Redefining Success After Loss: ADHD-Informed Support for Small Business Owner Burnout

Steph Cottrell’s story is a powerful example of how quickly burnout can creep in for ADHD entrepreneurs—and how transformative it can be to pause, reassess, and redefine success. What began as a plan to scale her thriving marketing and web development business turned into an eye-opening realization about uneven collaborations, hidden labor, and the toll of unclear boundaries. With guidance from an ADHD-informed business strategist coach, Steph confronted the patterns that were draining her energy and rebuilt her business model around clarity, agency, and true fulfillment. When the sudden loss of her father reshaped her priorities, she chose to restructure her work to be flexible and “interruptible,” allowing her to support her family without sacrificing her business. Her journey shows that success isn’t about doing more—it’s about aligning your business with your values, protecting your energy, and giving yourself permission to choose what genuinely feels right.