How My Recovery Podcast Ended Up On Paramount+ | Behind The Scenes Of Building It From Nothing

Come behind the scenes on one of the biggest weeks yet for Rise Above. We just launched our merch line — hoodies, sweatshirts, and hats — and every dollar from it goes right back into the podcast to keep spreading the message of hope. I'm also pulling back the curtain on the business. Two years ago I started this thing not knowing if anyone would watch, and it's grown into something I never imagined — about 112,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 1.1 million followers across all platforms. I just hired a five-person team handling social media, guest bookings, and content, which has finally freed me up to focus on the interviews and new opportunities. One of those opportunities was surreal: a deal with Paramount. When I started the podcast two years ago, one of my early interviews was with Dr. Nadine, Jordan Belfort's ex-wife. Paramount licensed that content, and when The Real Wolf of Wall Street came out, my phone blew up with people who spotted the clip in the documentary. Through all of it, the mission hasn't changed. It's become my job and there's real business behind it now, but I keep my 12-step recovery completely separate, and the goal of every single episode is still just to help that one person. God takes care of the rest. Plus — Lilo update. The Rise Above puppy is 19 weeks now, nearly doubled in size, fully potty trained, and crushing his training. Thank you for being part of this. Episode six is coming in a few weeks. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices