How My ADHD Diagnosis at 39 Shaped My Business

March 18, 2025

If I’m honest, I’ve always felt like I approached things differently. I’ve always had big ideas, adapted to challenges in ways that others didn’t, and pushed boundaries where other people might hesitate. Looking back, it all makes sense now, but for years, I just thought I was wired differently—never realising that ADHD was the reason behind it all.

Before My Diagnosis: The Breaking Point

Before my diagnosis, I was reaching burnout. I had three children under ten, my husband was travelling internationally for work a lot, and I was running activ Marketing remotely. I have always loved work, but things began to dip in all elements of my life. As I was spread more and more thinly, it became harder to keep the mask on at all times.

A turning point came one day when I found myself sitting on the floor of my office in my house, crying my eyes out over a printer that wouldn’t work.

My husband was abroad, one of my kids was ill at home from school, and I had just reached breaking point. The demands of life—both in work and at home—had got too much.

My head was a fuzz, and I couldn’t get done what I needed to make sure everyone that depended on me was okay. My employees, my kids, my friends, my family. Let alone my own mental health and wellbeing.

Now, of course, it wasn’t about the printer. I had just pushed myself too far—masking, working all hours to catch up from the downtime I had to give myself, feeling guilty that I wasn’t being the best mum I could be to my three children, the best wife I could be, or the best business leader.

At that point, the stars aligned, and my mum happened to turn up at my house. She hadn’t seen how deep into burnout I had got. I remember she just said to me: “Katie, just go private and get a diagnosis.”

So I did.

Getting My ADHD Diagnosis

I went online to the ADHD Centre, booked an online assessment, and had it within 30 minutes.

I cried for the whole two-hour assessment and got my diagnosis a week later once all the supporting evidence from my husband and school reports had been gathered.

When I got my diagnosis over Zoom with my consultant, I completely broke down. But this time, I was happy—everything finally made sense.

I knew why I was creative, why I could think about things in a way that others didn’t, and why I pushed boundaries and never took no for an answer. I knew why I believed in myself, why I couldn’t stand injustice or inauthentic people.

I now knew why I felt emotions deeply and why I could read people so quickly.

I also knew why I’d get social burnout, why I relived conversations in my head for fear I’d said the wrong thing, and why I’d always found it hard to remember everything.

It was totally liberating.

I started medication four weeks later, and I have not looked back.

How ADHD Has Shaped My Entrepreneurial Journey

It’s made me think big, it’s made me ambitious, and it’s made me not afraid to push boundaries, make an impact, and disrupt things.

Since my diagnosis, the impact on my business has been immeasurable. I have a focus and clarity to my driven approach.

I can clearly build the business in a way that is strategic and effectively execute my ideas in a measured and controlled way.

Since my diagnosis, we have moved into offices, my team has grown, the business is thriving, we have seen growth, we’ve been shortlisted for awards, been noticed by the industry, and continue to excel. We’re smashing the business plan. I’ve even met Steven flipping Bartlett!

Don’t get me wrong, I still have days where I know I am struggling, but I know how to deal with it. I can take that step back and make things better.

What I Have Learned

Through this journey, I’ve learned some powerful lessons. If you’re navigating ADHD or just feeling like you’re wired a little differently, I hope these insights help!

1. Self-Awareness is Everything

Once I understood my brain, I was able to work with it, not against it. I stopped forcing myself into traditional structures that didn’t suit me and built a way of working that played to my strengths.

2. You Don’t Have to Do Everything Alone

I spent so long thinking I had to keep up with everyone else, but the truth is, asking for help and delegating made me a better leader, a better mother, and a better person.

3. Your Differences Are Your Superpower

For years, I thought I was maybe not good enough to shoot for my dreams – and this limited the growth of the business. Now, I realise that my way is just different—and that difference has been the absolute key to my success. Thinking outside the box, challenging norms, and seeing the world in a unique way is what sets entrepreneurs apart.

My Only Regret

My only regret is that I didn’t know what ADHD was earlier in life. It may have saved some major heartaches in my teens and twenties, led to improved relationships with certain people, and maybe I’d have made multi-millions by now (jokes!). But I truly believe life is a journey and we are all on the path that has been chosen for us, and I wouldn’t be the me I am today.

