Neurodiversity in Business

Neurodiversity in Business

Neurodiversity. 

A unique way of seeing the world. A brilliant lens that allows the senses to absorb the bigger picture in an instant. Opportunities present themselves at lightning speed. The excitement builds, world domination is within grasp. Fantasies knit together to create a tapestry of the amazing business that is about to be born. 

The to do list builds as the ideas keep flooding in. Reading books, taking courses, and filling note books fuels the flames of ambition and aspiration. Then wham! Out of nowhere the demon rears its head, overthinking and hyper analysis. The brain short circuits, overwhelm sets in, leading to productivity paralysis. What remains is deflation, frustration, and anger.

This can lead to many projects being started with the best of intentions, only to be abandoned when the winds of other people's opinions, dead ends, imposter syndrome or lack of instant results start to swirl around the mind.

I have supported in excess of a thousand people in my career. I see on a daily basis how debilitating this undulating cycle with its dizzy highs and crushing lows can be and how it takes a toll. The one thing it doesn't do though, is crush the spirit and the sharp intuition of those who know what their purpose is and are determined to see it through. It's lovely to see this. It's important to recognise that there's no devastating flaw that is causing this, just a very fast paced absorption and processing of data, that clashes with an aversion to slowing down enough to formulate a structure and a plan.

This is where I step in.

I have helped hundreds of people shift their perspectives, rise above the noise that surrounds them of other people's opinions and judgements, to cut through to their purity of talent. 

This is my 'why'. I am proud to declare that my value proposition is to help late diagnosed, neurodiverse females, break free from the lifelong shackles of psychological imprisonment. 

In 3 short sessions, I help transpose the entangled strands of ideas into a focused business offer. Together we formulate a streamlined plan that includes achievable income and timescales. This provides clarity and direction, boosting confidence instantly.

Here is a case study of someone I am helping at present. I have changed personal details but the business scenario is exact.

Judy was doing my hair. We were chatting, it's difficult for me to switch off mentor mode when someone is talking about their business. She is the owner of a successful salon, but has a strong vision of her wider purpose. This is centred around helping young, vulnerable adults see their own worth, manage their emotions and build on their qualifications further by learning how to navigate the world of work with confidence. 

Judy has developed many courses, some already written and delivered and others in her mental filing cabinet. The issues she was having was overwhelm created by the sheer number of different people she felt that she could aim this at, the guilt of charging money for this service and the bureaucracy and cost of accreditation of courses. She also disclosed that she had ADHD and this meant that she couldn't stop the wave of ideas long enough to see how to bring them to life. 

I mentioned that I was a business advisor specialising in helping neurodiverse females and offered to have a no obligation, informal chat to see if I could help.

We spent 90 minutes together in which I was able to gain a clearer picture of what she wished to achieve and we started to filter out what was aligned to making this a reality and what wasn't. This allowed Judy the space to be open and know I had no opinion or vested interest in the outcome. This is why discussions with friends and family aren't the best backdrop for making important decisions on your enterprise.

I offered her further sessions should she feel it useful but asked her to reflect on our meeting first; and to only come back to me when she had been able to see if what I was proposing was going to be of value.

It's also important to note that this loop of frustration had been going on for Judy for 10 years. That's a long time. All was not wasted because she had still built a successful business, but this is to illustrate that for others it may be more damaging in terms of lost potential and delayed achievements.

To my amazement I received a text the same evening saying, "Thank you so much for the chat, I honestly feel so much more motivated and have more clarity. I think it would be great to have another session".

We went onto have our second session, this time a two hour meeting. We delved deeply into her ideas and shaped them into clear services where she identified specifically who she was targeting and why. We also touched upon pricing strategies. We looked at what was already in place and what was still incomplete that needed actioning.

After the meeting I produced a typed record of our discussions and an action plan covering the next 3 months that she could follow to keep her on track. These were all set by Judy, at no point did I impose tasks or timeframes, as that would be counterproductive. 

The feedback I received after the second session was

"I have just read the action plan you have sent over, it's brilliant. I will be getting on with it thank you so much"

I have agreed to check in with her twice during the 3 months to help her stay accountable. Many people like this. Again Judy set the accountability check in rate.

I will update the case study at the end of the three months, but from the experience I have had of working with other people, I know this will now help her move forward and is the start of the next stage of her entrepreneurial journey.

As a late diagnosed female, you will have already had your share of frustrations, set backs, labels and boxes. Freedom awaits. Hence my strapline, inspiration (provided by you), motivation and direction. As time and again this is what people have said I do for them. Motivated them, given them clarity and direction and confidence in their own abilities.

I am also currently working with a gentleman, Barry, who is long term unemployed. He is diagnosed with ASD and has also got trauma. For the first time in years he has stayed focused, has a plan, has been given some grant money for tools and is starting to slowly build his carpentry business, something he has dreamt of since being a child. 

This is my mission. There's parts of me in every single person I meet. I have a lifelong purpose of helping people with ADD, OCD, ASD, ADHD break free from negative stereotypes and step into their truth, that they are creative, talented, and beautiful souls. 

💜