What happens when you stop drinking—but don’t want to stop living?
In this raw and hilarious conversation, Anthony sits down with Jordan, founder of Team Spirits, a premium alcohol-free cocktail brand, to unpack everything from:
The sober curious movement
Why quitting drinking doesn’t mean quitting fun
The real reason you reach for a drink after work
And how passion + purpose can save your life
They dive deep into addiction, identity, entrepreneurship, and why non-alc drinks are exploding across North America. If you’ve ever wondered, “What would life be like without alcohol?”—this one’s for you.
Find Jordan Quinn: Sober entrepreneur and Founder of Team Spirits (premium alcohol-free RTD cocktail brand) here: https://www.drinkteamspirits.com/
https://www.instagram.com/jordanquinnstagram?igsh=MTI1amRqd3l0M3Btag==
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Hello everyone, welcome back or welcome to Recovering Out Loud,
the podcast where we get real about mental health and
addiction recovery. Today's guest is Jordan Quinn, a
sober entrepreneur and founder of Team Spirits, a premium
alcohol free RTD cocktail brand.In this episode, we get deep
into the conversation about non alcoholic beverages, the sober
(00:23):
curious movement, why quitting drinking doesn't mean quitting
fun, the real reason you reach for a drink after work, and how
passion plus purpose can save your life.
We dive deep into addiction, identity, entrepreneurship, and
why non alcoholic drinks are exploding across North America.
If you've ever wondered what would life be like without
alcohol, this one's for you. Please like, follow and
(00:44):
subscribe to help support the show.
I want to add a disclaimer to this episode as well.
We talked about 12 step recovery.
Please keep an open mind. We realize that there are many
paths up the Recovery mountain and we do not endorse or
represent any program or organization.
It is simply an experience that works for us.
Enjoy the show. Hi, Jordan, how are you doing?
(01:21):
I'm doing well, Thanks. Thank you so much for coming in.
I really appreciate. You know, I always I have to say
this because I messaged you, I reached out to you online and I
love what you're doing. I love what you're doing with
team spirits. I'm very interested in this non
alcoholic beverage trend seems to be really growing and there's
a whole people are people are throwing all these like
vernacular at me that I've neverheard.
Like you said something yesterday, like I forget what
(01:43):
you said, but you'll it'll probably come up.
But like this sober movement, right, Like and sober curious.
I kind of knew. I've heard that that's sober,
serious, mindful drinking. That was the one mindful
drinking. I was like.
There's a whole mindful drinkingfest now, like a festival that
you can go to where it's all of it.
It was in DC. This.
(02:04):
Year and So what have you been? I haven't been, but we actually
go right into plugging my product.
Yeah, let's go. Yeah, let's get to the real
deal. Team spirits I love.
Them we, we, we partnered with Derek Brown, who actually owns
Mindful Drinking Fest. And so Derek Brown is a famous
mixologist based in the state, based in DC, and he's all about
(02:24):
mindful drinking. Really comes from the
hospitality world, was a bartender for years and kind of
helped us create our beverages. But yeah, so he has this whole
mindful Drinking Fest, which is all about, you know, adaptogen
beverages and kind of all these different types of beverages and
different ways to sort of socialize.
And the adaptogen, I know I knewthis because I was talking to
(02:47):
somebody else. I'm learning so much again.
Yeah, there's these beverages that have like ashwagandha and
Honda and all these like nootropics, if you will.
Yes, all of that. Now Team Spirits doesn't have
any of that. For us, it was really about like
a flavor first beverage that really mimicked a cocktail, like
a classic cocktail with still adult beverage and stuff like
that. But yeah, there's a ton of that
going on right now. You know, the adapted caffeine,
(03:09):
I may have had one just before Igot here.
I'm like, but yeah, I know. It's amazing how you're actually
able to kind of you do a ton with drinks these days.
That's awesome. Yeah.
And I know that there was some, like negative press around it in
the beginning with TikTok and stuff.
She was telling me, this is the lady that owns Sober Market.
And she was telling me that all these TikTok people were like,
(03:31):
oh, you're going to get buzzed off of this stuff if you start
drinking it. And as soon as you start talking
about that, I was like, hey, I need to stay away from that.
But I mean, that's probably not the case.
You know what? I consider myself completely
100% sober serious, and I still will will have an adaptogen
drink. Now, I'm not going to have any
of these like mushroom this or that, but like some of these
adaptogen drinks that have again, caffeine or ashwagandha
(03:55):
or anything like that. You don't get a buzz.
You just got a, I'm going to saythe word high, but in a very
just like a lifted. Yeah, like a lightness.
Almost. Yeah.
Yeah, but not in a. Yeah, and, and what it's
probably doing is just calming your anxiety that you didn't
know was even there in the firstplace.
Trust me, I know it's there but.Yeah.
Well, that's cuz you've done a lot of work though I would
assume, right, this is true. So why don't you tell us a
(04:16):
little bit about I guess how yougot into to recovery?
Yeah. And then how you got into the
non alcoholic beverage market A.100% So Anthony, I always say I
had the gift of desperation. I love that.
Yeah, that's a good one. Gift of desperation, I had no
other choice but to get sober. I the longest story short, I got
(04:38):
into a drunk argument with my brother-in-law who means the
absolute world to me. So this is my sister's husband,
my younger sister's husband, which I'm not married.
So it starts this whole like reason for my drinking and stuff
like that. But nevertheless, my my
brother-in-law has his own storywith with addiction and alcohol
addiction and within his own family, he lost someone very,
(04:59):
very close to him due to alcoholism.
And he was sort of picking up onall my signs.
I couldn't hide from this guy anymore.
He just said, you know, you done?
And I just one day said, yeah, kind of to appease him.
And then what happened was he marched me to a meeting.
(05:19):
I pre drank for it of course. That's the best way to prepare.
Yeah, it was like, I know what Iknow.
So I showed up. I showed up buzzed, but then I
learned about the freaking chipsthat you get at these meetings
and the attics that I am. I wanted those chips.
So I couldn't go up and get one.My 24 hour chip, of course,
because I showed up wasted. But it became the reason to get
(05:46):
sober. I wanted to, I wanted to collect
all 12. I wanted to be on a pedestal.
I wanted to be this like golden child that my parents always
thought that I was again. And so 24 hours later I showed
up to a meeting in Port Perry, all my family in tow, my mom, my
dad, my brother-in-law, my brother, like all came to this
meeting and I went up and got my24 hour trip and I have been
(06:09):
sober for 587 days since. That's awesome.
Wow, what a great story they're probably so happy to see you
get. Oh my God, tears coming down my
parents face. It was just, it was huge.
I remember you're reminding me of my SO I had, I had told you
this, and I say this all the time, but just for context, I
had 7 1/2 years of sobriety and my, my one year medallion, I
(06:34):
invited my entire family, like all my, my extended family, my
cousins and everybody showed up.Some of my friends that had seen
me. I know it was amazing.
And they filled up 'cause I'm Italian, right?
We're big, we run deep. They filled up the first like 3
rows of a 200 person, you know, meeting and it was just a
(06:54):
beautiful thing. Like I remember them and I'm not
like that close with all of them.
So it was a bit of a like kind of uncomfortable situation for
them because they, they, I don'tthink they knew that I was in
this recovery path. They knew it got got kind of
bad. But some people don't really
know just the depths of of addiction and and where you got
to, right? Yeah, now did you speak at your
(07:15):
medallion? No, I, well, I mean, yeah, I
like I said, I didn't do this. I didn't.
No, I didn't give the talk. You know who did, though?
It was my the counselor that I say he saved my life.
A lot of people saved my life, but he got me into my first
treatment center. That's.
Amazing. I I actually spoke at my one
year medallion and I started practicing that speech a week
sober. I was like.
(07:35):
In the yeah yeah, in the shower.Washing my hair, being like it's
a freaking Oscar acceptance. Speech.
Yeah. We're so alike.
I love it. No.
Ego. No, not at all.
No, nothing surrounding addiction.
So how did you get into to startteam spirits?
(07:56):
Like how did that come about? Yeah.
So I am a serial entrepreneur. I'm also learning that that is
very much an addiction. Not an ISM, but an addiction,
yeah. I get that.
Yeah, part of that. So Serial Entrepreneur owned a
branding and social media agency, worked a little bit with
my dad as a contractor and we started working with somebody
(08:19):
that was doing a non alcoholic wine and my dad does something
called a 5C analysis. So he looks at the customer, the
consumer, that all of those kinds of blah, blah.
Yeah, business jargon, business.Stuff and he's like looking at
the category going this is the third fastest growing category
in the US right now like why are?
We this was a year ago. Yeah, this was a year ago 2024
(08:41):
and my dad goes why are we not? I'm like doing this.
So we within like a month got everything in order to start
Team Spirits. The name super important to me.
I think that as you just said, abunch of people helped save your
life. Sobriety is such a selfish
(09:01):
individual journey, but you needthat team around you to support
you. So that's where Team Spirits
really comes from. Yeah, and it's just been an
absolute blast ever since. We're actually launching this,
if this airs next week, we're launching the week after.
So it's super exciting. And you're in the US too, right?
US and Canada baby. Yeah, yeah.
(09:23):
And so is it more brick and mortar sales that you're looking
forward to or like online that's?
Kind of brick and mortar for sure.
So we are right now we are looking, we're projected to be
in about 50 to 60 stores in the US and then about 30 to 40 here
in Canada just to start for yearone.
We'll see how that goes. A lot of those non elk bottle
shops that are popping up everywhere are really interested
(09:44):
in specialty retail is really exciting for us as well.
So where else besides the non alcoholic shops that they sell
them? Because I didn't even know.
So like think of like your high level grocery stores, like
Sunnyside Provisions, for example, or like Creeds or The
Hut, which is a smoothie and juice bar, Village Juicery, like
anything like that where there'skind of that like really cute
(10:05):
fridge in the corner. Like we're kind of stocking up
there. Yeah, OK, that makes sense.
And I wouldn't be surprised if like the Longos or Sobeys or you
know, starts to get involved watching do it.
Yeah, Yeah. No, it's, it's, I mean you said
it's the third fastest growing. Category in the US, yeah.
So it's a big deal. It is a big deal.
And I don't know if you saw someof the stats too, Anthony, but
(10:27):
like non Elk as a beer category is the second largest beer
category now next to IPAI think I think I'm not a beer drinker,
but I think that was the stat I saw on a very reliable source
Instagram. That's awesome.
What who are your who are the customers?
(10:47):
I'm always curious to and I've, I've always asked this because I
had this preconceived notion because everybody thinks like
me, don't you know, and is is the everyone does things the way
I do them, right? I was under the assumption that
it was people in recovery, but I've I'm like pretty wrong in in
saying that, right? Yeah.
So I have to just plug this because of the 5C analysis.
My dad always like there's a difference between customers and
(11:09):
consumers. So the customers, of course, are
the stores that are purchasing from us.
So the consumers daddy are the definitely we're finding that
we're getting, you know, the sober curious for sure, people
who just want to kind of there'scalled zebra striping.
Have you heard of it where like you drink an alcoholic drink and
then you drink a non alcoholic drink and then you drink an?
Alcoholic drink to like mitigatethe hangover, mitigate the.
(11:31):
Hangover. I got kids in the morning, got
to go golfing. Got it.
Just don't really want you want the hang out, not the hangover
kind of deal. Yeah, the toast, not the toxins
kind of ideas. So those people are doing their
zebra striping. They're big.
They're a big client of ours. Yeah.
