Growing up in both Los Angeles and San Antonio, Texas, Cole Richman was headed down a destructive path at a young age. He tried heroin at just 14 years old. After being in and out of jail as a teenager for various charges, he went to prison for the first time at 19 years old for breaking into cars. By 27, he was arrested for a home invasion robbery and assault with a firearm, for which he spent eight years in prison. It was during this prison sentence, while spending time in solitary confinement, which Richman calls “the hole,” that he had his wake-up call.

“I actually started college in the hole,” he said. “It was an opportunity for me to start to look towards the future and begin to change.”

On the latest episode of “LA Stories” with Giselle Fernandez, Richman shares how he turned into a successful entrepreneur after his release. With the $200 given to him upon his release, he bought a pair of sneakers and sold them for a profit — and the rest is history.

Richman went on to open a store on Melrose Avenue called Bottom Bunk Sneaker House, a reference to his time spent on the bottom bunk in his prison cell. The entire store has thoughtful touches that remind him of where he came from, such as the prison phone on the wall and concrete benches. There’s a space called the Redemption Room where the floor is the color blue like the sky and water, which has a special meaning to him.

“Whenever I would get into a new cell and especially the hole, the biggest symbol for freedom in there was whenever I would get to see the sky again when I would get to see water,” he said. “Water is freedom. It’s always free-flowing. And so for me, that room is super special.”

Now, Richman has expanded to a second location in Northern California. He has made it his point to help incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people just like him. Richman says about 80% of his employees are former inmates. He’s partnered with Defy Ventures in order to help inmates complete an entrepreneurial program to gain the skills they need in business while behind bars. He’s even launched his nonprofit called Off The Bunk. Richman hopes to inspire others behind bars or struggling with addiction through his actions.

“Because I do this work, I understand that change is possible. I live a life that I, every single day, try to open up a new door into becoming the best version of Cole possible,” he said. “And so with that type of mindset, I’m forever changing and forever growing.”

Watch “LA Stories with Giselle Fernandez” at 9 p.m. every Monday on Spectrum News 1.