Meet Donna Weinberger | CEO & Founder of Inspire Recovery

We had the good fortune of connecting with Donna Weinberger and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Donna, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
To me success is all about continued action. It’s not a question on whether to keep going or to give up. If I believe in the work I do, the answer is always “keep going!” To me that is the key to success. The difference between failure and success is thinking that giving up is an option. Success is inevitable by continuing to move forward through all obstacles. Failure can only happen by giving up so, 100%, always keep on, keepin’ on!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The art I create is in the realm of business. I like to say that I have an idea, and I never know what the result will be. I throw it against the wall, and if it sticks, it sticks. If not, I probably have several other pilot projects in the works.
I tend to find solutions to existing issues. I am a natural troubleshooter, so this makes sense for me. Inspire Recovery, an LGBTQIA+ affirming substance use treatment center, found me. I had a substance use detox client, and I noticed a significant gap in the industry—the lack of a safe place for queer and transgender individuals to receive treatment. In fact, I noticed, for trans and queer folk, going to treatment was causing more distress and trauma. Out of that, I created a safe and affirming place for the community to have a chance to recover.

Once I opened Inspire Recovery, serving the transgender and queer community became my passion, to the point where I knew I had found my purpose in life.
Being successful in business doesn’t usually come easy, as I mentioned before. Success usually has a bumpy road, and of course, the road keeps going. When I first started out in business, I had zero dollars and no business plan. I jumped in and did whatever it took to make it happen. I don’t recommend starting a business that way, and I learned so many lessons from my first major business that I took those lessons with me into Inspire Recovery.

I’d say what sets Inspire Recovery and myself apart is that since its inception, I never let money lead our business. I stayed true to the purpose of serving our community, and I still adhere to that. What keeps Inspire Recovery successful is the fact that, as the CEO, I won’t let other, easier revenue streams take over. Staying true to serving the queer and transgender community requires a strong leader with a clear passion to stay true to the mission.

Now, with the current climate in Florida and beyond, both I and our company face even bigger potential obstacles. I stay ahead and plan for all possible scenarios. I know the road ahead may not be easy, but I will continue to stick to the idea of always moving forward, whether the obstacles are slight bumps or big mountains. The same lesson that I learned years ago is the same one I still use today. Never stop. Always move forward, even if you are pushed back—keep going. That’s what I do. It could be searching for a solution or moving through difficult situations. Change is always ahead, and I might as well do the work to move into the best possible change that exists.

Inspire Recovery is a brand that grew from the misunderstanding of the queer and transgender community. This misunderstanding causes trauma and distress. Inspire Recovery provides a safe and affirming place for the LGBTQIA+ community, where all staff members are trained on best practices for trans and queer-affirming care. We use life-saving, evidence-based interventions that save lives. I want the world to know that even if they don’t know what the solution is for the trans and queer community, the community does know, and we know. My passion and the passion of Inspire Recovery are to provide a safe space and save as many lives as we can.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, one place I would take a friend is the place I found when I first moved to Florida—Respectable Street on the 500 Block of Clematis St. in West Palm Beach.

I’d start the day with brunch at Vincent’s Bistro French Bakery in downtown Lake Worth Beach.

I would definitely have dinner with them at Darbster one night, a vegan restaurant on the spillway in West Palm Beach.
We could people-watch another day while eating acai bowls at Nature Way Cafe on Lake Ave. in downtown Lake Worth.

If the day they visit coincides with The Peach Artwalk, I’d love to take them to The Peach in WPB to explore the artist studios. It’s an incredible space that captures the essence of NYC, San Francisco, and LA, and I take great pride in showcasing it right here in West Palm Beach.

We would spend many nights on the 500 Block of Clematis at Subculture Coffee while eating dinners at Hullabaloo and Kapow. Then we would end at Respectable Street and dance until 4 am, hopefully to some indie, goth or 80s new wave music.

If we had time to go to Miami, I’d take them to the design district to see the graffiti at Wynwood Walls and then grab a bite at Dr. Smoods.
If the Kitchen Club was happening, maybe we would end the night dancing to industrial (goth) music.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
In my early 20s, I worked for a doctor who received monthly motivational CDs in the mail from all the successful motivational speakers and writers such as Robert Kiyosaki and Tony Robbins. No one ever listened to them, so I asked if I could borrow them, and I was probably the only person who listened to those CDs. I soaked them up like a sponge, and even if I wasn’t able to implement certain ideas at the time, I knew my potential because I understood the mindset that “all is possible” and “I could create anything I want as long as I continue to move forward.” I understood that the key to success is to keep moving forward despite all obstacles, and with that, success is always the result.

Also, in my 20s, I went through a training called Summit Education that lasted about six months. By the time I finished that training, I left my job and fully launched my first business. From that moment on, I have always run my own businesses. In my 20s and much of my 30s, I didn’t make the kind of money that I would have made working for someone else, but I found that my happiness comes from creating. For me, the art that I create is actually businesses.

Website: https://inspirerecovery.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspirerecoverywpb

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/inspire-recovery/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/inspirepridewpb

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/inspirerecoverywpb/

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/inspire-recovery-west-palm-beach

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAVcSfqrmHXDzxOGG53_Qrg

Image Credits
Yunet Solorzano