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From Corporate Professional to Passion-Driven Retiree Mark Goldsmith enjoyed a 35-year career in the cosmetic business, managing household name brands during Madison Avenue's Mad Men heyday. Looking for new challenges in retirement, Goldsmith took his wife's suggestion to volunteer for the Principal for a Day program, specifically asking to be sent to the toughest New York City school available-which turned out to be Horizon Academy at the city's infamous Rikers Island jail.
Goldsmith instantly connected with the men of Rikers, leveraging the skills he'd honed in decades of corporate experience and his strong desire to help. This passion ultimately led to the creation of his not-for-profit organization Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO), which has helped thousands of young men pursue their goals for their education, employment, and emotional well-being to create a new life for themselves beyond the criminal justice system.
List of contents
PREFACE ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION My Very First Day on Rikers Island From Rikers Island to Starbucks Making a Profit or Making a Difference Name the Agency, the Mission Statement, Becoming a 501(c)(3) It's All about the Guys The GOSO Guys Speak Out The Three E's: Education, Employment, and Emotional Well-Being Finding a Location and Hiring Board of Directors Fundraising: Government- Foundations-Individuals-Benefits Staffing Finance and Legal Services Public Relations, Lobbying, and Marketing Measurement and Outcomes Volunteering The Passion, the Purpose, and the Pay of
About the author
MARK GOLDSMITH is a former executive in the cosmetics industry with thirty-five years of experience in the corporate world. In 2003, after retiring, he discovered a passion for helping young men in the criminal justice system get on a path to success. Since then, his not-for-profit, Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO), has helped more than ten thousand young men attain educational goals and jobs that lead to careers. Mr. Goldsmith has been recognized for his decades of leadership and his stalwart commitment to using his life experience to help young people stay out of the criminal justice system at GOSO.
Summary
From Corporate Professional to Passion-Driven Retiree
Mark Goldsmith enjoyed a 35-year career in the cosmetic business, managing household name brands during Madison Avenue's Mad Men heyday. Looking for new challenges in retirement, Goldsmith took his wife's suggestion to volunteer for the Principal for a Day program, specifically asking to be sent to the toughest New York City school available—which turned out to be Horizon Academy at the city's infamous Rikers Island jail.
Goldsmith instantly connected with the men of Rikers, leveraging the skills he'd honed in decades of corporate experience and his strong desire to help. This passion ultimately led to the creation of his not-for-profit organization Getting Out and Staying Out (GOSO), which has helped thousands of young men pursue their goals for their education, employment, and emotional well-being to create a new life for themselves beyond the criminal justice system.
