Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Josh Bone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Josh, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I struggled through active addiction for over a decade, (24-35) spending time in 5 sober living homes across the state of NC. Throughout that time, I would frequent countless state funded detox facilities and hospitals along with multiple jails. Upon release, there were rarely any options other than returning to the same place I came from and that only exasperated the cycle of despair. It was painful, monotonous and hopeless.

In April of 2017, I moved to Charlotte. I was given a chance and opportunity to rebuild my life. Actually, I was given a couch to sleep on in a good area of town and I had finally procured the willingness to take action in my life to make changes. Pain had been turned to purpose and I began to take action.

At nearly 2 years sober, I clicked “Publish” on My GoFundMe Campaign for “Anchor of Hope Sober Living”. I was working part time as an overnight tech with a local treatment facility. I knew in my heart I was being obedient to God, but I had no idea what my obedience would look like in the days and years to come. “Creating and establishing a non-profit organization to help those in recovery from addiction to integrate back into society while providing a faith based fellowship and community” was not on my resume. It was a tall order, but it was what I felt lead to do.

The next few months and years are indescribable in how God worked and things changed. After raising over $10K in 2 months, Anchor’s first home opened in June of 2019. Instantly we were full and operating from a waitlist. There was a buzz around the sober community of a new Program. Many were skeptical, some were concerned, but everyone was hearing about Anchor of Hope. Just before Christmas that same year, we opened our 2nd home. Amidst Covid of 2020, we opened 4 more homes, including our first women’s home. At this time I had moved up in my professional career and was working with that same treatment center as a counselor, leading and outpatient program. Anchor continued to thrive as God began to build and connect the dots to other Programs and people all over the country. We started 2023 with 18 homes and through connecting and growing, we merged with another organization to begin 2024 with 26 homes, housing over 170 residents in recovery from substance abuse. We have a team of Directors, 26 house managers, spanning 2 counties all over Charlotte, Matthews and Indian Trail.

The reality, magnitude and impact Anchor has made in 1000’s of lives is unmeasurable. It started with $60, a GoFundMe account and belief that with God’s help, I could make a difference.

Josh, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was raised by my Grandparents in a small town southwest of Charlotte in Dallas, NC. I was the first person in my family to ever attend college. I was a psychology major and creative writing minor at UNC Chapel Hill. I would like to tell you I graduated and continued the narrative, but this is where alcohol entered the story in a big way. Searching for acceptance and inclusion, I became a bartender and dove head first into the hospitality industry. It was a cultivating factor in life, where I nursed my alcoholism to life and somehow managed to do well enough financially I could justify my actions.

I loved people, I was a perfectionist and dedicated to my craft. I can now see those patterns would repeat all throughout my life. When I find something I love, I am all in.

The next decade of my life was spent building things up and giving them all away in drunken debacles. I was good at getting things in life, but due to my alcoholism, I could never keep them. Relationships, cars, jobs, family, friends and my freedom. I gave it all away for the next drink.

In April of 2017, after being released from jail, I found some help and support in Charlotte, NC. Through a decade of addiction, homelessness, hospitals and pain, I was finally willing to do something different.

I spent the next 2 years building a life. I got sober, worked with a sponsor, had my first daughter, became a peer support specialist and with $60 dollars, launched a GoFundMe campaign to create Anchor of Hope Sober Living. That obedience would change the trajectory of my entire life.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In October of 2018, I would face one of the most devastating events in my sobriety. I was just over a year sober and had started working with another man in recovery. He was from my hometown and has been many of the same “places” I had been. I could identify with him and I thought I was going to save him. I was new to this and I just wanted to help people.

I had been working in treatment about 3 months as a part time overnight tech. Essentially, I watched people sleep and distributed medications, but I was so proud to be working in recovery. This young man was an alumni in the Program and living in a home associated with the facility. That night, I was given news he had relapsed. I was frustrated as I hated seeing people fall back down to their addiction. I knew that experience all too well.

The night continued and I was hoping to hear he would be returning back to us into a higher level of care. As I prepared to wake the clients that morning, another message came through the chat. Zach had not only relapsed, he had passed away from the incident. My frustration grew to devastation. I wanted to quit. I wanted to walk away from the recovery scene all together because I didn’t want to experience more hurt and pain. Fortunately, I talked with others and it pushed me further into service and making a difference.

I attended Zach’s funeral where I met his mother. We now have a beautiful relationship where she has shared at Overdose Awareness events I have hosted. I share Zach’s story everytime I speak so that his life was not in vain. Since then, I have attended and presided over countless funerals. I know now, God was preparing me for what was to come.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

I believe people gravitate to vulnerability and authenticity. In a world saturated with the ability to be someone else behind a keyboard, people truly identify with other’s struggles.

I work a Program based on honesty, including my social media presence. This includes the good and the bad. For me, the willingness to share the brokenness my organization was founded on was essential. Anchor of Hope’s GoFundMe was shared hundreds of times online and ultimately became the way to connect with us. I did not create a website until years in and relied solely on social media for a community presence. I share motivational quotes, personal experience, sobriety milestones from residents and news of the growing community. People like to read a good comeback story. There’s so much death, chaos and destruction in the world. Posting positive stories, relatable content and real people has been instrumental in building a following and brand recognition.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.anchorofhopesoberliving.org/
• Instagram: @anchorofhopesoberliving
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anchorofhopesoberliving23?mibextid=AEUHqQ
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@anchorofhopesoberliving6315?si=le7MkD4uyXYX5N0G
• Other: Personal page https://www.facebook.com/jrbone23?mibextid=LQQJ4d Business Development for Ascend Recovery Centers