This month marks a personal milestone for me: 25 years clean and sober. It’s not something I usually talk about in professional spaces, but when I look at the two photos that accompany this article, one taken at the very beginning of my recovery and one taken recently, I’m reminded of how far a person can travel, not just in years, but in who they become. It felt right to share it here, partly because my recovery has shaped who I am as a leader, and partly because I know many people in our business community carry stories that rarely get told.
What recovery taught me, above all else, is that staying is harder, and more valuable, than starting. Anyone can show up on the good days. The real work is in staying steady when things get uncertain: when pressures rise, when teams wobble, when you’re not sure what comes next. That practice; daily, ordinary, unglamorous, has shaped how I lead.
I’ve also learned that the most important things happen on the margins, not in the spotlight. My most formative experiences didn’t come from job titles, promotions or awards; they came from working in tough environments, from being alongside people at their lowest, from rebuilding when things fell apart. Those moments taught me that leadership isn’t about status; it’s about service, presence, and being someone people can trust.
Recovery also taught me the value of vulnerability with boundaries. You don’t need to spill your whole story to be real. But honesty builds trust. People don’t follow leaders who are perfect; they follow leaders who are human.
And more than anything, I’ve learned that purpose doesn’t have to be profound. At a recent networking event, someone asked me, “What’s your why?” I used to treat that like a test. Now the answer feels simple: to serve, to add value, and to make things a little better than I found them.
Finally, recovery showed me that people thrive when they feel safe. Honesty, compassion, and psychological safety aren’t soft skills, they’re performance drivers. Healthy cultures grow from humanity, not pressure.
So yes, 25 years clean is something I’m grateful for. But more than anything, it’s taught me how powerful it is when people stay; with themselves, with each other, and with the work that matters.
