ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator

Hosted by Steve August

Business Entrepreneurship

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159

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Aug 2026

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About the show

You’re an entrepreneur with ADHD. You’ve got big ideas, a fast brain… and a to-do list that’s longer than a CVS receipt. You’re driven—but staying focused, finishing what you start, and scaling your business? That can feel impossible. Welcome to the ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator Podcast. Hosted by Steve August—ADHD coach, founder, and lifelong entrepreneur. Steve ha's built and exited companies, served as CMO of a $100 million business. Late diagnosed with ADHD at age 54, Steve now helps ADHD entrepreneurs get out of overwhelm find their focus and create freedom. This podcast is your go-to resource for building a business that works with your ADHD brain, not against it. We’re talking " brain-first" practical strategies to help you prioritize, start focus and finish, and sustain over time so you can reap the rewards of your brilliance. If you've ever felt like traditional business success advice wasn’t made for how your brain works, this show proves there's a different path. One built not in spite of your brain - but because of it. You’ll hear real stories from founders who are growing businesses without burning out… and we’ll keep it simple, actionable, and ADHD-friendly every step of the way. So if you’re ready to grow your business, feel free, and finally say… ‘Not now, squirrels. We’ve got work to do.’ Hit subscribe. Let’s go!

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60 recent

August 20, 202611 min

Twice Exceptional, Twice As Hard: ADHD and Business

Steve wasn't diagnosed with ADHD until 54, which means he's still running into terms he would have qualified for decades earlier. This week's term is "twice exceptional," and it explains something a lot of late-diagnosed ADHD entrepreneurs will recognize: the same brain that built your early success can quietly turn into your biggest obstacle. Steve unpacks a recent conversation with a late-diagnosed ADHD entrepreneur whose career followed a familiar arc: early success built on vision, connection-making, risk tolerance, and the ability to turn crisis into progress, followed by real struggle once the business (or the organization around them) matured and started demanding consistency, iteration, and operational discipline instead. Same brain, same skills, different container, and that's exactly where things started to break, a pattern Steve lived himself after taking a startup from idea to a multi-million dollar exit and then having to adapt to a 400-person corporate environment. That conversation introduced Steve to the term "twice exceptional" (2E): exceptional fluid intelligence and creativity, paired with exceptional neurodivergence, including the real executive function and working memory deficits that come with ADHD. Dr. Hallowell's description in ADHD 2.0 sums it up well: a Ferrari engine matched with bicycle brakes. Steve then walks through the framework he actually uses with clients, breaking execution down into three distinct skills (deciding, doing, and sustaining) and introducing the "dopamine desert," the space between intense interest and urgent consequence where good ideas quietly stall out. Key points: What "twice exceptional" (2E) means, and why it resonates so strongly with late-diagnosed ADHD entrepreneurs Why the same brain that fuels early-stage success can struggle once an environment matures and needs consistency instead of crisis-driven hustle The three separate skills that make up execution: deciding, doing, and sustaining What the "dopamine desert" is, and why "just try harder" isn't the fix Join Steve live: The ADHD Entrepreneur Game Plan Session is today, August 20th at 10:00 AM Pacific / 1:00 PM Eastern. Sign up here: https://go.steveaugustcoaching.com/gameplan Resources mentioned: ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator (AEX): https://adhd-accelerator.com Free Weekly ADHD Dashboard: https://go.steveaugustcoaching.com/adhd-dashboard Contact Steve: steve@steveaugustcoaching.com

