This episode tells the compelling story of Stephanie Hayes, a seasoned business strategist who has spent years immersed in the world of startups and small businesses.

She's known for helping entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of growth and plan for their future, including exit strategies. But there's another crucial layer to Stephanie's journey: her experience with ADHD.

For much of her life, Stephanie was a high performer, excelling in various fields, even while navigating certain types of work that felt like a "slog" or presented difficulties with initiation.

It wasn't until later, in 2021, that she received her ADHD diagnosis. This understanding brought a profound shift in perspective.

Today, Stephanie doesn't view her ADHD as a deficit, but rather as her superpower. She sees that the very traits often associated with ADHD – a need for stimulation and a love for solving problems – are powerful drivers in the entrepreneurial landscape.

The constant learning and overcoming challenges inherent in building a business resonate deeply with her. She has developed specific systems and found tools, like medication and even AI, that enable her to function effectively and channel this energy into productive work.

This episode delves into how embracing neurodivergence – understanding and leveraging how your unique brain works – can be a powerful business strategy. Stephanie highlights that for neurodivergent individuals, aligning their business with who they are is not just personally beneficial, but strategically smart.

Many of her clients also live with ADHD, finding common ground and shared understanding in this approach.

Join us for a down-to-earth and insightful conversation with Stephanie Hayes as she shares her personal journey, practical strategies, and the powerful belief that ADHD can indeed be an entrepreneurial superpower, unlocking potential when you learn to work with your brain, not against it, and truly embrace neurodivergence for success.

Diary of a ADHD Strategist | ♉ +📣 =👂🏽 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Well, listeners, what a conversation! I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Mariana Martinez Vampiew, a strategist whose energy really caught my eye recently.

Mariana's got this incredible blend of deep academic background – she's studied psychological studies, history, and education – coupled with powerful, real-world lived experience.

As she shared, she's even got a past in cabaret, which was fascinating to hear how it connects to talking to a camera.

I was curious about what drives her work. Mariana partnered with Fahim at narcissismexposed.com because they're both fellow survivors, and they're focused on helping people heal from all sorts of toxic relationships – not just romantic ones, but family, bosses, and friends too.

They're really aware that terms like "NPD" can get overused these days, so their focus is broader, looking at toxic people, relationship dynamics, and attachment disorders.

Now, the title of the Podcast episode was "ADHD and Narcissistic Patterns", and Mariana drew some really insightful parallels.

Having been diagnosed with ADHD herself later in life, after years of building coping mechanisms, she knows firsthand how varied the presentation of ADHD can be.

She explained how, much like ADHD, narcissistic traits aren't always the obvious "grandiose peacocks" you might imagine; there are also more covert, subtle "flavours".

We got into the heart of spotting those patterns. Mariana made a key distinction: someone with ADHD might share their own story when you share yours because they're genuinely trying to commiserate and show support.

But someone with narcissistic traits might share to "one up" you, making their story seem more important or using what you shared later. It's about the underlying motivation and the overall pattern.

She also spoke quite openly about the emotional side of things, sharing her own experience with ADHD and anxious attachment.

She explained how something like Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria (RSD), which often comes with ADHD, can tie into those anxious attachment dynamics, especially when navigating potentially challenging relationship patterns.

It really is a "stew" sometimes, as she put it, but something you can work on.

One of the most practical takeaways was her advice on setting small, healthy boundaries early on in any relationship – work, friendship, or romantic.

It's not about testing people; it's just part of healthy interaction. But how they react – with guilt-tripping, anger, or dismissal versus simple disappointment – can be a huge indicator of potential unhealthy dynamics and whether it might be part of a pattern like love bombing.

She gave some clear examples, like needing to leave by a certain time or setting boundaries around uncomfortable topics.

Mariana's passion for this work is clear; she wants to use her experience and knowledge to help people heal and protect themselves.

They offer resources at different price points, from free content to one-on-one sessions, because they know toxic relationships can be financially draining too.

It was a conversation filled with insights, emphasizing the importance of recognizing those behaviour patterns, trusting your gut, but also allowing yourself to remain open to healthy connections.

If you want to learn more and find support, you can find Mariana and Fahim at narcissismexposed.com, or check out their YouTube and TikTok channels under the same name. They welcome feedback and ideas, too.

Diary of a ADHD Strategist | ♉ +📣 =👂🏽 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Mariana Details

Website: NarcissismExposed.com Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@narcissism.exposed?_t=ZN-8vYVHTP1PT4&_r=1 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@NarcissismExposed-w9p Buy me a coffee: buymeacoffee.com/doads

I was truly excited for this solo podcast featuring the wonderful Sylvia Hall. It had been a while since my last solo show, but having Sylvia on made the wait worthwhile. We had such a great conversation!

Sylvia has a fascinating story. She described herself as someone who "waltzed out of the corporate world as an entrepreneur," and it's clear traditional 9-to-5 jobs weren't for her due to their lack of autonomy and heart.

She's built several successful businesses, most notably Lifted Naturals, her mood probiotic company that's been thriving for seven years. She also mentioned other ventures like Honeypot Publishing with its coloring books and gratitude journals, and she's currently launching her personal brand.

