The Exit Strategy

The Exit Strategy
A Real-World Guide to Rebuilding Life After Prison
By Dr. Gregory A. Thomas, PhD, MBA, BA, BAS
You've done the time. Now it's time to take back your life.
The Exit Strategy is not a motivational speech—it's a master plan. Written by Dr. Gregory A. Thomas, a man with multiple degrees and firsthand insight into both professional life and incarceration, this no-nonsense guide delivers real answers for real people trying to reclaim their freedom.
Whether you're newly released, preparing to come home, or walking beside someone on that path, this book provides the essential steps to rebuild—legally, strategically, and powerfully.
Inside, you'll learn how to:
- Set up an email, phone, and online presence- Secure your social security card, state ID, and birth certificate- Open a bank account without getting trapped in fees- Apply for jobs—and explain your felony with confidence- Find housing in a world that says you can't- Master transportation, budgeting, and credit building- Heal from the trauma of prison and avoid the pitfalls of the street- Start a business, go back to school, and seal your record- Reclaim your name, your purpose, and your future
This is not just a reentry manual. This is a survival guide, a strategic blueprint, and a declaration of dignity.
If you're ready to stop being defined by your DOC number and start building a life with legacy, this book is your next move.
The system wasn't built for your success.
This book is.

Dr. Gregory A. Thomas, PhD, MBA, BA, BAS, is a nationally respected author, educator, entrepreneur, and criminal justice reform advocate whose work bridges the worlds of academic excellence and lived experience. With six published books—including the New York Times bestselling Investing for Beginners: Diversifying Is a Must—Dr. Thomas is known for turning complex systems into accessible, strategic blueprints for those most often left behind.
Armed with six degrees earned before his incarceration, Dr. Thomas brings a rare combination of intellectual authority and firsthand knowledge of what it means to start over. His insight is rooted not in theory, but in life—years of watching talented men and women leave prison unprepared to reenter a world that has no roadmap, no grace period, and no real plan for their success.
In The Exit Strategy, Dr. Thomas delivers what the system won't: a step-by-step guide written from the trenches, with wisdom sharpened by time, study, and unbreakable will. His voice is firm but empowering, scholarly yet raw, offering every returning citizen the tools to rebuild, reclaim, and rise.
Dr. Thomas continues to write, teach, and lead from behind the walls—proof that brilliance, purpose, and power cannot be imprisoned.