For the better part of three decades media magnate and marketing guru Bill Raymond has shined bright on the outside while building billion dollar brands globally. Inside, however, he was slowly killing himself. Here -in his own words- is his story; and the birth of L.A Sober.

The Wake-Up Call I Couldn’t Ignore

I’ve built billion-dollar brands, flown coast to coast for 27 years, and lived what most people call “the dream.” But for a long time, I couldn’t even rent a car on work trips.

Why?

Because I didn’t trust myself not to get drunk.

I made excuses. I Ubered. I hired drivers. I avoided the responsibility because I knew I couldn’t always control my drinking. I just didn’t want to admit it. Here I was—a grown man, a father, an exec—dodging the driver’s seat like I was still 23 and reckless, not 50 and accountable.

Something had to change.

Enter L.A. SOBER

L.A. SOBER isn’t just a brand. It’s a mindset.

It’s for high-performers, creatives, and professionals who want to live with intention, build boldly, and party without poisoning themselves. It’s clarity over chaos. Connection over cocktails. A lifestyle that chooses presence over pressure to numb out.

Whether you’re sober-curious, THC-friendly, totally abstinent, or just done with hangovers, L.A. SOBER is the movement redefining how we show up.

What It Means to Be L.A. SOBER

L.A. SOBER doesn’t mean perfection. It doesn’t mean total abstinence. And it definitely doesn’t mean judgment.

It means choosing a lifestyle that prioritizes:

Mental clarity

Physical wellness

Emotional stability

Conscious decision-making

For some, that means complete sobriety. For others, it means eliminating alcohol while embracing mindful alternatives like THC or plant medicine. Whatever your path, L.A. SOBER is about making choices that serve you—not break you.

How It All Started

The name? Pure serendipity.

A business partner visiting from Wisconsin noticed I wasn’t drinking. I was sticking to THC gummies, microdosing, NA beers, mocktails, and being fully present.

He looked at me and said, “Damn, you’re straight L.A. sober now.”

It clicked. That wasn’t just a description—it was a whole vibe. That week, I bought the domain lasober.com and even locked in the LASOBER license plate, despite the DMV guy swearing I’d never get it. (He was wrong.)

I’ve always wanted to build a brand. But this wasn’t just another business.

It was a cultural reset. And for me, a lifeline.

Why We’re Doing This

Because too many high-functioning professionals are quietly struggling. We’re tired of the shame spiral. Tired of pretending that two drinks a night is “just normal.” Tired of waking up at 3 a.m. with anxiety and showing up to Zooms with fake smiles and pounding headaches.

We’re saying:

It’s OK not to drink

You’re not broken

You’re not boring

You’re not missing out

You’re ahead of the curve.

The Breaking Point

March 2023. Dinner turned into bar-hopping, a strip club, and another blackout. I had an early flight to Miami the next day. Hungover, ashamed, pretending I was fine.

And then? Rinse and repeat.

Client dinners. Yacht parties. Nights at LIV and E11EVEN. Blacked out two of the three nights.

That flight back to L.A. hit different. It wasn’t about swearing off drinking forever. It was about saying, “I’m done today.”

That was March 20, 2023. I haven’t had a drink since.

From Blackouts to Breakthroughs

Since launching L.A. SOBER, the messages haven’t stopped:

“Thank you for saying this out loud.”

Media buyers, CMOs, creatives, execs, founders—all of them were drinking more than they wanted to admit. Waking up with regret. Wondering what they said the night before.

L.A. SOBER is the antidote. It’s a space for honesty, vulnerability, and strength. A community where blackouts turn into breakthroughs. Where you don’t lose your edge—you sharpen it.

The Family Shift

This wasn’t just about business. It was about family, too.

My wife and I are raising two teenage daughters. Smart, aware, and way more tuned-in than we ever were.

I didn’t want to be the dad who drank to unwind, or who was sloppy on vacation.

I wanted to model something better: that walking away from something that no longer serves you isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom.