ADHD entrepreneur - here are the qualities you need to seek in your business 'comrades'!
Welcome back to another episode of The Weeniecast - the podcast for ADHD entrepreneurs seeking business strategies. I'm your host Katie McManus and in this week's episode I’m reflecting on my own entrepreneurial journey and sharing the five key qualities I look for in others as an ADHD entrepreneur.
Without wishing to make it sound like we're filling in a dating app shopping list, it's really important to make sure you're always right swiping on the people who lift you, not hold you back.
From genuine passion for their work to a strong focus on impact and creative problem-solving, these qualities are essential for building a supportive and thriving business network.
But that's not all – I’m also going to talk about setting boundaries and valuing your own worth as a professional.
How to surround yourself with individuals who understand the value of mutually beneficial transactions and are not afraid to ask, "What's in it for me?"
We’ll also look into why being asked to work for free is an absolute nope and why you need to walk away from people who think it’s OK to do that!
Watch the episode promo
Qualities to Look for as an ADHD Entrepreneur
Ok, so there are a few qualities that are important for building a successful business and maintaining motivation.
I just want to name that it's crucial to surround yourself with people who genuinely love what they do and are passionate about their work.
And I mean obsessively, fandom creating-ly passionate!
Money shouldn't be the sole measure of success; instead, it's important they, and you, focus on the impact you have on clients and the world.
Being resourceful and having a can-do attitude is also essential for overcoming challenges.
It's also hella important to surround yourself with supportive individuals in your industry and those who are comfortable with transactional relationships!
Overcoming Challenges and Being Resourceful
Surrounding yourself with peeps who are always being resourceful and having a 'can do' spirit is crucial in entrepreneurship.
And especially so when you have ADHD!
Rather than giving up when faced with obstacles, successful entrepreneurs see challenges as opportunities to tap into their creativity and network.
And if they're really smart, that network includes you!
They find ways around the walls and barriers and maintain an optimistic mindset.
Surrounding yourself with individuals who have this problem-solving mentality can greatly benefit your own entrepreneurial journey.
The key moments in this episode are:
00:02:58 Avoid lone wolves who view business as a cutthroat game
00:04:08 Surround yourself with confident, transactional people
00:04:52 It’s ok to say “no”. Get practicing
The next steps for you after you’ve listened to this episode are:
Book a call with me: If you want further help or action steps, you can book a call with me to discuss your specific needs and how I can assist you in achieving your goals.
Message me: If you're looking for insights and guidance tailored to your specific needs. Mention the Weeniecast when you do so I have context!
Check out my website: Visit my website to explore more resources, blog posts, and valuable content related to your area of interest. Stay updated with the latest industry trends and tips.
Follow me on Instagram or TikTok: Join my social media community to get regular updates, tips, and insights. Engage with my content and connect with like-minded individuals in the comments section.
NEW!! Our weeniecast hyper focus community:
Are you ready to escape the world of weenie entrepreneurship, ignite your passion, and surround yourself with a dynamic community of ADHD entrepreneur go-getters?
Great news! The Weeniecast Hyperfocus Community is your one-stop destination for all things empowerment, growth, and success!
With the Hyperfocus Community, you're stepping into a space designed to amplify your growth, ensuring you're equipped with the insights, strategies, and mindset shifts to catapult your business to new heights.
As well as group coaching, networking and business referral exchanges there will also be some access to my premium services.
You’ll also be able to say sayonara to the days of going it alone.
In the Hyperfocus Community, accountability becomes your superpower.
Surround yourself with like-minded individuals who are ready to hold you to your commitments, ensuring you remain on the path to success, even when challenges arise.
Not only that but you’ll get first dibs on my resources, workshops, and expert insights, tailored to your entrepreneurial journey.
Whether it's nailing your business strategy or mastering the art of work-life balance, the Hyperfocus Community equips you with the tools you need to thrive.
Click the link to find out more:
https://weeniecast.com/hyperfocus
Prefer to read your podcasts? (Transcript)
The weeniecast for Winners premium podcast
Our spin off premium podcast "Weeniecast for Winners!"
Episodes are released earlier, ad free, and unbleeped.
Click on the artwork or here to get access.
Transcript for: "5 Qualities You Need In Others as an ADHDpreneur"
Let's talk about the five qualities you need to look for in others as an ADHD
entrepreneur. Hi. I'm Katie McManus. Business strategist and money mindset. Coach.
And welcome to The Weeniecast Squirrel. Sitting here recording this podcast and
thinking back and my business is the longest job I've ever had in my life. It is my longest
tenure anywhere, and I am nowhere near close to thinking about switching to thinking
about jumping ship and finding something else.
I'm expanding it and I'm changing it and I'm evolving it, but it's still my business and it's
still a thing that I want to do every single damn day. Again, that would not be possible if I
were surrounded by people who constantly harped on how hard it is.
