This episode of the Bare Knuckle Recovery Podcast features a powerful conversation with Brenda Gerber Vincent, the Chief Growth Officer at Greater Fort Wayne, Inc.
Brenda joins Tommy Streeter and Nate Moellering to pull back the curtain on what it means to lead a high-stakes professional career while maintaining long-term recovery.
"It’s my struggles, not my successes, that have made me who I am." - Brenda Gerber-Vincent
What happens when a high-achieving professional, a board chair, and a mother realizes that her "stealth" dependency on alcohol is no longer manageable?
In Episode 38, Brenda Gerber-Vincent shares her journey from the "golden age" of Allen County economic development to the quiet descent into chaos that nearly cost her everything.
Brenda discusses the "evolution of sharing" her story and why she eventually traded the safety of a mask for the freedom of the truth. From her defining moment sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with her mother to her competitive drive to "win" at recovery, this episode is a masterclass in discipline, humility, and the power of second chances.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The Myth of the Mask: Why successful professionals are often the best at hiding their struggles and the fear of "losing it all".
- "No More Stories": The pivotal moment Brenda decided to be honest with her children and her community.
- Treatment over Termination: Why businesses need a healthy workforce to thrive and how to support employees through recovery.
- MODIS (Miracles on the Other Side): The mentoring group Brenda founded to support professional women in their own recovery journeys.
- The Discipline of Recovery: How the same skills that keep Brenda sober for 18 years make her a better leader in the business world.
And much more! You can watch this episode on YouTube by searching for Bare Knuckle Recovery or find all of our episodes on bareknucklerecovery.com
Watch this episode and all past episodes here: https://www.bareknucklerecovery.com/
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