ADHD Business Coach Tips: Finding Your Flow as a Creative Solopreneur

Podcast: ADHD-ish
Host: Diann Wingert
Guest: Jess Molly Mercier (Creative, Branding Specialist, Diann’s recent rebrand partner)
Date: June 10, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of ADHD-ish, host Diann Wingert invites creative entrepreneur and branding specialist Jess Molly Mercier for a candid client success story. Together, they unpack the unique joys and chaos of running a creative business with an ADHD-ish mind, focusing on balancing creativity with consistency, collaborating for true transformation, and redefining what productivity means for neurodivergent solopreneurs. It’s a raw exchange that offers both practical strategies and permission to “eat the cake” (embrace enjoyment and authenticity).

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Recognizing ADHD-ish Traits in Business Owners

• Creative Overdrive and Overwhelm:
  • Jess shares the struggle of going through each day in a “reactive” mode, always chasing the next shiny thing and losing time on details.

    “I was consistently overwhelmed and consistently just sort of like squirreling my way through life, like, what’s the shiniest thing that I’m gonna go towards next?” – Jess (01:21)

• The Role of Social Media in Self-Identification:
  • Both discuss how the pandemic era brought ADHD traits into the mainstream, leading many (including Jess) to realize, “Hey, that’s me.”

    “It literally feels like since the pandemic, everybody’s talking about freaking ADHD on social media.” – Diann (02:21)

2. Diagnosis vs. Embracing Differences

• To Label or Not:
  • Jess opens up about coming from a family with anxiety and depression—and her decision to avoid medication unless truly necessary. Her priority: adaptation over self-fixing.

    “I’m not broken. I just need to adapt.” – Jess (05:50)

  • Diann notes that a diagnosis can offer relief for some, but for many, true change comes from self-acceptance and working with their brain (not against it).
• Beyond Medication:
  • Medication, while useful, is not a cure-all. Real success lies in discovering personal methods for attention, productivity, and well-being.

    “Even if you were on medication… that really only addresses a small percent of managing these traits.” – Diann (09:21)

3. Redefining Productivity as a Creative

• Transactional vs. Collaborative Work:

  • Jess contrasts “transactional” (simply delivering a product for money) with “collaborative” (co-creating based on intimate understanding) approaches in branding.

    “[Transactional is] you hiring me to do a job, pay me to do it... but what I really, truly love to do is… go deeper.” – Jess (13:37)

  • For Jess, true branding work is deeply personal and requires emotional engagement and feedback.

• Embracing Self-Trust and Creative Authority:

  • Diann highlights Jess’s journey from self-doubt (due to being self-taught) to confidently owning her creative process.

    “You gave yourself permission, Jess, to take charge of your own creative identity, your own creative process.” – Diann (16:24)

4. Personal Growth Through Business and Loss

• The Power of a Mirror (Collaboration & Coaching):

  • Jess likens coaching to having a “mirror”—someone to reflect back your value and push you outside your comfort zone.

    “My favorite thing that I get to do is push people, like, outside of their comfort zone.” – Jess (18:02)

• Navigating Trauma and Business Growth:

  • Jess’s journey included deep personal loss—losing both parents within months. This brought new perspective on resilience and the value of self-compassion in business.

    “I lost my mother just over a year ago, and then two months later, my father… any sort of loss teaches you so much about yourself.” – Jess (26:39)

• Letting Go of Constant Hustle:

  • Both agree that productivity for ADHD-ish solopreneurs isn’t “constant hard work;” it’s about balancing focus with renewal. For Jess, that might mean thrifting, building pillow forts, or taking creative breaks—then returning to work energized.

    “The artist in me needs to have freedom. And if I'm putting the artist … into a box, then it’s just doing my creativity a disservice.” – Jess (23:37)

5. Consistency and Presence – On Their Own Terms

• Rejecting Normie Productivity Advice:

  • Jess and Diann discuss resisting “time-blocking” and instead honoring creative rhythms: big bursts of hyperfocus followed by necessary downtime.

    “When I’m in hyper focus—leave me alone, I’m getting the things done… But then there is a period of rest that needs to happen. Otherwise you will completely burn out.” – Jess (34:54)

• Being the “Most You-est You”:

  • They conclude that the true mark of success is authenticity, presence, and self-acceptance—not perfectionism or hustle.

    “The challenge of the ADHD brain… is double down on becoming the most you-est you and see what happens.” – Diann (31:35)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Defining ADHD-ish Identity:
  “No matter if I have the label or not, I’m still living with this brain.” – Jess (07:36)

• On Collaboration:
  “I don’t want small talk. Show me your soul.” – Jess (13:57)

• On Pushing Comfort Zones:
  “You may feel like you don’t want to put on those red stilettos, but I’m gonna make you put on those red stilettos, and I’m gonna make you walk across the room and shake your tush and see how you feel.” – Jess (18:44)

• Reframing Consistency:
  “For you… the best approach was stepping away from the business and living your life… so that when it’s time to sit down and be productive, you can do it.” – Diann (21:32)

• On Grief and Growth:
  “I feel like I could have gotten so much more out of this process if all of that hadn’t happened … but I’m exactly where I need to be.” – Jess (29:10)

• Radical Acceptance:
  “There’s no way you can do your own path wrong, I guess, is what it comes down to.” – Diann (31:30)

• Eat the Cake:
  “How about we eat the cake? … Like, just sitting down and like, spending that extra 30 seconds, like hugging your child. Like, just be present…” – Jess (32:51)

Important Segment Timestamps

• [01:21] – Jess’s day-in-the-life as a multi-passionate entrepreneur
• [05:50] – Jess on medication, adaptation, and self-acceptance
• [09:21] – Diann on the limits of a diagnosis and medication
• [13:36] – Transactional vs. collaborative branding explained
• [18:44] – Jess’s “red stiletto” metaphor for pushing clients to authenticity
• [21:32] – Redefining productivity/finding creative flow
• [23:37] – Why putting creativity “in a box” fails for ADHD-ish solopreneurs
• [26:39] – Coping with grief, loss, and major life transitions
• [29:10] – Growth through trauma and radical acceptance
• [31:35] – The “most you-est you” principle
• [32:51] – “Eat the cake” and the importance of presence
• [35:55] – Jess announces her new podcast “Brand Transformations”

Jess’s Next Chapter: Launching The Brand Transformations Podcast

• Jess is now hosting a private podcast, “Brand Transformations,” where she digs deep with past clients on their brand journeys—illustrating the difference between transactional and collaborative approaches.

• “I just love having the conversations. So it is launched. It’s a private podcast, so you have to subscribe, and then new, new episodes will come out as they’re aired.” – Jess (36:47)

Final Thoughts & Takeaways

• Authenticity, creativity, and collaboration—not rigid productivity hacks—are the keys to thriving as an ADHD-ish solopreneur.
• Grief, loss, or setbacks are part of the journey; growth comes from adaptation, presence, and radical acceptance.
• The best strategies are the ones tailored to how your brain works—permission to “eat the cake” is part of building a sustainable, joyful business.

For more:

• Check out the show notes for links to Jess’s new podcast, the client success story playlist, and more about collaborative branding.