Welcome to a special episode of the Recovery Reach podcast, recorded live at the Mental Health Marketing Conference in Franklin, Tennessee! In this episode, host Andrew sits down with Trey Laird, the founder and CEO of The Lighthouse, a luxury recovery residence in Connecticut. Trey shares his personal journey from Wall Street to recovery, the inspiration behind starting The Lighthouse, and the lessons learned from a decade of helping professionals rebuild their lives after treatment.

Whether you’re interested in entrepreneurship, recovery, or the business of behavioral health, this conversation is packed with insights, real stories, and practical wisdom.

— Explore mental health and addiction treatment options: https://recovery.com/
— Learn more about The Lighthouse Recovery Services : https://thelighthousect.com/
— Connect with Trey on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/treylaird/

Key Topics Covered:
• Trey’s personal recovery journey and the founding story of The Lighthouse
• The gap in post-treatment support for professionals and executives
• Building a luxury recovery residence: vision, challenges, and lessons learned
• The importance of community, peer support, and recovery coaching
• Navigating business development and referral relationships in behavioral health
• Adapting and growing through COVID-19 and beyond
• The role of family and non-residential services in recovery
• Marketing, networking, and the power of sharing your story
• Advice for aspiring founders in the recovery/treatment space
• Reflections on impact, identity, and the future of The Lighthouse

Timestamps & Detailed Show Notes:
00:00 – Introduction: Meet Trey Laird, CEO & Founder of The Lighthouse
01:00 – Recording at the Mental Health Marketing Conference; the importance of industry events
02:00 – Trey’s background: Wall Street career, personal recovery, and the seed for The Lighthouse
04:00 – The lack of local sober living options and the inspiration for a new model
06:00 – The Lighthouse’s mission: luxury recovery residences for professionals
08:00 – What makes The Lighthouse unique: daily life, amenities, and peer support
10:00 – The transition from treatment to real life: challenges and opportunities
12:00 – Expanding services: from men’s house to women’s house and apartments
14:00 – Navigating COVID-19: community, remote work, and new opportunities
16:00 – The business model: non-clinical services, coaching, and peer support
18:00 – The power of lived experience: staff in recovery and peer mentorship
20:00 – Trey’s journey from recovery consumer to mentor and founder
22:00 – Learning from other high-end sober living models and adapting to Connecticut
24:00 – Building the business: networking, referral relationships, and early challenges
28:00 – The importance of reputation and careful client selection
30:00 – Hiring, team-building, and the realities of starting up
34:00 – Lessons from the first year: learning by doing, adapting, and staying mission-driven
38:00 – Growth, alumni engagement, and the evolution of services
40:00 – The impact of recovery coaching and family support
44:00 – Marketing, business development, and the power of personal storytelling
48:00 – The future of The Lighthouse: growth, expansion, and staying true to the mission
52:00 – Reflections: personal transformation, impact, and advice for new founders
56:00 – Closing thoughts: how to connect with Trey and The Lighthouse

In this episode, host Andrew Averill sits down with DJ Prince, VP of Marketing at Guardian Recovery, for a deep dive into the complex journey of rebranding and consolidating multiple treatment center brands under one unified identity. Recorded live at the Mental Health Marketing Conference in Franklin, Tennessee, this conversation is packed with actionable insights for anyone in healthcare, marketing, or organizational leadership.

Whether you’re curious about the challenges of managing a “house of brands,” the risks and rewards of rebranding, or the real-world impact on clients, families, and staff, this episode delivers a masterclass in strategic change management.

— Explore mental health and addiction treatment options: https://recovery.com/
— Learn more about Guardian Recovery : https://www.guardianrecovery.com/
— Connect with DJ on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donaldprince/
— Explore DJ's other work on his personal website: https://www.donaldprince.com/


Topics Discussed:
• The scale and rapid growth of Guardian Recovery across multiple states
• The difference between a “house of brands” and a “branded house”
• Why Guardian originally operated under multiple local brands
• The business, marketing, and operational challenges of managing many brands
• The pivotal executive summit that sparked the rebranding journey
• How research and stakeholder interviews shaped the rebrand strategy
• Surprising findings about what clients, families, and referral partners value most
• The pilot rollout: choosing the first location and measuring success
• Lessons learned from legal, digital, and operational aspects of rebranding
• Advice for organizations considering a similar transformation