You're going to get the sober, serious people that aren't too
serious, you know, too programmed.
(11:53):
Because at the end of the day, it can be a trigger for some
people. Especially something like Team
Spheres, which is a flavor firstbeverage, which is definitely,
you know, emulates the flavors of a Paloma, a Mule and an
Aperol spritz. It really is just without the
alcohol. So you're going to get the
mindful drinkers as well, just people who are, you know,
wanting something lower calories, lower sugar.
So we really do have this wider audience, pregnant people.
(12:15):
Yeah, that's a big one. I'm trying to.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. See, and I like to say this too,
for me, I have to be very clear of my motive when I'm purchasing
and consuming these types of beverages.
So for example, today this mightchange, right.
Today I, I don't, I don't mess around with the non alcoholic
beer just because it's so similar to me.
(12:38):
And I had a problem with beer where I couldn't just have one.
Can you relate to that at all? My.
Favorite drink is the next. Drink.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So today.
Plus, I don't even like the taste of beer, right.
But these, these like, you know,these seltzers and soda waters
and, you know, a little bit of sugar here and there, that's
just refreshing, right? Like it turns out I didn't want
(12:58):
alcohol. My body just wants something
refreshing. You know, I heard someone told
me that the other day, probably on one of my other podcasts.
But it's true. It's like, oh, yeah.
Like when I can listen to my body today and just actually say
no, I don't want vodka soda. Like I just I just need
something refreshing. It's hot.
I. Just want this yeah, I want the
liquid to lips kind of like it'sit's a hot summers day like
(13:19):
something like poolside. It's just, it's just funny,
Anthony, because there's so manylike instances where we have
alcohol in our hands and it justbecomes almost habitual for us.
You know, it's like after work, I just want to go to the fridge.
I just want to reach for that drink and like take off the
edge. It's like, do you really want to
take off the edge or do you justneed a drink?
And that's where it's kind of, you know, it, there's an
(13:40):
opportunity there to, to fill your, your glass with something
a little bit more, a bit less harmful.
Where you'll thank yourself the next day and maybe that night
too. Right. 100%, yeah.
It's like smoking, right? Like the the studies have shown
that it's a lot of it is just this, you know, yes, I need to
be preoccupied. Exactly, there's something else
(14:00):
going on there. And it's funny you mentioned
smoking because my dad actually smoked for 25 years and quit
cold Turkey. Wow, and is now I guess it's
probably been 20 years since he had a cigarette.
And I just I think to myself, you know, everyone says that
alcoholism is hereditary and I would argue that sobriety is
full on contagious. But with that in mind and
(14:23):
thinking just about addiction and I thought to myself, I
really use my dad quitting smoking as a huge leverage point
for me with alcohol too. I'm like, my dad did this cold
Turkey. I can totally do this.
It's in my blood. Like, I remember really
convincing myself of that along the way.
And that that that helped. Me.
It helped me, yeah. That's amazing.
So what kind of daily habits or rituals do you use?
(14:47):
Because I know the work life, the entrepreneurial life is is
can be very stressful, time consuming, up and down.
Yeah. You don't really know what's
gonna happen next. Unpredictable.
And I don't know about you, but we like to have control and
predict things. I like to know the outcomes.
Of things like chaos. Sometimes, too, crave chaos.
Yeah. Crave it because it's a
distraction. I always say that it's a
(15:07):
distraction from how I feel about me, you know?
Yeah, I learned that in rehab. So you.
Didn't go to rehab but I should have maybe.
Well, there's some key takeaways.
Yeah, I mean, I needed to because I just couldn't do it.
But yeah, I wish I didn't, Right, Obviously.
But I learned a lot there. There's a lot of good that
happened there. And so, yeah, through
journaling, I learned that that like, I crave chaos.
(15:29):
Yeah, I do. Yeah.
Every day. So yeah.
To, you know, what kind of toolsdo you use to balance that kind
of sober recovery life with thiswork life?
Go, go, go. Yeah, it's funny you say that
when we were talking about kind of creating like patterns and
stuff like that in your day. I've got two dogs, 1 is on my
can on my team, so I can Pierre and Bella.
And so having them and getting them into a routine has really
(15:53):
helped me with like creating, creating just predictability in
my day. So it's, it's getting them out.
I can come back and sit at my laptop for a couple hours, blah,
blah, blah. Like I don't need to necessarily
walk you through my day. I think what's important to me,
again, I am in a program that's very focused on gratitude.
And for me, I can avoid anxiety throughout the day or at least
(16:16):
manage my anxiety throughout theday if I start every day with
gratitude. And for me, that's just kind of
connecting with my dad actually made the suggestion, you know,
obviously my dad's a huge part of my life, but on the inside of
a book that I have, I every day I write down three things I'm
grateful for. I just start my day like that.
And The thing is, is when you'rewriting down those 3 things, you
actually can see what you wrote days before.
(16:39):
And it's like, wow, this list isgetting longer, you know, and
I've got a lot to be great I. Have a lot of good things in my
life. Yeah.
Yeah, it's hard to notice sometimes, especially it's funny
you mention that because I do that too.
It wavers. But I always have some kind of
routine. And this morning, it's funny, I
woke up and I was just in one ofthose agitated moods for no
reason. You know, my sleep was a little
(16:59):
bit off. I woke up and this is what I
notice happens when I'm when it throws off my morning when I
pick up my phone before I do anything else.
And I'm going through this thingright now just to get current
where I'm like obsessing and I need to like figure this out and
I'm going to. But I'm obsessing over like my
social media channel and this podcast and getting followers
(17:20):
and like, and I'm like, Oh my God, this is so exhausting.
But also like that needs I met this, I know this deep down, but
it it I always go back to that needs to be a byproduct of of
what I'm doing here, right? It can't be the reason otherwise
I'm screwed. Like it'll never last.
That motivation will run out because the minute someone
unfollows me, I'll be like that motherfucker, like what?
(17:40):
I must have done something wrong, something wrong with me.
You know all these thoughts start to go through my mind,
right? It's it's, it's, it's relying on
other people to make you feel a certain way.
About codependency, yeah, I'm good at that.
Oh yeah. Same, just ask my boyfriend.
You like me, right? I need other people to love me,
to feel good about myself. I hate that, you know, it's
(18:02):
chasing those vanity metrics, those those follows, those
likes, those comments. And if that is what's bringing
you joy, like that's I mean, I'mthe same way.
Like I'm refreshing because I just, you know, post a new photo
and you go, it's, it's a lot. Yeah, and it's just like, it's
it's like I, we always talk about this on my podcast, but
you get to it, you get the car, you get the, you know, the boat,
(18:26):
you get the house, you get the kit.
Like maybe not the kids, but youget that next thing.
And it's like, now I want to yeah, what's the next thing?
This is kind of. Before you know it, you're on a
TLC. Show.
Yeah. Eating couches.
Yeah, exactly. I thought that was that was one
of them. The girl, she couldn't stop
eating the inside of couches. Yeah.
It was like, holy, yeah. That that's a condition.
(18:47):
It's sad, but yeah, no, that I, I belong there.
No, it's funny. I oh, I love it.
But yeah. So my, my point with that story
was I did get out of it. And this is kind of, no, this
works every single time. I went for a walk, right?
And I got outside, I got out of my head.
I do this, I also do this onlinemeeting every morning with a
(19:08):
bunch of guys and I was sitting in it and we do a meditation
thing with it. So it forces me to meditate.
But I was so in my head that I couldn't even pay.
I was doing 10 things and I'm like, I need to get outside.
I. Can't meditate?
It's tough. Walking is probably the closest
thing. I yeah.
And it's the same thing, honestly, because I got outside
and I'm like, and I'm looking around, I'm listening to music.
And of course the song you love eventually comes on or the song
(19:31):
you needed to hear comes on and you're like, God, I like, thank
God I'm alive. And all these things start to,
you know, So that's what, that'swhat I did to get out of it.
You know, it's a beautiful thingthat I have a choice today.
You know, my only option used tobe drink or use drugs, right?
That was the only option to solve pain.
And now I have a choice. I could always go back and do
(19:52):
that. I know that, right?
I don't really agree with this notion where people come in and
they say I can't drink today, right?
Or I, I can't do drugs. It's like, well, no, you can.
You have a choice. You're choosing not to, which is
more powerful. I get to be sober today is how I
like to frame things for myself.Yeah, I love that.
(20:12):
So how do you think that this whole trend is reshaping the
drinking culture? Like, do you think people are
buying into it? Do you think because there still
is gonna be that stigma and where you're out at a bar?
And I've had this before. We were talking about it
yesterday, actually, in my alumni meeting that we do at
rehab. One of the guys was talking
about how his, the bartender, heused to, you know, go to ask
(20:35):
him. She's like, oh, you're not
drinking anymore. What happened?
And he's like, oh, no, I just don't really.
You know, you get that uncomfortable.
You don't. How much do I tell this person?
Right. I go all out.
I'm. I tell them I almost died.
It's my blood type. Yeah.
You want pictures? Yeah.
I'm like, that's me on the floorright there.
But yeah, he was like, you know,he's newly sober and he's
telling her that. And she, she like, she made one
(20:56):
of these. And I've had this happen to me
where she was just like that kind of fucking loser laugh and
he was like crippled by it. Yeah, I haven't had that yet,
but I can imagine people are saying that about my Instagram.
I haven't seen it. Yeah, I don't know.
There's always gonna be no matter what you do.
But I can tell you we would go to when I was helping with the
(21:19):
non elk wine for a little bit. I know that we were at like a,
an event and we were pouring wine and there are people making
comments about like, well, why would I have this?
It doesn't have it's a grape juice.
All I can tell you is the younger generations are proving
that they are drinking less and less.
Unfortunately, they're picking up things like vaping and stuff
like that. However, fortunately they're
(21:40):
picking up things like vaping, you know, like as opposed to
drinking. So I know that there really is
this like complete wave and movement when it comes to the
non al category again, third fastest growing category in the
US right now. So.
I'm seeing it too. You know, you're seeing it
online, but also just there's just when you go to parties like
people aren't. Maybe it's because I'm in
(22:02):
recovery again, but I just, I'm not seeing people blacking out
anymore sloppy like it's just it's less and less.
Maybe it's the people I'm surrounding myself with.
You've gone home before they do that.
Yeah, that too, Yeah. There's a moment in if you don't
know this, if you're listening, you don't know this.
There's a moment in every club bar event where there's like
this threshold in the night thateverybody turns from human to
(22:25):
zombie. It's like I've, it's like 2-3
AM. There's no science behind it
yet, but I'm. Sure of it, 100% No, That
there's got to be science somewhere like that.
Yeah. No, it's it's very true.
And everything just like turns right.
You're like, who's that guy? I'm, you know, I didn't even
notice. Especially true when you go to
clubs. And I love dancing.
So I still go to clubs and I notice it.
(22:45):
Where do you think this is going?
Like what, what do you see in the future with this, with this
trend? How do you see this ending up or
where does it go? I and putting it out there that
I think drinking alcohol will bewhat cigarettes.
Was I actually agree with you? Yeah, yeah, I believe that that
is where this is going. The thing is, is like, we don't
(23:07):
want to freaking Coke like Coca-Cola.
We don't want a can of Coke, we don't want a juice box.
We want an elevated adult drink.So I think that's where there is
room for like a non elk cocktail, like a mocktail, so to
speak. But I think ethanol and alcohol,
I think being removed from thoseor at least like in lower
(23:30):
quantities is, is, is here to stay.
