For ADHD entrepreneurs, traditional productivity hacks often create more frustration than focus. Our brains don’t switch tasks like TV channels—they reset like vinyl records, losing momentum with every change. That’s why the Focus Day model is such a game-changer. By structuring your week around task batching, you reduce context switching and give your brain the space to hit its flow. Whether it’s the Single Focus Scheduling model, the Essential Three, or the Split Screen approach, each option allows you to match your energy to your work instead of forcing yourself into a neurotypical system. Protecting your focus days with clear boundaries not only boosts productivity but also builds confidence and sustainability in your business. The beauty of this strategy is that it’s not about perfection—it’s about progress and creating a system that works with you, not against you.

Business owners with ADHD deserve more than hype. This episode exposes the myths, shares proven strategies, and helps you navigate the chaotic coaching industry so you can grow your business with focus, clarity, and confidence.

ADHD is often misunderstood as mere distraction or restlessness, yet for women it frequently shows up in more invisible ways: emotional overwhelm, chronic masking, and a lingering sense of being misunderstood. Emotional dysregulation—the quick shifts between joy, frustration, and sadness—can complicate relationships and fuel rejection sensitivity, often leading to misdiagnosis as anxiety or mood disorders. But alongside these struggles lie remarkable strengths: curiosity, creativity, and a playful perspective that drives innovation and resilience. By naming and validating these experiences, we not only rewrite the ADHD narrative for women but also highlight the strengths that make neurodivergent minds essential in work, life, and leadership.

Ready to build a business that works with your brain? Therapist CherylAnn Crego leveraged a midlife ADHD diagnosis to cultivate confidence, embrace her inner boss, and prove that you don’t need a perfect schedule to make progress.

Ghosting can feel crushing for ADHD entrepreneurs, triggering rejection sensitivity and endless mental “open loops.” But most of the time, it’s not personal—it’s about the prospect’s circumstances, not your skills. The key is reframing ghosting as data, setting clear expectations, and closing loops for yourself with professional follow-ups and boundaries. By strengthening your pipeline, limiting rumination, and leaning on systems, you protect your energy while staying focused on what you can control. Ghosting doesn’t diminish your value; it’s just part of the process of finding the right clients.

This week on ADHD-ish, Diann Wingert unpacks context switching and introduces “focus days” with three practical models to help ADHD entrepreneurs protect time, boost productivity, and work with their brain, not against it.

Entrepreneurs often dream of cloning themselves to keep up with growth, but real scaling comes from pairing opposites and leveraging automation. ADHD founder Will Christiansen learned that exact “clones” only multiplied chaos, while hiring complementary talent brought balance and sustainability. His approach combines finding integrators—apprentices who thrive under visionaries—with automation that removes repetitive work, freeing up space for creativity and strategy. By letting go of what doesn’t serve and embracing systems, entrepreneurs can scale without losing their spark.

ADHD-ish guest Dr. Gilly Kahn joins Diann Wingert to uncover women’s hidden struggles—emotional dysregulation, rejection sensitivity, and late ADHD diagnoses. Expect raw stories, clinical insights, and humor that validate your quirks while offering hope and practical strategies.

For ADHD entrepreneurs, every new business idea can feel like “the one,” igniting a rush of passion and possibility. Fueled by dopamine, this cycle of attraction, infatuation, honeymoon, and reality often leads to shiny object syndrome—abandoning projects once the excitement fades. But this isn’t a flaw; it’s how ADHD brains are wired. The key is learning when to channel that creative burst into meaningful progress and when to commit for the long haul. By “dating” your ideas, testing them as side projects, and integrating them into your existing work, you can capture the thrill of novelty while building sustainable, long-term success.

Ever had a discovery call that felt perfect—then … silence? No reply, no closure. Let’s talk about ghosting, ADHD spirals, and what really happens when our brains demand answers that never come.

High-achieving women are often missed when it comes to ADHD diagnosis, only discovering it in adulthood or midlife when the weight of hidden struggles becomes undeniable. Therapists Diann Wingert and Lisa Lackey share their personal journeys of realizing they had ADHD after years of helping others, revealing how intelligence and adaptability can mask symptoms for decades. Their stories highlight how menopause and midlife often intensify ADHD challenges but also open the door to what Lisa calls the “second knowing”—a return to self, authenticity, and purpose.