So here are the five qualities you want to seek out in your business owner on purpose,
comrades in arms. Number one, they love what they do, and this has to be heartfelt.
This can't be like, oh, my God, I love what I do and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. As part
of their marketing scheme, this has to be a genuine thing, that this is the work that lights
them up and it's the reason they get out of bed every single morning. I mean, their loved
ones and their dog and their children and all that stuff might also be a good reason why
they get out of bed in the morning.
But this is a big one. This is a big part of that pie, okay? We don't want to discount other
parts of people's lives. Number two, they're not just in it for the money, although the
money is a huge benefit, meaning they are successful, but they don't measure their
success purely by the dollars coming into their bank account. They measure their
success by the impact that they're having with their clients and on the world. When
you're surrounded by people who care about how they're impacting the world around
them, you will constantly be motivated to do the same in your own business. And I'm a
firm believer that income follows impact. You are focusing on creating positive impact.
You will create positive income for yourself.
Number three is they have a can do and if we think we can't do it, we're going to figure
out how to do it spirit. Where other people see obstacles and walls and think, well,
guess that's the end of that line. We're just going to give up and go home. These people
see a challenge. They see an opportunity for them to use their creativity and tap into
their resources and their network to find a way around the wall or to break the wall down
completely. Full transparency. I said five. I didn't have five.
I'm making them up as I go. So we might have to go back and change it to, like, four or
three. I do that with webinars, too. I'll start writing it and I'll be like, here are the five
things you need. And then I'll come up with five things and sometimes there'll be a six
things and I'll be like, fuck, this sixth thing is really good. I need to fit it. And then it
becomes like a bonus thing. Anyway, number four is they are supportive of the people in
their industry.
We don't want to surround ourselves with lone wolves who believe that being in
business requires for them to be a competitive shark, right? You're not going to set
yourself up for success if you're constantly trying to support someone who's seeing you
as a threat, because they're going to see you commenting on their post on LinkedIn and
they're going to think, oh my God, who is this coach treading on my territory. Excuse
me. And they're going to try to make you look stupid.
Now, these people genuinely do not do well in business. They may succeed in the short
term, but ultimately they crash and burn because no one wants to support them. It's not
a good look, but if you're just worried about your mindset and you being in this
expansive state and having the right people around you, you want to be able to identify
these people so you don't waste your time on them and you don't waste your energy on
them and your attention. And lastly, this is going to sound counter to a lot of what I've
talked about. You want to lean into those who are comfortable being transactional.
I want you surrounding yourself with people who are absolutely 100% confident asking
the question, what's in it for me? Because there's nothing wrong with being
transactional. There are going to be moments in your business where someone reaches
out to you and they ask, hey, can we do an email list swap where I give you a couple of
emails and you send them off to your list and you give me a couple of emails and I'll
send them off to mine. And I want you to be completely confident in asking how many
people they have on their email list. What those people are typically interested in. Are
they your ideal clients? Because you may have a list full of this other person's ideal
clients, and it would massively benefit them to get in front of them if there's no
reciprocity. If their list isn't your ideal client, then why would you waste your time and
why would you waste the attention of your audience? And saying no in those instances
does not make you a bad person. Likewise, I don't want you being invited to speak at
events if you're not being paid for it. This is something that really grinds my gears, and I
can't believe I just said that saying, but it grinds my gears, especially when I see
“women empowering organizations”, quote-unquote, “women empowering
organizations” reach out to female speakers, asking them to speak at their events and
then saying what you'll get out of it is you'll get exposure.
You're going to get exposure. We want to highlight everything that you do for the world,
and you're going to be exposed, to exposed? That sounds really bad. You're going to be
made visible to our whole audience, and that's how it's going to benefit you. No. You're
charging for tickets. You're charging for sponsors. You have a budget for the venue. You
have a budget for food.
You have a budget for WiFi. Make a budget for speakers. If you really empower women
and support women, stop asking women to do work for free. They are providing a
massive value to you. They are your entertainment. You would not expect Blink 182 to
show up and perform a whole set at your event without being paid. Likewise, even just a
DJ, not to shit on DJs, just a basic DJ who does weddings, you wouldn't expect them to
show up and do a whole wedding and do it for free for, quote, unquote “exposure”. Why
are you doing this to other professional women? And to flip this.
If you're that professional woman, if you are that person who speaks as part of your
business, and you are constantly being asked to speak for free, and you are not setting
that boundary, and you are not unfollowing those people who dare to ask such a stupid
question. There comes a point where that's on, you surround yourself by the people
who are not only comfortable with things being transactional and mutually beneficial in
an even way, but who will presume that it's the same for you. Excuse me. Ha. Squirrel,
squirrel, squirrel, squirrel.
© 2022 - 2023 Katie McManus – Business Strategy For Weenie ADHD-preneurs