In her prior work as a federal attorney for the SEC, Otsuka had trouble finding blouses that were work-appropriate. “I saw what designers were offering, but it wasn’t working for me as a professional woman. Their blouses were either too sheer or too low-cut.”
It didn’t fail. Her womenswear line was sold in major department stores such as Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue.Every entrepreneur knows the gut-punch of an idea or a project that fizzled. But ADHD individuals are accustomed to peeling themselves off the floor and, after a bit of recovery time, swinging again.
“When we are connected to our zone of interest, we’re doing something we are passionate about. But that’s not enough,” Otsuka says. “There’s a desire to live up to our potential. We have a fear that we’re running out of time, and we want to do something purposeful with our lives. So we hang in there. It’s tenacity and life purpose.”ADHD entrepreneurs think fast, talk fast, and move fast. They act first and think later.
Instead, he launched a public speaking firm, drawing on his complex personal history to inspire others — including corporate groups. Then he saw other speakers struggling, so he set up training programs to help them share their own stories., to challenge the unconscious and conscious belief systems of children and adults with ADHD. “I’ve dedicated my life to causes that are valuable to the community in general,” he says., a training program that helps women find their life purpose.
As he created ADD Crusher as a “solopreneur,” he learned a lot about his own ADHD. “My formula has been: be aware of how my brain works and does not work,” Brown says. “Just knowing that, versus being in the dark and getting frustrated, can stop the negative self-talk.”
Fantastic article. ADHD’ers have the gift of incredibly dynamic brains- the world NEEDS these traits to see incredible ideas and businesses come to life!