Leaving Corporate America to Serve First Responders and Veterans with Shavonne Thompson

0:01Boom! Shake the room, Fire Nation! JLD here and welcome to Entrepreneurs on Fire! Brought to you by the HubSpot podcast network, the ideal destination for business professionals with great shows like The Hustle Daily. Today, we'll be breaking down leaving corporate America to serve first responders and veterans. To drop these value bombs, I brought Siobhan Thompson into EO Fire Studios. Siobhan left corporate America to become the founder of Throttle and Thrive, a men's detox, substance misuse, and mental health facility exclusively for first responders and veterans. And today, Today, Fire Nation, we'll talk about the why, why first responders, why veterans.

0:40We'll talk about success stories. We'll talk about the risks of starting a business, of following your passion, Fire Nation, but also the risks of not following your passion and so much more. And a big thank you for sponsoring today's episode goes to Siobhan and our sponsors. The Gold Digger Podcast, hosted by my good friend, Jenna Kuchar, is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. The Gold Digger podcast helps you discover your dream career with productivity tips, social strategies, business hacks, inspirational stories, and so much more.

1:13A must-listen episode is one of Jenna's recents on everything you need to know about affiliate marketing. Listen to Gold Digger wherever you get your podcasts. Many EO Fire listeners have launched non-food franchises, and Franbridge Consulting has guided them. Franbridge's founder and frequent EO Fire guest, John Ostenson, has done more placements than any other in the country and his service is free. Sign up for a consultation with John or get a free copy of his book, Non-Food Franchising at FranBridgeConsulting.com. Siobhan, say what's up to Fire Nation and share something that you believe about becoming successful that most people disagree with.

1:55Hello, Fire Nation. It's so great to be here. Thank you, JLD, for having me on. So I believe that success does not happen overnight. There's no shortcut to the top. It's a long road of daily discipline and consistency. Fire Nation, you can tell we've already started this episode off with a bang. And if you haven't noticed from the title, this is an episode that's near and dear to my heart for multiple reasons, leaving corporate America to serve first responders and veterans. I know Fire Nation, almost all of you know that I am a veteran. I served from 2002 until 2010 as an officer in the U.S. Army.

2:33And so when I met Siobhan at a conference sometime last year, we connected, I heard her story, what she's doing, and now I'm excited to be bringing her story and what she's doing for the world to you today. And that's where I want to start, Siobhan, is you diving into the details of Throttle and Thrive. So take it away. So Throttle and Thrive, we are a substance misuse treatment facility and also a mental health facility. We exclusively serve first responders and veterans. We offer medical detox and also a 12-step based recovery program for substance abuse. We have six beds and we operate out of a beautiful mansion in Los Angeles overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

3:17Additionally, we are a wellness facility. So we have a chef on site. He makes high quality food from scratch. We work out daily. We promote sleep and health on every level, physically, emotionally, psychologically. And most importantly, we treat the root cause instead of just medicating the symptoms with pharmaceuticals. So I'm an alcoholic in recovery. I'm over 10 years sober and I've seen many people recover and get well. I know that it's possible. I live it every day. Most of my staff is also in recovery. We know what it's like to go through addiction, to fight the battle, and to win one day at a time.

3:57So that, in a nutshell, is what we do here at Throttle and Thrive. Fire Nation, you can see why I love this story, why I love this mission, why I love that Siobhan is just taking her past, her experience, and her passion and just making such a great impact on this world. But I think we need to go back a little further because you had this very stable, well-paid career in commercial construction. I mean, you were crushing it. You're getting paid. You left it all behind. Why did you do that? I did. I worked in commercial construction for 13 years. Prior to that, I graduated from USC, bachelor's degree, master's degree, both in civil engineering.

4:39My whole life was set up to work in construction. That was my dream. That was my passion. I became a superintendent. I got to drive the truck, wear the hard hat, steel-toed boots, be in the field, manage large-scale commercial construction projects, including a prison, two hospitals, several of the terminals at LAX Airport. I had everything. I had the 401k. I had company stock. I had the respect in the industry, and it was amazing, and I loved it. and then one day I realized I don't just want to build buildings and inanimate objects and I don't really care about how we run the comm systems through the building and you know terminate this one circuit and do punch list I wanted to make a larger difference in the world and I recognized that there was a calling on my life and that I had acquired all of the skills that I needed to be able to launch a business my corporate career had taught me how to run a business I was a part owner in that construction company.

