About the Show:
“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”
Albert Einstein
When Chris Thompson hit rock bottom on Thanksgiving Day 2018, he realized that alcohol was his only solution and that his best thinking had gotten him there. Faced with overcoming his ego, Chris took a leap of faith and launched a sobriety support app to help others, transforming his suffering and shame into purpose.
“Recovery isn’t about overcoming alcohol or drugs; it’s overcoming ego. Alcohol and drugs are just the fuel that makes you so attached to your ego and so much in self-preservation mode. Fear driven. And fear only comes from the ego. It’s about protecting a conception of yourself that isn’t even real.”
Chris Thompson
Chris Thompson is the founder of Sober Sidekick, an app that helps people in recovery stay connected and overcome isolation. He is a former college athlete and entrepreneur who has been in recovery for four years.
Chris Thompson was an ambitious college athlete who had just started his first business and felt invincible. However, when a difficult situation arose, alcohol became his only solution for all his problems. On Thanksgiving Day, he woke up on the sidewalk for the fourth consecutive day, feeling hopeless and isolated. He realized his best thinking had gotten him there, and he decided that today would be his day one. He called a hotline, sought treatment, and eventually found his way to a sober living facility. With his friends’ help, he could commit to recovery and put his goal of sobriety first. He channeled his ambition into creating The Sober Sidekick app, which allowed people in recovery to connect and support each other and saw their suffering and shame be transformed into purpose.
In this episode, you will learn the following:
1. Everyone has an opportunity to be in recovery from anything – not just drugs or alcohol.
2. What if today was the day that you made that change?
3. How can an algorithm be created so that no one ever goes without support?
4. Why Chris moved to Northwest Arkansas and what this area has meant to him.
All this and more on this episode of I am Northwest Arkansas.
Important Links and Mentions on the Show*:
Original Show Notes Episode 119 with Brant Barnes
Brant Barnes Shelter Insurance
Shelter Insurance Website – Brant Barnes
This episode is sponsored by*:
Signature Bank was founded here in Northwest Arkansas in 2005. Their focus is personal and community banking. When you bank with a community bank, you’re investing in local businesses, local entrepreneurs, local charities, and causes close to home. Signature Bank has worked hard to earn its tagline, “Community Banking at its Best.”
You may ask why bank at Signature?
Because they put the focus on the customer instead of on having a branch on every corner, this means you can have your questions answered by a real person, whether you’re reaching out to the call center or your banker’s cell phone. You can access any ATM in the country without fear of a fee. They will refund all of those fees at the end of every month. Finally, they are constantly improving their digital offerings to make sure you can access the best financial tools from your laptop, phone, or tablet 24 hours a day.
Signature Bank of Arkansas is a full-service bank offering traditional checking and savings accounts, investment accounts, business and personal loans, and mortgages.
Give the folks at Signature Bank a call (479-684-4700) or visit their website Signature.Bank and let them know you heard about them on the I am Northwest Arkansas Podcast.
Signature Bank of Arkansas is a Member of the FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender.
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*Note: some of the resources mentioned may be affiliate links. This means we get paid a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.
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Thank you for listening to this episode of the I am Northwest Arkansas podcast. We showcase businesses, culture, entrepreneurship, and everyday people’s lives, making Northwest Arkansas what it is today.
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