I Needed Whiskey Just to Get Out of Bed | Frank Scarso

Frank Scarso spent more than 20 years working on Wall Street, surrounded by money, pressure, long hours, alcohol and drugs. What started as part of the lifestyle eventually became an addiction he could no longer hide.

At his worst, Frank says he needed a pint of whiskey just to get out of bed in the morning. Within roughly 18 months, his life completely unraveled. He lost his job, his money, his car, his family and many of his friends. He was repeatedly arrested, spent time at Rikers Island and eventually found himself sleeping outside and even in a storage locker.

Years earlier, Frank remembers standing outside his Wall Street office looking at a man sleeping on a bench and wondering how someone could possibly end up there.

Then he became that man.

But Frank’s story didn’t end there.

After years of chaos, rehab and attempts to get sober, a question from his brother finally broke through: What kind of childhood did he want his children to remember?

Frank began rebuilding his life one piece at a time.

Now more than eight years sober, he has repaired his relationship with his wife and children, built Avanza Capital into a company that has deployed more than $250 million to small businesses, and is preparing to become a grandfather.

In this conversation, Frank and Melissa talk about addiction in the high-pressure world of Wall Street, losing nearly everything, Rikers Island, getting sober, rebuilding trust with family, living with regret and creating a life after addiction that once seemed impossible.

Frank also shares the story behind his upcoming memoir, The Hard Way Home, and why he hopes telling the darkest parts of his story can help someone else find their way back.

This is a story about just how far addiction can take you, but more importantly, how much of a life can still be rebuilt.

Get in touch with Frank:

https://avanza.nyc/about-us/

LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-scarso-989894118/