Nightmare Success In and Out

David Carrillo was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole at just 19 years old — for a gang-related murder where he wasn’t the trigger man.
After spending years in maximum security prisons and solitary confinement, David faced a defining moment: would he let prison define him… or transform him?
Instead of surrendering to despair, David chose radical accountability. He earned his associate’s degree, bachelor’s degree, and MBA while incarcerated. He became the first incarcerated adjunct college professor in the nation, teaching other inmates while serving a life sentence. He mentored men, built programs, and rebuilt himself from the inside out.
After 31 years behind bars, David was granted clemency.
This episode explores:
​Gang culture and growing up in trauma
​Life inside maximum security and solitary confinement
​Radical ownership and personal transformation
​The power of education in prison
​Losing his son and father while incarcerated
​Faith, forgiveness, and redemption
​What freedom feels like after 31 years
This isn’t a story about excuses.It’s about responsibility, growth, and refusing to let your worst decision define your entire life.
📘 Book: Kiko: From Life Without Parole to Life With Purpose

Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"

Jennifer Rogers’ story is a full-blown roller coaster—small-town “perfect life,” cheerleading and pageants, then addiction, meth dealing, custody loss, and a federal sentence that forced her to face everything she tried to outrun. In this episode, Jennifer opens up about the double life, the turning points, and the moment she finally realized: it’s you vs. you.
Now the founder of the National Women’s Prison Reform Coalition, the visionary behind Rise Up Media, host of the Fenced In podcast, and author of The You Within, Jennifer shares what recovery really took, how she rebuilt her career through sales, and the spiritual shift that helped her reclaim her identity—and her life.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"

Sean Mueller built a hedge fund empire from the ground up—without a college degree—raising over $100M and becoming “the guy who never lost money.” But in the pressure-cooker era of Bernie Madoff and Wall Street crackdowns, a string of ethical blind spots and performance-driven decisions led to a securities fraud conviction and a 40-year state prison sentence.
In this episode of Nightmare Success In & Out, Sean opens up about the mindset shifts that fueled both his rise and his downfall, the moment everything collapsed, and what it took to rebuild his life from inside prison walls. Today, he’s a summa cum laude graduate, an advocate for prison education, and the author of the upcoming book: After The Walls: Living Without Shortcuts—speaking to leaders, compliance teams, and professional audiences about ethical decision-making under pressure and transforming setbacks into strength.

Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"

Cheryl Armstrong’s nightmare began at 16 years old—when she was sentenced to decades in prison and ultimately spent 26 years incarcerated. In this powerful episode of Nightmare Success In and Out, Cheryl takes us inside the reality of surviving nearly three decades behind the wall without losing hope—and the inner transformation that changed everything.
Now a two-time international bestselling author, keynote speaker, and founder of Plant Your Energy, Cheryl shares how daily discipline, intentional energy, and radical ownership of your choices can turn even the darkest chapter into purpose. This conversation is about accountability, redemption, and breaking free from the mental prisons that hold so many of us—inside or out.
Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"

Allyssa Baker’s story is the definition of Nightmare Success. What began as a prescription for pain spiraled into addiction, homelessness, and a six-year prison sentence. But behind bars, Allyssa made one decision that changed everything: she refused to quit. She earned her degree with honors, completed recovery work, and fought her way into Televerde—one of the most competitive, highest-paying jobs inside prison—learning elite B2B sales skills while incarcerated.
Now an Account Executive at Paychex, Allyssa opens up about the real moments that broke her, the discipline that rebuilt her, and how second chances—combined with relentless accountability—can turn rock bottom into a foundation. This is a masterclass in resilience, reentry, and the quiet power of doing the next right thing.

Show sponsors: Navigating the challenges of white-collar crime? The White-Collar Support Group at Prisonist.org offers guidance, resources, and a community for those affected. Discover support today at Prisonist.org Protect your online reputation with Discoverability! Use code NIGHTMARE SUCCESS for an exclusive discount on services to boost your digital image and online reputation. Visit Discoverability.co and secure your online presence today. Skip the hassle of car shopping with Auto Plaza Direct. They’ll handle every detail to find your perfect vehicle. Visit AutoPlazaDirect.com "Your personal car concierge!"