Tell me about your vision. So I was working in
a rehab and I was noticing all the things that
were wrong. I noticed that all the staff were
underpaid, overworked, and the owner pulled up
in a Bugatti. And the running joke became how
many red bottom shoes does his wife own when
I can't pay my rent? Every month I'm in the hole
at least once in the negative. And we counted
it. She had 43 pairs of red bottom shoes. So
I started thinking. It's not working for the
clients. It's working for the owner, right? The
clients keep coming back. I'm like, what are
we missing? And I started to create a program
of what we were missing, which is how Sober on
Demand was born. It's tailored individual therapy
to each client. It's not a cookie cutter program
where you run group to group and hope you figure
it out and then go home and go right back to
doing what you were doing. So that's what my
vision was, is to change how we do treatment,
how we. treat the individual that needs the help
and how we treat the professional. So all of
my staff are well -paid. All of my clients love
what we do. It's, you know, white glove service
where we can offer one -on -one individual care
as opposed to just, you know, being dumped in
a group somewhere. And that's what I wanted.
I wanted both sides to win. I love that. I love
that. So it's crazy. Again, my mind is about
to start going. When? An individual is sent to
a rehabilitation center. I found in the profession
that I was in that it was a consistent, constant
return. You know, it was, it just didn't seem
like, for lack of better words, that it stuck,
right? And they got back in the same situation.
So you saying that you're doing that one -on
-one, I'm smiling, I have goosebumps, I'm excited
because... It is not a one size fits all. This
is not that's not a hat service. You know what
I mean? Like it's not a T -shirt service. This
is a this is a one on one. And so I am super
stoked that you figured that out. And of course,
there's statistics and everything. But when you
started this, did you have what were some of
your concerns or your thoughts about it? Well,
at first I was like, is this legal? can we do
this you know am i am i okay to do this and found
out yeah there's this is legal um then it was
would people really want this because it's new
they don't know what this is it's an alternative
to traditional treatment and we got our first
couple clients and we got a success and i thought
wow our success rate is really good so i started
From there, from the concern of, you know, can
we do it? Will it work? Then it became, we're
not going to take everybody. We're only going
to take the clients that want the help that we
know we can help. The rest of them will refer
out. So we quickly did that. So we separated
ourselves from, you know, we're not doing sex
addiction. We're doing drug and alcohol. We're
doing mental health. We're doing tech addiction.
So we kind of differentiated. And then I said,
I want to work with executives and celebrities.
I don't do a lot of younger kids. I do, you know,
35 and up. They've already been around the block.
They've been to treatment two or three times.
They know it didn't work. They want to make the
change. And they're coming to us because they're
exhausted. You know, they're working. We're trying
to manage kids, a household, usually a husband
or a wife, and everything's falling apart. But
they're ready to commit. That's the difference.
So, you know, your 21 year old who mom and dad
pay for may be a better client for treatment
than what we do, because the 21 year old isn't
ready. You know, they want to party. They want
to have fun. They want to do all the things.
My clientele are done, have done the things and
they say, I'm exhausted. Help. And then we do,
I have a five day executive reset where I get
in and I do trauma with them. I do some memory
reconstruction therapy, some CBT, some performance
coaching. And we sort of reconstructure how they
live their life. And when I leave, they have
a whole new blueprint of what they're going to
do. And it's completely different than anything
on the market. And they love it. And it's super
successful. So I have a lot of women lately.
I think we've had four of those back to back
that said, hey, I'm done. I'm burnt. You know,
I'm 45. I'm drinking. I'm exhausted. How do I
fix it? And then I come in in five days and they
have a whole new set of tools and they're like
gangbusters. This is what I'm going to do. And
they're all successful. So that's our niche market.
That's what we specialize in. And we do it really,
really well. You know, I had a conversation with
another individual who was a guest who focused
on. the c -suite individuals and and if i may
say they spoke about love they were like a matchmaker
kind of thing and i i i roll into this because
I know that there was some discussion about their
extracurricular activities, which then resulted
in divorce, children not liking them, losing
a lot of what they have. And so when I hear you
say that they're of a certain age, they're exhausted.
I'm thinking C -suite. I'm thinking respectfully
stating family destruction possibility. And at
this point, they are like. Yo, and now this is
a private situation. I need Dr. Estes and the
Sober On Demand team to come to me because now
I'm at my wit's end. I just went there. We actually
get referrals from matchmakers because the C
-suite executive comes to them and says, you
know, I have two failed marriages. I'm really
good in business. I built this brand and I can't
find the partner. And then the matchmaker goes,
well, you can't drink at this level. You know,
here's the problem. But that's out of their wheelhouse.
