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As an entrepreneur with ADHD, I know first had how hard it can be to launch and run a successful business. The overwhelm, lack of consistency, and struggle with follow-through can not only hinder progress, but also really mess with your mind.
I’ll be honest, I’ve had 5 failed businesses before the one I have today, and if I knew then what I know now, I would have had much fewer failures. Now I know what to expect when you start a business (with or without an ADHD brain). That’s why I created the Aligned to Start program, specifically designed for aspiring ADHD entrepreneurs like yourself.
Here’s a quick sneak peek into what’s inside the program…
Understanding the ADHD Entrepreneur
The first thing I want you to know is that you have the ability to start and run a successful business. You just have to do it in a way that works for YOU. As an ADHD entrepreneur, you tend to have a lot of creative hutzpah and bursts of random energy. However, you may also be extremely disorganized, and struggle with prioritization, and maintaining focus. So choosing the right kind of business that aligns to your energy and interests is going to be CRITICAL.
Whatever you do, please don’t choose a business based on income potential. This is a recipe for disaster as your interest-driven brain needs plenty of intrigue to keep moving forward. Bottom line, all the accountability, structure and high-priced coaches won’t be able to compensate for a lack of genuine interest in what you’re doing. That will always lead to burnout and defeat.
Successful ADHD Entrepreneurs Know Strengths and Values
The first step on your entrepreneurial journey is to identify and embrace your strengths and values. By aligning these with your business idea, you can create a solid foundation for success. The first module in the Aligned to Start program dives deep into this process, helping you identify your areas of competence and confidence, along with the style of work that most suits your personality.
Every Good Entrepreneur Knows Their Customer, Intimately
Understanding your target audience is crucial for any business, but I believe that this is the one thing that if ignored, will tank your business. If you don’t know what keeps your customer up at night, how will you know how to help them?
It’s so important to know not only the problems they struggle with, but also the language they use to talk about it. I know this might seem like an unnecessary step. That’s why I ignored it while starting my first 5 businesses, and that’s why they all failed.
One of the key things I stress in Aligned to Start is the importance of defining your ideal customer and developing an offer that resonates with them. I also teach you how to build an authentic brand that reflects their needs, so you can connect with your customers on a deeper level.
Great ADHD Entrepreneurs are Scrappy With Finances
Unless you’re planning to raise funding for your start up, then I recommend being as scrappy as possible as you’re starting up your business. Another great talent of ADHD brains is our ability to roll up our sleeves and figure things out on our own – especially when it comes to branding and websites.
I’d much rather see you invest your time and energy in your offering and spend way less time and money on fancy logos or websites. Because here’s the thing – your company will change dramatically in the first 6 to 12 months as you refine your messaging and your offer. So if you hire a web designer from the start, you’re going to be investing a lot of money in updates in the first year. Better to start with a simple website that doesn’t cost much, and it’s easy enough to edit on your own.
In my program, Aligned to Start, I walk you through creative ways to optimize your website and budget on your own, with very little investment. Better to start scrappy and hang on to as much of your initial revenue dollars as possible.
Building Sustainable Systems for Success – The Key to ADHD Entrepreneur Success
We’ve all heard the same thing… consistency is key to building a successful business. But when you have ADHD, consistency is hard because we never know how we’ll be feeling one day to the next.
In Align to Start, I share how I created sustainable systems that helped me move through my week knowing exactly what needs to be done, and by when. Personally I’ve found that knowing what needs to be done is half the battle. The other half, is creating automations that make you “look” like you’re being consistent, even when you’re not.
Overcoming ADHD-Related Challenges in Business
When you have ADHD, you have to think about how you’ll manage challenges with executive dysfunction, rejection-sensitive dysphoria, and emotional regulation. By understanding your neurodivergent brain and working with it, rather than against it, you can avoid meltdowns, fear paralysis and eventual burnout, but you have to know what to look for!
Clarity is CRITICAL
One thing I’ve learned as an ADHD entrepreneur, is that devil is in the details I make up in my head… meaning, when I don’t have clarity on things, my mind tends to fill in the gaps with negative stories. So I’ve figured out that the more clear I can be about my operations, systems and intention, the more confidence I have and the more productive I tend to be.
That said, I designed Aligned to Start to cover the fundamentals of building a business in a way that makes sense, from leveraging your strengths and values to creating an authentic brand and implementing sustainable systems. With step-by-step guidance and practical exercises, you’ll have a clear roadmap to follow, ensuring you don’t miss any crucial steps along the way, and you can stay the heck away from ambiguity!
How to Get Started with Aligned to Start?
Head over to the intro page to get more details on what’s included in the program. The program cost has been kept intentionally low for my ADHD audience. If it feels like a fit, and you have the time to dedicate at least 2 hours a week to building your business and going through the program, then I hope you go for it!
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