Vincent Balch
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Vincent Balch is 71 years old and the owner of a successful yacht repair business located in the Driscoll Boat Yard in San Diego. He struggled with addiction from age 20 to 50. He raced motorcycles from age 12 to 20, and that's when drugs took over. He has always been an athlete and, in moments of clarity, accomplished amazing things. He completed the Ironman in 1990, ran ultra marathons including a 100-mile run, became the National Ride and Tie champion in 1998, and won multiple motorcycle vintage nationals in 2001 and 2002. He began doing charity work with the homeless in 2002. In 2006, he took a boat to Panama to get away from drugs. After living in Panama for one year, he earned an engineering job on a superyacht and sailed to Holland. He lived in Holland for two years, then took another engineering job and sailed from Bermuda to Malta. He returned to San Diego in 2011 with $3,000 and started his boat repair business.
He began helping his nurse friend Mary Baker with her nonprofit clinics and battered women's home. Mary now works at Lestonnac Free Clinic, and Vincent helps in any way he can. He has a passion for rescuing hurt animals and has rehabilitated Great Horned owls, red-tailed hawks, raccoons, a fox, multiple snakes, a bunny, and a tortoise. He has not used drugs in 20 years and gives all the credit to his God and Savior Jesus Christ.
IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL LEARN:
- How Vincent Balch overcame 30 years of addiction and built a drug-free life centered on faith and purpose.
- That anyone can rise from the ashes and transform negative addictions into positive achievements.
- How completing the Ironman, ultra marathons, and a 100-mile run rebuilt his confidence and discipline.
- Why honesty, truthfulness, and leading by example set his marine diesel service apart in San Diego.
- How Vincent started a yacht repair business in Driscoll Boat Yard with only three thousand dollars.
- That donating money, supplies, and time to Lestonnac Free Clinic strengthens community health and hope.
- How rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife like hawks, owls, raccoons, and a tortoise creates lasting impact.
- That supporting battered women's homes and homeless outreach can make a difference through everyday generosity.
- Why Vincent credits his recovery and success to his relationship with God and Savior Jesus Christ.
- How the discipline of motorcycle racing and endurance sports can fuel a lifetime of resilience and service.
about the show
Overcoming addiction requires discipline, clarity, and resilience — the exact qualities needed to build a successful commercial business. Clean and Thriving TV reveals how business owners in recovery translate their personal transformation into building and running real commercial enterprises.
Clean and Thriving TV is a premium television docuseries spotlighting business owners who refused to let their past define them. Honoring the grit required to overcome addiction and build a business, the series focuses on operational growth, daily execution, and commercial success beyond recovery.
The series takes viewers inside the authentic stories of business owners who turned their lives around and built thriving companies. Clean and Thriving TV serves as the definitive national stage for these entrepreneurs to share their business insights and inspire others.