I would say to anyone who thinks they may have ADHD to have an assessment.

You’re not just ‘jumping on the bandwagon’—it’s a real thing that can massively impact everyday life and, if not addressed, affect relationships, mental health, and life overall.

So here I am at 40, embracing my ADHD, running a thriving business, and showing up as my authentic self every day. And honestly? I wouldn’t have it any other way.

If you are struggling and you want to chat, drop me a message over on Instagram. Always happy to help!

I have seen so many social media managers on TikTok recently sharing how tough Q4 is shaping up to be. Many described September as one of their worst months yet, with clients pulling out, content budgets cut, and income dropping overnight.

But that is not what we saw at activ.

And even if it had been evident in some way, it would not have shaken us. Our growth model, and the way we teach our franchisees to run their marketing businesses, is not built on luck or trends. It is built on structure, multiple income stream forecasting, and long term client relationships.

The difference between freelancing and building a business

It frustrates me to see brilliant, creative people losing sleep over the next invoice because they have never been shown how to make their income secure. The issue is not their skill. It is the lack of structure and guidance that turns creative chaos into commercial stability.

No one should live in that feast or famine cycle when they are self employed. I’ve been there, back in 2014 when I started out as a solo freelancer.

When I first went self employed, I had two clients. The contract values together came to £6.5k. At the time, that felt incredible. I thought, this is it, I am winning already.

But no.

Those projects consumed me. I had no time for business development, no processes, and no real boundaries. I was learning client management, pricing, and systems as I went along. What looked like profit on paper turned out to be pain in reality.

That was a massive wake up call.

I realised that you cannot build a business relying on two or three individuals to decide whether you get paid that month. Even though I have been there, I still find it crazy to think that so many self employed marketers are doing exactly that right now.

You need recurring income to create stability

Recurring income is what makes your business predictable. It gives you space to breathe, plan, and grow. It is the foundation that keeps your income steady when projects slow down or clients pause work. And yes, it needs to be secured with a contract!

If your clients are paying you on retainers or subscriptions with clear agreements in place, you are no longer waiting for someone else to decide whether you can pay yourself. You are running a business, not chasing invoices.

Now, the Pareto Principle tells us that 80% of your revenue usually comes from 20% of your clients. That is a natural pattern, but it is also a dangerous one when you only have a handful of clients in total. If one of those key clients leaves, your income takes a huge hit.

The goal is not to fight Pareto, but to rebalance it. Have enough clients in your mix that if one pauses, your bank account does not. A larger client base means smaller percentages per client, and that gives you security.

A forecast should be used to build a healthy mix of income streams that blend subscriptions, monthly fees, retainers, and one off project work. This approach gives balance, flexibility, and resilience. It allows you to plan ahead rather than live month to month hoping your next reel or pitch fills the gap.

How to build stability using the Solo Power® approach

My #SoloPower® approach is about creating structure and strategy so that freedom is built in, not hoped for.

Here are five actions you can take right now to step out of the feast or famine cycle.

Build recurring revenue first, not last
Even if your retainers start small, secure that predictable base before solely chasing project work. Stability gives you freedom to be creative again.
Review your pricing every quarter
If you are charging the same as you were six months ago but working harder, it is time to adjust. Value your expertise.
Set clear boundaries and processes
You teach clients how to treat you. Scope creep and time thiefs are business killers. Clear communication and contracts are essential.
Use a forecast
See what your next three months look like. Map your recurring income and identify gaps early. When you plan, panic disappears.
Stay connected to others in business
Isolation is dangerous. Community keeps you accountable, inspired, and supported when things get tough.

From feast or famine to freedom

The feast or famine cycle is not a test of resilience. It is a sign that your business is missing structure.

Freedom does not come from working alone. It comes from systems that protect your time, income, and creativity.

That is exactly what I teach through #SoloPower®, an approach built to help solo marketers and freelancers create security, community, and recurring income that lasts.

If you are ready to take the next step, my next FREE guide on How to Combat The Time Ceiling And Build Financial Security shows how to create sustainable structure in your business.

👉 Workbook- How to Combat The Time Ceiling and Build Financial Security