From Prison to Reinvention
Realistic Reinvention™ for Real Life


You’ve checked all the boxes.


The career. The house. The lifestyle.


By all external measures, you should feel successful.


But inside?


You feel stuck, restless, and quietly ask yourself: “Is this all there is?”


No matter how good your life looks on the outside, something significant is missing on the inside.


And the cost is mounting; you feel empty and trapped, your relationships are strained, you know your time is limited, and regret creeps in with every birthday.


You feel like you’re leaving the best parts of you untapped and unfulfilled. 


Here’s the truth you need to understand:


You’re not missing more career and status success; you’re missing the self you left behind to achieve it.


That realization became the four words that form the foundation of my work:


Stop Chasing. Start Creating.


What is Realistic Reinvention™ for Real Life?


I help midlife professionals stop chasing what doesn’t fulfill them and start creating extraordinary lives of meaning, purpose, and joy, without giving up everything they’ve built or burning it to the ground.


Through my 3C Reinvention Framework™️, Connect, Create, Contribute, I guide audiences to:

  • Reconnect with their inner truth and values.
  • Reclaim the creativity and passions they abandoned.
  • Contribute to something larger than themselves.


The result? 


Clarity. Alignment. Confidence. Self-Trust. Fulfillment. Energy. Peace of mind. Unleashed potential. Deeper relationships. Impact. 


Most importantly, a life that feeds both your family and your soul.


I don’t teach from a textbook. 


I teach from lived experience, terrible choices, lessons earned, and a decade of reinvention built from the inside out.


I deliver transformational keynotes that redefine success, resilience, and reinvention. 


Through raw storytelling, real-world insights, and actionable strategies, I help audiences unlock their potential and thrive in work, life, and beyond.


Let’s connect and bring the power of Realistic Reinvention™️ to your next event.

Speaking Engagements

With a deeply personal story of overcoming federal prison and hitting rock bottom, Craig delivers powerful keynotes that resonate with anyone seeking to unleash their potential, discover purpose, and live authentically.

Midlife Reinvention Newsletter

Are you professionally & financially successful yet woefully unfulfilled? Are you ready to craft your authentic and extraordinary second half? Join the “Midlife Reinvention” newsletter for weekly tips, insights, and inspiration.

Blank Canvas Book

This book isn’t just a memoir; it’s a roadmap for anyone who has ever felt lost inside their own life, a guide back to authenticity, and a call to action to reinvent. Hear more about Craig’s memoir and purchase Blank Canvas.

Hear from Craig

Craig is a regular contributor to numerous blogs and publications and has been a guest on many different podcasts. To read and hear the latest from Craig, see the latest blog posts and our in the media section.

The Latest from Craig

  • What’s Missing From Your Life is The Real You

    What’s Missing From Your Life is The Real You

    What’s actually missing? I’m working on my second book. It’s a prequel to “Blank Canvas: How I Reinvented My Life After Prison.” I’m capturing the journey that landed me in prison and the lessons learned in the decade of reinventing my life. In the chapter I’m writing, I’m speaking to my…

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  • 1 Critical Lesson That Transformed My Life After Prison

    1 Critical Lesson That Transformed My Life After Prison

    Lessons are everywhere if we’re open to seeing them. We have a new water filter/dispenser. It’s one of those rectangular ones with a spout. On Friday night, before going to bed, my wife filled it to the brim in preparation for filling numerous water bottles for our day at the beach…

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  • I Was Sentenced to Prison 10 Years Ago Today

    I Was Sentenced to Prison 10 Years Ago Today

    June 10th, 2014 I’m alone; I’m terrified; I want this to be over. I can’t understand what she’s saying, I get that it’s all English, but the words are a blur and I can’t keep up with them. The gavel comes down, echoing through the room. I don’t know what happened.…

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  • How to Leave More Than Just Material Wealth Behind

    How to Leave More Than Just Material Wealth Behind

    “Keeping up with the Joneses.” The term conjures up images of people displaying their prosperity through their homes, cars, clothes, country clubs, and parties. It’s a code term for materialism and flaunting your wealth, but underneath it lies a desperate need to fit in. Keeping up with the Joneses is a…

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  • Here Are 5 Simple Steps to Discover Your Purpose

    Here Are 5 Simple Steps to Discover Your Purpose

    Purpose. Purpose. Purpose. You have to find your purpose. There is a lot of content out there about finding one’s purpose, and there is a lot of pressure to do so.  Because if you don’t, you’re doing life wrong. Many fall prey to the belief that their life is incomplete without…

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  • You Have to Start Where You Are (and start now)

    You Have to Start Where You Are (and start now)

    I started writing Blank Canvas when I was in prison. I used those black and white composition notebooks from high school and a cheap Bic pen. I used an iPhone when I was released to the halfway house because it was all I had. When I went home, I used an…

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