20 Really Good People
Sophros Recovery CEO Nick Padlo’s business model is rooted in empathy and guided by personal experience.
As an Army veteran, Padlo struggled with alcohol and drugs when he returned home from deployment years ago. It was his journey through rehab that gave him the idea to create a stronger support model for people facing the same struggles. As a natural entrepreneur, starting Sophros Recovery was the perfect path forward for him.
“I felt like we could do a better job of helping people get well in a real-world environment,” Padlo said. “You don’t live at Sophros Recovery; you still have to drive by the liquor store or the gas station on your way home.”
Sophros Recovery is an outpatient treatment program serving clients in Jacksonville and Tampa, as well as virtually across the state. It’s grown from four to 50 employees in four years, earning a Fast 50 Award from the “Jacksonville Business Journal” in 2025.
Padlo believes the key to success in recovery is building your own toolkit with multiple solutions. One of Sophros’ goals is to equip clients with strategies they can use in a variety of situations to survive in the long term. Padlo says this is especially important because people with an addiction tend to struggle with switching from substance to substance.
As someone who has relapsed himself, Padlo never gives up on a client who’s had a setback. His entire team has absorbed this sense of empathy and greater purpose, and it is a big part of what sets Sophros apart from other treatment programs.
“This is a family disease, and it’s a disease that affects the workplace. So, when someone gets well, it really sends a ripple effect throughout the community,” Padlo said. “A family is healed. An employee can be effective again. A friend can be there for you again.”
