Summary
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Chris Thompson, Founder and CEO of Sober Sidekick, a free sobriety app that helps users maintain their sobriety by connecting with a community of people who can empathize with where they are. Sober Sidekick allows users to become the hero of their own recovery and helps them reach unimaginable new heights. Following his own battle with addiction, Chris created Sober Sidekick to be a support system for individuals in their darkest moments and to show them that no matter what, they are never alone. Throughout the episode, James and Chris discuss the inspiration behind Sober Sidekick, who Sober Sidekick aims to help and why Sober Sidekick was established in Bentonville.

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‍Show Notes
(0:53) Introduction to Chris
(2:31) Founding Sober Sidekick
(6:19) About Sober Sidekick
(9:38) Sober Sidekick’s Users
(12:15) Why Northwest Arkansas?
(17:37) About Bentonville’s Startup Ecosystem
(20:17) Benefits of Living in Bentonville
(28:33) What’s Next for Sober Sidekick
(33:00) Closing Question
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‍Links
JAMES BELL‍‍
‍BENTONVILLE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT‍‍‍
‍‍CHRIS THOMPSON
SOBER SIDEKICK
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Quotes
“As I began my own recovery journey and reflected on all the different factors that kept me down for so long, I asked, ‘How could we build something that creates a world where it’s easier for people to climb out of this pit?’” – Chris Thompson, (2:55)

“It’s an app available in app stores for iOS and Android, and it’s endless support around the clock in real time. The one thing I’ll say is people don’t use [Sober Sidekick] for its features, they come back for each other and that’s the difference maker, community.” – Chris Thompson, (8:19)

“What I found the most positive [about Bentonville] is the intentionality. Here are our goals. Here’s what we want to see happen in the alignment of leaders across the different spaces. That’s what has been the most exciting to me, the willingness to collaborate and seeing each other as teammates versus strangers.” – Chris Thompson, (17:58)

“Our mission is to scale to the most epic wave of real life comeback stories the world has ever seen. That’s a mission that won’t end until all twenty-two million Americans who are chronically suffering have found their journey.” – Chris Thompson, (28:33)

Inspiring Recovery with Chris Thompson of Sober Sidekick
On this episode of The Bentonville Beacon, host James Bell is joined by Chris Thompson, Founder and CEO of Sober Sidekick, a free sobriety app that helps users maintain their sobriety by connecting with a community of people who can empathize with where they are. Sober Sidekick allows users to become the hero of their own recovery and helps them reach unimaginable new heights. Following his own battle with addiction, Chris created Sober Sidekick to be a support system for individuals in their darkest moments and to show them that no matter what, they are never alone. Throughout the episode, James and Chris discuss the inspiration behind Sober Sidekick, who Sober Sidekick aims to help and why Sober Sidekick was established in Bentonville.‍‍‍
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The Mindset behind Sober Sidekick
Sober Sidekick operates as a social network that allows users to post anonymously. The app’s mentality is the more support you give to other members, the more you will receive in return. Sober Sidekick believes that something as simple as congratulating another member on their sobriety will positively impact their journey. Addiction often thrives in isolation, and Sober Sidekick’s goal is to ensure that nobody is battling their addiction alone.
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“As I began my own recovery journey and reflected on all the different factors that kept me down for so long, I asked, ‘How could we build something that creates a world where it’s easier for people to climb out of this pit?’” – Chris Thompson, (2:55)

Some features of Sober Sidekick are a sobriety counter, AA meetings, messaging, daily motivations and professional help. Features like the AA meetings and instant messaging provide users with the opportunity to find accountability partners. Furthermore, users can unlock new daily motivations by offering support to others. Sober Sidekick prides itself on being judgment-free, offering users the safe space they need to achieve their comeback story.
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Sober Sidekick Guarantees
Sober Sidekick has what it calls an empathy algorithm, which guarantees a response from a member of the community every time a post is written. It’s not a response from artificial intelligence or members of the Sober Sidekick team, it’s a genuine response from another individual going through their own recovery journey. As a result, since Sober Sidekick’s launch in January 2019, there hasn’t been a member who posted and didn’t get a response.
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“It’s an app available in app stores for iOS and Android, and it’s endless support around the clock in real time. The one thing I’ll say is people don’t use [Sober Sidekick] for its features, they come back for each other and that’s the difference maker, community.” – Chris Thompson, (8:19)
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Moreover, Sober Sidekick elects to remain a free app for users because the community of the app is the value proposition instead of a one-time purchase fee or monthly subscription. The majority of Sober Sidekick members join the app in the first week of their recovery journey, meaning they most likely aren’t necessarily in the financial position to make a purchase. Additionally, Sober Sidekick doesn’t want to scale to a size where it’s successful while its members are relapsing because they’re being charged to access the app.
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Get Connected!
‍Thanks for tuning in to this episode of The Bentonville Beacon! Join us weekly for more stories from entrepreneurs and business leaders who are making a positive impact on Bentonville’s culture, community, and lifestyle. Don’t forget, Bentonville is a place where you can have more of what you want and less of what you don’t!