When you work with enough business owners, you realise there’s no such thing as a standard way of thinking.
Everyone brings something different to the table, and that difference can be the making of a brilliant business. But when the way your brain works doesn’t match the expectations around you, things can get hard. Really hard.
That’s something Graham Summerscales, Executive Coach at All About Change in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, knows better than most.
Graham is an experienced coach with a background working internationally. But it wasn’t until his 50s, after a personal crisis and a late-night doomscroll through YouTube, that something clicked. He came across a TED Talk called Failing at Normal by Jessica McCabe. In her story, he recognised his own.
“I was ticking off the traits one by one. I do that. That’s me. That’s me. That’s me.”
It was the start of a long-overdue ADHD diagnosis, one that gave Graham something he hadn’t had before: clarity.
This powerful conversation was part of an episode of TABcast, hosted by Simon Banks, facilitator of TAB Wakefield, who brings curiosity and care to every discussion he leads. It’s well worth a listen if this topic is close to home.
For Graham, the diagnosis didn’t change who he was, but it finally explained a lot of the why.
Why did staying focused on specific tasks feel impossible? Why could boredom feel physically painful? Why was he constantly jumping between ideas, or why did he need background noise just to concentrate?
But more than anything, it helped him stop beating himself up.
Because that’s what happens, isn’t it? Especially in business. If you’re not working like other people, if you struggle with things others find easy, you start to question yourself. It chips away at your confidence. You mask. You overcompensate. And eventually, you burn out.
Graham now specialises in coaching people with ADHD, many of whom are business owners. He helps them understand what’s going on, build the right coping strategies, and stop trying to force themselves into a system that was never built for them in the first place.
His message is simple: You’re not broken. You don’t need fixing. You just need to be understood.
We often talk at TAB about designing your business to play to your strengths. That matters for everyone, but for neurodiverse business owners, it can be the difference between thriving and just surviving.
A lot of the ADHD business owners Graham works with are brilliant at what they do. Full of ideas, energy, instinct. But they struggle with the structure and admin needed to scale.
Sales get put off. Finances fall behind. Processes never get built. And the energy that drives the business is consumed by frustration and fatigue.
The advice? As Graham puts it: “Don’t do what you’re not good at.” Sounds obvious, but it’s so often ignored.
For those still early in the journey, maybe without a diagnosis but feeling overwhelmed, Graham recommends building a support system wherever you can. Use your network. Delegate what drains you. And when the time is right, look at schemes like Access to Work, which can fund practical support for business owners with a formal ADHD diagnosis.
There’s a message here for business leaders too, especially if you're managing someone who might be neurodiverse.
ADHD is now classed as a disability under the Equality Act 2010. But more than that, supporting people properly is just good business sense.
If someone’s showing up late, missing deadlines, or zoning out in meetings, the answer isn’t “just try harder.” It’s “what’s getting in your way, and how can we support you better?”
Psychological safety is key. Create space for open, honest conversations. Listen. Understand. Make adjustments that help people do their best work. The return on that investment, in loyalty, productivity and wellbeing, can be huge.
Everyone with ADHD experiences it differently. Some people hyperfocus and fly. Others freeze and stall. It’s not about labels, it’s about understanding.
If you’re a business owner and any of this resonates with you, you’re not alone. Whether it’s through coaching, peer support, or just talking to someone who gets it, help is out there.
And if you’re supporting someone who thinks differently, lean in. Ask questions. Build trust. You’ll not only get the best out of them, but you’ll also likely learn a lot about yourself along the way too.
If you’re a business owner or leader facing similar struggles, or you want someone to talk to who understands the pressures you’re under, get in touch with The Alternative Board. Whether it's one-to-one coaching or the support of a peer board, we’re here to help you find clarity, build momentum and make space to think.
As Graham says, “If I can help just one person feel safe, feel seen and find a way to thrive, I’ve done my job.”