EPISODE #13
Fascinating insights from the founder of Clear Health Technology
Erik Kerr is a sales and marketing veteran who specialises in strategic marketing processes that increase customer acquisition. Erik created the hugely successful company “The Draw Shop” that produces animated whiteboard videos that simplifies marketing messages.
Erik is also the founder of Clear Health Technology – a not-for- profit company that is delving into the science behind addiction so we can understand and acknowledge the early warning signs of addiction relapse.
In this episode Erik speaks about his upbringing, the psychology behind using animation to sell, founding “The Draw Shop” and his compelling reason behind developing “Clear Health Technology”.
Erik Kerr was a born salesman and loved the selling process from a young age.
After university, Erik’s sales career led him to establishing “The Draw Shop” – a company that creates animated whiteboard videos that simplifies marketing messages to make them more attractive and easier to understand.
Through extended family, Erik saw how addiction affected his own family – and through a random event with his sister and father, he came across the idea of establishing early warning signs of addiction relapse.
Erik founded Clear Health Technology – the Coalition for Life to Eradicate Addiction Relapse.
Using science, CHT’s goal is to harness innovation to prevent people from relapsing once they are clean.
Over 80% of people who attend treatment for addiction will relapse within 90 days.
If we are aware of the ‘whisper stages’ or triggers of addiction, we can address and act on the them before they hit.
Clear Health Technology is holding a free digital “Healing Addiction” Summit – with guest speakers that will discuss the science behind an addicts brain so family and friends can understand the situation a little better.
00:40 Nick introduces Erik Kerr.
02:05 Erik talks about his background – growing up in a rural environment and his love of selling from a young age.
04:00 Life after university – developing a career in sales, engaging people and founding “The Draw Shop” using animated White Board Videos
05:30 Nick asks Erik about the psychology behind using animation to sell.
08:15 How the brain thinks in images and the popularity of animation as a communicative tool.
09:40 Erik talks about the purpose of a White Board Video as a marketing/sales tool –trying to uncover the real objectives.
12:10 Nick asks Erik about the story behind his appearance in Forbes magazine and other major magazines.
14.30 The importance of creating presentations that are personalised to each client to cut through.
15.30 Erik talks about the reason behind developing “Clear Health Technology”.
17:25 The trouble with addiction and managing it from a ‘crisis state’. Almost 80% of people who go into treatment will relapse within 90 days and 89% of people aren’t getting professional help/treatment at all.
19:00 We’re trying to get people clean – not cured. Trying to identify the early signs of relapsing.
20:00 Tackling addiction as a disease of free will – let’s not look at the addiction but the trauma behind the addiction.
21:10 Erik talks more about ‘what is an addict’ – it can be drugs, alcohol, work, sugar.
23:00 The importance of attaching to our parents and not social media – to feel safe, trusted.
23:45 No discrimination in addiction – the science becoming addicted “the parent brain vs party brain”.
26:00 Making sure that good nutrition, exercise and community is part of your life.
27:15 The early signs of addiction.
29:30 Tackling the perception that addiction as a weakness.
30:20 The two problems with addiction – the actual addiction itself and finding out ‘what is causing them to act like that’.
31:30 Trying not to judge, but to try and understand to try to heal.
35:45 Technologies that you can wear that identifies signs of addiction triggers. Knowing what the ‘whisper stages’ and understanding the signals.
38:30 Erik talks about his “Healing Addiction” Summit – so people can understandwhat is happening in addicts brains.
This will be a Digital summit – “healing addiction summit.com”
Launched early 2018.
40:38 The tough conversation with addicts. Two things that they have in common is that they want to end the pain. One thing that they need to have is hope – and it’s always connected to other people.
43:15 Don’t think this can’t happen to you, your friends and family.
43:20 Think of people you know that have suffered from addiction or around people who suffer
from addiction – it’s higher than you think.
46:00 Erik discusses further details of the Summit.
47.30 For families and friends going through addiction –
have patience and empathy, seek professional help for yourself and others.
