7 Things Successful ADHD Entrepreneurs Do Differently [That You’re Probably Not Doing… Yet]

Mar 7

It's true—ADHD brains are 300% more likely to start a business than those without ADHD, AND that a disproportionate number of self-made millionaires have ADHD.

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But another truth that's just as important?

Many ADHD entrepreneurs never reach their full potential because they stay stuck in a cycle of burnout, procrastination, and self-doubt.

The ones who stay in that cycle:

Try to force yourself into systems that weren’t designed for ADHD brains.
Get trapped in overplanning paralysis instead of taking action.
Let rejection sensitivity amplify fear of judgment - which makes them hide.
Feel overwhelmed by all the moving parts of business and never build real systems.

How do I know?

When I started my first business, Hanndl - I fell into all of the above.

Fortunately, when pitching Hanndl to a room of 100 highly successful entrepreneurs, my ADHD came up, and 1 by 1, about 80% of the room started sharing their own diagnosis.

I was fascinated by the connection between ADHD and entrepreneurship.

That quickly became a hyperfocus - then an obsession.

I obsessively studied that connection - speaking with and working with thousands of ADHD entrepreneurs.

Through that, I uncovered the 7 habits of highly successful ADHD entrepreneurs. Habits that helped me build a multi-6-figure business in under two years.

And in this video - I’m giving them to you.

Habit number 1: They Learn About ADHD—Then Lean Into It.

Most people with ADHD spend their lives trying to "fix" their brains - they attempt some sort of neurological alchemy to transform their ADHD traits into neurotypical ones.

Successful ADHD entrepreneurs don’t do this - they understand that if they do they will get stuck in perfectionism and overwhelm - and eventually burnout.

Yes - ADHD comes with challenges - but it also comes with advantages - and successful ADHD entrepreneurs know how to harness them.

Don’t try to stick to rigid routines and time-block every minute - lean into hyperfocus and get more done in 8 hours than most do in 8 days.

Leverage your natural problem-solving skills to propel forward rather than constantly second-guessing yourself.

Don’t avoid the things that ADHD makes difficult - implement systems that manage the obstacles that ADHD creates.

Ultimately - successful ADHD entrepreneurs are proactive and intentional - build a business that works with your brain - not against it.

Habit number 2: They back their problem-solving skills - which allows them to work in 'Speed-Mode.'

ADHD entrepreneurs 10X their success when they shift their strategy into “speed mode”.

In speed mode, you don’t over-plan or over-research.

You don’t try to plan in advance for every possible scenario.

You take what you have, what you know, and move straight from idea to action.

For speed mode to work, you only need the ability to problem-solve as you go.

The trouble is that bridging the gap requires believing in your capability.

But ADHD brains are masters of finding creative solutions to complex problems - you just have to trust that ability.

Once you back yourself as a problem-solver and go all in on speed-mode - what you achieve becomes limitless.

Habit number 3: They Make Peace with Judgment.

Every ADHD brain needs to answer this question…

Would I still fear failure if nobody knew I failed?

If the answer is no - you don’t have a fear of failure - you have a fear of judgement.

Having ADHD means you've spent a lifetime hearing, "You’d do better at “X’ if only you were more focused, organized, or disciplined."

That conditioning creates a fear - what you fear is proving those people right.

Successful ADHD entrepreneurs don’t fear failure because they know that it doesn’t end the journey - failure is the journey.

They calm their fear of judgement because they know only those who are jealous of your bravery to pursue a life by your own design will cast that judgement.

The key thing to remember is this…

Don’t measure success by what you earn - measure it by what you learn.

Habit number 4: They Have Firm Boundaries.

ADHD entrepreneurs find success when they recognise that energy is limited - that it’s their most valuable asset -and they treat it as such. ****

You protect your energy with boundaries.

Don’t:

Work with energy-draining clients just for the paycheck.

Say yes to things you don’t have the capacity for.

Feel guilty for charging what you're worth.

