We sat down with Susie Streelman—founder of Zero Proof Experiences and host of the popular Sober in the City weekend retreats—to learn about how she has built her sober community, what inspires her, and what’s coming next. 

Nicole Pietrandrea Hough for AFTER Magazine: I’m very happy to be here with you today, Susie! Last time I saw you we were dressed all in pink in Tampa [for the Zero Proof Experiences Sober in the City, Tampa flamingo themed evening].

Susie Streelman, founder of Zero Proof Experiences: That is a nice memory! I’m so glad that you got to come and experience an alcohol-free weekend with us.

N: It was wonderful. I was happy to have a break from my normal routine, and it was inspiring to be around 100+ enthusiastic alcohol-free people.

S: It really was. A few more than 100 women and a few brave men!

N: True, brave men to hang around with that many women all dressed in pink!

Let’s talk a little about how you got there. Would you tell me about your story, how Zero Proof Experiences came to be, and how it all started?

S: [Zero Proof Experiences] was conceived a little over two years ago. I had been alcohol-free for a little while at that point. CNN was telling us that Dry January was becoming popular, and yet I could not find a mocktail when I was out at a restaurant or a bar to save my life. I was really enjoying my alcohol-free lifestyle and I was motivated to continue, but the social discomfort was a pretty big thing for me. I was finding the biggest disconnect was in that social aspect—going out and trying to order something special to have a nice social experience and sometimes being literally laughed at, and I mean by everyone—by friends, by servers, everyone.