In this episode Pete Ochs shares his journey from farm kid and banker to founder of a family-owned manufacturing group and the creator of Seat King — a business that operates inside maximum and medium security prisons. He explains how a need for labor grew into a larger mission to build economic, social, and spiritual capital for incarcerated men.
Pete describes the private industry model inside Kansas prisons, how inmates are paid, and how performance-based bonuses and training incentives increased productivity and responsibility. He highlights life-changing programs like a three-year seminary delivered on Kindles, vocational and parenting courses, and community-building events that restore dignity and family connections.
The conversation covers powerful results: dramatically lower recidivism among participants, large-scale wages paid to inmates, and unexpected generosity from inside the prison culture. Pete also reflects on stewardship, leadership transition to his son, founding Enterprise Stewardship to help other businesses create triple-bottom-line impact, and lessons learned from selling companies and pursuing significance over success.
The episode closes with a prayer and a call to risk faith, time, and money for kingdom impact, plus practical encouragement for business leaders to steward their companies in ways that honor God, serve people, and deliver excellent results.