Define, commit to, and effectively communicate your limits and expectations.

Habit number 5: They Harness Curiosity—But Don’t Let It Consume Them.

If there's one characteristic in ADHD entrepreneurs that is either a secret weapon or their kryptonite, it’s curiosity…

That ADHD-inbuilt desire for knowledge gives the ability to consume information on a topic and piece together seemingly disconnected parts to form unique solutions and outcomes - which is why it’s a huge advantage.

The trouble is it also drives that deep, falling into the rabbit hole.

It makes it so easy to get completely off track.

Which is why Successful ADHD entrepreneurs actively manage curiosity. Curiosity by:

They are proactive in not falling into the research loop and idea-hopping.

They learn what they need - then they action it.

They reserve that curiosity for what matters - and when it does, they release it full force and master whatever it is at hand.

Habit number 6: They Have a Plan for F* Ups, Rejection, & Criticism.

The greatest hack for any with an ADHD brain pursuing a passion or building a business is self-compassion.

The fact is - you have ADHD - your emotions are going to dysregulate.

Especially when you are sharing something you care about with the world.

You are actively putting yourself in the firing line for vulnerability and rejection.

It is impossible to do so without making some mistakes.

ADHD entrepreneurs who find success do so not by overplanning to avoid mistakes- not by pretending they don’t have these feelings…

They do so with a self-compassion plan in place to manage it when it happens.

They intentionally:

Reflect on and note their triggers ahead of time.
Process their emotions instead of letting them spiral.
Take space when they need it—but don’t let it consume them.

Habit number 7: They Use ADHD Strategies—Not Neurotypical Ones.

Most business advice won’t work for ADHD brains.

You’ve probably tried that “perfect” business growth system - only to abandon it two weeks later…

Trust me - you’re not alone - most business strategies are built for neurotypical brains—structured, linear, and expecting you to focus for hours at a time. Yeah… not happening.

ADHD brains crave dopamine.

We thrive on novelty, urgency, and interest-based work.

Forcing yourself into a system that ignores that?

It’s like trying to charge your phone without plugging it in.

Instead

Work in sprints, use gamification, and reward yourself to keep momentum.

Start with interest-based tasks to kickstart engagement before tackling boring ones.

Delegate detail-heavy tasks and lean into your creative strengths.

And actively tackle overwhelm.

There is no need to be overwhelmed as an ADHD entrepreneur.

Overwhelm has a formula:

I guarantee one or both of those are at the root of your overwhelm.

To fix it - you reverse-engineer the formula.

Low clarity becomes High clarity - you know what to do when and how to do it.

This comes from asking for help or investing in the right support.

High demand becomes low demand with systems - document your processes - use tools, platforms, and automation for repeated tasks.

The Most Important Thing Successful ADHD Entrepreneurs Understand

Ultimately, successful ADHD entrepreneurs:

Lean into their strengths and manage challenges effectively.
Trust in their capabilities.
Set boundaries to protect their energy.
Harness curiosity strategically.
Pre-plan for rejection and mistakes instead of fearing them.
Build ADHD-friendly systems that allow them to thrive.

But most importantly? You are not broken. You do not need fixing.

Most productivity systems and business strategies weren’t built for ADHD brains—which is why forcing yourself to fit into them has never worked.

That doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. It means you need a different approach.

I’ve seen ADHD entrepreneurs struggling with procrastination, burnout, or self-doubt completely transform their businesses simply by switching to a strategy designed for their brains.

So if you:

Start businesses but can’t stay consistent…
Jump from idea to idea…
Feel scattered and can’t find productivity hacks that stick…
Always feel one step behind because business strategies seem built for neurotypical brains…

The ADHD Entrepreneurs StarterKit gives you the step-by-step business-building system proven to work for ADHD entrepreneurs.

I hope you found this valuable!

Until the next one, remember: The world isn’t designed for the ADHD mind—but the ADHD mind is designed to change the world.