It's, it's not a fad. It's it's, it's an upward trend
that's here to stay is how I'm looking at it.
Yeah, it's funny that you. I'm happy you brought that up
because I've had that thought too.
Yeah, I've had that exact revelation where I was like, I
bet you in your there's going tobe science and data and
everyone's like, we never shouldhave started drinking.
Yes, well, you know what really sucks, Anthony, is like you
(23:51):
think about the messaging behindlike smoking kills, and then
it's like please drink responsibility.
It's like like, OK, but what if I can't?
Like I don't know how to drink responsibly.
I still I'm that person. I swear to God, where if I left
a restaurant and someone left 1/2 drunk glass of wine on the
table, I'm like, is it weird if I go drink that?
Like, like, probably like it's the first date, Jordan.
(24:16):
Just make it to the second or third.
I love it. But yeah, no, I just, I, I think
messaging needs to shift for alcohol.
I love that we're putting warning labels on alcohol in the
States now. That was announced back in
January, I believe. What does that say?
I haven't heard of. That I don't know exactly what
(24:37):
it says, but it was the the health, the health man.
Yeah. Like the, is it the general
surgeon maybe? Yeah, because they have that on
cigarettes. Yeah, yeah.
General surgeon that. And it just has like a warning
on it, like a warning label on. All alcohol being issued, I
think it has to be on all alcoholic products by the end of
next year. Wow.
I'm learning something every day.
That's awesome. Yeah, I've learned.
(24:59):
This is why I came down here. No, I've learned a lot.
This is great. I mean, that that's smart.
It's important how we market things to people, right?
Like, 100% we shouldn't have doctors promoting smoking.
No, I think there's a good reason that that's stopped.
But yeah, it's crazy. You go back and you see all
those ads, right man? You got any?
(25:22):
Like do you have any tips for people that are listening?
You know, people that are maybe sober curious or they think they
have a problem with their drinking?
Like what helped you in the beginning?
Other than the chips, I, for me,I, I'm going to say it and I
(25:43):
know it's really kind of cheesy,but your new life is going to
cost you your old one. Kind of coming to terms with
that a little bit, you know, wasreally difficult for me and
early sobriety. But then it's like when you
reframe it from what we were just talking about Anthony,
where it's like, I don't get to drink.
It's like, no, I get to be sober.
(26:04):
You reframe it and like you never regret a night that you
didn't drink. You know, like I, I'm going to
sound so program at this moment,but like just try it today and
then just see how long it can kind of go for again, you have
that choice. At the end of the day, it's
something you can go back to. I read this amazing, amazing
short essay about like the stranger asked a sober woman,
(26:27):
like what if you want to drink at your wedding?
And it's like, but I I want to do this forever, like it.
And it's it's the way that she reframed.
No, I'm not making sense. No, no, no, you are.
You're you're making so much sense that I have goosebumps.
I'm sorry I'm making faces at you because I've had this exact
thought. Yeah, like if you want to drink
at your wedding, what if I, I'm not going to lie to you, I have
(26:49):
moments where I and I want to knock on wood, but like, I've
never, I haven't lost someone super close to me.
I haven't had that level of grief yet, and it's hard because
I go, what do I reach for? What tool do I have in my
toolbox that I can reach for that isn't alcohol?
(27:10):
When I lose a parent, a partner,a sibling, like whatever it may
be. When life happens.
When life happens, yeah. Because I would pick up when it
was a joyful moment, a happy moment, a sad moment, like no
matter what it was, there was a reason that I would pick up
like, And then it just became a date like daily, right?
So just try today. I think it's my.
(27:33):
I, I don't think that's cheesy at all.
I mean, those slogans, sayings, mantras, there's a reason that
they exist and there's a reason why they're pasted on the wall,
because they. Work, you know.
Yeah, it's just funny because I,I didn't know what face to make
because I, I just, I hadn't really it, it's been a while
since I've heard someone else say that to me.
(27:55):
And I, when I first came in, youknow, 10 years ago, that was a
that was a ruminating thought inmy mind.
How am I gonna not drink on my wedding day?
I cannot fathom that. And every single person that I
surrounded myself with in recovery said that to me.
Anthony, just get through today,man, just get to bed.
(28:15):
And I used to hate it. I hated it.
I. Was Oh, it's still.
Not I like the plan, yeah. Exactly.
And and this whole again, feel free to cut this out, but like
the let go and let God thing like what?
Like how like what? Like I have to yeah, I have to
be the one that controls this and I need to be the one.
And it's like, no, just don't drink today.
(28:37):
Sounds good. I can do that.
Yeah, you mentioned control is abig one, but letting go, what is
that? It's funny because it it's hard
to describe it too, but I guess I just I want to get your
opinion on what what is letting go look like today.
(28:57):
And it's so funny you're asking me this.
I could break down and cry because I it's, it's the hardest
part of my sobriety. I still haven't figured it out.
Letting go is understanding whatit's the serenity prayer for me.
It's, you know, accepting the things I cannot change and and
(29:20):
having the courage to change what I can, but identifying, you
know, what is mine to take on and what is what is just.
It's just not mine. Yeah, yeah.
The wisdom to know the difference.
Yeah. That's beautiful.
Yeah. It's it's tough to get there
sometimes. Yeah.
Does that make sense? Yeah.
Can I turn it on you and ask youwhat letting?
Go yeah, sure, please. Yeah.
(29:41):
I mean, this is a open conversation.
No one ever does that. And I, yeah, I appreciate it.
And I like to talk. Oh, when I started the podcast,
they were like, yeah, you have to be a good listener to be a
podcaster. And I was like, oh, maybe I made
a mistake here. I suck at listening, but no,
it's it's teaching me a lot. Letting go.
Yeah, you mentioned a lot of it there.
(30:01):
But if I could just say one extra thing on it, I'd probably
say and then this, and I learnedthis from literature that we
that we've been talking to people, right, But doing what's
in front of me. So the next right thing in front
of me and then letting go of theoutcome.
So just doing the next right thing, you know, doing this
(30:24):
podcast today, putting the podcast out there, going home
and, you know, telling my wife that I appreciate her right.
When I, I saw my first thought, you know, not acting on my first
thought. That's a that's a huge one.
Right. When I leave here, I'm going to
go sit in traffic and if somebody cuts me off or like
there is AI have a million things in my mind that I want to
(30:47):
do to get that guy or girl back.Like I'm going to win this.
And it's all ego, right? So it's like just taking a
breath and like, OK, no, don't do that, Anthony.
Yeah, yeah. Don't say that.
No, I get it. No, I totally get it.
I, I, I hear you. I I'm, I'm with you on that.
(31:07):
The next right thing. Yeah, and it's sometimes it can
be hard, right? That's why I like when you and
I'm not going to cut out the spirituality thing because I
think it's important. Religion is, is very different
than spirituality. A lot of people come in like,
oh, well, I don't want to be, I don't like God, he killed my
brother or something, right? And I don't mean to make light
of that, but it's true. Like I, I hear that a lot, a lot
of people are like, God let me down.
(31:28):
And you know, that's fair, right?
If if you've had a tough upbringing or a tough life or
things have happened to you thatare out of control, it, that's
like a, a common thing to do is like, it's, it, it wasn't caused
by you, right? So there's a lesson in every
opportunity, I think. And adversity is so important in
my life today. Like I wouldn't even, I wouldn't
be here without it, because whenI get through hard, exactly when
(31:50):
I get through hard things, I cando anything, right?
And that's one of the reasons. So you, it's funny you mentioned
like just being, you know, getting all into something,
right? This entrepreneur thing that
you're all into. I got into marathon running for
a while and I every super person.
Yeah. It's a thing.
It's a thing. Yeah.
And I ran 3 marathons and I usedto hate running.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, Yeah.
For you. Yeah.
(32:10):
It was like, I know I couldn't even imagine doing that before,
right? Yeah.
I went to LA and I did the LA Marathon with my friend Mike.
Yeah, it was good. For you it.
Was great. And, you know, I don't, I don't
really miss it too much because it took up a lot of my time and
it was like, it was very intense.
You know, I was eating all the time.
There's like a lot of things that came with it.
And again, there's I need balance in my life today.
(32:31):
You know, I did that with golf too.
Balance. I was a bodybuilder.
I totally understand the all in.Did you do the meal prepping and
stuff too? I.
Was I was provincials? Oh, you went on stage?
Oh yeah, but that's like the same as running a marathon,
honestly. It's very similar I think from
what? I get because it's it's 90, like
it's 100% of the time you have to be on Yeah, with your eating
(32:52):
with your. Eating your workouts, your two
days, it's just, yeah, it's a lot.
I'm interested, how did you comeback from that?
Because that, like your relationship with food, must
have been. Well, I start.
Oh my gosh, this is where I get crazy.
But again, I lean into the isms of the program and I learned so
much about me and just my addictive behaviors.
I have struggled with an eating disorder, so getting into
(33:13):
something like bodybuilding was actually not a healthy choice
for me at all. How did I bounce back?
I I started getting into runningafter I finished.
I didn't want to go on the national stage.
I stopped at provincials. I did get into running myself as
well. I kind of maintained fitness,
but then my drinking took off. The funniest thing is you don't
(33:36):
drink when you're on prep, whichis another thing I leaned into.
There are periods in my life where I was successful that I
did not drink and that really helped me as well.
But. Helped, you know, that you could
do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But yeah, my drinking really took off after a year or so
after I finished. It's there's always something,
right? It's like, you know, I, I always
(33:57):
say this, but it's like as addicts, we have 6 garbage cans
and five lids. You know, it's like whack A
mole. And I always, yeah, I heard that
in Utah when I was at my second treatment center.
It's true. And I'm always looking for
something. It's G1 day now.
It's this podcast. It just has to be something
healthy and you have to learn how to balance.
It yeah, no, I love that. Well, for me, it's Team Spirits
right now as well. So yeah, it's passion, right?
(34:21):
How? Yeah, I mean, I was like, it's
hard to like finding passion is important, I think in sobriety,
right? This one kind of found you a
little bit right, But. I think that it's, it's one of
those things and it feels like this podcast is, is it for you
as well? It's, it's, it's the cornerstone
of your passion and your purpose.
And when you marry those two, like at the end of the day, like
(34:43):
social media management and influencer marketing and brand
development, like that wasn't necessarily my passion and my
purpose. Like sobriety has very quickly
become like what I believe my purpose is.
I, I know that I stayed out of those rooms for a very long time
because I didn't believe that I looked like an alcoholic.
I'm too young, I'm too female. I'm too this, to that, to this,
(35:07):
to that. And I am not an alcoholic.
So if I can now be that person that people can look at and,
and, and, and be like, oh, I'm in my 20s and my drinking's a
little out of control and they can see me and then they can
feel more comfortable sort of self diagnosing and identifying
as an alcoholic, then my work here is done, you know?
Yeah, yeah, I couldn't agree more.
(35:28):
I I couldn't really relate to the old white guy when I walked
in, right, Like it was hard to kind of I was like, do you?
Do you? You're wearing a suit.
Like, you're not an alcoholic, you know, alcoholic, to your
point, is the guy that lives under the bridge with the.
Brown paper bag. Right.
And it's not true. This disease does not
discriminate, does not whatsoever.
I learned that time and time again, and it's important what
(35:49):
you said, something that I was Ireally liked the cornerstone
passion and purpose. Yeah.
Can you say that again? Yeah, so I just, I feel like
this podcast for you is what Team Spears is for me, where it
is the cornerstone of my passionand my purpose.
