The Pedal Always Turns: A Story of Resilience, Sobriety, & Riding On

I had 40 minutes.

Forty minutes before my first big advisor meeting. Just enough time to hit the corner pub, down a few shots, chase them with a couple of beers, and return in time to pull myself together. At least, that was my plan.

Looking back, I remember almost nothing about that meeting: what was said, how I responded, or how I came across. The early days of building my startup were a blur. It was the pandemic: endless cycles of work, isolation, trying to keep things afloat, and seeking solace in a glass. At the time, it felt normal. Everyone seemed to be doing it—work, drink, eat, sleep, repeat. What I didn't realize was how quickly that routine was unraveling me.

Alcohol and startups often seem inseparable. Happy hours become the default meeting space. Free drinks are the social glue that brings founders together, helping to ease the awkwardness of networking and the repetition of pitching to strangers. It's celebrated, convenient, and easy to overindulge without noticing how far you've slipped.

A year later, it all caught up with me. I was at a startup conference in Las Vegas, where the event itself went well. But the morning after celebrating, I woke up disoriented in my hotel room. I had no idea how I got back, why food was scattered across the room, or how I had missed the toilet seat completely. Worse, I missed two flights trying to get home that day. It wasn't fun anymore. It wasn't about celebrating wins. It was about something more profound, and something that clearly wasn't working. I had fallen off my bike and had forgotten where my feet go on the pedals.

That was my wake-up call.

I had lost my balance, my sense of purpose, and even my self-respect. Pulling on that thread revealed how much the fabric of my life had come undone. If I wanted to build anything meaningful—whether in my startup or in myself—I had to take an honest look at what needed to change.

Sobriety has been anything but easy. The path has been messy, humbling, and far from linear. But it's taught me to sit with my feelings, no matter how much I want them to pass or resolve. Sobriety requires facing everything head-on: the bitter, the sweet, and everything in between. It's helped me embrace life without distractions or shortcuts.

I don't know exactly what the future holds for me, my startup, or my life. What I do know is this: I won't drink with you today.

And that, I promise, is beautiful, and I will continue to get back up and pedal.

~ Anonymous Founder ~