I love reading stories from entrepreneurs where they’ve turned their lives around. How did Brandon Stump, CEO of Charlie’s Chalk Dust, go from heroin addict to sober CEO of a multi-million-dollar company? Read on.
Like many addicts, Stump started drinking alcohol at an early age. Stump spiraled out of control over the years, progressing to stronger drugs. After running out of Oxycontin one day, someone offered heroin. This was the beginning of his journey into darkness.
After being virtually disowned by his family and nearly dying an incredible fifteen times due to overdose, Stump made a life-changing decision to visit an AA meeting. The intention was to get a free cup of coffee and a cigarette, but it proved to be the turning point. That was in 2010, and Stump hasn’t touched alcohol or drugs since.
After his last stint in rehab, Stump opened up his house to help other addicts get sober. Word spread, and one house became three. Stump’s outpatient facility called the Buckeye Recovery Network and a female center called the Chadwick House are known as the gold standard for rehab aftercare.
One of the outpatient residents mentioned knowing how to make vaping products one day, and thus, a multi-million-dollar company was born. This small business venture just closed 2018 with over $21 million worth of sales.
What an incredible story! It’s so touching and inspirational when someone turns their life around and makes a difference in the world. Read the full interview with Brandon Stump in Entrepreneur here.