Passion and purpose, and then you said marrying those two
together. Yeah, and that's where that's
where the magic happens. I think, yeah, I think this
(36:11):
finding the purpose thing is so important.
And yeah, like I have a, we bothdo, but I can only speak for me.
I have a unique gift to offer somebody, right?
There's, I don't know, like 80 percent, 90% of the world,
probably 80% don't don't know what it's like to have to drink
and have to use despite all the negative evidence, you know,
(36:34):
everything's worth the the contrary.
I have to that thing tomorrow, that wedding that I have to go
to that speech that I have to give that engagement party.
I have to show up to that wedding.
I have to be a best man at it doesn't matter.
Nothing matters, right? My wife begging me to stop
right. Just my mom begging me to not
(36:55):
die. She's scared I'm going to die.
None of that matters. Doesn't matter at all.
It's yeah, it's cutting, baffling and powerful, like you
said. But yeah, you have to get to a
gift of the gift of desperation.Yeah, it's true.
You, you kind of struck A chord there with me and now I've lost
my train of thought, but it's maybe it'll come.
(37:18):
Back I talk a lot. Like when you talk I I get a
lot. Out of what you're saying.
I appreciate that. Thank you.
Everything I learned is from other people, everything.
And you know, I was talking about this last night, but this
first year of sobriety is so important and and I knew that,
but now it's being reconfirmed. You know, there's a lot of
people in my life. You go to rehab, you stay close
(37:39):
with the people after a lot of them relapse and it's so hard.
It's really tough because it's like, and I was saying this to
my mom the other day, it's like you have the answers to the
test. It's this analogy.
If I can and the other person iswriting the test and you're like
yelling the answers at them and they're just like, no, no, no,
no, no, no, right. And then not to say that I have
the answer to, but like I have away out.
(38:00):
Not today. I have a way out.
Right. And it's the the same, you're
writing the same test. Yeah.
And, and yeah, we have the same answers.
I I love that I, I don't know about you.
I actually really struggled withI again, I never went to rehab.
That was never part of my story,but in my program, my sponsor
(38:20):
went out, my my sister sponsee went out again and it's so hard
for me to I've they then became a part of my 4th and 5th stat
like I, I, I was resentful, I was mad.
I was like you and let, but thenit's not, I'm not writing their
(38:43):
story, you know, it's it's it's hard.
It's very hard. Yeah, do you, like, do you feel
like you're, you're angry at them?
Because, yeah, because they know'cause when you've been on the
other side, it's like I and I get, I guarantee you they were
more angry at themselves. And I know you know they were.
100% and then it, it takes 2 seconds to look at them coming
(39:03):
back in and, and, you know, veryupset and you go, yeah, no, you,
yeah, you, it's it this disease,like the, the only thing I can
kind of compare it to is take your phone, leave it in another
room and, and, and come back andsit there and tell me how many
times you think about it in an hour.
Like, that's the closest thing that that the normal person can
(39:24):
probably get to addiction, you know, like it's just, it's, it's
all-encompassing. It's all overwhelming.
Yeah, I I love that. I never heard that one before.
And it's like, yeah, try to go through your day while your
phone is at home, right? It's just like what you?
Think, go through your day and you're like, yeah, it, it I, I
can't even grasp that. And that's what alcohol was for
me. But I also like that you
(39:45):
mentioned the gift of desperation because just to
finish my point, and I'm no, no,I'm happy you jumped in because
this is, you know, I'm learning a lot and I love what you're
saying. It's great.
This woman that I went to treatment with has I just, I was
careful in what how to say this right?
I don't want to break anonymity or anything.
Anyways, this woman I went to treatment with.
She had a really bad relapse andI was talking to her like a lot.
(40:06):
And you know, she was at the place where I was hotel room by
myself. Family abandoned you pissed off,
right? And it's just you and, and your
drugs and your alcohol and I kind of just, I was like, don't,
don't talk to your family right now.
Just talk to talk to us because I, I, I will never judge you.
I get you. I'm here for you.
You want to go to detox? I'll bring you to detox.
Like I'm, I'm trying to do all these things because that's what
(40:27):
was done to me. And when you're in that moment,
it's like loneliness. You, you can't even, loneliness
doesn't even describe, doesn't even, can't even describe that
feeling. It's just you're like, you know,
this small in, in a world, right?
And so, you know, I was talking to her the other day and I'm
like, are you doing this? Are you doing that?
And I wasn't like checking up onher to make sure she was doing
(40:49):
anything. But I'm like, kind of just
listening to her. Oh, I don't know if I, you know,
I have this thing and I'm. And like, all these excuses
started to come back and I'm just like, it reminds me of just
how powerful this disease. And it's like you were just.
And this happened to me too. And, you know, I'm not trying to
project anything, but I was justin the darkest depths of hell.
(41:09):
And then somebody tells me like,I should probably go to a
meeting. And I'm like, yeah, I'm busy
that night, right? But it's.
Yeah, I do it all the time. It's so cunning, baffling and
powerful. Cunning, baffling, powerful.
And it's progressive. Yeah, progressive.
I think there's a lot of people that need to keep in mind that
if it's bad in your 20s, it's worse in your 30s, harder in
(41:29):
your 40s, and it just gets progressively worse.
And I've also been told I'm, I'mso fortunate that as of today, I
have had no relapses since I've got sober, but I've been told it
gets worse when you go out. Like the next time it it, it's
never it it just it got I'll leave it at that.
It gets. Worse and I I'm a proponent of
that, like I'm a I'm an example of that.
(41:51):
It it does, you know, you try new drugs.
I never thought, you know, benzos were never my thing and I
was getting too high on stimulants.
So I was like, oh, this benzo thing seems interesting.
I need to control my state againbecause of my anxiety.
If you've ever done stimulants or anxiety, it's just like
through the roof. You're like, I need to balance
this. And then it becomes this, you
become this like doctor, right. And that's what happened.
It's like every day I was like bind.
(42:13):
Yeah. Yeah, a chemist.
Yeah, exactly. And then my whole thing was I
got on the dark web and like allit was just, it was bad.
I was getting drugs shipped to my house.
But yeah, I can confirm that it does.
It does get worse. And I'm, you know, I'm lucky.
I'm not dead, right. So, but yeah, life is good
today. Not to not to get too dark, but
it's it is serious. There is a lot of.
(42:35):
That's just it. Yeah.
And I think that that's it. It's funny, it's serious, it's
dark, it's all of those things. But when you actually walk into
a room like, like the rooms thatwe're a part of, what is it?
We're not a glum lot. Like it's just like it's there's
such light and beauty and sobriety.
And I think that that's one of the things I just really want to
(42:57):
emphasize. Fun and recovery is a good one.
You know a lot of people come inand the wedding thing is a big
one. How am I going to drink on this
day or that day? But how do you have fun and
recovery? Fitness is a great thing that I
really throw myself into fun. I find work fun.
I think what the biggest thing for me though, is, is I am now a
(43:21):
present aunt, daughter, girlfriend, like you list, you
name it, like I'm a present. I'm like actively involved in my
relationships. I have like I have a new group
of friends. They're all so sober.
Like they that is what I do for fun.
It's I go out for mocktails a lot because I still I love the
restaurant scene. I love that kind of.
(43:42):
The buzz. Around it, the atmosphere, like
I'm not the person that couldn'tlook at a bar for, you know, a
year like I, I, I can actively go into those settings and feel
comfortable. So that part of my life is is
huge for me. It's it's my relationships.
I, I have fun no matter what I am doing, whether it's a
cottage, whether it's again, something just by myself,
(44:04):
running, fitness, whatever it may be, I'm I'm able to find joy
in it because I don't have this weight of alcohol on me anymore.
Yeah, yeah. It's like, yeah, you, you're not
a slave anymore, right? Yeah, that's perfect.
It's like the the chain analogy,the ball and chain, just
everywhere you go, you're dragging it around.
That is exhausting. You're, yeah.
And then you get sober and there's this freedom and you
(44:26):
have all this free time and you're like, I don't know what
to do that. And idle time is is nerve
wracking. And I love that you mentioned
the walks. I go on what I call mock and
walks where I have a team spiritand I just drink away and I and
I or wake water or something andI go for a walk and that's kind
of my meditation. I think it's a good way you put
it to clear up that that free time that I have now.
(44:47):
Love it. Mm hmm.
It's a beautiful thing. That's awesome.
I'm gonna ask you some quick questions and then just a few.
But say I guess the first thing that comes to your mind.
What's? Before I get myself in trouble,
I'm like, I'm ready. They're not.
They're not like they won't get you in trouble.
Maybe they will. It's funny.
Sorry. Quickly.
(45:08):
I was on another podcast and thethe the girl that was doing it
did a similar thing. And the first thing I thought it
was like, oh, don't judge me, I'm sick.
Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing because.
Everything was by the way, I am an alcoholic.
My first thought is not the best.
Yeah. What's your favorite non
alcoholic cocktail? Team Spirits.
What flavour? Our Paloma.
(45:30):
Oh, OK, Paloma. Yeah.
Delicious. Awesome.
Yeah, I like the the Moscow Mulejust cuz I like ginger.
Oh, do you now? Yeah, I love it.
What's the first thing you do inthe morning?
What's your morning? Routine first.
The first thing I do is I check my phone, but I'm gonna change
that now. I'm gonna change that.
That was my like a key take awayfrom.
(45:50):
That I'll hold you to. It but then it's the gratitude
piece yeah, like I open my eyes I'm like yeah, thanks.
Not up today I. Love it, I love it.
What's a book or a resource thatchanged your life?
The Big Book. Yeah, nice.
Me too. I'm just thinking about what to
do with that after, but I agree.Let me know if it goes.
Every time I read it, it's just it's like, was this always in
(46:13):
here? I've I've been reading for 10
years and I'm like, I've never read this passage in my life. 11
that's coming up to mind right now.
And I'll just say it because I love it is like there's a story
at the back that the guy was a doctor and he was using
narcotics to like kind of managehis own thing.
And, you know, you come in and alot of people are like, we only
(46:34):
talk about alcohol and stuff like that.
And then I look at that, I'm like, you know, a lot of people
were using sedatives and drugs. Like, no, I belong here, right?
And, and it's true. We, you do belong.
Yeah. It's all the same shit.
Same shit, it's just the way we use it but he talks about using
up his right to chemical Peace of Mind that that line right
there. I just that this last time that
(46:54):
spoke to me so. Loudly.
Isn't that funny? It.
It was always there. Yeah, it was always there.
The book did not change. But there's different versions
you changed. Yeah.
I love that. We don't talk about that new
version. I haven't read it yet, actually,
but I don't like change. Yeah, it was fine the way it
was. That's a whole other issue that
we'll we'll get to on the next episode.
(47:17):
Yeah. Anthonys gripes with the world
man shakes fist that cloud. Ohh man, that's awesome.
I had so much fun. Where can we find you, Jordan?
I think the I'm like here's my address.
And I'm gonna I'll link it in the shoulders.
I wanna hear I. I think the the best way to
connect would be on Instagram either at Jordan Quinn Instagram
or at Drink Team Spirits. Love it.
(47:40):
Yeah, love it. That's awesome.
Thank you so much. I had a lot of fun today.
So much. Yeah.
We're the. The universe brings people
together and, you know, I think we're a lot of like.
So I appreciate that. I need, I need the reminder that
there's people like me and you know, I'm not saying that you're
sick, but we think very similar and it's just nice to know that
I'm not alone. You.
(48:01):
Know and and you know you're notalone either, right?
So awesome. Thank you.
