From Addiction to Building a $115M Recovery Empire: The Incredible Story of Eric Spofford

In this powerful episode of The Determined Society, Shawn French sits down with Eric Spofford — entrepreneur, recovery advocate, mentor, father, and founder who built and sold a recovery business for $115 million. Eric opens up about surviving addiction, his fifth overdose, the moment of surrender that led him to sobriety on December 7, 2006, and the deeper work it took to rebuild his life. He shares how recovery became more than abstinence — it became a path of spiritual growth, personal development, service, and purpose. From opening sober houses to building treatment centers and scaling a company to a nine-figure exit, Eric's story is one of relentless reinvention. But this conversation goes far beyond addiction and business. It explores the loneliness of success, the relationships you lose when you grow, the truth about money and fulfillment, and the character it takes to keep moving forward when life tests everything in you. In this episode, we dive into: - Eric's fifth overdose and the reality of late-stage addiction - Getting sober on December 7, 2006 - What surrender really meant for him - The difference between abstinence and true recovery - Losing friends to the opioid epidemic - Building sober houses and treatment centers - Scaling a recovery business to a $115M exit - Learning business through relentless self-education - The loneliness that comes with success - Why money and material things do not create fulfillment - Fatherhood, character, loyalty, and human connection This is a raw conversation about addiction, recovery, loss, leadership, success, money, loneliness, and the determination to rebuild a life that once felt impossible to save. Connect with Eric Spofford Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ericspofford/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjv2eT-tACaCYO18wSllyNg LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-spofford-grc Connect with Shawn: https://link.me/shawnmf32 Newsletter + more: https://thedeterminedsociety.com Follow The Determined Society Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/determined-society-with-shawn-french-adversity-mindset/id1555922064 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5kS9tkLGQLcVyRgB3mDznw?si=184c18d1b9d44f53 *The Determined Society is hosted by Shawn French — a show for people who refuse to quit. Every episode goes beyond the highlight reel to explore the real stories behind resilience, reinvention, and the relentless pursuit of a life built on your own terms.*   *Subscribe on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and all others.. If this episode moved you, share it with someone who needs to hear it — and leave a review. It helps more than you know.* Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.