Bournemouth businesswoman speaks about challenges of running a company with ADHD

A Bournemouth businesswomen with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has spoken about the challenges of running a company with the condition.

Rachel Clayton owns Fruition for Business which helps other business owners with ADHD fulfil their projects and work more efficiently.

She spoke as October is ADHD awareness month.

ADHD affects around 2.6 million people in the UK – 4.4% of the adult population.

Rachel, 38, said: “I come at it from a strategic point of view where I help them through their projects or plans and help break things down.

“I was diagnosed with dyslexia and mild ADD [attention deficit disorder] when I was at university, about 20 years ago.”

Rachel helps business owners who have ADHD or are neurodivergent break down projects or problems using strategies and coping mechanisms such as management tools to help them bring their projects to fruition.

“Taking on a big project or even doing something as simple thing as getting client work done – for someone that’s neurodivergent it can feel extremely overwhelming,” she said.

Rachel is currently training to be a certified ADHD practitioner, aiming to coach more people with ADHD in general rather than just on a business level.

ADHD is kind of me, it’s one and the same.

She explained that ADHD can make everyday life more difficult: “An example is last night, I woke up to give my little boy a bottle and I can’t go to sleep because my brain kicks in and I start thinking of all the things that I need to do.

“ADHD is kind of me, it’s one and the same. It impacts me throughout the whole 24 hours of the day.”

ADHD can make general tasks more difficult such as brushing your teeth and getting dressed. Rachel said the process of deciding on an outfit and then putting it sometimes gets too overwhelming.

She explained further aspects that affect day-to-day life such as spikes and dips in energy levels, overstimulation, and time management.

ADHD Awareness Month helps more people learn about the symptoms of ADHD and the struggles that those with the disorder may face. Many women and girls are struggling to get diagnoses due to the way that their symptoms appear.

“Now we’ve learned now that hormones have a massive impact on ADHD and that’s why people that are reaching perimenopause are starting to look up symptoms of ADHD and now going through doses with the diagnosis with ADHD,” said Rachel.

ADHD Awareness Month will help people get the right support. “Whether it be through support from their family that friends or even just having the acknowledgement that that is what’s they’ve been going through,” said Rachel.

You can learn more about Rachel Clayton’s business ‘Fruition For Business’ here: https://www.fruitionforbusiness.co.uk/.