Thanks for listening. Please help us grow the channel
and like, share and subscribe for more content.
The discussions and stories shared on this podcast are for
informational and motivational purposes only.
This content is not a substitutefor professional medical advice,
addiction treatment or therapy. If you or someone you know is
(48:23):
struggling with addiction, please.
Consult A licensed physician, addiction specialist or mental
health professional. You are no longer alone.
Hello everyone, welcome back or welcome to Recovering Out Loud,
the podcast where we get real about mental health and
addiction recovery. Today's guest is Jordan Quinn, a
sober entrepreneur and founder of Team Spirits, a premium
alcohol free RTD cocktail brand.In this episode, we get deep
into the conversation about non alcoholic beverages, the sober
(00:23):
curious movement, why quitting drinking doesn't mean quitting
fun, the real reason you reach for a drink after work, and how
passion plus purpose can save your life.
We dive deep into addiction, identity, entrepreneurship, and
why non alcoholic drinks are exploding across North America.
If you've ever wondered what would life be like without
alcohol, this one's for you. Please like, follow and
(00:44):
subscribe to help support the show.
I want to add a disclaimer to this episode as well.
We talked about 12 step recovery.
Please keep an open mind. We realize that there are many
paths up the Recovery mountain and we do not endorse or
represent any program or organization.
It is simply an experience that works for us.
Enjoy the show. Hi, Jordan, how are you doing?
(01:21):
I'm doing well, Thanks. Thank you so much for coming in.
I really appreciate. You know, I always I have to say
this because I messaged you, I reached out to you online and I
love what you're doing. I love what you're doing with
team spirits. I'm very interested in this non
alcoholic beverage trend seems to be really growing and there's
a whole people are people are throwing all these like
vernacular at me that I've neverheard.
Like you said something yesterday, like I forget what
(01:43):
you said, but you'll it'll probably come up.
But like this sober movement, right, Like and sober curious.
I kind of knew. I've heard that that's sober,
serious, mindful drinking. That was the one mindful
drinking. I was like.
There's a whole mindful drinkingfest now, like a festival that
you can go to where it's all of it.
It was in DC. This.
(02:04):
Year and So what have you been? I haven't been, but we actually
go right into plugging my product.
Yeah, let's go. Yeah, let's get to the real
deal. Team spirits I love.
Them we, we, we partnered with Derek Brown, who actually owns
Mindful Drinking Fest. And so Derek Brown is a famous
mixologist based in the state, based in DC, and he's all about
(02:24):
mindful drinking. Really comes from the
hospitality world, was a bartender for years and kind of
helped us create our beverages. But yeah, so he has this whole
mindful Drinking Fest, which is all about, you know, adaptogen
beverages and kind of all these different types of beverages and
different ways to sort of socialize.
And the adaptogen, I know I knewthis because I was talking to
(02:47):
somebody else. I'm learning so much again.
Yeah, there's these beverages that have like ashwagandha and
Honda and all these like nootropics, if you will.
Yes, all of that. Now Team Spirits doesn't have
any of that. For us, it was really about like
a flavor first beverage that really mimicked a cocktail, like
a classic cocktail with still adult beverage and stuff like
that. But yeah, there's a ton of that
going on right now. You know, the adapted caffeine,
(03:09):
I may have had one just before Igot here.
I'm like, but yeah, I know. It's amazing how you're actually
able to kind of you do a ton with drinks these days.
That's awesome. Yeah.
And I know that there was some, like negative press around it in
the beginning with TikTok and stuff.
She was telling me, this is the lady that owns Sober Market.
And she was telling me that all these TikTok people were like,
(03:31):
oh, you're going to get buzzed off of this stuff if you start
drinking it. And as soon as you start talking
about that, I was like, hey, I need to stay away from that.
But I mean, that's probably not the case.
You know what? I consider myself completely
100% sober serious, and I still will will have an adaptogen
drink. Now, I'm not going to have any
of these like mushroom this or that, but like some of these
adaptogen drinks that have again, caffeine or ashwagandha
(03:55):
or anything like that. You don't get a buzz.
You just got a, I'm going to saythe word high, but in a very
just like a lifted. Yeah, like a lightness.
Almost. Yeah.
Yeah, but not in a. Yeah, and, and what it's
probably doing is just calming your anxiety that you didn't
know was even there in the firstplace.
Trust me, I know it's there but.Yeah.
Well, that's cuz you've done a lot of work though I would
assume, right, this is true. So why don't you tell us a
(04:16):
little bit about I guess how yougot into to recovery?
Yeah. And then how you got into the
non alcoholic beverage market A.100% So Anthony, I always say I
had the gift of desperation. I love that.
Yeah, that's a good one. Gift of desperation, I had no
other choice but to get sober. I the longest story short, I got
(04:38):
into a drunk argument with my brother-in-law who means the
absolute world to me. So this is my sister's husband,
my younger sister's husband, which I'm not married.
So it starts this whole like reason for my drinking and stuff
like that. But nevertheless, my my
brother-in-law has his own storywith with addiction and alcohol
addiction and within his own family, he lost someone very,
(04:59):
very close to him due to alcoholism.
And he was sort of picking up onall my signs.
I couldn't hide from this guy anymore.
He just said, you know, you done?
And I just one day said, yeah, kind of to appease him.
And then what happened was he marched me to a meeting.
(05:19):
I pre drank for it of course. That's the best way to prepare.
Yeah, it was like, I know what Iknow.
So I showed up. I showed up buzzed, but then I
learned about the freaking chipsthat you get at these meetings
and the attics that I am. I wanted those chips.
So I couldn't go up and get one.My 24 hour chip, of course,
because I showed up wasted. But it became the reason to get
(05:46):
sober. I wanted to, I wanted to collect
all 12. I wanted to be on a pedestal.
I wanted to be this like golden child that my parents always
thought that I was again. And so 24 hours later I showed
up to a meeting in Port Perry, all my family in tow, my mom, my
dad, my brother-in-law, my brother, like all came to this
meeting and I went up and got my24 hour trip and I have been
(06:09):
sober for 587 days since. That's awesome.
Wow, what a great story they're probably so happy to see you
get. Oh my God, tears coming down my
parents face. It was just, it was huge.
I remember you're reminding me of my SO I had, I had told you
this, and I say this all the time, but just for context, I
had 7 1/2 years of sobriety and my, my one year medallion, I
(06:34):
invited my entire family, like all my, my extended family, my
cousins and everybody showed up.Some of my friends that had seen
me. I know it was amazing.
And they filled up 'cause I'm Italian, right?
We're big, we run deep. They filled up the first like 3
rows of a 200 person, you know, meeting and it was just a
(06:54):
beautiful thing. Like I remember them and I'm not
like that close with all of them.
So it was a bit of a like kind of uncomfortable situation for
them because they, they, I don'tthink they knew that I was in
this recovery path. They knew it got got kind of
bad. But some people don't really
know just the depths of of addiction and and where you got
to, right? Yeah, now did you speak at your
(07:15):
medallion? No, I, well, I mean, yeah, I
like I said, I didn't do this. I didn't.
No, I didn't give the talk. You know who did, though?
It was my the counselor that I say he saved my life.
A lot of people saved my life, but he got me into my first
treatment center. That's.
Amazing. I I actually spoke at my one
year medallion and I started practicing that speech a week
sober. I was like.
(07:35):
In the yeah yeah, in the shower.Washing my hair, being like it's
a freaking Oscar acceptance. Speech.
Yeah. We're so alike.
I love it. No.
Ego. No, not at all.
No, nothing surrounding addiction.
So how did you get into to startteam spirits?
(07:56):
Like how did that come about? Yeah.
So I am a serial entrepreneur. I'm also learning that that is
very much an addiction. Not an ISM, but an addiction,
yeah. I get that.
Yeah, part of that. So Serial Entrepreneur owned a
branding and social media agency, worked a little bit with
my dad as a contractor and we started working with somebody
(08:19):
that was doing a non alcoholic wine and my dad does something
called a 5C analysis. So he looks at the customer, the
consumer, that all of those kinds of blah, blah.
Yeah, business jargon, business.Stuff and he's like looking at
the category going this is the third fastest growing category
in the US right now like why are?
We this was a year ago. Yeah, this was a year ago 2024
(08:41):
and my dad goes why are we not? I'm like doing this.
So we within like a month got everything in order to start
Team Spirits. The name super important to me.
I think that as you just said, abunch of people helped save your
life. Sobriety is such a selfish
(09:01):
individual journey, but you needthat team around you to support
you. So that's where Team Spirits
really comes from. Yeah, and it's just been an
absolute blast ever since. We're actually launching this,
if this airs next week, we're launching the week after.
So it's super exciting. And you're in the US too, right?
US and Canada baby. Yeah, yeah.
(09:23):
And so is it more brick and mortar sales that you're looking
forward to or like online that's?
Kind of brick and mortar for sure.
So we are right now we are looking, we're projected to be
in about 50 to 60 stores in the US and then about 30 to 40 here
in Canada just to start for yearone.
We'll see how that goes. A lot of those non elk bottle
shops that are popping up everywhere are really interested
(09:44):
in specialty retail is really exciting for us as well.
So where else besides the non alcoholic shops that they sell
them? Because I didn't even know.
So like think of like your high level grocery stores, like
Sunnyside Provisions, for example, or like Creeds or The
Hut, which is a smoothie and juice bar, Village Juicery, like
anything like that where there'skind of that like really cute
(10:05):
fridge in the corner. Like we're kind of stocking up
there. Yeah, OK, that makes sense.
And I wouldn't be surprised if like the Longos or Sobeys or you
know, starts to get involved watching do it.
Yeah, Yeah. No, it's, it's, I mean you said
it's the third fastest growing. Category in the US, yeah.
So it's a big deal. It is a big deal.
And I don't know if you saw someof the stats too, Anthony, but
(10:27):
like non Elk as a beer category is the second largest beer
category now next to IPAI think I think I'm not a beer drinker,
but I think that was the stat I saw on a very reliable source
Instagram. That's awesome.
What who are your who are the customers?
(10:47):
I'm always curious to and I've, I've always asked this because I
had this preconceived notion because everybody thinks like
me, don't you know, and is is the everyone does things the way
I do them, right? I was under the assumption that
it was people in recovery, but I've I'm like pretty wrong in in
saying that, right? Yeah.
So I have to just plug this because of the 5C analysis.
My dad always like there's a difference between customers and
(11:09):
consumers. So the customers, of course, are
the stores that are purchasing from us.
So the consumers daddy are the definitely we're finding that
we're getting, you know, the sober curious for sure, people
who just want to kind of there'scalled zebra striping.
Have you heard of it where like you drink an alcoholic drink and
then you drink a non alcoholic drink and then you drink an?
Alcoholic drink to like mitigatethe hangover, mitigate the.
(11:31):
Hangover. I got kids in the morning, got
to go golfing. Got it.
Just don't really want you want the hang out, not the hangover
kind of deal. Yeah, the toast, not the toxins
kind of ideas. So those people are doing their
zebra striping. They're big.
They're a big client of ours. Yeah.
You're going to get the sober, serious people that aren't too
serious, you know, too programmed.
(11:53):
Because at the end of the day, it can be a trigger for some
people. Especially something like Team
Spheres, which is a flavor firstbeverage, which is definitely,
you know, emulates the flavors of a Paloma, a Mule and an
Aperol spritz. It really is just without the
alcohol. So you're going to get the
mindful drinkers as well, just people who are, you know,
wanting something lower calories, lower sugar.
