Rising Twice: The Intersection of Entrepreneurship and Recovery
If you would’ve told me years ago that some of the best entrepreneurs I’d ever meet would be people who’ve battled addiction, I might’ve raised an eyebrow.
But now? I’d believe it without hesitation.
There’s something deeply powerful about people who’ve been to rock bottom and chosen to rebuild. Not just their sobriety, but their identity, their future, their purpose. Recovery, at its core, is a form of entrepreneurship. You’re reinventing yourself from the ground up. You’re taking risks, betting on a future you can’t quite see yet, and building something real with your own two hands. And the truth is, the traits that make someone successful in recovery often make them damn good at running a business, too.
This blog is for anyone walking the tightrope between rebuilding their life and building their legacy. We’re talking about addiction and entrepreneurship. Dual transformation. How to rise twice—and why it might just be your superpower.
The Grit Behind the Grind
Let’s get this straight: both recovery and entrepreneurship demand more grit than glamour.
In recovery, you wake up every day and choose discomfort over escapism. You build routines where there used to be chaos. You learn to navigate triggers, regulate your emotions, and confront your own patterns—without numbing out.
In entrepreneurship, the grind is just as real. You deal with uncertainty, failure, self-doubt, financial risk, and leadership responsibility. You have to stay consistent when nothing feels consistent. You make peace with the unknown while holding a vision only you can see.
Sound familiar?
I’ve coached and treated people who’ve done both—kicked heroin and launched a company. Built recovery communities and bootstrapped their own wellness brands. Left the streets, started over, and now employ dozens of people.
The common denominator? Grit. That fierce internal decision to keep showing up.
And here’s the thing: most entrepreneurs have to learn that grit. But people in recovery? They’ve lived it.
From Surviving to Serving: The Mission Shift
Great businesses don’t just sell products. They solve problems.
And people in recovery are intimately familiar with problems. We’ve lived them. Sat in them. Battled them with blood, sweat, tears, and therapy.
So when someone in recovery steps into entrepreneurship, there’s often this powerful mission-driven spark behind it. They don’t just want to make money—they want to make meaning. They’ve seen what doesn’t work. They want to build what does.
This is what I call dual transformation.
You’re transforming yourself while creating something that transforms others. It’s not easy. But it’s deeply fulfilling.
Think about it:
Who better to start a sober living home than someone who’s lived through treatment?
Who better to build a coaching business than someone who’s walked through fire and found their voice?
Who better to lead a team with empathy than someone who knows what it’s like to feel lost and judged?
Entrepreneurship becomes an extension of the recovery journey—it’s how you keep giving back.
Self-Doubt, Triggers, and the Mind Games of Growth
Let’s not sugarcoat it: mixing recovery with entrepreneurship can be mentally exhausting.
When you’re running a business, everything is on your shoulders. Revenue. Clients. Employees. Your reputation. It’s easy to slip into old patterns of stress, avoidance, people-pleasing, perfectionism, or overwork. And if you’ve got a history of addiction, those patterns can be dangerous if left unchecked.
That’s why self-awareness is non-negotiable.
Here’s what I tell people in this boat:
Build both support systems: one for your recovery, one for your business.
Have a therapist and a mentor.
Schedule time for reflection, rest, and realignment. Your nervous system isn’t a machine.
Keep your sobriety front and center. A successful business means nothing if you lose yourself running it.
Protect your peace. Build what matters.
The Recovery Skillset That Builds Businesses
If you’ve done the work of recovery, you’re not coming into business empty-handed. You’re walking in with a toolkit that most people spend decades trying to develop:
1. Resilience: You’ve bounced back from hell. A failed launch or slow quarter won’t take you out.
2. Empathy: You listen differently. You lead with compassion. You see the human first.
3. Focus: Recovery teaches you how to sit in discomfort and delay gratification—core habits for entrepreneurs.
4. Problem-Solving: You’ve had to creatively navigate relapse triggers, broken relationships, housing instability, or health issues. That’s entrepreneurial grit in action.
5. Accountability: You’ve learned to own your story. That same ownership makes you a strong founder, boss, or creator.
You’re not behind. You’re battle-tested.
Starting Small, Building Smart
You don’t need a business degree to get started. You need a vision, a notebook, and a network.
Start with something you care about. What problem can you solve because of what you’ve lived through? What do people keep asking you for help with? What kind of service or product would’ve helped you five years ago?
Now build from there.
A few practical steps:
Validate Your Idea: Talk to people. Ask questions. Don’t assume—listen.
Keep It Simple: Start with a basic offer or product. Iterate.
Protect Your Recovery Time: Block off meetings, workouts, groups, therapy—whatever keeps you centered.
Know Your Why: You’ll need it on the hard days. And there will be hard days.
Find Community: Peer entrepreneurs in recovery. Sober business masterminds. Coaching circles. Build your bench.
Remember, your business is not your worth. But it can be your vessel for purpose.
Leading With Values: Integrity Over Image
I’ve worked in healthcare, recovery, business, and leadership long enough to know that image is overrated.
What matters is integrity.
If you’re building something as a person in recovery, lead with your values. Be transparent. Set boundaries. Treat your team, your clients, your customers the way you wish someone had treated you when you were struggling.
Don’t just preach impact—practice it. Your story already proves what’s possible. Now use it to light the path for someone else.
Final Thoughts: You’re Allowed to Rise Twice
There’s a quote I love: “We get two lives. The second begins the moment we realize we only get one.”
Entrepreneurship after addiction is that second life. It’s a chance to create. To contribute. To lead.
You’re not broken—you’re being rebuilt. And the blueprint is already inside you.
Let’s stop thinking recovery disqualifies people from leadership. Let’s start recognizing it as one of the greatest leadership schools on earth.
Because when someone’s rebuilt themselves from the ground up—they don’t just run a business. They build a legacy.
Let’s build something real.
— Trent
About Trent Carter
Trent Carter is a clinician, entrepreneur, and addiction recovery advocate dedicated to transforming lives through evidence-based care, innovation, and leadership. He is the founder of Renew Health and the author of The Recovery Tool Belt.
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