Episode Details

In this episode of The Art of Imperfect Adulting, Amy Stone speaks with Toni Will, a lifelong resident of Kalamazoo, Michigan about breaking free from alcohol as a coping tool and redefining what sober success looks like.

About Toni Will:

Toni Will is a leadership coach, speaker, and the General Manager of the Kalamazoo Wings, making her one of the few women leading in men’s professional hockey. She is the host of the Women In… podcast, a TEDx speaker, and the creator of the empowHER conference, dedicated to uplifting women and redefining success in male-dominated spaces. Toni is known for her unapologetic authenticity and her advocacy for alcohol-free living, blending high-performance leadership with personal clarity and conscious living. Her first book will be published in August 2026, further amplifying her mission to help others own their story, challenge the norm, and lead with intention.

Main Topics Covered:

1. Choosing sobriety during high-stress times: How COVID-19 lockdowns became an unexpected opportunity for self-work and lasting change.
2. Professional sports & alcohol: Navigating stereotypes, “belly up with the boys” culture, and breaking barriers as the first female GM for the Kalamazoo Wings.
3. The shortcomings of traditional recovery models: Why AA didn’t fit, and how modern, female-inclusive approaches (like This Naked Mind and Sober Sis) empowered Toni’s success.
4. Sober curiosity versus “rock bottom”: Challenging black-and-white thinking and embracing a more inclusive, less stigmatizing language around substance use.
5. Reclaiming time and energy: The practical and emotional benefits of giving up alcohol, from launching new businesses to deeper self-awareness and integrity.
6. Community, belonging, and coping: Rethinking social drinking, friendship, and the unique challenges of rebuilding connections in recovery, as a female leader.
7. Using transformation to help others: How Toni’s coaching, podcast, and upcoming book extend her story to support those reevaluating their relationship with substance.
8. Representation matters: The power of seeing women openly lead in both sports and sobriety spaces.

Quote from the Episode: “Whoever said that you had to drink to be a great leader? ...It’s just all these beliefs that are programmed into us and not in a culty way, but just culturally.” — Toni Will

Timestamps:

00:01 Introduction to Toni Will and the topic of choosing new coping skills

02:07 Toni shares where she calls home and her approach to incorporating beauty into daily life

04:02 The timeline of Toni’s sobriety journey and previous attempts to quit drinking

05:51 Life before sobriety: career stress, family dynamics, and making the decision during COVID lockdowns

08:56 Alcohol as a coping tool, early experiences with drinking, and societal influences

12:53 Going public with her decision to quit drinking and gaining support from her husband and community

13:38 The realities of leading a men’s professional hockey team as a woman, and the cultural context of sports and drinking

15:38 Physical and emotional consequences of drinking, and challenging the concept of “rock bottom”

18:23 Support systems, stigma, and balancing leadership with living alcohol-free

20:33 The process of finding alternative recovery resources li