Founder of Sober Sidekick, Chris Thompson, Shares His Journey of Recovery

Sober Sidekick: The Power of Community Support in Addiction

Sober Sidekick

Chris Thompson, founder, and CEO of Sidekick Mobile Technologies is the creator of Sober Sidekick, a free sobriety and recovery app available on iOS and Android. The app provides instant anonymous support from real people and other features that assist individuals in addiction recovery. Thompson’s inspiration to create the app stemmed from his own experience with alcoholism, which he battled for five years before hitting rock bottom in suburban Philadelphia. On Thanksgiving Day in 2018, he decided that his recovery would be the most important aspect of his life moving forward, and this began his journey to sobriety.

Since then, Thompson has relocated to Northwest Arkansas with his girlfriend, having received a $10,000 grant and a bike from the nonprofit Northwest Arkansas Council as part of their Life Works Here incentive program. The program aims to attract talented people to the region and has been successful in bringing Thompson and others like him to Northwest Arkansas.

Sober Sidekick is growing in popularity, with the social network approaching 150,000 members, and it has been downloaded by users in over 150 countries. Thompson said that by the fifth time, someone engages with their peers on Sober Sidekick, their monthly risk of relapse goes down by 300%, and for every member who posts, at least six other members will respond within minutes, if not seconds. The company raised $140,000 from a recent Wefunder campaign, with significant support from Northwest Arkansas investors, and Thompson is expecting to close a $2 million seed funding round in early 2023. A global healthcare leader has committed to leading the round, but Thompson declined to say more.

Thompson’s dedication to learning more about the users on his platform has drawn praise from Emma Willis, the COO for Bentonville-based Venture Noire, a national nonprofit focused on supporting Black entrepreneurs. Willis previously worked with Thompson when they were both living in Los Angeles and has seen firsthand his commitment to his product and his empathy for its users.

Thompson’s decision to relocate to Northwest Arkansas was not initially an easy one. He did not believe that the region could offer him more traction than Los Angeles, where he had lived since leaving Pennsylvania after checking out of a rehab facility. However, virtual introductory meetings with various angel investors and business advisers eventually convinced Thompson to visit Northwest Arkansas in the spring. He met with a number of investors, including Ramsay Ball and Paige Jernigan, who encouraged him to relocate to the region.

Jernigan, who worked for 15 years as an investment banker on Wall Street, has since become a director of development for the Bentonville think-and-do tank Heartland Forward. She said that access to people and mentors who will take genuine care in developing founders is what sets Northwest Arkansas apart from larger cities like New York and San Francisco. While there may not be as much capital in the region, Jernigan believes that the number of people who come through the town, given the “big three” firms that are there, makes it an excellent place to be if you are a founder. Thompson was convinced by her arguments and returned to Northwest Arkansas to set up his company.

Sober Sidekick – Never Alone

Thompson’s experience with addiction led him to create Sober Sidekick, a free app that supports individuals struggling with any addiction. As per the National Library of Medicine, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a 23% increase in alcohol abuse and a 16% increase in drug abuse. People in self-isolation reported a 26% higher consumption than they would typically use. Thompson believes that apps like Sober Sidekick can help support individuals who are struggling with isolation, including those living in rural and underserved communities.

The app allows users to track their sobriety, join Alcoholics Anonymous meetings 24/7, message peers, and receive instant anonymous support from real people. Users can also share their stories and read those of others, as well as participate in various challenges and earn badges for their progress. The app provides a community of individuals who understand the struggles of addiction and offer support and encouragement to one another.

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