Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Zamarripa.
Hi Steve, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
i was in the international freight business for many years after graduating from Columbia University with my MBA in 1984. I was doing well financially but felt something missing in myself. There was a calling to give back and help others. I sold the business and took a year off to reflect on life, what was missing, and where my dreams and visions would take me. I have a very large extended family with many cousins, uncles and aunts and I realized that substance abuse and mental health issues had plagued many of my family members. I attended spiritual seminars, motivational seminars, health seminars and many other seminars reflecting on life and our purpose of being here. i opened a substance abuse and memtal health business in 2009 with the purpose of giving back and helping others who struggle with addiction and mental illness. I called it “La Ventana Treatment Programs” La Ventana in spanish is window and we are “The Window to Recovery”. I started with one facility and gradually grew the business to where we have eleven facilities serving people who are seeking help with their recovery. It’s been very rewarding watching patients succeed and of course in this business there are set backs with those who continue to struggle after treatment. When I started I did not know anything about the business but the universe sent amazing people to work with me. Therapists, Psychiatrists, Counselors, Doctors , Nurses and direct client care people have come to La Ventana and we call it our La Ventana Family. The work is very satisfying and I tell people when i drive home at the end of the day “I feel good” about what i’m doing and that is good enough for me.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The first years were a difficult learning curve and I struggled to keep the business afloat. I don’t think any small business is a smooth road but the challenges of struggles makes the business stronger and more productive. Covid was extremely hard as we were open for business and had many clients with Covid where we had to quarantine some and the costs of all the additional supplies and covid testing in the begining was hard to get and expensive. I’ve had employees who were not honest and I took several hits dealing with that. The insurance companies who pay the bills are often difficult to deal with and implementing all the rules and regulations from the government departments who oversee our licensing can be challenging
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about La Ventana Treatment Programs ?
We help people suffering from substance use addiction and mental illness. We have residential facilities where patients stay in our houses and live there while in treatment. We have outpatient facilities where patients live at home and attend program during the day. I oversee the finances of the company along with the governmental regulations. We are known for being a family owned business and not a large corporation run by venture capital. This allows us to offer individualized treatment in a family like atmosphere. I am most proud of the gratitude given to the comapny by patients once they have completed and our alumni program when ex patients come back years later to share their success stories with the current patients. Your readers should know if they have a loved one suffering from substance abuse or mental illness that there is hope for recovery and a healthier life at La Ventana.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
Many people look at me as a businessman but first and foremost I am a proud father of three children and the addiction chain has stopped in my family with my children.
Pricing:
- Insurance Baed
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.laventanatreatment.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/laventanatreatment
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/LaVentanaTreatment/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=la+ventana+treatment+programs
