From Prisoner to Purpose-Driven Coach: Jose Pereira’s Journey to Redefine Leadership

Jose Pereira rises from unjust captivity to global influence, guiding leaders through purpose, pain, and resilience with his Unbreakable Leadership mission.

Startup Stories Aug 4, 2025 Add to Reading List

From Prisoner to Purpose-Driven Coach: Jose Pereira’s Journey to Redefine Leadership

A Journey No Leader Expects, But Every Leader Needs to Hear

At first glance, Jose Angel Pereira Ruimwyk’s career looks like the pinnacle of corporate success. A seasoned executive with over three decades in the oil and gas industry, Pereira once led CITGO Petroleum as CEO, navigating billion-dollar deals and international joint ventures across five continents.

But what truly defines him isn’t found in boardrooms or balance sheets.

It’s what happened after it all was taken away.

In 2017, Pereira became one of the “CITGO6,” a group of executives wrongfully detained in Venezuela while on a business trip. What followed was nearly five years of imprisonment in a foreign land — five years of uncertainty, injustice, and unimaginable isolation.

And yet, when you speak with Jose today, there is no bitterness in his voice. Only purpose.

“I lost everything. My freedom, my title, even my voice,” he says. “But in that silence, I heard something divine. A message that turned my suffering into a calling.”

From Darkness, a Vision Was Born

That calling is now embodied in JoseConnect.com LLC, a leadership coaching and development firm Pereira founded after his release. More than a company, it’s a movement—one rooted in faith, forged in adversity, and designed to help leaders navigate not just performance but pain.

“Too many leadership programs focus on the outer game: KPIs, strategy, execution,” Pereira explains. “But what about the inner game? What about the moments when the pressure is crushing, when isolation creeps in, when you’re leading in crisis? That’s where I come in.”

JoseConnect.com serves high-level executives, entrepreneurs, and organizational leaders through its flagship Unbreakable Leadership Coaching Program, global keynote speaking, immersive workshops, and a podcast and newsletter titled Building Resilience. What sets the brand apart is its deeply spiritual, real-world-tested approach.

“This isn’t theory,” he says. “It’s wisdom earned through fire.”

Turning Pain into a Platform

Launching a new venture is never easy. Doing it after five years of wrongful imprisonment? Unthinkable for most.

But for Pereira, starting over wasn’t an obstacle. It was the only way forward.

“The hardest part wasn’t the business,” he admits. “It was rebuilding my voice. Reclaiming my identity. Showing the world I wasn’t just a survivor. I was here to serve.”

A Breakthrough Moment That Changed Everything

Every founder has a turning point. For Pereira, that moment came with the publication of his memoir, From Hero to Villain.

The book, which chronicles his wrongful imprisonment and personal transformation, became an Amazon bestseller and was named Best Memoir – True Story by the 2025 International Impact Book Awards.

“The title says it all,” he reflects. “In the public eye, I went from corporate hero to forgotten prisoner. But I had to write the truth. And the response was overwhelming.”

The success of the book catapulted Pereira into the global spotlight, leading to speaking invitations at two UN General Assembly sessions, the U.S. Congress, top Ivy League universities, and leadership summits around the world.

The JoseConnect Method: Leadership That Heals

At the core of JoseConnect.com is a radical, yet essential idea: Leadership must be rooted in wholeness.

“You can’t lead others if you’re broken inside. And you can’t perform at your highest level if you’re disconnected from your purpose.”

This philosophy powers his Unbreakable Leadership Coaching Program, which blends high-performance strategies with emotional healing, spiritual alignment, and practical resilience training. It’s a lifeline for leaders navigating burnout, transitions, or crises of identity.

“I’ve seen too many executives succeed publicly while suffering privately. We change that by going beyond the surface.”

JoseConnect is expanding its reach through the Building Resilience podcast and newsletter, which provide ongoing tools, insights, and inspiration to thousands of subscribers worldwide.

What’s Next: Scaling Impact, Spirit, and Service

When asked about the future, Pereira’s eyes light up. Not with ambition, but with vision.

“In five years, I see JoseConnect as a global force in values-based leadership,” he says. “We’ll have digital academies, international retreats, a second book series, and a TV show called ‘Ignite Your Spirit.’ We’ll also grow our nonprofit arm, Angels Helping in Earth, to support trauma survivors and immigrants.”

It’s a bold roadmap, but one grounded in authenticity.

“This isn’t about scale for scale’s sake. It’s about reaching one million lives with a message that leadership can, and must, be redemptive.”

For Founders, from a Founder: Lessons to Lead By

Pereira’s entrepreneurial journey is unlike any other. But the wisdom he’s gained is universal.

“If you’re building something, know this. The biggest asset you have isn’t capital. It’s clarity. Clarity of purpose. Clarity of identity. Clarity of who you serve.”

He warns against the trap of performative success: chasing visibility over value, recognition over real impact.

“Your story, especially the hard parts, is your differentiator. Don’t hide it. Lead with it.”

Above all, he urges founders to cultivate resilience not as a reaction, but as a daily discipline.

“Resilience isn’t what you do when things go wrong. It’s how you prepare before they do.”

Conclusion: A New Kind of Leadership for a New Era

Jose Pereira’s story is one of redemption, reinvention, and radical purpose. It proves that leadership isn’t about titles or power. It’s about how you rise after the fall.

Through JoseConnect.com, he’s helping redefine what it means to lead in today’s uncertain world. Not with bravado, but with courage. Not with ego, but with empathy. And not just with results, but with a relentless commitment to inner wholeness.