5:37I had learned how to hire, how to train up a team, how to raise up leaders, how to write subcontracts, how to get buy-in from others, how to schedule, how to run operations, manage logistics, how to manage cost, how to budget. And I had all of this experience. And at the same time, I had the firsthand experience as an alcoholic in recovery. And I'd helped others through sponsorship win the battle over addiction. And I believe that I could do this on a larger scale instead of just as like a personal part of my life that I did outside of work. I believed that I could start a business, I could lead a team, and I could create a program that would help other people.

6:17And in addition to that, I have family members that still struggle with addiction and mental health. And prior to launching Throttle and Thrive, I watched loved ones go in and out of treatment, not really receive the best care. I watch the system fail them. And so this mission is deeply personal for me on so many levels. Fire Nation, I want to speak to you directly right now. And what I want to say to you is it's okay. Like it's okay to have gone down a path in life, a career path that at the time you thought was right. And by the way, was potentially right at that time in your life and gets great feelings from it and feedback from it and experience from it and knowledge from it.

7:01I look back very fondly on my eight years as an officer in the U.S. Army, my time in corporate finance, my time in law school, my time in commercial real estate. I don't look at any of those as wasted times. I look at that as things that built me into the person that I am today, giving me skills that allowed me 11 years ago to launch Entrepreneurs on fire. And guess what? Entrepreneurs on fire. I may be looking back in 10 years or 20 years from now and saying, that helped me launch whatever it is that I'm doing right now in this world. I mean, this is why it's okay to be where you are right now.

7:32Don't look at the past as something that's a waste. Look at it as something that you can build upon. Don't get sucked in by the sunk cost fallacy of, oh, I went to one semester of law school. I must become a lawyer for 40 years. Could be the biggest mistake of your life. Every day is a new day. Every day is a day that you can wake up and say, I'm going to take what I've done so far in life and use it to go forward in a different and or new direction. So a lot of my listeners, Siobhan, have these visions of following a passion of their own. You've done it. How did you get started? Let's talk about the first steps.

8:05So I did it in tandem with my corporate career for a long time. So when I first got this vision of, oh, I'm going to start a business, I didn't quit my job the next day and just launch right into it. I actually did both for quite a long time. And at first things started off slow. I was still working 60 hours a week in construction. I didn't have a ton of time at first, but I started finding the time. I started shifting my schedule. So small things at first, like utilizing the weekends, setting up a work desk in my living room, and then larger changes started to happen. At work, actually my schedule changed.

8:39And instead of working day shift, I was put on the night shift, which is actually less hours. It was four nights instead of five days. So right then and there, some more freedom opened up in my schedule for me to devote more time towards building the business. And then after that, there were two different night shifts. There was the Sunday through Thursday and the Tuesday through Saturday. And I was on Sunday through Thursday. And I realized if I switched to Tuesday to Saturday, I would have more of the weekdays free to be able to have business meetings and appointments and get things done during the traditional work week.

9:15And I could work my corporate job more into the weekend. So I made that shift as well. And that really helped. And then after that, I found a mentor. And that was one of the biggest steps. He owns four treatment facilities. And he's got the firsthand experience. He knows what it takes. He knows the industry. So he is my go-to for all my questions of how do you do this? And what about that and how'd you overcome this challenge? In addition to that, I mapped out a plan. I love Gantt schedules. So I created a really robust schedule of all the different things I needed to do and how they would sync up.

9:52And I created a cost projection and I started to leverage different resources, friends, family, and services like free business coaching from the small business administration run through the local community college. And after I had the plan in place, I started executing the plan. First thing I did was build a website. And then I started networking. I actually started promoting the business before it existed. I started planting seeds, essentially, and telling people, hey, I'm going to do this. And this is what it's going to be. And, you know, do you want part in this vision? And then I hired a consultant.

10:29They got me the license and the accreditation. I learned early on that I wouldn't have the time or the bandwidth to be able to learn all of the different skills. Like I'm not going to go learn how to be a CPA. I'm going to hire a CPA. So for certain things, I would hire consultants mainly to save time and because they had the expertise and the knowledge to do things really well. From there, I rented the house and it was off to the races and we became licensed and accredited. And in that process, I hired the staff, got everybody trained, everybody in their specific roles and positions, and then we opened the doors.

11:05And from there, it's just been one miracle after the next. What was the hardest part? It's overcoming the fear. It's a daily battle. The fear of failure is still very real. New businesses have a very high failure rate, unfortunately, and starting a new business is really tough. And so it's fear and it's a psychological battle, but it's one that I push back every day. And I'm like, no, fear will not keep me from helping the people that I know that I'm called to help and to serve. Fire Nation, I took away a lot from what Siobhan just shared, but taking control of your schedule. I mean, that was really inspiring how she took control of her schedule and made things happen.

11:48Taking control of your free time. So now that you have more free time or now that you have a opportunity to create more free time, take control of that and use it in a positive manner and then take control of your future as a result. And of course, she made the comment about finding a mentor. Fire Nation, we're all standing upon the shoulders of giants. Somebody, many people have gone before us down this path. Leverage, utilize, understand, acquire their knowledge from them so you can avoid their mistakes and you can capitalize upon their successes. Make that part happen. So critical. And of course, fear, Fire Nation, it's in us all.

12:27We're humans. Everybody we know deals with it on some level. Just realize it's something that you can and need to overcome. And we have so much more to talk about when we get back from thanking our sponsors. Artificial intelligence is at the top of everyone's newsfeed. So we all know there are plenty of business pros out there benefiting from AI. AI can help you save time, bring some ideas and tackle your to-do list, but knowing about it and putting it into practice are two different things. So what's the first step? If you find yourself spending hours each day on content creation, then meet HubSpot's new AI-powered campaign assistant, a totally free-to-use AI tool tailor-made for marketers and business builders who spend hours each day on content creation.

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13:48Franchising can simply be the better path, and interest in franchising is at an all-time high. Lucky for you, John Ostenson, founder of Franbridge Consulting and a frequent EO Fire guest, is here to help you explore the premier franchise opportunities today. John and his Franbridge Consulting team are part of the largest brokerage in the U.S. and have vetted the market thoroughly. Fran Bridge is hands down the premier source for the best opportunities in the franchise world, including both active and passive opportunities from TRT to insulation, youth soccer to pets, senior care to health and wellness, and more.

14:22John has served as an Inc. 500 franchisor and a multi-brand franchisee himself, and he does more placements than any other in the country. Sign up for a free consultation call with John today, or get a free copy of his book, Non-Food Franchising, at FranBridgeConsulting.com. That's FranBridgeConsulting.com. Siobhan, we're back and most people think of first responders and veterans as some of the toughest people in our society. I mean, look at what people in the military do and have done in their life. Look at what first responders have to deal with. I mean, crazy scenarios, but they are actually in incredible need.

15:02Can you tell us why? The veteran suicide rate is relatively well-known and publicized, and a lot of awareness has been raised, which is fantastic. What's not as well-known is the suicide rate among police, firefighters, and other first responders. It's just as heartbreaking as the veteran suicide rate. Statistically, law enforcement officers are more likely to die of suicide than in the line of duty. And these suicides are largely due to years of vocational trauma and a decline in mental health. Add in substance abuse, and it's a recipe for disaster. So my mission is to reach these people before it's too late.

15:47We have to take action. We have to do something. And the good news is that most agencies, police departments, fire departments, etc., they've already developed wellness programs and peer support teams. and it's becoming easier for the people who need the help to get the help and the awareness is increasing and more and more people have access to the right resources but we still have a long way to go and there are many people who need help and the reality is that being a first responder is a very dangerous job not just physically but emotionally and psychologically and the years of vocational trauma and the high number of critical incidents, it takes its toll on anyone.

16:32So we have to help our heroes. And I'm honored to be able to get to do this work. It's incredibly life-giving and very rewarding. And unfortunately, most of our clients have come in suicidal, but the good news is we're able to help them and everyone has been able to be restored and their mental health has been renewed and we've been able to launch them into recovery. Help our heroes. I mean, Fire Nation, that phrase sends shivers down my spine. I just love that phrase. I love that concept. And Siobhan, you mentioned having some success with some individuals. Let's get specific. Can you share a specific success story with Fire Nation?

17:14So our motto is addiction defeated, trauma healed, families restored. And I was on a podcast actually before Throttle and Thrive launched, just like the month before. And in that podcast, I spoke about how I wanted to give little girls their daddy back. I have an incredible relationship with my dad. He was my sandcastle builder and my soccer coach and just a wonderful dad all around. And that's something that I really want for little girls and, of course, little boys as well. But, you know, me in my head, I'm just envisioning little girls myself as a child. And so one of our clients came in. He was one of our first clients.

17:52And he and his wife had both listened to that podcast. And they heard me speak about little girls getting their daddy back. And while this client was in treatment, he ended up coming into my office just in tears, sobbing. And he hands me this journal. And he told me he wanted me to read the first couple entries. And I did. And then he went on to explain that prior to coming into our facility, he was actively planning to commit suicide and this was the journal that he was writing to his two daughters they were two years old and four years old and this was what he was going to leave them as his legacy was this journal and I mean it was just so heartbreaking but then through the tears he says I don't want to die anymore thank you for saving my life thank you for helping me I see that I can recover now and that I'm not a threat to my family and that they wouldn't be better off without me.