So they call us and we come in and we do an evaluation.
We say, OK, the matchmaker can help you find
your person, but you've got to be sober. You
can't show up, you know, drinking at noon on
a Tuesday and expect this amazing person to be
in your life and stay there. So then we get them
sober and then they're ready for the matchmaker.
So we've done that a couple of times, which has
been really neat. That's crazy because that's
where my mind went, doctor. I was like, man,
this sounds so familiar. But it's very interesting
because even starting off as an entrepreneur,
not ever, not yet reaching that C -suite or as
a business owner, even in a corporate, you don't
realize how, I guess maybe how fast it's moving,
how things are going. And then before you know
it, you're at this certain age where life is
like. Something something needs to change, you
know, and at that point, it's either the career
or it's it's me. And so when you do CBT, which
is cognitive behavior therapy, correct. What
is their aha moments? So usually it's here's
my goal, just like business. Here's what I want.
But here's where I'm going to get there. And
when I can show them you're going the opposite
direction of your goal and I do it in business
terms, then they go. That makes sense, right?
Let's say you want to make a million dollars.
Perfect. And I'll ask them, okay, you're a C
-suite. How do we do it? And they know, well,
we're going to do this, this, this, this, and
this. We're going to remove this, this, this,
and this. And boom, it's going to happen in six
months, a year, whatever. Perfect. What do you
want? Well, I want a partner. I want a family.
I want this, this, this, and this. Excellent.
How are you going to do it? And then they look
at me. And then I say, well, run it like a business.
And they go, well, OK, technically, I'd have
to stop drinking, right, or using drugs. Then
I would have to do this. Then I want to take
care of my health. And they give me the blueprint.
And I say, that's what we're going to do. So
they create the blueprint. And then I say, I'm
just here to help you facilitate the blueprint.
I'm like your business coach, right? You came
to me and said, I want to make a million dollars.
I would say, how do we do it? You would tell
me. And then I would say, let's go, right? I'm
on board. We're going to make it happen. and
you wouldn't think twice you would go we're going
to do the same thing with your life so when i
shift that for them and make them think it's
a business decision they get behind the wheel
of the bus and they drive the bus now we're going
so we're going to do this this and this and then
they'll call me every day how's it going how
did your plan go because they'll say what they
need some of them will do aa and na some of them
won't some of them find fitness you know if you're
drinking and doing all those drugs you're not
working out you're not eating well And they're
telling me, you know, I want to attract the person
who works out, who looks good, who feels good.
And I'm saying, well, you have to do those things
to attract that person. You know, if you like
yoga, you go to yoga. Guess what? You're going
to find someone who likes yoga, right? Like I
hate to golf. I can't date anybody who golfs.
I'm not golfing. I'm not interested. I don't
want to learn. I don't care. So guess what? Because
of that, I'm not going to attract a golfer. It's
very simple. And when I explain it to them, they
go. Wow, that's that easy. But then they have
to do the work, the action step of actually getting
behind it and going, OK, now I want to drink.
But Kelly said I have to go to the gym. So I'm
going to go to the gym and then I have an appointment
with her and then I have to do this. And they
have all these things and they say, OK, drinking
will ruin all of that. And then how do I how
do I behave? So it's a process. And once I get
them thinking in that process and. I give them
factual information, like Harvard did a study,
and they said it takes 32 days to change a habit.
Whatever you want. It changes the neural pathway
in your brain. If I can get you for 32 days,
instead of grabbing alcohol after work to go
to the gym, or go to a yoga class, or go for
a walk with friends, 32 days from now, your brain
is going to go, oh, 4 o 'clock, time for my walk.
Not, oh, 4 o 'clock, time for my bottle of wine.
Your brain will tell you what you're doing. And
then from there, it just keeps going. So that's
what I do in a nutshell. I love it. I love it.
And it's so funny because I find myself looking
at myself cheesing, but I'm excited about it.
