The ADHD Entrepreneur: How to Find the Business for You

Entrepreneurship can be an amazing path for ADHD brains, but starting a business with ADHD can feel like standing at a buffet with too many choices. Your brain is likely overflowing with ideas, which can leave you completely overwhelmed by the thought of picking just one. The unending potential options can leave you in freeze mode, taking no action! Trust me, I get it. Having ADHD often means that you're creative, driven, and full of potential but also easily paralyzed by indecision. The fear of picking the "wrong" idea can keep you stuck in the planning stage.

There’s no perfect first step, and you won’t find your path until you start taking action. And even when you do dive in and start your business, it’s going to change as you learn and grow. So, how do you even get started when you have a million business ideas are stuck in analysis paralysis? You’re in the right place! I’ve got a handful of steps to get you out of freeze mode.

Step 1: Make Experimentation Your Bestie

The best way to figure out what business to start or what services to offer is to try things on for size. You don’t have to commit to anything 100% right out of the gate. One of the great things about entrepreneurship is that it’s flexible. In the early stages, it’s okay to experiment with different ideas to see what resonates with you and what feels sustainable.

Start by thinking of your business ideas as experiments rather than decisions you’re locked into forever. Your goal is to gather information and experience—not to be perfect or have everything figured out right away. Give yourself permission to explore and make mistakes because those mistakes will help guide you toward the right path.

Step 2: get your ideas out of your head

If you’re anything like me, your ideas are floating around in your head or scattered across a hundred notes on your phone. The first step to gaining clarity is to get all these ideas down on paper. Yes, all of them (or as many of them as you can think of)—no matter how big, small, or seemingly random. Using sticky notes and a blank wall for this can be helpful for future steps! I recommend you set a time for this so you don’t get stuck in this step forever.

Once you’ve written them all out, start categorizing them based on themes. For example, if some of your ideas are product-based and others are service-based, separate them into those categories. This will help you start seeing patterns and give you a clearer sense of which types of ideas appeal to you the most. You can see the sticky notes coming into play here! If you went the sticky note path, rearrange them so similar things are together. There isn’t a ‘best’ way to organize your ideas. Use a system that works for you.

Step 3: Evaluate Your Strengths and Weaknesses

Take some time to reflect on your personal passions, strengths and weaknesses, especially in relation to the ideas on your list. What skills or talents do you already have? What types of tasks or activities do you enjoy? What people or groups of people do you like to spend time with? Conversely, where do you tend to struggle, and what tasks do you find draining?

You can start to narrow down your options by looking for ideas that align with your abilities and things your enjoy spending time on. This is especially important for ADHDers because you’ll want to choose a business that plays to your strengths rather than forces you to fight against your weaknesses constantly.

Step 4: Try Things Out

This is where the magic happens. Instead of stressing over which idea is the one, go out and try them on. This step is all about giving yourself a low-pressure way to experiment with your ideas.

Here are a few ways you can test out your ideas without a massive commitment:

• Provide free or low-cost services: If your idea involves offering a service (like coaching, consulting, or design work), start by offering those services to friends, family, or even through online platforms like Facebook groups. This way, you get to test the waters without the pressure of building a full business. You can also ask for feedback to help you improve your offering.

• Shadow someone in the field: If you're unsure whether a certain industry or job is right for you, find someone already doing it and ask if you can shadow them for a day or two. This will give you a sense of what the work involves and whether it's something you could see yourself doing long-term. Networking in your target field can also open doors to opportunities you hadn’t considered.

• Offer a “trial run” product: If you’re thinking of launching a product, see if you can create a small batch and offer it on a limited basis. Platforms like Etsy are great for selling handmade products with minimal setup. Or, if your product is digital, offer it to a select group of beta testers for feedback.

The goal here is to gather data without a significant commitment of time or money. What did you enjoy doing? What felt easy and fun, and what felt like a grind? Pay attention to how you feel during the process, and don't hesitate to pivot if something doesn’t feel right. If there were several things you enjoyed, what do they have in common? Are there other paths that you’d like to try out after trying a few things on for size? If there are, look for ways to take them for a test drive before you move on to next steps.

Step 5: Get started in a Way That Works for You

One of the trickiest parts of starting a business with ADHD is all the things we think we have to do before we can launch. We try to have things perfect before we are ready, and our love for the new and shiny can mean that we never get to a place that feels right. I encourage you to create a list of trust must-haves before you launch and a list of nice-to-haves that can come later. I thought I had to have a finished website before I started, but I launched without one because I got bogged down in how to make that happen. And you know what? It was perfectly fine for the first year and a half without one. Yes, having one would have helped, but it wasn’t essential because I could lean on social media and word of mouth to connect with new clients.

Step 6: Focus on What Energizes You

One thing I’ve learned as a coach is that ADHDers tend to struggle the most with tasks that feel boring or uninspiring. If you’re finding it hard to get motivated around certain business ideas, it’s probably a sign that those ideas aren’t a good fit.

Instead of forcing yourself to pursue something just because it seems like the “right” business model, pay attention to the ideas that light you up. Which ones make you excited to get out of bed? What could you talk about for hours without losing interest? These ideas are more likely to lead to success because you’ll be able to sustain your energy and focus long-term.

Step 7: Build Momentum with Small Wins

Starting a business can feel overwhelming, but breaking it down into smaller steps is key. The more small wins you accumulate, the more momentum you’ll build, which will keep you moving forward.

Set small, achievable goals, like landing your first paying client or setting up an online booking tool to help clients book with you. Celebrate each win—no matter how small—because every step forward is a step closer to bringing income into your business.

Step 8: don’t try and go it all alone

Starting a business doesn’t have to be a solo endeavour. One of the best things you can do is surround yourself with support, whether that’s a mentor, a coach, an accountability buddy, or a community of like-minded entrepreneurs.

Consider joining ADHD entrepreneur forums, mastermind groups, or local business networks. Having people to bounce ideas off of and hold you accountable can make a world of difference, especially when ADHD symptoms like procrastination or overwhelm start to creep in.

Step 9: Adjust as you go

Lastly, give yourself permission not to have it all figured out. Your business doesn’t have to be flawless right out of the gate. It’s better to start messy and make adjustments as needed than to never start at all. I have personally made lots of pivots in my business, from the services I offer to my ideal client.

The truth is that most successful entrepreneurs don't have everything figured out at the beginning. They learned through trial and error, pivoted when necessary, and kept going even when things weren’t perfect. You can do the same.

Starting a business when you have ADHD might feel like an uphill battle, but it’s entirely possible—and an amazing way for you to earn income without the rigidity of being an employee. Your ADHD brain is wired for creativity and innovation, and the world needs your unique ideas. By experimenting, leaning into your strengths and taking small steps forward, you’ll eventually land on the business that’s right for you. So stop overthinking it—get out there and start trying things. The sooner you do, the sooner you'll find the path that’s meant for you.