What impressed me about Sylvia is her perspective on working with others. She champions collaboration over competition, using that brilliant analogy of "ovens all around and there's more pies that we can bake." She doesn't believe in taking someone else's slice—instead, she's convinced there's enough for everyone.

We discussed how she balances everything, including her family and children, which have always been her priority. Her philosophy of "give from the overflow" truly resonated with me. She believes you must "fill your own cup first" to properly love and serve those around you.

In fact, she agreed with the idea that you need to be "selfish to actually be able to give because... you cannot give what you do not have."

Sylvia also shared her experience with her ADHD diagnosis, which came when her children were young—a time she described as both the "hardest time of my life and the most beautiful."

She talked about experiencing daydreaming as a child, apparently more common for women with ADHD. While she tried medications like Ritalin and Adderall, they weren't right for her due to her "highly sensitive nature."

She had strong reactions, going from "squirrels at a rave to ducks in a row," but with difficult side effects. This led her to embrace more natural management methods, which connects to her work with Lifted Naturals.

For managing overwhelm, Sylvia has effective strategies. She uses the phrase "outer calm is inner calm," meaning that organizing her physical space helps quiet her mind. She also uses "trigger music"—specific playlists she only listens to when needing to focus on writing.

Looking ahead, Sylvia is returning to helping people directly through her personal brand. She's focusing on digital products, beginning with a 10-day email challenge called "The Frequency Framework" designed to help people get unstuck.

She keeps communications brief because, as she noted, we have "information out the wazoo... We don't need more information but we could sure use a little transformation." Interestingly, she's intentionally moving away from social media for her personal brand, finding it something of a "brain drain."

If you'd like to connect with Sylvia, visit SylviaHall.com. For her supplements, check out lifted.naturals.com, and for coloring books and journals, look up Honeypot Publishing. All links will be in the description below.

Sylvia, thank you so much for your time—it was absolutely wonderful having you on the podcast. I felt we could have talked for hours! That's all for this episode, everyone. Sayonara!

Diary of a ADHD Strategist | ♉ +📣 =👂🏽 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

"" Tired of focusing on the challenges? Eli and Stephanie reveal how to leverage your unique ADHD abilities for success in life and business.

Ever feel like you're trying to fit a square peg in a round hole? That's a feeling Eli Dervonté knows all too well.

For years, he masked his difficulties with memory and writing, feeling "sick" when faced with letters on a page. It wasn't until later in life that he truly accepted his ADHD, a turning point that came from being "sick to death" of other people's expectations.

This journey of self-acceptance is a key starting point, as Eli and Stephanie Camilleri, The ADHD Advocate, discuss in their podcast conversations. They both firmly believe in a strength-based approach to ADHD.

Stephanie's coaching is built on this "strength space", and Eli advises everyone to "use your strengths to your strengths and don't get hooked on your weaknesses". In the business world and in life, it’s your strengths that will shine.

Stephanie’s own journey involved a slow but steady increase in awareness and acceptance of ADHD. Starting her coaching business nearly seven years ago felt a bit "out there", with significant pushback initially.

This highlights how understanding, or the lack thereof, deeply impacts the experience of ADHD. In families, a lack of understanding can even create "toxic" environments, as Stephanie experienced before diagnosis brought a crucial "relevant lens" through which to understand each other.

But understanding isn't just about diagnosis; it's about leveraging interdependence and collaboration. Eli stresses that "networking is very important not just for business but for personal growth, allowing individuals to use others to complement their weaknesses".

Learning and progress happen much faster through working together. He even pushed himself to overcome his tendency to isolate because he recognised the value of external perspectives.

Today Artificial Intelligence (AI) is emerging as a powerful ally. Eli sees AI as a "virtual assistant" that can handle tasks like writing, where individuals with ADHD might struggle.

This frees them up to focus on their inherent strengths, like creativity and problem-solving. Stephanie is a "big proponent of AI", seeing it as the "ultimate body double".

Throughout their conversations, the concept of "going with the flow" comes up frequently. While this can represent adaptability, Stephanie points out it doesn't suit everyone, especially those with co-occurring autism who might need more structure.

However, Eli also believes that their ability to uniquely understand what people need, rather than sticking to rigid structures, is a "greater gift".

Ultimately, the journey with ADHD is unique to each individual. But by embracing self-acceptance, focusing on strengths, building supportive networks, and utilising available tools like AI, individuals with ADHD can not only navigate challenges but truly thrive in both life and business.

As Eli passionately states, "We're great leaders and we're great leaders because we quite we're from the point of view we're quite creative". It’s about seeing your neurodiversity not as a deficit, but as a unique set of abilities waiting to be unleashed.

Alright, ever felt like your brain is a whirlwind of brilliant ideas and scattered thoughts? You're not alone.

Welcome to the podcast where we flip the script on ADHD, moving away from the challenges and diving headfirst into "The ADHD Advantage: Creativity, Focus Hacks with Emily Guerra."

Join us for a down-to-earth chat with Emily Guerra, an ADHD strategist and the founder of The Productivity Flow. Emily isn't just talking theory; she's lived it.

