Different isn't less + burnout, PDA, and the truth about deadlines.
For a long time, I thought that building a business that actually worked for me meant building a business that was... Less than other businesses.
Smaller.
Less serious.
Less profitable.
Less likely to make a real impact.
Less likely to create good jobs.
Less likely to create lasting change in the world.
As much as it sucks to admit it, even I thought that building a business that didn't follow the neurotypical model of success meant that I would get results that were... Well, less.
The standard model is to hustle, to sacrifice, to exploit and extract, to cause harm while saying shit like "it's not personal, it's just business." To lose sleep and sacrifice my health and sacrifice my children and my relationship with them.
And since I refuse to take those actions, and culture tells us that those actions are what are required to build something successful, logic would dictate that I won't be as successful if I don't do those things.
That's not true.
I've realized, building a business that works with your brain doesn't just build you a cutesy, lesser version of a "real" business. It's not a business with an asterisk*, a qualifier, a business but built for someone like me.
It's actually better.
When we actually shift the whole model of business to work for ND folks, it actually works better for NT folks, too.
All of business can be better if we build businesses using the Unworking frameworks. Like, consider these things:
- Building honest systems means that we gain back all of the time we spend on pretense and pretending that we can do things we can't. We build systems for object permanence issues, we create project-based stuff so we don't have to pretend we have the same energy every day, and we stop trying to show up and perform when we're unable (and it takes twice the energy.)
We gain back all of the time and mental bandwidth we spent on trying to remember things we can't remember, and we just build systems to do that for us. Our businesses can grow faster because we're setting up our systems faster and more sustainbly. - Sustainable businesses are resilient. I know that sounds really obvious, like, duh, but we don't think of it that way. When we build businesses that expect executive dysfunction and inconsistent energy and rejection sensitivity and demand avoidance and time blindness, we also build businesses that are more resilient to market changes, staff turnover, interest rate fluctuations... All of that EXTERNAL stuff that often makes the "razors' edge" hustle mentality businesses collapse.
- Honesty makes better decisions. We stop taking on poor-fit clients just because we could help them. This gets us better results, more word of mouth, and more growth. We stop building offers with runaway minecarts full of features and focus on our real capacity, making more efficient and valuable packages that do more for our clients with less.
- We make more money when we estimate for actual time in a project, instead of trying to be more affordable by not accounting for the recovery time, creative time, rest time, etc. between projects. Yes, I'm saying your clients should be paying for your naps. They benefit from them by getting immense value from a well-rested expert!
I'm not out here tearing down stereotypes and trying to shake up how we do business just so that we can do the neurotypical way with less effort. That's not what this is about.
If we want to get the same (or better) results than the traditional model of business would give us, we can't just slap a pretty bow on our biggest struggles and try to mask harder.
We have to change the model.
We have to change the way we do business.
Unworking isn't about finding ways to do things the way you're supposed to in spite of yourself.
It's about doing things a different way.
And different isn't less.
It's just different.
- Cheryl
❤️ More Support
We're about 10 days out from the OFFICIAL start date of the Neurodivergent Accessible Provider Program - our 16-week certification program for service providers who want to work with neurodivergent folks in their businesses and get more ND clients.
With the certification, you get everything you need to make your business more accessible for YOU and everyone you serve, PLUS a full marketing plan to help you attract and retain more neurodivergent clients who need you, plus a full year of marketing, ops, communications, design, movement, bookkeeping, and executive functioning support.
All inclusive. Nothing extra to buy. One-stop shop.
🐿️ Squirrel Squad - Facebook Group Updates
A few members have asked about the Guides recently. I'll be adding a lot more resources over the next while, but to start you off, this is the link to what is already posted.
We've had a lot of new members recently, and some cool threads about executive functioning. Lots of requests for software tools. Make sure you visit regularly to get updates!
