We recently had the chance to connect with Dr Cali Estes and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Dr Cali Estes, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
The first 90 minutes of my day are non-negotiable. It starts with a strong cup of coffee—because greatness needs fuel. Then it’s meditation to clear my mind and set intentions for the day. And of course, my rescue dogs join in for their morning cuddles and chaos. Between the caffeine, calm, and canine energy, it’s the perfect mix of grounded and ready to conquer whatever comes next.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Dr. Cali Estes—a psychologist, celebrity addiction specialist, and high-performance mindset coach. I’m the founder of Sober On Demand® and The Addictions Academy, where we take a radically different approach to mental health and addiction recovery. I believe healing shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all, so I created concierge programs that meet people exactly where they are—on tour, on set, at home, or in the boardroom.
What makes my brand unique? We blend neuroscience, psychology, and holistic wellness with real-world strategy. I’ve worked with everyone from Fortune 500 CEOs to rockstars to elite athletes. I also train professionals in over 28 countries, helping them transform lives using the same tools I’ve developed.
My story is personal—I’ve lived through trauma, addiction, and loss. I’ve been homeless, rebuilt from rock bottom, and lost the love of my life to addiction after 29 days sober. That’s what drives me. It’s not just what I do—it’s who I am.
Right now, I’m working on a movement called Unpause Your Life—helping people reset their nervous systems, rewire their brains, and reclaim their power using biohacking, mindset, and modern science. Because life doesn’t stop, and neither should you.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
One of the most pivotal and humbling moments in my journey was standing in the penthouse suite at the Hilton, overlooking Huntington Beach—the exact stretch of sand where I once slept in a sleeping bag, homeless, scared, and completely alone. At that point in my life, I had lost everything. No money, no support system, and no clear path forward. I was living day to day, hustling to survive, holding onto nothing but a stubborn belief that this couldn’t be the end of my story.
I’ll never forget the cold nights on that beach, the sound of the waves crashing while I clutched my duffel bag like it was armor. I made a vow to myself: if I ever got out, I would never go back—and I would help as many people as I could do the same.
Years later, I found myself back in that same place, but this time I had rebuilt my life. I was no longer sleeping on the beach—I was overlooking it. From the top floor of the Hilton, I sipped coffee and stared down at that exact spot in the sand where I used to cry myself to sleep.
That moment wasn’t about luxury—it was about power. The power to shape your own world. The power to transform pain into purpose. And the power to rise, even when life has tried to bury you. That’s why I do what I do today—helping others unpause their lives and reclaim their future. Because if I can do it, so can you.
What’s something you changed your mind about after failing hard?
One thing I completely changed my mind about after failing hard was the belief that hustle always equals success. I used to wear burnout like a badge of honor—thinking if I just pushed harder, slept less, and kept grinding, I’d eventually “make it.” But when I lost everything—my money, my company, my health—I realized that relentless effort without alignment is a fast track to collapse.
That failure became my wake-up call. I stopped glorifying the grind and started focusing on nervous system regulation, mindset, and strategic recovery. That shift not only helped me rebuild—it inspired me to create the 5-Day Executive Reset, a program designed to help high performers stop spinning out and start rising strong. We target burnout, addiction, emotional chaos, and the nervous system crashes no one wants to admit they’re dealing with.
Now I know: real success isn’t about doing more—it’s about doing what works. And that starts with pressing pause, recalibrating, and then coming back stronger, sharper, and more aligned than ever.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Is the Public Version of Me the Real Me?
People often ask me if the version of me they see on stage, in media interviews, or leading high-level programs is the real me.
The short answer? Yes… and no.
The public version of me is composed. She’s articulate, confident, and knows how to hold space for others while delivering massive transformation. She’s walked into boardrooms, green rooms, and high-stakes interventions without flinching. She’s trained over 35,000 professionals in 28 countries, created global certification programs, and built two powerhouse brands in mental health and addiction recovery from scratch.
She’s absolutely real.
But she’s also armored—seasoned, battle-tested, and strategically composed.
The private version of me?
She’s the woman who slept in a sleeping bag on Huntington Beach, clutching a duffel bag and wondering how she was going to eat that day. She’s the one who’s lost everything—twice. The one who loved an addict through hell and back, and then had to bury him after he finally got sober. The one who cried in hotel bathrooms between client sessions. Who built empires in the morning and wrestled with grief at night.
That version isn’t on Instagram as often. But she’s the one who made all of this possible.
She’s the one who rose, and then decided to build a blueprint for others to do the same.
So when people ask me if the public version of me is the real me, I tell them this:
They’re both real. But the raw version—the one who’s been to rock bottom and came back swinging—is the reason the polished version even exists.
That’s what makes my work different. I don’t teach from theory—I teach from lived experience. I built Unpause Your Life™ to help others step back into their power, biohack their mental health, and break free from the chaos—because I’ve been there. I know what it’s like to lose yourself and fight like hell to get back.
So yes, what you see is real.
But what you don’t see? That’s where the magic was forged.
And that’s the part that makes all the difference.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
I’ve hit the kind of milestones that look like success from the outside—major income goals, media features, the freedom to work from anywhere. I had the designer bags, the ocean-view suites, the business built from scratch. By all external measures, I had made it.
And yet… I felt empty.
I had checked all the boxes, but they didn’t feel like mine. I realized I was chasing symbols of success instead of creating something with real substance.
A mentor once told me,
“You think you want the Ferrari… until you realize what you really want is to own the dealership.”
That hit me hard.
Because for a long time, I thought achievement would equal fulfillment. But what I was really seeking wasn’t material—it was impact. It was ownership. It was building something that would outlive me and actually change lives.
So I shifted. I stopped chasing the car and started building the infrastructure.
I created The Addictions Academy, which now trains professionals in over 28 countries in advanced mental health and addiction recovery strategies. I launched Sober On Demand®, a concierge recovery program for high performers who need something beyond traditional rehab. And I built Unpause Your Life™, a movement dedicated to helping people reset, recharge, and reclaim their lives using cutting-edge science, mindset work, and nervous system healing.
These aren’t just programs—they’re my legacy.
What didn’t satisfy me was the surface: the lifestyle, the aesthetics, the performative success.
What does? Helping people heal. Watching them rise. Building something from the soul that creates real change.
Real success isn’t about what you can collect—it’s about what you can contribute. And that’s the work I’m proud of.
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Image Credits
Nick Booth
