Summary of Sober Ventures Podcast Episode with Octavio Cifuentes

Quick Overview:

This podcast episode features Octavio Cifuentes, founder of FTX Wellbeing and Performance in Boca Raton, who shares his journey from addiction to creating a wellness-focused business that specifically serves the recovery community. His story demonstrates how fitness and sobriety can work together to create lasting positive change.

Key Points:

- Octavio transformed from an addict to a successful gym owner and wellness entrepreneur

- FTX Wellbeing combines fitness training with recovery support services

- The business serves 10-15 rehab centers in South Florida

- 40% of staff members are in recovery

- The facility offers scholarships for certification programs to people in recovery

Detailed Breakdown:

Personal Journey:

- Started recovery journey in Delray Beach after moving from Nicaragua

- Began as a front desk employee at a gym

- Transitioned to personal training through employer sponsorship

- Eventually founded FTX Wellbeing, growing from mobile services to an 8,000 sq ft facility

Business Model & Philosophy:

- Integrates fitness, recovery, and community support

- Offers comprehensive services including chiropractic care, physical therapy, and acupuncture

- Maintains strict ethical standards in billing and client relationships

- Creates a safe, judgment-free environment for all clients

- Emphasizes gradual progress and sustainable fitness goals

Community Impact:

- Provides free classes for people in recovery

- Offers certification scholarships to individuals with 1+ years of sobriety

- Has helped over 50 people obtain professional certifications

- Creates employment opportunities for people in recovery

- Builds a supportive community beyond just fitness

Important Details & Evidence:

- Survived COVID-19 and competition from 9 new nearby gyms

- Facility includes modern amenities like running tracks and cold plunges

- Focuses on customized approaches for each client

- Emphasizes both physical fitness and recovery principles

- Maintains strong connections with local recovery centers

Final Takeaways:

1. Recovery and fitness can create powerful positive transformation

2. Building a supportive community is essential for long-term success

3. Gradual, sustainable progress is more important than quick results

4. Giving back to the recovery community strengthens both individual and collective growth

5. Creating safe spaces for people in recovery helps facilitate healing and personal development

The episode showcases how combining fitness with recovery principles can create meaningful change while building a successful business model that prioritizes community impact over pure profit.

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Still here, still sober, still venturing! Today's show from the road is an update on what's new in life over the past 6 years since the last episode released!

As I'm checking back in on the show, I'd love to have some more conversations with sober entrepreneurs and continue to give back to this great community that was there for me in my early sobriety and business journey.

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Episode Summary It’s been a busy few months, and haven’t been able to get any new episodes recorded, but I at least wanted to reach out and touch base about what’s been happening, and see how we can keep this podcast going to bring value to you. One thought is to share about the projects I’m working on in hopes that it inspires you to either create a project of your own, or want to share about what you have going on. In this episode, I talk about my ongoing learning process and how I’m not engaged in building Messenger Bots, and how it seems like a pretty good side hustle since the technology is so new, and is really fun to work with, and could be a good boost for small business owners. If you want to check out this pet project of mine, you can get started at m.me/soberventures Let me know what you think of this episode, and what would make for good content for future shows until I can get more guests on the line. :) And of course, if you’d like to be on the show, jump over to soberventures.org/schedule Thanks!

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Episode Summary Shiba P. is the founder and curator for the Sober Divas Movement, a project built to highlight and foster SELF-ACTUALIZATION in artistic & gifted women in recovery. She shares her story of being a well-off IT professional and the journey alcohol took her on, dropping her in a homeless shelter. By starting to pursue her personal passions instead of a profession, she has regained and restarted her life, now focused on helping others in recovery rediscover their passions. Her story is definitely inspirational and you’ll be sure to enjoy it as much as I enjoyed recording it with her. Her personality shines through our conversation, and will inspire you to look inside yourself and see what else you can do when you stop letting fear stand in your way and just go out and try something new or pursue an old passion again.

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Alex and Zule are fellow Miami natives with a passion for fashion and creating exciting sober events to bring the community together. Check them out at neveralonethreads.com!