This awakening is not just about diagnosis; it’s about transformation. By shedding perfectionism, embracing self-acceptance, and building community, women are redefining success on their own terms. As Lisa says, “You’re not unraveling or falling apart, you’re actually coming together.”

Entrepreneurship demands many hats. Join me and Will Christiansen, “The Tony Stark of Software,” as we explore how AI, automation, and top-tier talent streamline growth, solve clunky systems, and fuel sustainable business scaling.

For many entrepreneurs with ADHD, the word “business plan” brings up memories of 40-page documents, rigid structures, and endless details that feel more like homework than help. But building a business plan doesn’t have to be exhausting or overwhelming. In this episode of ADHD-ish, Diann Wingert introduces the Minimalist ADHD Business Plan, a flexible four-step framework designed to align with the way ADHD brains naturally work. Instead of long-term forecasting and jargon, this approach emphasizes clarity, focus, and sustainability, helping you move forward without burning out.

The plan rests on four simple pillars: your North Star (your guiding “why”), a Revenue Reality Check (understanding the numbers that actually matter), your Zone of Genius (focusing on strengths while minimizing energy drains), and your Next Three Moves (actionable steps that keep momentum going without overwhelming you). By making your plan visual, flexible, and imperfect, you create a living tool that supports your creativity while giving you enough structure to stay on track.

Diann also emphasizes the importance of working with your brain instead of against it: short planning sprints, visual dashboards, and regular reviews make the process doable and even energizing. This is planning reimagined—not about controlling your every move, but about creating a compass to guide your decisions. For ADHD entrepreneurs, this means less burnout, more intentional growth, and the confidence that comes from knowing you’re moving toward your goals with clarity.

ADHD solopreneurs: Do you fall in love with each new idea? This episode unpacks the “Soulmate Phenomenon” and shares scrappy tools to separate idea keepers from fleeting flings.

Running a business with ADHD can feel like a rollercoaster—thrilling highs, sudden pivots, and moments of burnout that leave you scrambling to catch up. In this ADHD-ish Podcast episode, Diann Wingert and guest Diane Mayor dive deep into how neurodivergent traits show up in business models, from dopamine-driven decision-making to executive dysfunction and open loops. Together, they unpack why traditional business advice often fails ADHD entrepreneurs and share practical tools like idea parking lots, structured flexibility, and “sandbox time” to balance creativity with consistency. More than a conversation about impulsivity, this episode offers a roadmap to build ADHD-friendly systems that fuel growth while honoring your unique brain. If you’ve ever felt like your business was built with duct tape and dopamine, this is your reminder that resilience, adaptability, and grit are your superpowers.

Late ADHD diagnosis meets decades of “success” in this revealing midlife conversation on identity, mental health, and self-acceptance. Listen in and see what happens when striving gives way to true fulfillment.

Entrepreneurs with ADHD often walk a fine line between passion that propels their business forward and emotional dysregulation that can derail it. In this insightful piece, Diann Wingert explores how understanding the difference—and building the right emotional scaffolding—can turn intensity into a competitive advantage. From recognizing early warning signs to creating structures that protect your decision-making, she offers actionable strategies for thriving in business without sacrificing mental well-being. By embracing neurodiversity and mastering emotional regulation, you can transform your most intense feelings into sustainable success drivers.

The ADHD-ish Podcast flips the script on rigid business plans with an approach that’s flexible, visual, and ADHD-friendly. If structure overwhelms you, this episode offers a way forward that finally makes sense.

In a world where perfection is often praised, entrepreneur Mikey Schumacher is building a brand that finds power in the opposite. As the creator of But Cute, Mikey designs plush toys that celebrate anxiety, quirks, and emotional complexity—transforming insecurities into symbols of connection. On the ADHD-ish Podcast, he shares how his own struggles with anxiety, failed ventures, and creative detours led him to create a community where vulnerability is the foundation, not the flaw. With designs like the Anxious Moon Bunny and the Grumpy Croissant Crab, Mikey's message is clear: small business ownership doesn’t have to be perfect to be impactful. His journey reminds us that embracing our flaws might just be the most effective strategy for growth, belonging, and sustainable success.

Is your business running on chaos, duct tape, and dopamine? Tune in as Diane Mayor shares how ADHD shows up in entrepreneurship—and what to fix before you scale. Systems, fun, and real talk await in this latest episode of the ADHD-ish Podcast.