EPISODE 18
FROM ADDICTION TO ARTISAN
PIZZA OVEN PIONEER, TOM GOZNEY
CONTENT WARNING: Our detailed conversation about Tom’s journey goes in depth on addiction, its effects, and the recovery process. If you, or somebody you know, is in need of assistance, you can find a list of free resources within the UK here: https://www.lifeworkscommunity.com/addiction-treatment/guide-to-uk-free-addiction-helplines
Being addicted to substances at just 13 years of age is an incredible challenge. From that strife rose a new man, and a business that’s pioneering the live-fire outdoor oven space.
Tom Gozney has been through the lows of drink and drug addiction, the brutal struggle of rehab, and the stellar success of Gozney, a brand capable of racking up millions in crowdfunding investment within a matter of hours.
There’s much to learn from an indomitable spirit like Tom’s. He joins us to share unfiltered experiences, and the lessons that can only be learned the hard way…
This episode covers
Escaping teenage addiction and reaching the point of seeking help
The unexpected experience of rehab, and implementing new philosophies
Wider impacts of Tom’s addiction on family
Finding respite in the camaraderie of making pizzas
How Tom led his business’ monumental growth
The invaluable nature of having a dependable partner at home
EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
“I went on a journey, learning from Oliver and learning how to conduct myself, how to treat people, and how to be a good person. Basically, I suppose rehab gave me the foundations of a moral code that I adhere to in order to keep myself safe.”
31:50 - Tom Gozney
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“With this insecure way of being, I then found drugs and drink maybe at the age of 13.” - 6:55 - Tom Gozney
“We found marijuana young, it quickly progressed into pills, and we were doing every drug by the age of 16. You know, Funnily enough it was more accessible in the New Forest to get anything we wanted drug-wise than it was to get alcohol.” - 13:15 - Tom Gozney
“My mum took me into the priory when I was 16. She overheard a conversation that I had with my girlfriend on the phone. I said that I was smoking heroin, and it was just so sad, seeing my mum's face when I was at the age of 16, and hearing firsthand that that was happening. That was brutal. ” - 21:25 - Tom Gozney
“I was reading my mum, dad and girlfriend’s accounts of living life with Tom over the course of the last seven or eight years, and it was harrowing,” - 38:00 - Tom Gozney
“I was doing dinner parties at home. I was inviting friends around. I was still saying to friends, they could bring beers even though inside I really struggled with it. I was just still fiercely defensive not to be this guy that made the social dynamic awkward.” - 1:03:10 - Tom Gozney
“We went from having Stonebaked, which was a sort of premium home brand. We had Gozney Professional Ovens, which was doing really great things in the commercial space. Then we had roccbox.com which was this little product that was just rocketing. 50% of our revenue came from the US.” - 1:16:00 - Tom Gozney
“The UK is a cynical, fear-mongering environment. No one harnesses entrepreneurialism. I came out of rehab, and if someone told me I couldn’t do something, I'd be like, ‘F**k you, yes I can, and I'm gonna do it’.” - 1:26:15 - Tom Gozney