August 13, 202614 min

The Project I Loved Is Dead to Me: An ADHD Entrepreneur's Guide Back In

You were all in on this project. Then life happened, and now your brain wants nothing to do with it. This week on ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator, Steve digs into a pattern he's heard from entrepreneur after entrepreneur lately: hyperfocused on a project, pulled away by a health crisis or a client emergency, and when they finally circle back, the excitement is just gone. Steve breaks down why that happens (it's dopamine and working memory, not a character flaw), why sustaining a project is one of the three core ADHD entrepreneur challenges, and three ways to find your way back into something you used to love - including how to tell when it's actually time to let one go. Sustaining is one of the three core ADHD entrepreneur challenges, alongside deciding and doing Why the "crush" on a project fades once it's out of sight Three ways back in: take the smallest slice, do it with someone else, revisit your Magnetic North Free Live ADHD Entrepreneur Gameplan Session, Thursday, August 20th, 10am PT / 1pm ET - register at go.steveaugustcoaching.com/gameplan Resources mentioned: ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator (AEX): https://adhd-accelerator.com Free Weekly ADHD Dashboard: https://go.steveaugustcoaching.com/adhd-dashboard Contact Steve: steve@steveaugustcoaching.com

August 6, 202611 min

ADHD Zen - The Teapot That Never Stops Pouring

This episode is a little different. There's an old Zen story about a professor who visits a Zen master to learn about Zen. The master pours him tea - and keeps pouring after the cup is full. "Your mind is like this cup," the master says. "How can I teach you unless you first empty it?" For ADHD entrepreneurs, Steve argues, the teapot never stops pouring. New ideas, shiny business models, worries, side quests - it just keeps coming, whether your cup is full, empty, or shattered on the floor. In this episode, Steve shares three practical moves for managing a pot that won't stop. Links: ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator (AEX): https://adhd-accelerator.com Free Weekly ADHD Dashboard: go.steveaugustcoaching.com/adhd-dashboard Contact: steve@steveaugustcoaching.com

July 30, 202610 min

Quiet Quitting: Why ADHD Entrepreneurs Abandon What's Working

Steve unpacks "quiet quitting" — the ADHD habit of walking away from campaigns and systems that are actually working — and shares the ritual that fixes it. In this episode, Steve covers: Why ADHD brains mistake "not novel" for "not working," and how that costs consistency in a business that rewards repeating what works. How Inevitable Drift shows up — losing sight of your Magnetic North, getting knocked off course by life, and chasing shinier ideas instead of sticking with what's proven. Two practical fixes: tracking your numbers so the data (not your brain's story) tells you what's working, and the Monthly Quests ritual — a first-Thursday-of-the-month practice used inside AEX to revisit wins, reconnect to Magnetic North, and set focused quests for the month ahead. Want the community and ritual that keeps you from quietly drifting off course? Join AEX: https://adhd-accelerator.com?utm_source="rss" Grab my ADHD Weekly Dashboard: https://go.steveaugustcoaching.com/adhd-dashboard?utm_source="rss"

July 23, 202611 min

The ADHD Business Time Trap Progress (And How to Escape It)

ADHD brains have four time zones: now, not now, never, and forever. That's time blindness - and it's why so many ADHD entrepreneurs struggle to turn big ideas into steady progress. In this episode, Steve shares Monthly Quests: the framework members of the ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator (AEX) use to zoom out from the week, stay tied to their bigger vision, and build momentum that compounds every month. He covers how to pick a quest, the difference between result-oriented and action-oriented goals, and the two questions that make any quest concrete — plus a real member story of going from zero to three-plus paying clients in two months. Enjoying the show? A five-star rating or review helps other ADHD entrepreneurs find it. Learn more about AEX: adhd-accelerator.com Grab Steve's free ADHD Weekly Dashboard: http://go.steveaugustcoaching.com/adhd-dashboard?utm_source=rss

July 16, 20269 min

The ADHD Procrastination Tax (And how to beat it)

