Owning Real Estate: The Key to Ethical and Profitable Sober Living, with Steve Whitston
In this interview, we spoke with Steve Whitston, founder of Elevate Recovery Sober Living, based in Austin, Texas. Steve shares his journey through multiple rehab attempts before achieving sobriety in a sober living environment. His experience in the construction and real estate sectors enabled him to establish Elevate Recovery, which offers a high-quality, affordable sober living experience.
Steve believes that owning real estate is crucial for sober living businesses because it provides stability and control over costs. He emphasizes the importance of ensuring profitability at realistic occupancy rates and prioritizing people over profits. He also suggests being cautious about taking on outside investors who may not share the same values.
Elevate Recovery sets itself apart with its well-maintained and updated houses, commitment to the 12-step program, and strict rules regarding drug tests. Residents are required to attend meetings, engage in H&I (Hospitals and Institutions) service work, and actively work with a sponsor on the 12 steps. If a resident fails a drug test, they must leave within 15 minutes, emphasizing the life-and-death seriousness of addiction and recovery.
Steve also highlights the importance of not growing the business too quickly and focusing on what's needed rather than expanding rapidly. He shares his five-year plan, which involves focusing more on spirituality, as his wife is opening a yoga studio in Georgetown, Texas.
Steve also talks about their experience using Sobriety Hub, a web app that helps keep sober living businesses organized. He emphasizes the importance of organization and appreciates being able to track residents' progress and see bed availability at the touch of a button. Sobriety Hub's affordability aligns with Steve's mission to save money and make sober living more accessible for those in early recovery.
In conclusion, Steve expresses gratitude to his family, team, and mentors for their support and contributions to his journey, as well as to Sobriety Hub for its valuable organizational tool.
