Unlocking ADHD Superpowers in Business with Steve August

Hey everybody, welcome to this episode of The Lindsey Anderson Show. I'm so excited for today’s conversation. Many entrepreneurs and small business owners struggle with structure. They often get caught up in shiny object syndrome and love being the visionary, but they struggle with the key element of business success: having a strategy, sticking to it, tracking numbers, and managing the day-to-day tasks that come with running a successful business.

When you realize that over 5% of entrepreneurs have ADHD, it changes the way you approach business. Understanding how your brain works can be the key to leveraging ADHD for success instead of letting it hold you back. Today’s guest, Steve August, knows exactly how to use ADHD to your advantage. He’ll be sharing strategies that will elevate your business, whether you’ve been diagnosed or not.

Guest Introduction

My guest today is Steve August, an incredibly successful entrepreneur, founder of Steve August Coaching, and the creator of the Focus Formula system for ADHD entrepreneurs. Steve has taken companies from idea to multimillion-dollar exits, raised over $100 million for clients, and now helps B2B founders break free from overwhelm and into unstoppable momentum by understanding how their brains really work.

Unlocking ADHD Superpowers in Business - Key Takeaways

• ADHD and Executive Function: Entrepreneurs with ADHD often struggle with deciding, doing, and sustaining tasks. These challenges are linked to executive function deficits that affect prioritization, organization, and task initiation. This leads to common symptoms like decision paralysis, starting tasks but not completing them, and difficulty focusing on long-term projects.
• The "Magnetic North" Strategy: To overcome decision paralysis, entrepreneurs should have a magnetic north: a clear vision and mission that helps them stay focused and avoid distractions. This ensures they remain on track even when shiny objects or new ideas come up.
• The Power of Time Management: ADHD brains tend to have peak productivity hours, often in short bursts. The two-hour workday concept helps ADHD entrepreneurs prioritize their most impactful tasks during these high-focus periods, maximizing efficiency and reducing overwhelm.
• Importance of Iteration: Growth in business happens through methodical iteration and refinement. While ADHD entrepreneurs may be tempted to constantly jump to new ideas, true success comes from improving what’s already in motion.

ADHD in Entrepreneurship

• Why ADHD Entrepreneurs Thrive: ADHD entrepreneurs are naturally drawn to environments that offer novelty and constant change. The startup phase of a business, with its new challenges and opportunities, provides plenty of dopamine hits, keeping ADHD entrepreneurs engaged and motivated.
• Interest-Driven Work: Entrepreneurs with ADHD often find routine work stifling, making the dynamic nature of entrepreneurship the perfect environment. The freedom to explore new ideas and think creatively is what makes this field so attractive to them.
• Innovation and Creativity: ADHD entrepreneurs excel at thinking outside the box, connecting unrelated ideas, and innovating rapidly. This creativity is often the driving force behind successful startups.

The Role of Structure and Strategy

• How ADHD Impacts Strategy: Entrepreneurs with ADHD can struggle to stick with a plan, but success comes from consistency and iteration. Breaking tasks down into manageable steps can help ADHD entrepreneurs stay on track and continue refining their business strategies.
• The Importance of Iteration: Businesses grow through repetition and refinement. ADHD entrepreneurs may be tempted by new ideas, but true growth comes from revisiting and improving current projects and processes.

The Importance of Self-Awareness

• Steve’s ADHD Journey: Steve shares how he experienced success in business despite not understanding his ADHD until later in life. Once he recognized his brain’s tendencies, he created systems that worked with his brain, not against it.
• The Power of Awareness: Understanding how ADHD impacts your business helps you work smarter, not harder. This self-awareness is essential for entrepreneurs looking to create strategies that play to their strengths.

Overcoming ADHD Challenges in Business

• Start, Stop, and Sustain: ADHD entrepreneurs often struggle to complete tasks or stick with a strategy. The Focus Formula breaks tasks into manageable steps, making it easier to move from one phase of a project to the next.
• Decision Paralysis and Time Blindness: ADHD entrepreneurs often overestimate how much they can accomplish in a day, leading to overwhelm. AI tools like ChatGPT can help break projects into smaller, actionable tasks, reducing the feeling of being overwhelmed.

Key Quotes

• “ADHD may be one of the worst names for a disorder. It’s not a deficit of attention; it’s a surplus of attention.”
• “Entrepreneurs with ADHD are naturally drawn to the novelty of starting new businesses. But success comes from repeating and refining, not constantly jumping to the next idea.”
• “It’s not that you can’t finish things, it’s that your brain wants to pay attention to everything all at once.”

Resources Mentioned

• Connect with Steve on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/steve-august-b2b-adhd-business-founder-coach 
• Steve’s website: www.steveaugustcoaching.com 
• Take Steve’s free "Are You an ADHD Entrepreneur?" quiz here
• Join my upcoming free LIVE workshop: https://www.lindseya.com/workshop 
• Book your Social Media Strategy session: https://www.lindseya.com/apply