In this episode, Steve breaks down the ADHD procrastination tax — the real cost, in money, time, and quality of life, of the shiny-object detours and distraction spirals that eat into work that should take a fraction of the time. Steve walks through a real example from his Focus Formula coaching cohort: a fractional consultant with three solid, well-paying clients whose work should only take 12 days a month — but procrastination was quietly filling all 20 working days. He unpacks why this happens (hello, dopamine desert), and the two tools that got her out of it: co-working/body doubling and quick emotional regulation techniques for when the nervous system gets dysregulated before a task even starts. In this episode: What the "ADHD procrastination tax" actually costs you in revenue, growth, and free time A real client example: how procrastination quietly filled every available working hour Why the "dopamine desert" (no urgent deadline, no intense interest) is where ADHD brains get stuck How co-working / body doubling breaks the cycle Quick emotional regulation techniques (tapping, breathing) to use before starting a hard task How working ahead builds self-trust — and why that becomes a virtuous cycle Free Masterclass — Thursday, July 16th, 10am PT / 1pm ET How to Cross the Dopamine Desert and Build Your Dream Business Even With ADHD Steve is teaching his most important lessons from four years since his ADHD diagnosis at age 54: the three real challenges ADHD entrepreneurs face, the real secret to time management with ADHD, and how to stop procrastinating and get the important things done. Free to attend, and replay available if you can't make it live. 👉 Register here: https://go.steveaugustcoaching.com/dopamine-desert?utm_source=r ss Links: Join ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator (AEX): https://adhd-accelerator.com Grab the free Weekly ADHD Dashboard → https://go.steveaugustcoaching.com/adhd-dashboard If this episode was helpful, a five-star rating on your favorite podcast platform goes a long way. Thanks for listening!

July 9, 202612 min

Diagnosed with ADHD at 54: What I Wish I'd Known Sooner

Late diagnosed ADHD entrepreneur? Steve shares his own diagnosis story — decades of unexplained struggle, a career that looked like chaos from the outside, and finally understanding his ADHD brain at age 54. In this episode, Steve goes back to the beginning of his own ADHD journey — from a career he used to joke had "career ADD," through a successful exit, corporate burnout, and building a coaching practice, all without knowing his brain was wired differently. He walks through the moment everything fell apart in 2023 despite his best year yet, what the diagnosis actually revealed (ADHD as a performance disorder, not an attention deficit), and the mindset shift that made the biggest difference: letting go of shame and treating ADHD as wiring to support, not a character flaw to fix. Also in this episode: Steve's free live masterclass, "How to Cross the Dopamine Desert and Build Your Dream Business Even With ADHD," happening July 16th at 10am PT / 1pm ET. It's free, and a replay will be available if you can't make it live. 👉 Register here: https://go.steveaugustcoaching.com/dopamine-desert?utm_source=rss Timestamps: 0:00 – Free masterclass announcement: Crossing the Dopamine Desert 1:00 – Revisiting Steve's own ADHD story 2:00 – "Career ADD" before diagnosis 3:00 – From startup exit to corporate burnout to coaching 4:00 – 2023: falling apart during his best year yet 5:00 – Getting diagnosed, and why meds alone weren't the answer 6:00 – ADHD as a performance disorder, not an attention disorder 7:00 – Why midlife diagnosis is so common (hormones, aging, lost coping capacity) 8:00 – The relief of finally understanding his brain 9:00 – Redefining what a "good week" looks like 10:00 – Letting go of shame and guilt 11:00 – "Make the important interesting" — building systems that evolve 12:00 – Closing thoughts and an invitation to share your story Resources: 🔗 Free Weekly ADHD Dashboard: go.steveaugustcoaching.com/adhd-dashboard 🔗 ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator: adhd-accelerator.com 📧 Contact: steve@steveaugustcoaching.com

