LIVE A LITTLE BETTER: One Man’s Journey of Survival, Sobriety, and Success with author John Beyer

LIVE A LITTLE BETTER: One Man’s Journey of Survival, Sobriety, and Success with author John Beyer

What drives someone to seek a life without alcohol? This conversation between Ellen Stewart and author–entrepreneur John Beyer offers a frank, often funny, and very human look at how one man did exactly that. You’ll hear John talk about growing up as an "adult child of alcoholics" in New York, moving from comfortable Riverdale to a cramped flat in Lefrak City, sleeping in the foyer where "the front door actually hit the bed".

He describes his dad’s everyday drinking, his mum’s weeks-long binges, and the confusion and hurt of a childhood spent waiting in bars for promises that never materialised. A turning point comes when John recalls waking up at 26, looking at the clock and sky and realising he had no idea if it was 6am or 6pm. That moment pushed him to Alcoholics Anonymous, where, as he puts it, "our whole lives are going to change"—and they did.

Decades of continuous sobriety and four AA meetings a week now anchor his life. The chat isn’t just about alcohol; it’s about tiny, consistent steps. John links the slogan "Live a Little Better" from a housing billboard, the one-day-at-a-time approach of AA, and the incremental way his autistic son learned to say "ah" for apple. Everything, he suggests, can be managed in small chunks—whether moving house with his company Men on the Move or facing illness, grief, or addiction.

You’ll also get a glimpse into his advocacy for autistic people through Spectrum Designs, the organisation his family helps grow, and why he’s sending all proceeds from his memoir to support their work. If you’re juggling family chaos, addiction, parenting, or health scares and wondering if change is possible, John’s story might be the nudge you need: what small step could help you live a little better today?