So we really do have this wider audience, pregnant people.
(12:15):
Yeah, that's a big one. I'm trying to.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. See, and I like to say this too,
for me, I have to be very clear of my motive when I'm purchasing
and consuming these types of beverages.
So for example, today this mightchange, right.
Today I, I don't, I don't mess around with the non alcoholic
beer just because it's so similar to me.
(12:38):
And I had a problem with beer where I couldn't just have one.
Can you relate to that at all? My.
Favorite drink is the next. Drink.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. So today.
Plus, I don't even like the taste of beer, right.
But these, these like, you know,these seltzers and soda waters
and, you know, a little bit of sugar here and there, that's
just refreshing, right? Like it turns out I didn't want
(12:58):
alcohol. My body just wants something
refreshing. You know, I heard someone told
me that the other day, probably on one of my other podcasts.
But it's true. It's like, oh, yeah.
Like when I can listen to my body today and just actually say
no, I don't want vodka soda. Like I just I just need
something refreshing. It's hot.
I. Just want this yeah, I want the
liquid to lips kind of like it'sit's a hot summers day like
(13:19):
something like poolside. It's just, it's just funny,
Anthony, because there's so manylike instances where we have
alcohol in our hands and it justbecomes almost habitual for us.
You know, it's like after work, I just want to go to the fridge.
I just want to reach for that drink and like take off the
edge. It's like, do you really want to
take off the edge or do you justneed a drink?
And that's where it's kind of, you know, it, there's an
(13:40):
opportunity there to, to fill your, your glass with something
a little bit more, a bit less harmful.
Where you'll thank yourself the next day and maybe that night
too. Right. 100%, yeah.
It's like smoking, right? Like the the studies have shown
that it's a lot of it is just this, you know, yes, I need to
be preoccupied. Exactly, there's something else
(14:00):
going on there. And it's funny you mentioned
smoking because my dad actually smoked for 25 years and quit
cold Turkey. Wow, and is now I guess it's
probably been 20 years since he had a cigarette.
And I just I think to myself, you know, everyone says that
alcoholism is hereditary and I would argue that sobriety is
full on contagious. But with that in mind and
(14:23):
thinking just about addiction and I thought to myself, I
really use my dad quitting smoking as a huge leverage point
for me with alcohol too. I'm like, my dad did this cold
Turkey. I can totally do this.
It's in my blood. Like, I remember really
convincing myself of that along the way.
And that that that helped. Me.
It helped me, yeah. That's amazing.
So what kind of daily habits or rituals do you use?
(14:47):
Because I know the work life, the entrepreneurial life is is
can be very stressful, time consuming, up and down.
Yeah. You don't really know what's
gonna happen next. Unpredictable.
And I don't know about you, but we like to have control and
predict things. I like to know the outcomes.
Of things like chaos. Sometimes, too, crave chaos.
Yeah. Crave it because it's a
distraction. I always say that it's a
(15:07):
distraction from how I feel about me, you know?
Yeah, I learned that in rehab. So you.
Didn't go to rehab but I should have maybe.
Well, there's some key takeaways.
Yeah, I mean, I needed to because I just couldn't do it.
But yeah, I wish I didn't, Right, Obviously.
But I learned a lot there. There's a lot of good that
happened there. And so, yeah, through
journaling, I learned that that like, I crave chaos.
(15:29):
Yeah, I do. Yeah.
Every day. So yeah.
To, you know, what kind of toolsdo you use to balance that kind
of sober recovery life with thiswork life?
Go, go, go. Yeah, it's funny you say that
when we were talking about kind of creating like patterns and
stuff like that in your day. I've got two dogs, 1 is on my
can on my team, so I can Pierre and Bella.
And so having them and getting them into a routine has really
(15:53):
helped me with like creating, creating just predictability in
my day. So it's, it's getting them out.
I can come back and sit at my laptop for a couple hours, blah,
blah, blah. Like I don't need to necessarily
walk you through my day. I think what's important to me,
again, I am in a program that's very focused on gratitude.
And for me, I can avoid anxiety throughout the day or at least
(16:16):
manage my anxiety throughout theday if I start every day with
gratitude. And for me, that's just kind of
connecting with my dad actually made the suggestion, you know,
obviously my dad's a huge part of my life, but on the inside of
a book that I have, I every day I write down three things I'm
grateful for. I just start my day like that.
And The thing is, is when you'rewriting down those 3 things, you
actually can see what you wrote days before.
(16:39):
And it's like, wow, this list isgetting longer, you know, and
I've got a lot to be great I. Have a lot of good things in my
life. Yeah.
Yeah, it's hard to notice sometimes, especially it's funny
you mention that because I do that too.
It wavers. But I always have some kind of
routine. And this morning, it's funny, I
woke up and I was just in one ofthose agitated moods for no
reason. You know, my sleep was a little
(16:59):
bit off. I woke up and this is what I
notice happens when I'm when it throws off my morning when I
pick up my phone before I do anything else.
And I'm going through this thingright now just to get current
where I'm like obsessing and I need to like figure this out and
I'm going to. But I'm obsessing over like my
social media channel and this podcast and getting followers
(17:20):
and like, and I'm like, Oh my God, this is so exhausting.
But also like that needs I met this, I know this deep down, but
it it I always go back to that needs to be a byproduct of of
what I'm doing here, right? It can't be the reason otherwise
I'm screwed. Like it'll never last.
That motivation will run out because the minute someone
unfollows me, I'll be like that motherfucker, like what?
(17:40):
I must have done something wrong, something wrong with me.
You know all these thoughts start to go through my mind,
right? It's it's, it's, it's relying on
other people to make you feel a certain way.
About codependency, yeah, I'm good at that.
Oh yeah. Same, just ask my boyfriend.
You like me, right? I need other people to love me,
to feel good about myself. I hate that, you know, it's
(18:02):
chasing those vanity metrics, those those follows, those
likes, those comments. And if that is what's bringing
you joy, like that's I mean, I'mthe same way.
Like I'm refreshing because I just, you know, post a new photo
and you go, it's, it's a lot. Yeah, and it's just like, it's
it's like I, we always talk about this on my podcast, but
you get to it, you get the car, you get the, you know, the boat,
(18:26):
you get the house, you get the kit.
Like maybe not the kids, but youget that next thing.
And it's like, now I want to yeah, what's the next thing?
This is kind of. Before you know it, you're on a
TLC. Show.
Yeah. Eating couches.
Yeah, exactly. I thought that was that was one
of them. The girl, she couldn't stop
eating the inside of couches. Yeah.
It was like, holy, yeah. That that's a condition.
(18:47):
It's sad, but yeah, no, that I, I belong there.
No, it's funny. I oh, I love it.
But yeah. So my, my point with that story
was I did get out of it. And this is kind of, no, this
works every single time. I went for a walk, right?
And I got outside, I got out of my head.
I do this, I also do this onlinemeeting every morning with a
(19:08):
bunch of guys and I was sitting in it and we do a meditation
thing with it. So it forces me to meditate.
But I was so in my head that I couldn't even pay.
I was doing 10 things and I'm like, I need to get outside.
I. Can't meditate?
It's tough. Walking is probably the closest
thing. I yeah.
And it's the same thing, honestly, because I got outside
and I'm like, and I'm looking around, I'm listening to music.
And of course the song you love eventually comes on or the song
(19:31):
you needed to hear comes on and you're like, God, I like, thank
God I'm alive. And all these things start to,
you know, So that's what, that'swhat I did to get out of it.
You know, it's a beautiful thingthat I have a choice today.
You know, my only option used tobe drink or use drugs, right?
That was the only option to solve pain.
And now I have a choice. I could always go back and do
(19:52):
that. I know that, right?
I don't really agree with this notion where people come in and
they say I can't drink today, right?
Or I, I can't do drugs. It's like, well, no, you can.
You have a choice. You're choosing not to, which is
more powerful. I get to be sober today is how I
like to frame things for myself.Yeah, I love that.
(20:12):
So how do you think that this whole trend is reshaping the
drinking culture? Like, do you think people are
buying into it? Do you think because there still
is gonna be that stigma and where you're out at a bar?
And I've had this before. We were talking about it
yesterday, actually, in my alumni meeting that we do at
rehab. One of the guys was talking
about how his, the bartender, heused to, you know, go to ask
(20:35):
him. She's like, oh, you're not
drinking anymore. What happened?
And he's like, oh, no, I just don't really.
You know, you get that uncomfortable.
You don't. How much do I tell this person?
Right. I go all out.
I'm. I tell them I almost died.
It's my blood type. Yeah.
You want pictures? Yeah.
I'm like, that's me on the floorright there.
But yeah, he was like, you know,he's newly sober and he's
telling her that. And she, she like, she made one
(20:56):
of these. And I've had this happen to me
where she was just like that kind of fucking loser laugh and
he was like crippled by it. Yeah, I haven't had that yet,
but I can imagine people are saying that about my Instagram.
I haven't seen it. Yeah, I don't know.
There's always gonna be no matter what you do.
But I can tell you we would go to when I was helping with the
(21:19):
non elk wine for a little bit. I know that we were at like a,
an event and we were pouring wine and there are people making
comments about like, well, why would I have this?
It doesn't have it's a grape juice.
All I can tell you is the younger generations are proving
that they are drinking less and less.
Unfortunately, they're picking up things like vaping and stuff
like that. However, fortunately they're
(21:40):
picking up things like vaping, you know, like as opposed to
drinking. So I know that there really is
this like complete wave and movement when it comes to the
non al category again, third fastest growing category in the
US right now. So.
I'm seeing it too. You know, you're seeing it
online, but also just there's just when you go to parties like
people aren't. Maybe it's because I'm in
(22:02):
recovery again, but I just, I'm not seeing people blacking out
anymore sloppy like it's just it's less and less.
Maybe it's the people I'm surrounding myself with.
You've gone home before they do that.
Yeah, that too, Yeah. There's a moment in if you don't
know this, if you're listening, you don't know this.
There's a moment in every club bar event where there's like
this threshold in the night thateverybody turns from human to
(22:25):
zombie. It's like I've, it's like 2-3
AM. There's no science behind it
yet, but I'm. Sure of it, 100% No, That
there's got to be science somewhere like that.
Yeah. No, it's it's very true.
And everything just like turns right.
You're like, who's that guy? I'm, you know, I didn't even
notice. Especially true when you go to
clubs. And I love dancing.
So I still go to clubs and I notice it.
(22:45):
Where do you think this is going?
Like what, what do you see in the future with this, with this
trend? How do you see this ending up or
where does it go? I and putting it out there that
I think drinking alcohol will bewhat cigarettes.
Was I actually agree with you? Yeah, yeah, I believe that that
is where this is going. The thing is, is like, we don't
(23:07):
want to freaking Coke like Coca-Cola.
We don't want a can of Coke, we don't want a juice box.
We want an elevated adult drink.So I think that's where there is
room for like a non elk cocktail, like a mocktail, so to
speak. But I think ethanol and alcohol,
I think being removed from thoseor at least like in lower
(23:30):
quantities is, is, is here to stay.
It's, it's not a fad. It's it's, it's an upward trend
that's here to stay is how I'm looking at it.
Yeah, it's funny that you. I'm happy you brought that up
because I've had that thought too.
Yeah, I've had that exact revelation where I was like, I
bet you in your there's going tobe science and data and
everyone's like, we never shouldhave started drinking.
Yes, well, you know what really sucks, Anthony, is like you
(23:51):
think about the messaging behindlike smoking kills, and then
it's like please drink responsibility.