July 2, 202610 min

Your ADHD Brain Isn't Broken - Your Business Model Might Be

Is Your Business Model a Mismatch for Your ADHD Brain? Welcome to the ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator Podcast. Host Steve August , Founder of ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator , helping late-diagnosed ADHD Entrepreneurs get out of overwhelm, reclaim their focus and build a business and life that feels free. In this episode, Steve explains that many ADHD entrepreneurs struggle not because their brains are broken but because their business model (or role within it) doesn’t fit how their brain works. He notes that high-touch, client-driven consulting, coaching, fractional, or agency models can pay well yet lead to fatigue, burnout, growth ceilings, and subtle self-sabotage as the brain resists more of the same. He recommends evaluating your “magnetic north” by separating mission (impact and who you help) from vision (how you want your days and weeks to feel, including time and money). He shares an example of shifting an e-commerce agency model toward coaching internal teams to reduce stress and ADHD-related challenges while serving the same mission. 00:00 Free Weekly ADHD Dashboard Get it here: //go.steveaugustcoaching.com/adhd-dashboard 00:35 Business Models and ADHD 02:24 When Consulting Hits a Ceiling 04:22 Magnetic North Mission Vision 06:31 Agency to Coaching Example 08:29 Choosing a Brain Fit Model 09:41 Scale Without Burning Out 10:04 Wrap Up and Call to Action 👉 Join the ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator – the coworking community designed specifically for ADHD entrepreneurs, solopreneurs, and creatives ready to make good on their brilliance AEX gives you the map, the system, and the support so you can look back at 6 months and say "I actually did it" - and feel like the entrepreneur your ideas and talents deserve. https://adhd-accelerator.com

June 25, 20269 min

How The Four Agreements guide ADHD Brains to stop assumptions and reduce daily overwhelm

🔥 ADHD making business harder than it needs to be? Try these free resources: 🧠 Start with my free Weekly ADHD Dashboard – The “Brain-first” system I use to plan my week and make consistent progress. 👉 https://bit.ly/the-four-agreements-evenmore-so-for-adhd-brains —------------------------------------------------------------ Welcome to the ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator Podcast. Host Steve August , Founder of ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator and August & Wonder , is an expert ADHD coach and productivity specialist, and shares how “The Four Agreements” book can help ADHD minds. In this short solo episode, Steve explains each agreement and why they matter more when you have ADHD. He talks about being kind with your words, not taking things personally, asking questions instead of assuming, and doing your best. Steve links these ideas to common ADHD struggles like self-criticism, rejection, and overwhelm. It’s a powerful and helpful episode for anyone with an ADHD brain. Steve knows how tough it can be for ADHD minds to deal with daily thoughts and feelings. He learned that “The Four Agreements” can really help ADHD brains feel calmer and clearer. These four simple ideas, be kind with your words, don’t take things personally, don’t assume, and always try your best, can change how you think and act. Steve explains how each one helps with things like overthinking, feeling rejected, or being hard on yourself. These tools make it easier to handle life and work without feeling lost or overwhelmed. Steve used to believe “The Four Agreements” was a great book, but after learning he had ADHD, it hit even harder. He saw how ADHD made things like self-talk, rejection, and quick assumptions feel bigger. Now, he teaches ADHD entrepreneurs how these four simple rules can help calm the chaos. By using kindness, asking questions, and doing your best, it’s easier to handle life and work. These tools help ADHD minds feel steadier, clearer, and less overwhelmed each day. Key Takeaways: Power of Words: How self-talk shapes how we feel and act with ADHD. Don’t Take It Personally: Why other people’s actions aren’t always about you. Ask, Don’t Assume: ADHD minds often fill in gaps, asking clears things up. Do Your Best: Your best looks different every day, and that’s okay. Real-Life Tools: Simple ideas to handle stress, rejection, and overthinking. Additional Insights: Words Matter: Kind self-talk helps calm ADHD’s inner critic. It’s Not About You: Others act from their own stories, not yours. Ask First: Questions clear up the stories we make in our heads. Do What You Can: Your best changes day to day, meet your brain where it is. Simple Tools Help: These four ideas bring more peace, focus, and control. Here are a few quotes from the episode: “Our words shape our world, especially the ones we tell ourselves.” - Steve August “Most of the time, it’s not about you, it’s their story, not yours.” - Steve August “Your best changes every day, and that’s totally okay.” - Steve August Join Steve August as he shares how “The Four Agreements” can help ADHD entrepreneurs handle self-talk, rejection, and overthinking, with simple rules that bring more calm, focus, and real ease to daily life and business. Episode Highlights: [00:00] - Teaser [01:29] - Welcome Back: Steve Talks About His Vacation [02:04] -Why Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements Matters More with ADHD [03:41] - Be Impeccable with Your Word [05:04] - Don’t Take Things Personally & Don’t Make Assumptions [07:36] - Always Do Your Best FOLLOW THE HOST: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-august-b2b-adhd-business-founder-coach/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-entrepreneur-accelerator/ August & Wonder: https://www.linkedin.com/company/augustandwonder/ Website: https://steveaugustcoaching.com/ Email: steve@steveaugustcoaching.com X: https://x.com/steveaugust Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveaugustpdx/ FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rocket-ship-founder/id1659287071 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDEntrepreneurAccelerator Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4rQhk7bt3ZriSNfeVLxBj9?si=10ec3f4b0a374035