Growing up not knowing she had ADHD, Emily found herself constantly battling to stay organised and focused. It wasn't until later in life that the pieces clicked.

But here's the inspiring part: Emily didn't let that define her. Instead, she embarked on a journey of self-discovery, learning to understand how her brain works differently and, crucially, how to work with it, not against it.

This led her to become a certified productivity life coach, helping other self-employed women unlock their own potential.

In this episode, we delve into the surprising positives of ADHD. Forget the notion of being "broken"; Emily shares how her fast-thinking brain fuels creativity and the ability to connect dots in unique ways.

We also explore practical focus tools that have been game-changers for her. Ever heard of binaural beats?

Emily explains how this type of music can scientifically help your brain get into the flow. And then there are her trusty cube timers – simple yet incredibly effective for staying on track with time blocking.

This isn't about quick fixes; it's about understanding your own neurodiversity and discovering the power of working with your brain's natural rhythms.

Emily's story is a testament to embracing who you are, quirks and all. So, if you're ready to explore a different perspective on ADHD and pick up some real-life strategies to thrive, you're in the right place.

Get ready to discover your own ADHD advantage.

Diary of a ADHD Strategist | ♉ +📣 =👂🏽 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Alright, ever felt like the world expects you to run a marathon at a sprint?

This week on the podcast, we're diving into something a bit spicy: "ADHD and the Burnout Myth: Are We Blaming Neurodiversity for Systemic Overload?"

You might be thinking, "ADHD and burnout, yeah, that makes sense." But our guest, the insightful Sally Holden, asks a really important question: are we too quick to point the finger at neurodiversity when the real culprit might just be the relentless pressure of modern life?

Sally, as you know, isn't just talking theory. She's been through the wringer herself, battling burnout not once, but three times, with a particularly tough episode back in 2020.

This personal experience gave her a deep understanding of what burnout truly feels like – that overwhelming exhaustion physically, mentally, emotionally, and even spiritually. She knows firsthand how it can hit you, even when you think you have all the tools.

Now, Sally works as a kinesiologist and an intuitive holistic thrive coach, helping women, in particular, who are feeling utterly burnt out to find their way back on track.

Through her own journey, she realised just how prevalent burnout is, and she's made it her mission to equip others with the strategies to recover.

So, in this episode, Sally isn't shying away from a potentially controversial take. Could it be that the intense focus and sensitivity often associated with ADHD are being unfairly linked to burnout, when perhaps the real issue lies in the constant state of "fight or flight" many of us are living in?

Sally's personal struggles and her work with clients have led her to believe that while there might be overlaps, we need to be careful about attributing burnout solely to neurodivergence. Maybe, just maybe, the system itself is overloaded, and we're all feeling the strain, neurodivergent or not.

Get ready for a down-to-earth but thought-provoking chat with Sally. She brings her lived experience and her holistic coaching approach to the table, offering a fresh perspective on why so many of us are feeling the crunch.

Is burnout an inherent part of having ADHD, or is it a sign that something bigger needs to change? Tune in for a discussion that might just shift how you think about both ADHD and burnout.

Welcome to ADHD Late to the Party with Neena Perez, a podcast that delves into the often-untold stories of individuals who received their ADHD diagnoses later in life. Join your host, Neena Perez, as she navigates the complexities of this newfound understanding, drawing from her own personal journey and the insightful conversations she shares.

Have you ever felt like you were living life on a different wavelength? Perhaps things that seemed easy for others felt like monumental challenges, or maybe your mind raced with a million thoughts, making focus an elusive dream.

For many, these experiences remain a mystery until a later-in-life ADHD diagnosis sheds light on a lifetime of seemingly unrelated struggles.

In this podcast, we pull back the curtain on what it means to receive an ADHD diagnosis as an adult. We examine the contrasting experiences, much like the open and honest discussion between Neena and Eli Dervonté on the "Diary of a ADHD Strategist PODCAST".

Their conversation highlighted the moment of realisation, the sense of things finally making sense, and the subsequent journey towards self-acceptance.

Each episode explores a central question: does this newfound understanding empower self-acceptance or inadvertently impose limiting self-perceptions? We delve into the stories of guests who, like Neena and Eli, navigated years of life without this crucial piece of the puzzle.

They share how their late diagnosis has impacted their understanding of past experiences, their relationships, their careers, and, most importantly, themselves.

We explore themes of not being 'broken' but 'different' , echoing Eli's powerful statement. We discuss how individuals learn to manage their neurodivergent traits, the masking strategies they employed unknowingly for years, and the liberation that can come with finally understanding why their brains work the way they do.

Through candid conversations and relatable anecdotes, ADHD Late to the Party with Neena Perez aims to foster a sense of community, offer validation, and empower listeners to embrace their neurodiversity.

Whether you suspect you might have ADHD, have recently been diagnosed, or simply want to understand the diverse ways our minds can function, this podcast offers a down-to-earth and professional exploration of a significant and often overlooked aspect of neurodiversity.

Join us as we unpack the late arrival to the ADHD party and discover the profound impact it can have on how we see ourselves and the world around us.

Diary of a ADHD Strategist | ♉ +📣 =👂🏽 is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.