It's like like, OK, but what if I can't?
Like I don't know how to drink responsibly.
I still I'm that person. I swear to God, where if I left
a restaurant and someone left 1/2 drunk glass of wine on the
table, I'm like, is it weird if I go drink that?
Like, like, probably like it's the first date, Jordan.
(24:16):
Just make it to the second or third.
I love it. But yeah, no, I just, I, I think
messaging needs to shift for alcohol.
I love that we're putting warning labels on alcohol in the
States now. That was announced back in
January, I believe. What does that say?
I haven't heard of. That I don't know exactly what
(24:37):
it says, but it was the the health, the health man.
Yeah. Like the, is it the general
surgeon maybe? Yeah, because they have that on
cigarettes. Yeah, yeah.
General surgeon that. And it just has like a warning
on it, like a warning label on. All alcohol being issued, I
think it has to be on all alcoholic products by the end of
next year. Wow.
I'm learning something every day.
That's awesome. Yeah, I've learned.
(24:59):
This is why I came down here. No, I've learned a lot.
This is great. I mean, that that's smart.
It's important how we market things to people, right?
Like, 100% we shouldn't have doctors promoting smoking.
No, I think there's a good reason that that's stopped.
But yeah, it's crazy. You go back and you see all
those ads, right man? You got any?
(25:22):
Like do you have any tips for people that are listening?
You know, people that are maybe sober curious or they think they
have a problem with their drinking?
Like what helped you in the beginning?
Other than the chips, I, for me,I, I'm going to say it and I
(25:43):
know it's really kind of cheesy,but your new life is going to
cost you your old one. Kind of coming to terms with
that a little bit, you know, wasreally difficult for me and
early sobriety. But then it's like when you
reframe it from what we were just talking about Anthony,
where it's like, I don't get to drink.
It's like, no, I get to be sober.
(26:04):
You reframe it and like you never regret a night that you
didn't drink. You know, like I, I'm going to
sound so program at this moment,but like just try it today and
then just see how long it can kind of go for again, you have
that choice. At the end of the day, it's
something you can go back to. I read this amazing, amazing
short essay about like the stranger asked a sober woman,
(26:27):
like what if you want to drink at your wedding?
And it's like, but I I want to do this forever, like it.
And it's it's the way that she reframed.
No, I'm not making sense. No, no, no, you are.
You're you're making so much sense that I have goosebumps.
I'm sorry I'm making faces at you because I've had this exact
thought. Yeah, like if you want to drink
at your wedding, what if I, I'm not going to lie to you, I have
(26:49):
moments where I and I want to knock on wood, but like, I've
never, I haven't lost someone super close to me.
I haven't had that level of grief yet, and it's hard because
I go, what do I reach for? What tool do I have in my
toolbox that I can reach for that isn't alcohol?
(27:10):
When I lose a parent, a partner,a sibling, like whatever it may
be. When life happens.
When life happens, yeah. Because I would pick up when it
was a joyful moment, a happy moment, a sad moment, like no
matter what it was, there was a reason that I would pick up
like, And then it just became a date like daily, right?
So just try today. I think it's my.
(27:33):
I, I don't think that's cheesy at all.
I mean, those slogans, sayings, mantras, there's a reason that
they exist and there's a reason why they're pasted on the wall,
because they. Work, you know.
Yeah, it's just funny because I,I didn't know what face to make
because I, I just, I hadn't really it, it's been a while
since I've heard someone else say that to me.
(27:55):
And I, when I first came in, youknow, 10 years ago, that was a
that was a ruminating thought inmy mind.
How am I gonna not drink on my wedding day?
I cannot fathom that. And every single person that I
surrounded myself with in recovery said that to me.
Anthony, just get through today,man, just get to bed.
(28:15):
And I used to hate it. I hated it.
I. Was Oh, it's still.
Not I like the plan, yeah. Exactly.
And and this whole again, feel free to cut this out, but like
the let go and let God thing like what?
Like how like what? Like I have to yeah, I have to
be the one that controls this and I need to be the one.
And it's like, no, just don't drink today.
(28:37):
Sounds good. I can do that.
Yeah, you mentioned control is abig one, but letting go, what is
that? It's funny because it it's hard
to describe it too, but I guess I just I want to get your
opinion on what what is letting go look like today.
(28:57):
And it's so funny you're asking me this.
I could break down and cry because I it's, it's the hardest
part of my sobriety. I still haven't figured it out.
Letting go is understanding whatit's the serenity prayer for me.
It's, you know, accepting the things I cannot change and and
(29:20):
having the courage to change what I can, but identifying, you
know, what is mine to take on and what is what is just.
It's just not mine. Yeah, yeah.
The wisdom to know the difference.
Yeah. That's beautiful.
Yeah. It's it's tough to get there
sometimes. Yeah.
Does that make sense? Yeah.
Can I turn it on you and ask youwhat letting?
Go yeah, sure, please. Yeah.
(29:41):
I mean, this is a open conversation.
No one ever does that. And I, yeah, I appreciate it.
And I like to talk. Oh, when I started the podcast,
they were like, yeah, you have to be a good listener to be a
podcaster. And I was like, oh, maybe I made
a mistake here. I suck at listening, but no,
it's it's teaching me a lot. Letting go.
Yeah, you mentioned a lot of it there.
(30:01):
But if I could just say one extra thing on it, I'd probably
say and then this, and I learnedthis from literature that we
that we've been talking to people, right, But doing what's
in front of me. So the next right thing in front
of me and then letting go of theoutcome.
So just doing the next right thing, you know, doing this
(30:24):
podcast today, putting the podcast out there, going home
and, you know, telling my wife that I appreciate her right.
When I, I saw my first thought, you know, not acting on my first
thought. That's a that's a huge one.
Right. When I leave here, I'm going to
go sit in traffic and if somebody cuts me off or like
there is AI have a million things in my mind that I want to
(30:47):
do to get that guy or girl back.Like I'm going to win this.
And it's all ego, right? So it's like just taking a
breath and like, OK, no, don't do that, Anthony.
Yeah, yeah. Don't say that.
No, I get it. No, I totally get it.
I, I, I hear you. I I'm, I'm with you on that.
(31:07):
The next right thing. Yeah, and it's sometimes it can
be hard, right? That's why I like when you and
I'm not going to cut out the spirituality thing because I
think it's important. Religion is, is very different
than spirituality. A lot of people come in like,
oh, well, I don't want to be, I don't like God, he killed my
brother or something, right? And I don't mean to make light
of that, but it's true. Like I, I hear that a lot, a lot
of people are like, God let me down.
(31:28):
And you know, that's fair, right?
If if you've had a tough upbringing or a tough life or
things have happened to you thatare out of control, it, that's
like a, a common thing to do is like, it's, it, it wasn't caused
by you, right? So there's a lesson in every
opportunity, I think. And adversity is so important in
my life today. Like I wouldn't even, I wouldn't
be here without it, because whenI get through hard, exactly when
(31:50):
I get through hard things, I cando anything, right?
And that's one of the reasons. So you, it's funny you mentioned
like just being, you know, getting all into something,
right? This entrepreneur thing that
you're all into. I got into marathon running for
a while and I every super person.
Yeah. It's a thing.
It's a thing. Yeah.
And I ran 3 marathons and I usedto hate running.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah, Yeah.
For you. Yeah.
(32:10):
It was like, I know I couldn't even imagine doing that before,
right? Yeah.
I went to LA and I did the LA Marathon with my friend Mike.
Yeah, it was good. For you it.
Was great. And, you know, I don't, I don't
really miss it too much because it took up a lot of my time and
it was like, it was very intense.
You know, I was eating all the time.
There's like a lot of things that came with it.
And again, there's I need balance in my life today.
(32:31):
You know, I did that with golf too.
Balance. I was a bodybuilder.
I totally understand the all in.Did you do the meal prepping and
stuff too? I.
Was I was provincials? Oh, you went on stage?
Oh yeah, but that's like the same as running a marathon,
honestly. It's very similar I think from
what? I get because it's it's 90, like
it's 100% of the time you have to be on Yeah, with your eating
(32:52):
with your. Eating your workouts, your two
days, it's just, yeah, it's a lot.
I'm interested, how did you comeback from that?
Because that, like your relationship with food, must
have been. Well, I start.
Oh my gosh, this is where I get crazy.
But again, I lean into the isms of the program and I learned so
much about me and just my addictive behaviors.
I have struggled with an eating disorder, so getting into
(33:13):
something like bodybuilding was actually not a healthy choice
for me at all. How did I bounce back?
I I started getting into runningafter I finished.
I didn't want to go on the national stage.
I stopped at provincials. I did get into running myself as
well. I kind of maintained fitness,
but then my drinking took off. The funniest thing is you don't
(33:36):
drink when you're on prep, whichis another thing I leaned into.
There are periods in my life where I was successful that I
did not drink and that really helped me as well.
But. Helped, you know, that you could
do it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
But yeah, my drinking really took off after a year or so
after I finished. It's there's always something,
right? It's like, you know, I, I always
(33:57):
say this, but it's like as addicts, we have 6 garbage cans
and five lids. You know, it's like whack A
mole. And I always, yeah, I heard that
in Utah when I was at my second treatment center.
It's true. And I'm always looking for
something. It's G1 day now.
It's this podcast. It just has to be something
healthy and you have to learn how to balance.
It yeah, no, I love that. Well, for me, it's Team Spirits
right now as well. So yeah, it's passion, right?
(34:21):
How? Yeah, I mean, I was like, it's
hard to like finding passion is important, I think in sobriety,
right? This one kind of found you a
little bit right, But. I think that it's, it's one of
those things and it feels like this podcast is, is it for you
as well? It's, it's, it's the cornerstone
of your passion and your purpose.
And when you marry those two, like at the end of the day, like
(34:43):
social media management and influencer marketing and brand
development, like that wasn't necessarily my passion and my
purpose. Like sobriety has very quickly
become like what I believe my purpose is.
I, I know that I stayed out of those rooms for a very long time
because I didn't believe that I looked like an alcoholic.
I'm too young, I'm too female. I'm too this, to that, to this,
(35:07):
to that. And I am not an alcoholic.
So if I can now be that person that people can look at and,
and, and, and be like, oh, I'm in my 20s and my drinking's a
little out of control and they can see me and then they can
feel more comfortable sort of self diagnosing and identifying
as an alcoholic, then my work here is done, you know?
Yeah, yeah, I couldn't agree more.
(35:28):
I I couldn't really relate to the old white guy when I walked
in, right, Like it was hard to kind of I was like, do you?
Do you? You're wearing a suit.
Like, you're not an alcoholic, you know, alcoholic, to your
point, is the guy that lives under the bridge with the.
Brown paper bag. Right.
And it's not true. This disease does not
discriminate, does not whatsoever.
I learned that time and time again, and it's important what
(35:49):
you said, something that I was Ireally liked the cornerstone
passion and purpose. Yeah.
Can you say that again? Yeah, so I just, I feel like
this podcast for you is what Team Spears is for me, where it
is the cornerstone of my passionand my purpose.
Passion and purpose, and then you said marrying those two
together. Yeah, and that's where that's
where the magic happens. I think, yeah, I think this
(36:11):
finding the purpose thing is so important.
And yeah, like I have a, we bothdo, but I can only speak for me.
I have a unique gift to offer somebody, right?
There's, I don't know, like 80 percent, 90% of the world,
probably 80% don't don't know what it's like to have to drink
and have to use despite all the negative evidence, you know,
(36:34):
everything's worth the the contrary.