June 18, 202612 min

Enough With the Productivity Porn: ADHD Brains Need Progress, Not Perfection

🔥 ADHD making business harder than it needs to be? Try these free resources: 🧠 Start with my free Weekly ADHD Dashboard – The “Brain-first” system I use to plan my week and make consistent progress. 👉 https://bit.ly/enough-witht-he-productivity-porn-Its-about-progress ------------------------------------------------------------- Welcome to the ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator Podcast. Host Steve August , Founder of ADHD Entrepreneur Accelerator and August & Wonder , challenges the obsession with productivity and explains why progress is what truly matters for ADHD entrepreneurs. He breaks down the difference between being busy and actually moving toward meaningful goals, and shares how to shift from a reactive mindset to a proactive one. Steve introduces the idea of finding your magnetic north, narrowing your focus to a weekly timeframe, and committing to decisions long enough to see real results. This episode offers practical guidance for building steady progress and avoiding distractions while growing a business with ADHD. Steve challenges ADHD entrepreneurs to rethink their focus on productivity and shift their attention toward progress. He explains that being busy and getting many tasks done does not always move you closer to your real goals. Instead, he encourages listeners to define their magnetic north by clarifying the impact they want to make and the life they want to build. Steve also suggests narrowing your focus to a weekly timeframe and choosing one key initiative to commit to. The goal is to make clear decisions, ignore distractions, and stay consistent long enough to see meaningful progress in your business. Key Takeaways: Focus on Progress: Being busy is not the same as moving forward. Think Weekly: Narrow your focus to what matters this week. Stick With It: Choose one path and ignore distractions long enough to see results. Additional Insights: Magnetic North Matters: Clear direction is required before real progress can happen. Limit Your Focus: A weekly view helps prevent everything from feeling urgent. Decision Builds Momentum: Choosing one path and staying with it creates steady progress. Here are a few quotes from the episode: “Progress is about getting to where you want to go.” - Steve August “If you do not know where you are going, you are never going to get there.” - Steve August “Because I chose it, it was the right choice.” - Steve August Join Steve August as he challenges ADHD entrepreneurs to move beyond productivity and focus on real progress. Learn how defining your magnetic north and narrowing your focus to one week at a time can create clear direction. Episode Highlights: [00:00] - Grab Your Free ADHD Dashboard to Master Your Week! [00:28] - Progress Over Productivity [03:09] - Reactive vs. Proactive [05:28] - Finding Your Magnetic North [06:22] - Sequencing Your Path [08:36] - Why Choosing Matters More [11:01] - Measuring What Counts FOLLOW THE HOST: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-august-b2b-adhd-business-founder-coach/ Company LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adhd-entrepreneur-accelerator/ August & Wonder: https://www.linkedin.com/company/augustandwonder/ Website: https://steveaugustcoaching.com/ Email: steve@steveaugustcoaching.com X: https://x.com/steveaugust Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steveaugustpdx/ FOLLOW THE PODCAST: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/rocket-ship-founder/id1659287071 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ADHDEntrepreneurAccelerator Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4rQhk7bt3ZriSNfeVLxBj9?si=10ec3f4b0a374035