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Today’s episode features Ashley Longmire of Serenity Web Solutions. She’s been sober since May 6th, 2015. Her journey of recovery has brought her through many struggles including divorce, a custody battle and losing her business that she had helped build. But she continues to charge on and shares her story along the way. I first found her writing through the Sober Together Facebook group, and could tell she has a big heart for helping others through her words and her work. In our discussion, we talk about her history in drinking, what got her to take a second look at her habits, and what she’s discovered in sobriety. She shares lots of resources that helped her along the way, and what she does now to maintain her recovery.

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Episode Summary Gerald is a biking and skiing enthusiast and sobriety coach in Boulder, Colorado. In our talk, Gerald shares his journey from being stuck in a difficult, unhealthy situation, wasting too many hours a day watching tv and drinking and letting his life pass him by. After getting a DUI in 2015, he took a long hard look at his life and circumstances he found himself in and decided something needed to be done. He left an unhealthy relationship and living situation, cut out the TV and alcohol, and got to work on himself. He started a blog focused on making healthy decisions and got into speaking and then sobriety coaching. Top Takeaways Cutting out drinking and watching TV can save dozens of hours a week that can be used much more effectively to better the world and yourself Focus on what you really want and stack habits to get you there Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who encourage your personal growth References Gerald relayed several resources that he watches or listens to often that have helped him along his journey. Some of his favorite sources for motivation online include: NTS Motivation Day Behind Motivation Les Brown Eric Thomas Gary Vaynerchuck Tony Robbins He also cited several books that influenced him. These include: Think and Grow Rich The Miracle Morning

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Episode Summary Joseph is running Revived Recovery and has large ambitions in bringing a positive influence to recovery networking. In our talk, Joseph discusses his battle with alcohol and substance abuse and just how bad it had to get before he could get better. His story is very powerful and inspirational and I think you’re going to pull out a lot of positive messages from what he’s gone through. He’s taken his experiences and turned them into a way to reach out to others and help those struggling to get into a healthier situation. "Anything can be accomplished when you are able to find the strength to remove the weakness of temptation from your life" Conversation Takeaways Trust yourself and give yourself forgiveness Talk to others. Helping them will also help yourself. See the good in everything. Like the stones that he polishes, the addict has potential within themselves if you choose to see it. Keep up with Joseph’s journey See his jewelry at revivedrecovery.com Support Step by Step Staffing at stepbystepstaffing.co

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Episode Summary Jesse is sobriety advocate with large ambitions from Louisville, Kentucky. He is the founder and creator of Sober Voyager and the SV Foundation, a company dedicated to spreading awareness and hope to addicts and their loved ones across the country with the guiding principles being to Help, Remember, Inspire, and Encourage. In our talk, he discusses his journey into sobriety, how he developed the idea for Sober Voyager, and where he’s taking it from here. If resonate with goals of seeing the world, you’re going to love what he’s got going on. Conversation Takeaways Set goals and reward yourself for achieving them. Escape into reality instead of into alcohol and drugs Use what’s in your toolbox to stay sober, including accountability and confidence Follow along with Jesse’s Journey Read his blog at sobervoyager.com Support his foundation at sv-foundation.co

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Episode Summary Brian is the creator of Substance For You, one of if not the biggest sobriety advocacy brands out there today. With over 43,000 follower on Instagram, they stay true to their message of providing awareness for global health issues on Addiction, Mental Health, Eating Disorders, and Recovery. Brian’s story has it all, and his journey into sobriety is truly inspirational and powerful. Conversation Takeaways Addiction doesn’t always start with substances. In Brian’s case, sex addiction came first and that led into alcoholism and other substance abuse issues Sometimes getting sober is not the same as recovery. Brian was clean and sober for 18-months, going to 3 meetings a day while hospitalized, but still hated himself so much Facing his addiction and seeing his mother’s heartbreak on Christmas of 2010 is what he credits for saving his life Even after getting sober the second time, struggles weren’t over. Faced anorexia, mania, and chronic pain with Guillain-Barré Syndrome Taking public speaking classes and getting into writing 12 hours/day led him to creating Your Inner Addict, and has several books on the subjects he faced Ask yourself “Who else can we help, how can we help them, and how does it help to maintain for ourselves?” Brian’s Books Illicit: Life in the Eyes of an Addict Insanity The Tell Tales of Addiction Some of Brian’s Inspirations Beautiful Boy: A Father’s Journey Through His Son’s Addiction Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines

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