I have to that thing tomorrow, that wedding that I have to go
to that speech that I have to give that engagement party.
I have to show up to that wedding.
I have to be a best man at it doesn't matter.
Nothing matters, right? My wife begging me to stop
right. Just my mom begging me to not
(36:55):
die. She's scared I'm going to die.
None of that matters. Doesn't matter at all.
It's yeah, it's cutting, baffling and powerful, like you
said. But yeah, you have to get to a
gift of the gift of desperation.Yeah, it's true.
You, you kind of struck A chord there with me and now I've lost
my train of thought, but it's maybe it'll come.
(37:18):
Back I talk a lot. Like when you talk I I get a
lot. Out of what you're saying.
I appreciate that. Thank you.
Everything I learned is from other people, everything.
And you know, I was talking about this last night, but this
first year of sobriety is so important and and I knew that,
but now it's being reconfirmed. You know, there's a lot of
people in my life. You go to rehab, you stay close
(37:39):
with the people after a lot of them relapse and it's so hard.
It's really tough because it's like, and I was saying this to
my mom the other day, it's like you have the answers to the
test. It's this analogy.
If I can and the other person iswriting the test and you're like
yelling the answers at them and they're just like, no, no, no,
no, no, no, right. And then not to say that I have
the answer to, but like I have away out.
(38:00):
Not today. I have a way out.
Right. And it's the the same, you're
writing the same test. Yeah.
And, and yeah, we have the same answers.
I I love that I, I don't know about you.
I actually really struggled withI again, I never went to rehab.
That was never part of my story,but in my program, my sponsor
(38:20):
went out, my my sister sponsee went out again and it's so hard
for me to I've they then became a part of my 4th and 5th stat
like I, I, I was resentful, I was mad.
I was like you and let, but thenit's not, I'm not writing their
(38:43):
story, you know, it's it's it's hard.
It's very hard. Yeah, do you, like, do you feel
like you're, you're angry at them?
Because, yeah, because they know'cause when you've been on the
other side, it's like I and I get, I guarantee you they were
more angry at themselves. And I know you know they were.
100% and then it, it takes 2 seconds to look at them coming
(39:03):
back in and, and, you know, veryupset and you go, yeah, no, you,
yeah, you, it's it this disease,like the, the only thing I can
kind of compare it to is take your phone, leave it in another
room and, and, and come back andsit there and tell me how many
times you think about it in an hour.
Like, that's the closest thing that that the normal person can
(39:24):
probably get to addiction, you know, like it's just, it's, it's
all-encompassing. It's all overwhelming.
Yeah, I I love that. I never heard that one before.
And it's like, yeah, try to go through your day while your
phone is at home, right? It's just like what you?
Think, go through your day and you're like, yeah, it, it I, I
can't even grasp that. And that's what alcohol was for
me. But I also like that you
(39:45):
mentioned the gift of desperation because just to
finish my point, and I'm no, no,I'm happy you jumped in because
this is, you know, I'm learning a lot and I love what you're
saying. It's great.
This woman that I went to treatment with has I just, I was
careful in what how to say this right?
I don't want to break anonymity or anything.
Anyways, this woman I went to treatment with.
She had a really bad relapse andI was talking to her like a lot.
(40:06):
And you know, she was at the place where I was hotel room by
myself. Family abandoned you pissed off,
right? And it's just you and, and your
drugs and your alcohol and I kind of just, I was like, don't,
don't talk to your family right now.
Just talk to talk to us because I, I, I will never judge you.
I get you. I'm here for you.
You want to go to detox? I'll bring you to detox.
Like I'm, I'm trying to do all these things because that's what
(40:27):
was done to me. And when you're in that moment,
it's like loneliness. You, you can't even, loneliness
doesn't even describe, doesn't even, can't even describe that
feeling. It's just you're like, you know,
this small in, in a world, right?
And so, you know, I was talking to her the other day and I'm
like, are you doing this? Are you doing that?
And I wasn't like checking up onher to make sure she was doing
(40:49):
anything. But I'm like, kind of just
listening to her. Oh, I don't know if I, you know,
I have this thing and I'm. And like, all these excuses
started to come back and I'm just like, it reminds me of just
how powerful this disease. And it's like you were just.
And this happened to me too. And, you know, I'm not trying to
project anything, but I was justin the darkest depths of hell.
(41:09):
And then somebody tells me like,I should probably go to a
meeting. And I'm like, yeah, I'm busy
that night, right? But it's.
Yeah, I do it all the time. It's so cunning, baffling and
powerful. Cunning, baffling, powerful.
And it's progressive. Yeah, progressive.
I think there's a lot of people that need to keep in mind that
if it's bad in your 20s, it's worse in your 30s, harder in
(41:29):
your 40s, and it just gets progressively worse.
And I've also been told I'm, I'mso fortunate that as of today, I
have had no relapses since I've got sober, but I've been told it
gets worse when you go out. Like the next time it it, it's
never it it just it got I'll leave it at that.
It gets. Worse and I I'm a proponent of
that, like I'm a I'm an example of that.
(41:51):
It it does, you know, you try new drugs.
I never thought, you know, benzos were never my thing and I
was getting too high on stimulants.
So I was like, oh, this benzo thing seems interesting.
I need to control my state againbecause of my anxiety.
If you've ever done stimulants or anxiety, it's just like
through the roof. You're like, I need to balance
this. And then it becomes this, you
become this like doctor, right. And that's what happened.
It's like every day I was like bind.
(42:13):
Yeah. Yeah, a chemist.
Yeah, exactly. And then my whole thing was I
got on the dark web and like allit was just, it was bad.
I was getting drugs shipped to my house.
But yeah, I can confirm that it does.
It does get worse. And I'm, you know, I'm lucky.
I'm not dead, right. So, but yeah, life is good
today. Not to not to get too dark, but
it's it is serious. There is a lot of.
(42:35):
That's just it. Yeah.
And I think that that's it. It's funny, it's serious, it's
dark, it's all of those things. But when you actually walk into
a room like, like the rooms thatwe're a part of, what is it?
We're not a glum lot. Like it's just like it's there's
such light and beauty and sobriety.
And I think that that's one of the things I just really want to
(42:57):
emphasize. Fun and recovery is a good one.
You know a lot of people come inand the wedding thing is a big
one. How am I going to drink on this
day or that day? But how do you have fun and
recovery? Fitness is a great thing that I
really throw myself into fun. I find work fun.
I think what the biggest thing for me though, is, is I am now a
(43:21):
present aunt, daughter, girlfriend, like you list, you
name it, like I'm a present. I'm like actively involved in my
relationships. I have like I have a new group
of friends. They're all so sober.
Like they that is what I do for fun.
It's I go out for mocktails a lot because I still I love the
restaurant scene. I love that kind of.
(43:42):
The buzz. Around it, the atmosphere, like
I'm not the person that couldn'tlook at a bar for, you know, a
year like I, I, I can actively go into those settings and feel
comfortable. So that part of my life is is
huge for me. It's it's my relationships.
I, I have fun no matter what I am doing, whether it's a
cottage, whether it's again, something just by myself,
(44:04):
running, fitness, whatever it may be, I'm I'm able to find joy
in it because I don't have this weight of alcohol on me anymore.
Yeah, yeah. It's like, yeah, you, you're not
a slave anymore, right? Yeah, that's perfect.
It's like the the chain analogy,the ball and chain, just
everywhere you go, you're dragging it around.
That is exhausting. You're, yeah.
And then you get sober and there's this freedom and you
(44:26):
have all this free time and you're like, I don't know what
to do that. And idle time is is nerve
wracking. And I love that you mentioned
the walks. I go on what I call mock and
walks where I have a team spiritand I just drink away and I and
I or wake water or something andI go for a walk and that's kind
of my meditation. I think it's a good way you put
it to clear up that that free time that I have now.
(44:47):
Love it. Mm hmm.
It's a beautiful thing. That's awesome.
I'm gonna ask you some quick questions and then just a few.
But say I guess the first thing that comes to your mind.
What's? Before I get myself in trouble,
I'm like, I'm ready. They're not.
They're not like they won't get you in trouble.
Maybe they will. It's funny.
Sorry. Quickly.
(45:08):
I was on another podcast and thethe the girl that was doing it
did a similar thing. And the first thing I thought it
was like, oh, don't judge me, I'm sick.
Yeah, I was just thinking the same thing because.
Everything was by the way, I am an alcoholic.
My first thought is not the best.
Yeah. What's your favorite non
alcoholic cocktail? Team Spirits.
What flavour? Our Paloma.
(45:30):
Oh, OK, Paloma. Yeah.
Delicious. Awesome.
Yeah, I like the the Moscow Mulejust cuz I like ginger.
Oh, do you now? Yeah, I love it.
What's the first thing you do inthe morning?
What's your morning? Routine first.
The first thing I do is I check my phone, but I'm gonna change
that now. I'm gonna change that.
That was my like a key take awayfrom.
(45:50):
That I'll hold you to. It but then it's the gratitude
piece yeah, like I open my eyes I'm like yeah, thanks.
Not up today I. Love it, I love it.
What's a book or a resource thatchanged your life?
The Big Book. Yeah, nice.
Me too. I'm just thinking about what to
do with that after, but I agree.Let me know if it goes.
Every time I read it, it's just it's like, was this always in
(46:13):
here? I've I've been reading for 10
years and I'm like, I've never read this passage in my life. 11
that's coming up to mind right now.
And I'll just say it because I love it is like there's a story
at the back that the guy was a doctor and he was using
narcotics to like kind of managehis own thing.
And, you know, you come in and alot of people are like, we only
(46:34):
talk about alcohol and stuff like that.
And then I look at that, I'm like, you know, a lot of people
were using sedatives and drugs. Like, no, I belong here, right?
And, and it's true. We, you do belong.
Yeah. It's all the same shit.
Same shit, it's just the way we use it but he talks about using
up his right to chemical Peace of Mind that that line right
there. I just that this last time that
(46:54):
spoke to me so. Loudly.
Isn't that funny? It.
It was always there. Yeah, it was always there.
The book did not change. But there's different versions
you changed. Yeah.
I love that. We don't talk about that new
version. I haven't read it yet, actually,
but I don't like change. Yeah, it was fine the way it
was. That's a whole other issue that
we'll we'll get to on the next episode.
(47:17):
Yeah. Anthonys gripes with the world
man shakes fist that cloud. Ohh man, that's awesome.
I had so much fun. Where can we find you, Jordan?
I think the I'm like here's my address.
And I'm gonna I'll link it in the shoulders.
I wanna hear I. I think the the best way to
connect would be on Instagram either at Jordan Quinn Instagram
or at Drink Team Spirits. Love it.
(47:40):
Yeah, love it. That's awesome.
Thank you so much. I had a lot of fun today.
So much. Yeah.
We're the. The universe brings people
together and, you know, I think we're a lot of like.
So I appreciate that. I need, I need the reminder that
there's people like me and you know, I'm not saying that you're
sick, but we think very similar and it's just nice to know that
I'm not alone. You.
(48:01):
Know and and you know you're notalone either, right?
So awesome. Thank you.
Thanks for listening. Please help us grow the channel
and like, share and subscribe for more content.
The discussions and stories shared on this podcast are for
informational and motivational purposes only.
This content is not a substitutefor professional medical advice,
addiction treatment or therapy. If you or someone you know is
(48:23):
struggling with addiction, please.
Consult A licensed physician, addiction specialist or mental
health professional. You are no longer alone.
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