Shoe Mogul, Steve Madden on Seeing Miracles, Making Mistakes, Relapse and Recovery

Heart of the Matter

Before he could start his incredibly popular shoe empire, Steve Madden needed to overcome his own struggles with addiction. Inspired by the principles that guided his recovery – showing up, doing the next thing, acknowledging his mistakes - Steve built a business that would become known worldwide.

Throughout his life and career, Steve has recovered, relapsed, and recovered again; gone to prison; and came back with grit in spades. In the 13th episode of Heart of the Matter with Elizabeth Vargas, Steve reflects on the arc of his life, coming from a family with a history of substance use disorders, managing ADHD and, most importantly, learning to let go and to grow.

Related reading:

After you listen, explore these resources from Partnership to End Addiction to learn more about the topics and themes discussed in this episode:

• Risk Factors for Addiction
• What Types of Addiction Treatment are Available?
• Substance Use + Mental Health: Your Guide to Addressing Co-occurring Disorders

To learn more:
Partnership to End Addiction website
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