thankful to my board of directors, our recurring donors, those who provide in-kind donations, community members, and even participants who have vocalized “give money to the grassroots” or facilitated warm introductions to potential financial contributors.
Not being able to pay people who help bring your vision to life, so they can care for their own families, feels like a kick in the gut. It’s a tough situation when there’s insufficient funding for payroll. However, I’m hopeful that as we pivot forward, we will receive an outpouring of procurement and philanthropic contributions that recognize and support our good work. This hope keeps us motivated to continue our mission and strive for sustainability and growth.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.nostrugglenosuccess.Org
- Instagram: Nostruggle No Success
- Facebook: No Struggle No success inc
- Linkedin: Janette Gonzalez Graham
- Youtube: No Struggle No success logo
Image Credits
Ronda Cox Morgan Darnel Tavon Shaw