ADHD reWired Ep 557: Building Systems That Work for You (and Not the Other Way Around)

Guest: Stephanie Blake (Business Coach, CEO, The Simple Business School & The Blake Collective)
Host: Eric Tivers, LCSW, ADHD-CCSP
Date: September 30, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on how adults with ADHD can simplify, automate, and structure their businesses (and lives) to serve their unique ways of operating—rather than contorting themselves to fit conventional systems. Guest Stephanie Blake, a business coach who specializes in helping neurodivergent entrepreneurs, shares her journey from overwhelm to clarity and covers practical strategies, tools, and mindset shifts for working fewer hours, building authentic brands, and letting go of perfectionism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Stephanie's ADHD Journey & Family Context

• Stephanie was diagnosed with ADHD at 33, after seeking answers for her son’s behavior.
• The recognition: “I was reading through all these articles, and I was like, oh, no, I have this.” (03:00)
• Meds were life-changing; overwhelm, sensory overload, and noise (especially as a mom) were significant triggers.
• Both Stephanie and Eric acknowledge possible autistic traits and the overlap with ADHD, especially regarding sensory issues.
  “I think I actually have the autism thrown in there. I haven’t been formally diagnosed.” —Stephanie (04:10)

2. Overwhelm, Overwork, and the Power of Simplifying

• Many business owners—with or without teams—tend to overcomplicate everything, especially at the start.
• Common themes: trying to do too much, piecing together countless tools, feeling buried by admin and tech issues.

“It always comes down to one thing, which is simplifying. Simplifying what you're selling and simplifying the back end of your business too.” —Stephanie (06:41)

• Advice: Start by selling ONE thing and dial it in before layering in complexity.
• On tools: Don’t cobble together 20+ apps if you can help it; seek all-in-one solutions or intentional, minimal stacks.

3. The Simple Business Suite: Tools and Customization

• Stephanie describes her all-in-one system that’s customized—users only see the tools they need, helping reduce shiny object syndrome and unnecessary distractions.
• Personalization for ADHD brains: removing menu items and features reduces cognitive load and overwhelm.

“If you don’t need an ecommerce shop, you won’t even see that in your account… you’re not getting distracted by all of these different features.” (08:25)

4. Team, Delegation, and Letting Go

• A key to working 20 hours a week is delegation—Stephanie has just one main team member, a VA for 20 hours/week, cutting her own hours in half.
• Recognizing financial realities: sometimes you’re not ready to hire, but also can’t afford NOT to.
• Importance of analyzing what tasks can be paused, eliminated, automated, or delegated.
• Letting go of perfectionism (in editing, emails, etc.) frees up time, energy, and authenticity.

“I don’t even edit my podcast episodes because I don’t care… If you resonate with me, you listen to it or you don’t.” —Stephanie (14:00)

5. Automations: Where to Start

• You must have a validated offer before automating—don’t automate what’s unproven.
• Use automation for onboarding: application, approval, payment, and scheduling can all be systematized, except the part where you decide if you want to work with someone.

Example automation flow:

1. Website application →
2. Email to you (alert) →
3. Move to “approved” →
4. Auto-email with payment info →
5. After payment, auto-email calendar link (26:00)

• About 70% of online businesses can be automated—but let go of the need for control.

6. Maintenance and Simplicity in Automation

• All tech breaks eventually; expect it, but don’t let fear stop you from automating.
• Keep your systems simple: fewer offers means fewer automations to maintain.
• Regular check-ins (maybe every 6 months), but most broken links or emails will usually get flagged by your own audience.
• Map your flow so when you need to troubleshoot, you know where to start.

7. Email and Content Automation: Reviewing and Updating

• Review and refresh automated email sequences every 6 months, especially as offers or business models change.
• If using mixed live/evergreen content, align all automations to your current core offer to avoid confusion or misaligned messaging (34:00).
• Let customer feedback drive updates—if something is outdated or breaks, someone will likely tell you.

8. Tools & Resources for ADHD Entrepreneurs

Stephanie’s Recommended Tool Stack:

• ClickUp: Project management, notes, reminders (quick add from mobile is ADHD-friendly) (35:01)
• Airtable: Data organization, more robust than spreadsheets, great for launches, bundles, or tracking info (36:14)
• Zapier: Connects apps, automates workflows where native integrations don’t exist (37:17)
• Streamyard: Used for live-streaming podcasts/interviews to multiple platforms, saving time over Zoom (37:31)
• Plus, Stephanie’s own Simple Business Suite for all-in-one backend business operations.

Shiny Object Syndrome:
Both Eric and Stephanie acknowledge the endless temptation of new tools; resist adding unless it clearly solves a current problem.

9. Authenticity, Connection, and Perfectionism

• Being real, vulnerable, and authentic fosters better connections and sustainable business (16:00).
• Don’t “scale” what isn’t working—test at small scale first, then automate or promote.
• Take breaks for clarity; don’t be afraid to pivot offers or messaging as markets or your situation shifts.

“Be okay with being you… Truthfully, that’s where that connection piece is going to propel you to the next level.” —Stephanie (16:31)

10. Final Advice & Big Picture Reflections

• Keep it simple: Overcomplicating delays progress and steals joy.
• Enjoy the journey: The goalpost will always move; focus on building a sustainable and enjoyable process.
• Let yourself off the hook: Accept imperfection, and don’t be afraid to discard what’s not working.
• Support matters: Don’t go it alone; find or build supportive community (whether for business, life, or self-care).

“If you’re not enjoying it, I mean, there’s no benefit to even doing it.” —Stephanie (39:54)

Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Diagnosis: “From the minute I walked in and started talking to the physician, she was like, you’re here for ADHD, aren’t you? She’s like, we don’t even really need to do a test.” —Stephanie (02:38)
• On Overwhelm: “I would just, like, lose my shit and freak out on everybody because I was just so overwhelmed…” —Stephanie (03:32)
• On System Overload: “I was spending over $1,000 a month just on tools… and things like the automations were breaking in the back end…” —Stephanie (08:58)
• On Perfectionism: “The last thing that you want to do is scale it... you can’t fix something that’s broken…” —Stephanie (17:17)
• On Simplicity: “Be okay with it being simple and be okay with not overthinking…” —Stephanie (39:09)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Stephanie’s diagnosis story & neurodivergence: (02:38–04:42)
• Sensory challenges & coping tools: (04:42–05:20)
• Business overwhelm & simplification: (05:52–07:37)
• The Simple Business Suite & ADHD customization: (07:57–08:48)
• Automations: Getting started & practical examples: (25:01–26:50)
• Maintaining automations & process mapping: (29:34–31:54)
• Updating email sequences & aligning to strategy: (32:16–34:33)
• Tool recommendations: (34:53–38:59)
• Closing thoughts & final advice: (39:09–40:25)

Where to Find Stephanie

• Website: theblakecollective.com
• Instagram: @theblakecollective

Takeaway

Whether you’re running a business or building a life, the same ADHD-friendly lessons apply: simplify, automate what makes sense, focus on what matters, let go of perfection—and always remember, you don’t have to do it alone.

(Summary prepared with original language and tone preserved wherever possible, focusing on strategies and mindset shifts valuable for adults with ADHD in business and in life.)