Timestamps:
00:00 – Introduction: Offsite at the Mental Health Marketing Conference
01:00 – Meet DJ Prince: VP of Marketing at Guardian Recovery
02:00 – Guardian’s scale: Locations, services, and marketing team structure
04:00 – The impact of AI on content and marketing operations
06:00 – Guardian’s rapid expansion: From 3 to 22+ locations
08:00 – Branding 101: House of Brands vs. Branded House explained
11:00 – Why Guardian started as a house of brands (local trust, referral strategy)
15:00 – The pain points: Managing multiple brands, digital and business development challenges
20:00 – The “straw that broke the camel’s back”: Executive summit and the need for change
23:00 – Making the case: Visual presentations and the “mic drop” moment
26:00 – Bringing in outside experts: The value of unbiased research
29:00 – What clients, families, and referral partners really care about
33:00 – Simplicity over complexity: The surprising findings from research
36:00 – The pilot: Selecting the first location and setting KPIs
40:00 – Legal, insurance, and operational hurdles in rebranding
44:00 – Results: What changed (and what didn’t) after the pilot
47:00 – Naming conventions: When to co-brand and when to go all-in
50:00 – The mechanics: Digital, HR, compliance, and team shout-outs
54:00 – Was it worth it? Reflections and advice for others
58:00 – Final thoughts: Keeping the client first and embracing the journey
1:01:00 – Where to learn more about DJ Prince and Guardian Recovery

Welcome to another episode of Recovery Reach by Recovery.com! This week, host Andrew Averill returns to sit down with Jake Gorman, COO of MGMT Digital—a full-service behavioral healthcare marketing agency. Jake brings his lived experience in recovery and deep expertise in digital marketing to the table, sharing actionable insights for treatment centers and mental health organizations looking to grow their impact.

In this episode, Jake breaks down what it takes to build a winning lead generation strategy in the behavioral health space. He explains why an omnichannel approach is essential, how to avoid common marketing pitfalls, and the importance of conversion data in optimizing ad spend.

— Explore mental health and addiction treatment options: https://recovery.com/

— Learn more about MGMT Digital : https://mgmtdigital.com/

— Connect with Jake on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-gorman-1ba407233/

Topics Discussed:

• Jake’s personal journey and why MGMT Digital specializes in behavioral healthcare marketing
• The importance of mission-driven marketing and lived experience in the recovery space
• Why an omnichannel (multi-channel) approach is critical for sustainable lead generation
• How to audit your current marketing mix and identify gaps
• The role of SEO, PPC, and brand awareness campaigns in patient acquisition
• How to prioritize marketing channels when budgets are tight
• The power of conversion data and integrating with your CRM/call tracking
• The evolving role of video and social media in healthcare marketing
• Emerging trends: AI search engines, optimizing for AI overviews, and future channels

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction to Recovery Reach & today’s guest
00:12 – Meet Jake Gorman & MGMT Digital: mission, services, and unique approach
01:55 – Why behavioral health? Jake’s personal connection to recovery
02:30 – The value of lived experience in behavioral health marketing
02:47 – Lead generation strategy: what works in substance use & mental health
03:40 – The omnichannel approach: why you can’t rely on just one channel
04:15 – Auditing clients: assessing brand, SEO, paid media, and more
05:24 – Website first: why your site is the foundation of all marketing
06:05 – Local SEO vs. national campaigns: where to start
07:00 – Customizing strategy for new vs. established facilities
07:45 – Budget allocation: SEO, PPC, and the marketing mix
08:35 – Minimum viable marketing mix & when to expand channels
09:00 – Typical high-performing channel mix (5-6 channels)
09:30 – Directory listings, backend processes, and referral relationships
10:00 – Prioritizing channels when budgets are tight
11:00 – The danger of turning off campaigns too quickly
12:15 – How Google Ads “learning phase” works & why gradual changes matter
13:00 – Conversion data: online vs. offline, and why it’s crucial
14:00 – Integrating CRM, call tracking, and campaign optimization
15:00 – SEO pitfalls: local dominance, transactional keywords, and domain authority
16:00 – Content that converts: human writers, brand resonance, and nurturing leads
17:00 – Subtlety in nurture campaigns: staying top of mind without being pushy
18:00 – Social media’s role: video, mission-driven content, and Messenger campaigns
19:00 – The growing importance of video for SEO and brand awareness
20:00 – Emerging channels: AI search engines and optimizing for AI overviews
21:00 – Marketing myths: “Google Ads doesn’t work” and how to avoid common mistakes
22:00 – Final takeaway: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket—embrace omnichannel!
23:30 – Where to connect with Jake Gorman & MGMT Digital