Here’s How Chris Thompson Turned His Booze Addiction Into A Business

Chris Thompson. Photo: Linkedin

 

Chris Thompson, then 19, was struggling from alcoholism and had reached rock bottom in suburban Philadelphia. In 2018, he chose to quit drinking and turn his addiction tale into a company.

In an interview with Fortune, he remembered waking up on the sidewalk in the rain on Thanksgiving Day in 2018, in a parking lot, then being rejected by two hospitals before receiving the assistance he required.

“I had two DUIs. I’ve made all the mistakes you could possibly make while not being able to stop drinking. I just want my personal story to be one that tells people wherever they’re out there that it doesn’t have to be this way. All we have is today, and today can be day one of your comeback story,” Thompson said.

According to talkbusiness.net, he is currently the founder of Sidekick Mobile Technologies, which introduced Sober Sidekick, a sobriety and recovery app on iOS and Android for anyone battling with addiction or recovering from alcohol or drug misuse. The app, which debuted in 2019, already has over 150,000 users from over 100 countries.

“One of the most eye-opening statistics for me is that by the fifth time someone engages with their peers on Sober Sidekick, their monthly risk of relapse decreases by 300%,” Thompson told talkbusiness.net. “We’ve gamified empathy to the point where at least six other members will respond in minutes, if not seconds, for every member who posts.”

The software includes a sobriety tracker, in-app accountability messaging with other users, 24-hour AA meetings, and the chance to communicate with professional aid. Users can currently use the app for free. It was making about $50,000 per month from leads it was sending to substance abuse treatment centers.

Thompson expects to close a $2 million seed funding round in early 2023, after raising $140,000 through a recent Wefunder campaign with significant support from Northwest Arkansas investors.

Thompson, 28, currently lives near Bentonville with his girlfriend after moving to Northwest Arkansas from Los Angeles earlier this year as part of the Life Works Here incentive program. According to talkbusiness.net, the nonprofit Northwest Arkansas Council launched a $1 million campaign to attract talented people to the region in 2020. Anyone chosen receives a $10,000 grant as well as a bike.

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