18:49They do need me. Thank you for saving my life. And it's in those moments that I'm like, yes, this is why we do what we do to tangibly see our clients actually get restored, to see their families come together. And I got to meet those two beautiful little girls and just hug them. And I have a thank you gift from he and his wife on my wall. And it's handprints of those two little girls. And it's a thank you that they got their daddy back. And so it's stories like those and several others that are just all of the fuel to the fire for why we do what we do. Fire Nation, I know that I'm inspired. I hope you are as well, because this is the thing that can impact lives in such a meaningful manner.

19:37But at the end of the day, Siobhan, you took a huge risk. I mean, it was a big risk in starting Throttle and Thrive. And it's still a risk every day going forward because like you mentioned, all small businesses, all businesses in general, it's tough. It's a tough world out there. But so far, was the risk worth the reward? Yep. It was absolutely worth it. Seeing our clients be restored to their families, watching their mental health come back, watching even their physical appearance change. We take a photo of them when they first come in and that's part of their electronic medical record. And then seeing them at the end of their treatment, I mean, their color has come back.

20:17Their eyes are brighter. It's amazing to see them get well and to want to continue to get well. And so the risk is definitely worth the reward, but the cost is still high. This has cost me everything I have. it is all of my time, all of my energy, all of my resources, all of my emotional capacity. But at the end of the day, it's about investing in others and building them up. And not only do I get to see my clients improve, but I'm also watching my staff and they as well are also benefiting from working here and coming alive and we're seeing incredible things in them. So all in all, yes, it is absolutely worth the risk.

21:03Let's do this. Give us one key takeaway from our entire conversation that we had today. Then give us the best way to connect with you, with your business, and then we'll say goodbye. The key takeaway is that if you are in need of help, there is help out there. Or if someone that you know is in need of help, there are so many organizations and programs and resources available, no one should suffer in silence. Reach out. It can be to Throttle and Thrive, it can be to us, or it can be to many of the hundreds, thousands of other organizations that provide resources. There are so many people that care.

21:43And to all of our veterans, active duty, military, first responders, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for choosing to put yourself in harm's way to fight for our nation and protect our people. Thank you for being there to answer the call when we're in need. Fire Nation, you're the average of the five people you spend the most time with. And you've been hanging out with ST and JLD today. So keep up that heat. For links to everything we talked about, visit eofire.com. Just type Siobhan, that's S-H-A-V-O-N-N-E in the search bar and the show notes page will pop right up. And one more time, best way for them to learn more about Throttle and Thrive.

22:25Yes, they can visit our website www.throttleandthrive.com. If you really want to know more, feel free to give me a call. You can reach me on my cell phone 805-701-1309 or shoot me an email info like information info at throttleandthrive.com. Oh yeah. And JLD, one more thing. If anyone listening is part of a first responder agency or a veterans organization, and you would like more information, I would love to do a presentation for you or your agency. Reach out to me either via email or text 805-701-1309. And I would love to set up a presentation for your agency. Fire Nation, I challenge you that if you or somebody you know needs this type of information, needs to know that something like this exists, give Siobhan a call.

23:28She'll pick up her cell phone. You'll have a conversation. It will be a great action that you can take, again, for yourself or a loved one. And Siobhan, thank you. I mean, you thanked us veterans, active duty military, first responders, But I want to thank you for sharing your truth, your knowledge, your value. I want to thank you for following your passion, for creating something great like you have. For that, we salute you and we'll catch you on the flip side. Hey, Fire Nation, a huge thank you to our sponsors and Siobhan for sponsoring today's episode and Fire Nation. Over the last decade, I've interviewed more than 4 ,000 of the world's most successful entrepreneurs and I've created a revolutionary 17-step roadmap to your financial freedom and fulfillment.

24:12I put it all into my first traditionally published book, The Common Path to Uncommon Success, personally endorsed by Seth Godin and Gary Vaynerchuk. The Common Path to Uncommon Success is the step-by-step guidance that you need to achieve the lifestyle of your dreams. Visit UncommonSuccessBook.com to get your copy, and I'll catch you there or on the flip side. The Gold Digger Podcast, hosted by my good friend, Jenna Kuchar, is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network, the audio destination for business professionals. The Gold Digger Podcast helps you discover your dream career with productivity tips, social strategies, business hacks, inspirational stories, and so much more.

24:51A must-listen episode is one of Jenna's reasons on everything you need to know about affiliate marketing. Listen to Gold Digger wherever you get your podcasts. Many EO Fire listeners have launched non-food franchises, and Franbridge Consulting has guided them. Franbridge's founder and frequent EO Fire guest, John Ostenson has done more placements than any other in the country and his service is free. Sign up for a consultation with John or get a free copy of his book, Non-Food Franchising at FranBridgeConsulting.com.