And I believe that I was definitely when I was
in the field of mental health and substance abuse,
I was actually working with those that were positive
for HIV AIDS. And so that was even a more struggle
and not being able to help them the way that
you're helping them, Dr. Estes. It was just like
I said, I could just listen if they could grasp
it. And they were on the younger side. But if
they could just grasp the understanding of the
effects that this could have on you and your
future 40 -year -old self or, you know, 50 -year
-old self where everything just. Seems like time
is wasted, right? And then you don't have what
you need in order to get through. I really, really,
really am super excited about what you do because
I actually have this random question. So it's
based off of television and the life that the
C -suite life looks like. And they often have
liquor in their office. From what we know, right,
from the going down, you know, probably the B
-suite, we won't be up there. We're not allowed
to drink on the job. In a different world, that
does happen. So how does that how do we change
that for those that really realize like that's
not acceptable or what it could lead you into?
I know that's random, though. That's not random.
So the C -suite has a lot of cocaine. And alcohol.
Those are their go to, you know, you have the
cocaine to keep going and you have the alcohol
to celebrate that you've been keeping to keeping
going. Right. So it's this combination. So when
I work with C -suite, I ask them, what's your
goal? What do you want to what do you want to
do? And is alcohol helping you or harming you?
That's my question. And they say, well, it's
neither. And I say, well, is it really neither?
I mean, if you're having a drink at noon, then
you're having a drink at four, then you're coming
home and you're downing a bottle of wine. Do
you know what your kids are doing? Do you know
where they are? Do you even know where your partner
is? You care. You know, what's what's going on?
And then when I ask the hard questions, they
stop and they say, well, you know, alcohol is
part of the C -suite culture. And I say, sure,
but. Not always. I said, you don't have to drink.
You don't have to be part of that environment.
You can still go to the parties and you can have
a non -alcoholic beverage. And you'll be surprised
when you tell people you're not drinking. All
of a sudden they go, you know what? I'm not drinking
either. So like there's dry January and I'll
tell them, you know, dry January doesn't have
to be just January. Or you tell everybody, you
know, I'm I'm on a diet. I'm not drinking or
I have a medical condition. I'm not doing alcohol.
Whatever it is you need to say, medical condition
usually kind of stops everybody from going, yeah,
but you can have one with us. Now, I've got a
medical issue right now that I'm going through.
I can't have alcohol. And the person goes, oh,
my God, I wonder if I have that medical condition.
And then they stop drinking. And the next thing
you know, all these people that were drinking,
you know, out of 10 people to stop. Then the
third person goes, well, what am I doing? You
know, and then someone goes, you guys are having
way more fun. I'm going to quit. And next thing
you know, out of 10, you might have eight that
don't drink anymore. And then you have the two
that are just like, we're not doing that because
they've decided this is what they want to do.
And then those eight are kind of flourishing
and they're doing better statistically. And the
two that aren't are going, wow, your numbers
are better. Your stats are better. You're running
your team better. I wonder if the alcohol is
the problem. And then they usually get on board,
too. So it's a process, but it always starts
with one person going, I'm done. I don't need
this. And that's it's it's it's I'm so glad you
said that it's not random and how you mentioned
it, because I tell you, it's it's it's OK to
not drink. I must admit that I am or confess
and be transparent. I'm four years sober, March
6th. And so I'm super excited. But the clarity
that I that that is had that occurs once you're
done, you know, doing that is is amazing. The
thought process in which you have to go through
in order to get through is like, whoa, you really,
truly need someone to help you manage those thoughts
in order to stay sober. But I love how you said
it only starts with one person. And you're right,
because it only takes one person to make a change.
And that change can be big and it can grow. And
even though that's a part of the culture. You
can be different and do things differently. And
I truly, truly, truly love that for you. I want
to be aware of your time, doctor. But there's
always one favorite question that I have. What
are the greatest joys of what you do? So for
me, I love when a client calls me a year later
and goes, I'm still sober. And it's because of
what you told me, this one little knowledge nugget
that stuck. And they'll tell me some random thought.
And I'll say, did I say that? Did I really say
that? And it just stuck. And I'm like, that's
what kept me here. And I'm like, that's awesome.
And then I hear how great they're doing or I
see them on TV and I see. wow, they look amazing.
They made that transformation. That works for
me. So that's why I do what I do. Thank you for
being here today. I'm really happy that you tuned
in to Vision Pros Live. I'm looking forward to
seeing your reactions as these episodes continue
to move forward. This is going to get more and
more fun. We'll have more and more engagement
as well. We'll invite people to participate in
the show. And thank you for giving us your time
and attention. Have an excellent time building
out your vision and becoming a vision pro yourself.