The Sunday Session Newsletter Ep.1

This last week and the Sober Standard road map

Welcome to the very first edition of the The Sunday Session Newsletter Ep.1! We’re thrilled to have you join us on this journey. If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably noticed something missing in the world of online sobriety resources: authenticity. That’s why we started Sober Standard – to build a community rooted in real experience, unwavering support, and a commitment to honest conversations.

The idea is for this newsletter to be a place for you to connect with the founders/ team and it to be a personal, casual, provide a glimpse into what we are doing.

Beyond the Haze. Why Sober Standard?

Before we dive in, let me share a quick personal reflection. When I first started down the path toward recovery, I thought the hardest part was quitting. What I quickly learned was that the difficult part was navigating a world designed around everything that I didn’t want to be near anymore. That included many experiences that are core to our society.

One of the experiences that were ‘core’ to my discovery and journey to finding alcohol was the Sunday Session. Maybe this isn’t a common thing around the world but where I grew up it was, the idea was simple – continue the party for another night and make it a full 3 day weekend event. In reflection the idea of extending a hangover into the workweek seems like utter stupidity but it happened, many times. Looking back at it I think the frequency and nature of starting your week off on the back foot is so detrimental to your life in general. The ‘booze blues’ are real, let alone combining that with ‘Mondayitis’ and what should be a smooth start to a week becomes a literal headache.

As I was reflecting further on what we are trying to build here, I started to see that there were a lot of sites trying to make money off of the whole recovery process and it was just the same problems we have in day to day society, with big business fighting for every last inch without a care for people.

If you’re pushing sobriety ‘solutions’ and taking money from the alcohol and drug industry seems to me like thats a conflict. In thinking over the last few weeks I’ve decided I’ll put a pin in that. Dwelling, fighting and trying to change an industry isn’t what we’re building.

So looking at all these ‘products’ I started to see how they plagued my own journey. I’d see Sobriety as some lame cliche branded marketing tool for these businesses that I truly believe have absolutely no idea. From listing clinics that clearly hadn’t been vetted or just old style conversations that weren’t relevant, I could see how these massive sites even pushed out the messaging of some of the foundational sobriety tools such as AA.

I knew I wanted something better and that is why I’m sharing the launch of Sober Standard with you today.

Here we try to emphasize building communities around a few important points and keep to our ethos:

• Profit Over People? Not Here.
  Too many companies exploit addiction for revenue. We reject funding from alcohol, drug, or gambling industries—always. The conflicts of interest run deep in the sobriety space. Not here. 

• No Empty Promises.
  We counter flashy “quick fixes” with evidence-based strategies and real stories from the sober community.

• Built By & For the Sober Community.
  Your needs guide everything we create.

This past week’s been a reflective one, especially thinking about the heart of what we’re trying to build here: a real, authentic sobriety community.

When I hear words like community I have to admit I do step back and shudder a little. It has become a dirty word in business, which brings me to what I guess is another key point – this is a business something I’ll elaborate on further below. We do want Sober Standard to be something great and believe we have the team to do so.

Posts in Reflection. Johnny Cash to Mac Miller – Recognizing the Divide

This week, we released some thought-provoking pieces, including a bio on the legendary Johnny Cash and an exploration of Mac Miller’s posthumous album, Circles. While both artists share a connection through the iconic producer Rick Rubin, the gap in their respective fan bases is undeniable. It’s good to get these artists out so early in the Sober Standard arc as they both had such an impact on my own personal journey. This got me thinking about a similar, yet more pressing divide that I see in the world of sobriety content and support: a gap in quality, authenticity, and access. And the gap that is present, is a big issue.

The Sobriety Spectrum: Navigating the Murky Waters

Right now, online sobriety support and community largely fall into three distinct categories:

1. The “Offset” Route: Content funded (directly or indirectly) by the alcohol and drug industry. The messaging is often carefully crafted to promote “responsible consumption” while conveniently downplaying the very real harms of addiction. It’s a classic case of the fox guarding the henhouse. Good luck with that.
2. The “Profit-Driven” Play: The tech sector recognizes the immense financial potential in the sobriety space and has jumped in headfirst, creating a wave of websites, apps, and digital tools designed to generate revenue, often with little genuine connection to the lived experience of recovery. While innovation is welcome, the profit motive can easily overshadow the true needs of the community.
3. The “Silent Avenue”: This is where the heart of authentic sobriety lies. Dedicated blogs, grassroots groups, and individuals are doing incredible work to provide real value through shared experience, unwavering support, and a commitment to honesty. They operate without the massive marketing budgets of the big players, relying on passion, dedication, and genuine connection.

It’s not some grand conspiracy; it’s simply how many industries operate. The algorithms that govern online visibility often favor those with the deepest pockets, making it harder for smaller, more authentic voices to be heard.

Beyond Hopes and Dreams: Sober Standard’s Commitment to Transparency

As anyone in the content creation world knows, it’s impossible to operate on hopes and dreams. It costs money to keep the lights on, pay writers, and maintain a platform. So, it makes me step back and think about the planned business model for Sober Standard, and the importance of transparency in a space like sobriety. It’s important for anyone trying to build an authentic business model to be open and honest. Here is our roadmap.

Our roadmap is as follows, which I think it’s important to be transparent in a space like sobriety:

1. The Vetted Directory: Quality Over Quantity: We’re building a directory of vetted sober living facilities, treatment centers, therapists, and other resources. Unlike many directories that are open to all, ours will be highly curated, with rigorous screening processes and ongoing feedback from our users. We want this to be a trusted source for people seeking quality care. We’ll be releasing this shortly to a select group of clinics our users have either mentioned or highlighted positive feedback. This will never be a recommendation and never indicate an endorsement.
2. The Community App: Building for Users, Not Profit (First): We plan to develop a community app, starting with practical tools like sobriety calculators and goal-tracking features. The initial launch will be a free model, focusing on creating something people genuinely like and use before even considering monetization. Think useful features for people who will use over making money,
3. Curated Co-Branded Content: Amplifying Authentic Voices: There are countless incredible individuals and organizations doing amazing work in the sobriety space. Sober Standard wants to be a platform for amplifying their voices, creating a library of valuable content that is accessible to all. We want to become a trusted vehicle for sharing stories, insights, and resources. The focus is collaboration, not competition.

In the past I’ve hid from disclosing roadmaps or business plans but with Sober Standard I’m doing things a little different. What we are doing will be open source so to speak – I purpose is to get this right.

Thanks for being part of our community. More than anything we really appreciate the support!

We’re so excited to embark on this journey with you, and we’re committed to building a space where authenticity, support, and meaningful connections thrive. Please feel free to reach out with your thoughts, suggestions, or stories. We want Sober Standard to be a collaborative effort, shaped by the needs and experiences of its community. We appreciate each and every person who has made it this far.

Editors note: In writing this and among many of the strange awakenings I had over the last week or so is what if I/ we become Will Arnett’s character from Flaked. Someone leading the sobriety charge whilst hiding a secret of relapse under the surface. Anyone that is aware of the sobriety space knows this isn’t rare, it’s common and a fear we all face. My hope, is we’re honest rather than scared to discuss the truth.