Navigating Life's Challenges: A Journey from Military Service to Mental Health Advocacy with Nick Padlo
Fri Aug 22 2025
12 O'Clock High, an award-winning podcast on business leadership, brings together stories from history, the arts, sports, movies, research, and current events to consider leadership lessons. In this episode, Tom Fox speaks with Nick Padlo, a mental health advocate and Founder and CEO of Sophros Recovery, about his diverse professional journey.
Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, Padlo attended West Point and served in the U.S. Army, during which he witnessed significant combat. Post-military, he attended business school at Stanford and founded a pet cremation business. He also shares his struggles with alcohol and substance abuse and his path to recovery, touching on the leadership lessons he learned from the military, the importance of asking for help, and how he integrates his experiences to aid others through ROS Recovery. The discussion includes building resilience, empathy, and trust within a team, family involvement in recovery, and advice for business leaders facing personal and professional challenges.
Key highlights:
· Nick Padlo's Military Background
· Transition to Civilian Life and Business Ventures
· Personal Struggles and Path to Recovery
· Leadership Lessons from the Military
· Hitting Rock Bottom and Seeking Help
· Incorporating Experiences into ROS Recovery
· Building Resilience, Trust, and Empathy
· Family's Role in Recovery
· Advice for Business Leaders
Resources:
Follow Nick Padlo on LinkedIn
Check out Sophros Recovery Website
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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12 O'Clock High, an award-winning podcast on business leadership, brings together stories from history, the arts, sports, movies, research, and current events to consider leadership lessons. In this episode, Tom Fox speaks with Nick Padlo, a mental health advocate and Founder and CEO of Sophros Recovery, about his diverse professional journey. Growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, Padlo attended West Point and served in the U.S. Army, during which he witnessed significant combat. Post-military, he attended business school at Stanford and founded a pet cremation business. He also shares his struggles with alcohol and substance abuse and his path to recovery, touching on the leadership lessons he learned from the military, the importance of asking for help, and how he integrates his experiences to aid others through ROS Recovery. The discussion includes building resilience, empathy, and trust within a team, family involvement in recovery, and advice for business leaders facing personal and professional challenges. Key highlights: · Nick Padlo's Military Background · Transition to Civilian Life and Business Ventures · Personal Struggles and Path to Recovery · Leadership Lessons from the Military · Hitting Rock Bottom and Seeking Help · Incorporating Experiences into ROS Recovery · Building Resilience, Trust, and Empathy · Family's Role in Recovery · Advice for Business Leaders Resources: Follow Nick Padlo on LinkedIn Check out Sophros Recovery Website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices