100,000+ income?? l have a friend who got a large promotion with his company and has poor credit - is there anyway around the whole secured thing??

capital one, you just put down a deposit

With this type of income, he can use a savings account as collateral to get a Secured Credit Card. (Google this phrase).
Other companies that give a card w/ poor credit are Orchard Bank and Premier First. However with these there are alot of start-up fees.

Start with secured credit with Capital One or your existing bank.
With that kind of income which is awesome you should be able to pony up collateral (usually cash) held in a deposit until you prove you can handle credit (minimum 1 year)

If your friend does not want a secured credit card or loan, he can just pay cash for now, he has the income for it.

There are few options available for people with bad credit. l would suggest looking through the site below and doing your research on that site. They have many cards listed for people with bad credit.