Executive Corner – Mike Gerstein

Executive Corner

March 12, 2019
The Executive Corner is a new weekly feature of the Addiction/Recovery eBulletin. We send our participants forty questions and ask them to choose twenty they would like to answer. It includes a short profile and a link to their website. We hope you enjoy it.

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PROFILE

Mike Gerstein is the CEO and owner of Freedom Treatment Centers of California. He and his business partner, David Silberberg, started Freedom Treatment Center 2 years ago.

Mike brings over 30 years of management experience with him which he applies to all aspects of the facility Mike manages corporate direction and strategy for Freedom Treatment Centers facilitating company activity in consulting, sales, marketing, alliances and channels, and support. He also is on the front lines with his clients and clinical staff. Mike Understands the needs of his clients and staff and is continually communicating with both clients and staff to improve the living and working conditions in the facility.

By going through rehab years back, Mike is capable of communicating with clients on a “hand on” level that clients find very comforting. In addition, Mike is continually trying to improve the program at Freedom by training his staff on a monthly basis as well as attending seminars and conferences for the rehabilitation business and constantly getting new and effective strategies which he then applies to Freedom to make Freedom Treatment Centers of California one of the best and most successful rehabs in Southern California.

Because of this, Freedom Treatment Centers of California has one of the lowest relapse rates in all of California.

FreedomTCOC.com

 

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Q. If you are in recovery, what was your DOC and when did you discontinue its use?

A. Methadone, cocaine, heroin, alcohol, meth

Q. At which of the schools you attended did you learn the most?

A. Pierce College

Q. Do you believe leaders are made or born?

A. Born

Q. Which film have you watched the most?

A. payback

Q.Who is your favorite celebrity in recovery?

A. Anthony Kiedis

Q. If you ever retire, would you prefer to live by the ocean, lake, river, or mountaintop, or penthouse?

A. Ocean

Q. What is your favorite hotel or resort?

A. Delano, Miami

Q. Where do you go to “get away”?

A. Anywhere but here

Q. What is your biggest or littlest pet peeve?

A. Being 2 mins late to work or a meeting

Q. How do you measure success?

A. By building a business from an idea to a successful operation

Q. If you had an extra million dollars, which charity would you donate it to?

A. Something to do with helping medical and Medicaid drug addicts

Q. Who was your biggest influence throughout your life?

A. My father and Sam Dempsey

Q. What is your current hobby?

A. motorcycle racing

Q. What prominent fe/male figure would you most like to date?

A. Melanie Laurent

Q. If you were giving a dinner party for your 3 favorite authors, Living or dead, who would they be? (choose 4 if you think one might be too drunk or stoned to attend.)

A. William Shakespeare, Ernest Hemingway, Andy Warhol

Q. What is your FAVORITE TV/cable/digital series?

A. Netflix and Amazon Prime

Q. Who is your FAVORITE Director?

A. Quentin Tarantino

Q. What is your FAVORITE Band/composer/musical artist?

A. Limp Bizkit

Q. What is your FAVORITE Broadway musical/play?

A. Phantom of the Opera

Q. What is your FAVORITE Sport to watch? To play?

A. Footbal, Racquet ball

Q. What is your FAVORITE Snack?

A. Teriyaki Beef Jerky

Q. What is your FAVORITE Cuisine?

A. Indian

Q. What is your FAVORITE Restaurant?

A. Taylors Steak House

Q. What is your FAVORITE City?

A. Los Angeles

Q. Have you ever been arrested and, if so, what for?

A. Yes – too many to list. All drug and alcohol releated

Q. Do you have any children?

A. Yes

Q. Do you think the U.S. should adopt the Portuguese Decriminalization Model?

A. Yes

Q. Do you take work home with you?

A. Always

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve been given?

A. No guts no glory, Take calculated risks in life as well as business

Q. What is the best piece of advice you’ve given?

A. same

Q. Do you think addiction is an illness, a disease, a choice, or a wicked twist of fate?

A. disease, you are born with

Q. What are five things you always carry with you?

A. phone, computer, vape, vape juice, watch

Q. What’s the greatest risk you’ve ever taken?

A. Flew to India alone, knowing no one, and went to various cities looking to order 6 containers of furniture

Q. What is the proudest moment in your life?

A. when I got clean, also when I see past clients still clean

Q. Is there a favorite “Quote” you would like to share?

A. Brush your teeth at night or your teeth will rot! –Hal Gerstein