At 24 years old, Ed Hennings was handed a charge that could have kept him behind the wall for decades.

Most people would have folded.

Instead, he made a decision:

If he was going to do the time, the time was going to build him.

In this episode of Crime Pays, Ed shares how he transformed prison into preparation — developing discipline, mental toughness, and a blueprint for ownership that would carry him when he finally came home.

After being denied parole eight times, he didn’t waste a second of freedom. Within one year, he owned a barbershop. Then trucking. Now he’s building a legacy through a work boot company rooted in identity, confidence, and pride in honest work.

This conversation isn’t about crime.

It’s about mindset, redemption, discipline, and building a future when the odds say you shouldn’t have one.

If you’re coming home soon, already home, or trying to rebuild your life for real — this episode is a blueprint.

• The day everything changed — June 11, 1996

• What “paralysis” feels like when you read your charges

• Why being the “go-to guy” can destroy your future

• Turning prison into training camp for life

• How to protect your mind in an environment designed to break it

• Denied parole eight times — and staying focused

• Why he came home moving with purpose, not celebration

• Building ownership instead of chasing fast money

• The deeper meaning behind his work boot brand

• Why confidence is something you earn, not something you fake

00:00 — The Day Everything Changed (June 11, 1996)

03:42 — When the Charges Hit: Shock, Fear, Paralysis

08:15 — Being the “Go-To Guy” and the Pressure of the Streets

12:28 — Accepting Responsibility vs. Making Excuses

16:50 — First Years Behind the Wall: Mental Survival Mode

21:37 — Turning Prison Into Preparation

27:05 — Discipline, Routine, and Protecting Your Mind

32:11 — The Pain of Being Denied Parole (Again and Again)

38:46 — Why He Never Let Bitterness Take Over

44:02 — The Moment He Realized He Would Come Home Different

49:18 — Walking Out With a Plan, Not Just Freedom

54:36 — Ownership Over Fast Money

59:41 — Opening His First Business

1:04:12 — Building Confidence Through Work

1:08:57 — The Work Boot Company: Identity and Pride

1:13:40 — What People Get Wrong About Coming Home

1:18:22 — Advice for Those Still Behind the Wall

1:22:05 — Redemption, Responsibility, and Legacy

1:26:30 — Final Message to the Crime Pays Family