1990

We began marketing the films as the Crime Prevention Unit of the Small Business Advancement Institute.

In 1990 I released my next films in the business series called Stop Business Crime Shoplifting and Refund Theft and then Stop Business Crime Check Fraud. Both films are no longer available. They had a more than 10 year run and did very well.

I tried to find an investor to help with the production expenses and I was initially looking for an investment of $30,000. I calculated it a few years ago that they would have received about $10,000 per year return for about 10 years. I ended up funding it myself. It was tough to raise the money but in the long run it worked out very well.

I was building many relationships with law enforcement agencies, colleges, businesses, high schools, and other organizations. I had hundreds of conversations with concerned people about the high growth of crime in the United States and the common thread of these crimes being substance abuse - from alcohol to methamphetamine (yes even back then).

I listened to my customers and I continually asked them what they wanted me to produce. What were the films that would help them. I kept hearing something that was accurate and would help them educate people about the problems associated with substance abuse.

I began research on the subject with the idea to produce a film or two on the subject. Since I never had a problem with drugs, how hard would it be? “Just say no.” Right?

I thought about my own life and how drugs had an impact. When I was growing up, I thought about my brother and his addiction to whatever and how when I was a child I had to deal with his drunkenness and other associated issues. I thought about one of my best friends in college who had died of an overdose and left a baby who had no daddy and a widow with no way of supporting herself and her baby. I also reflected on most recently the tragedy a fiend named Danny who got into heroin then finally killed himself because his life had become such a mess. The only problem was that he left a destitute widow and four children who were permanently scarred and devastated by his suicide.  Needless to say, I was motivated to do a film on the subject.

When I dug into the subject and saw all the things that were involved, I thought it would take a little more time than I thought. (Finally in March of 1992, I was ready and began working on the first film dealing with substance abuse.)

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My second business crime film.

Check Fraud taught that it is important to pay attention to your customers.