A venture originally owned by four partners -- Steven and Caroline Creene and Charles and Pauline Bower. The philosophy that drove the partners behind this venture was simple: they would utilize an upscale, secluded facility to focus on addictions treatment for clients with financial resources and much to lose.

Previously operated as an executive retreat centre for 18 years, Ledgehill changed focus and began operating as a Treatment and Recovery Centre in fall 2009. In February 2011, one of the four operating partners, Steven Creene, died suddenly of a heart attack at age 46. A few months later, another partner, Charles Bower, was diagnosed with ALS, which is a terminal illness. In May 2011, Ledgehill suspended operations with the intent to resume when new operators are found to continue the enterprise .

In 20 months of operation, Ledgehill achieved considerable progress, attracting clients from the US, Caribbean and nine Canadian provinces and generating almost $900,000 in revenue. The target market was well-to-do professionals, and/or their loved ones, able to pay $12,950 for 30 days of treatment.

This is an opportunity to build Ledgehill into a very successful business, and to play a role in transforming a multibillion-dollar industry desperate for new ideas. But it’s more than that. This is an opportunity to make a difference while making a living. It's a win for the client, a win for the stakeholders, with a potential 25% return, and a win for the industry, because it will bring new ideas, research and understandings to the world of addiction. Best of all, Ledgehill is a turnkey operation, and the original partners are willing to participate in the re-launch of Ledgehill Treatment and Recovery Centre Inc., contributing their considerable knowledge and expertise.

About Ledgehill

Ledgehill Treatment and Recovery Centre is a world-class centre of excellence, offering a client-centred, holistic approach to treating people with addictions. Located approximately 90 minutes from Halifax in Nova Scotia’s beautiful Annapolis Valley, it provides an exceptional natural environment for healing with its 111 acres of country meadows, spectacular gardens and valley wilderness. Ledgehill consists of the Main house, administrative office, and a managers private house.

The Main House consists of 8,000sq/ft and is the residence for all of the clients and where programming is conducted. There are two other buildings on the property -The Red Carriage House is our administrative office. It features a loft that is currently used for storage but could be developed. The Wedgewood,a 9 year old 1,700 sq/ft private residence currently occupied by the owners.
Ledgehill is located 10 minutes from a regional hospital with an ER and detox centre.

Service

Treatments are delivered by a multi-disciplinary team of professionals with many years of experience dealing with addictions. Approaches include private one-on-one, group sessions, complementary therapies, family program and aftercare. The amenities of the Ledgehill facility carries a warm, healing ambiance.They include private-soundproof bedrooms with en suites, counseling rooms, a library, a large meeting room drenched in natural light, three fireplaces, spacious dining area and sunroom that is often used for our healthy living segment of the program.

Ledgehill also offers a nutritious menu, which is vital to recovery.

Addiction is an incredibly destructive, debilitating and powerful disease that affects 10% of our population. Ledgehill provides 30-, 45- and 90-day programs that set the stage for working professionals and executives to reclaim their lives.

When clients are in a quality environment, they can focus fully on their recovery efforts

Target Audience

Prior to opening in the fall of 2009, Ledgehill Treatment and Recovery Centre completed extensive research on this business venture, including a three-day focus group with industry professionals. This formed the basis for developing Ledgehill’s market offering and its target demographic: individuals with the resources and the determination to do the hard work so they can take their life back.

This demographic is comprised of women and men aged 25 and older. They are professionals who require privacy and have the financial resources to pay for treatment, or insurance that will cover it. They know what is at stake if they do not reclaim their lives. Ledgehill’s target clientele requires an upscale facility and the best evidence-based programming available. They are in the process of making life or death decisions.

In the world of addiction, most treatment facilities attempt to be everything to everyone. Taking 18-year-old drug addicts and 40-year-old executives and treating them in the same facility with the same approach is often detrimental. Unfortunately, many young addicts enter rehab with few positive life experiences. Often, the people who love them are more invested in their recovery than they are. This is cause for concern, as nothing is more important on the road to recovery than the personal commitment of the addict. Also the brains of younger addicts have not fully developed, so 90 days is not enough time to assist them with their emotional redevelopment. Introducing younger, less committed, disruptive addicts to this environment can and does have a negative impact on achieving positive outcomes with the more committed individuals Ledgehill is targeting.

Competitive Edge

Ledgehill’s competitive edge lies in the fact that it is focused on being the best in the world at providing transformational experiences. Ledgehill achieves this by bringing together several key components to create a secluded, emotionally secure, loving and caring environment. This is then complemented by research from neuroscience and experienced counselors who truly understand addiction. The centre’s competitive edge lies in the fact that it is not everything to everyone. The demographic focus allows Ledgehill to refine the recovery processes and elicit more paradigm shifts, resulting in significantly increased success rates, which breed further success.

Vision

The goal of Ledgehill’s partners from the beginning was to be known in Canada, and beyond, as the place to go for recovery. The short-term objectives were to develop and refine Ledgehill’s operating systems while developing the brand. At the time of Steven’s death in 2011, the focus had narrowed in on developing a clinical platform that would result in a standardized, repeatable process.

However a change in circumstances prevented the partners from taking the next step in building Ledgehill’s brand: adopting Coherence Therapy. This process has been validated by neuroscience as bringing about significant change. The current Ledgehill partners realize that the new operators will have a vision or plans for continuing this centre, but are willing to discuss the opportunities Coherence Therapy offers, such as the opportunity to franchise.

All indicators suggested that 2011 would have been a very profitable year for Ledgehill. The plan was to expand in stages, with the first being the development of two additional counseling rooms directly over the existing office. This would have freed up two bedrooms that were being used for counseling, increasing the number of available single en suite bedrooms from 8 to 10. The next anticipated stage was to add four bedrooms to the main house or eight bedrooms on an existing 30' x 50'
foundation with septic field; thus increasing capacity to 18 clients. These possibilities offer a very cost-effective expansion.

Ledgehill’s partners also planned to revive discussions with the Brain Repair Centre at Dalhousie University to collaborate on research that would be funded through a Ledgehill foundation. In fact, there had been discussions with Dalhousie's School of Social Work about developing a practicum process for students working on the Masters in Social Work wishing to specialize in addictions.

Management: Organizational chart

Financial

Financial information is available once a non-disclosure is signed.

Is Ledgehill the right fit for you?

The remaining partners wish to attract someone with self-conviction and the determination to follow their dreams. The vision behind this venture was to offer a world-class rehab facility in a beautiful, secluded rural setting. The goal was to engage in aspects of recovery, including brain research funded by a Ledgehill foundation. The partners dreamed of a program that truly was transformational. They dreamed they could make a living and make a difference. Fate has intervened, and it is now time for the new phase and new dreamers.

If you wish to start a conversation, please e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 902.825.7171.

www.ledgehill.com