Alright, so in this particular episode of "Diary of a ADHD Strategist PODCAST", you're tuning in to hear me, the ever-so-slightly clueless Eli Dervonté, have a proper natter with a fascinating chap called John Torrens. Now, John's a busy man, juggling life as a professor of entrepreneurial practice at Syracuse University – a top-notch department in the US, no less – where he coaches students with their new business ideas. But that's not all; he also runs a therapy company that supports young children with disabilities, which sounds absolutely brilliant because he's clearly driven by something more than just making a few quid.

What I love about these chats is you never quite know where they're going to go, and John's story is a prime example. He was an entrepreneur first, selling his business back in '08 and then finding his way into academia. Interestingly, he then bought part of his company back, so he's been brilliantly balancing both worlds, using his business experiences to inform his teaching and vice versa.

Now, what really struck me was when we got onto the topic of ADHD. It turns out John was diagnosed in his 40s, which I found incredible considering he'd already scaled his business to over 250 employees. He reckons that the early chaotic stages of growing a company are actually where folks with ADHD can really thrive. He even mentioned doing research and writing a book on the link between ADHD and entrepreneurship.

It wasn't all plain sailing though. John shared a pivotal moment where he realised his team was relying on his limited financial knowledge, which spurred him to go back to university for a PhD in business. He felt a real need to get a proper grip on that side of things.

Later on, his employees actually nudged him towards considering ADHD, which led to his diagnosis. Looking back, it all made sense – the report card comments about not focusing and shouting out answers in class. He feels that understanding his ADHD helped him reframe how he approached his work and, importantly, his relationships with his employees.

We also touched upon the "what ifs" of an earlier diagnosis. While it might have presented challenges in a less understanding era, John also sees how early awareness could have been beneficial. Interestingly, he tried medication but ultimately found alternative ways to manage his ADHD, focusing on his consumption – food, media, information – and his output, like daily movement, and delegation. He even delved into meditative and breathwork practices.

His decision to pursue a PhD in finance, even though he could have just delegated the financial side of his business, resonated with me. John candidly admitted it stemmed from a feeling of not being "enough" and a desire to master that area. Despite this, he's a big advocate for delegation now, seeing himself as the least important person in his successful business.

Thinking back to his childhood, John could see those ADHD traits as early as primary school, particularly his initial struggles with reading and the impulsive moments like shouting out answers in class. He highlighted the research showing how ADHD traits can be highly functional in the context of entrepreneurship, with a much higher percentage of successful entrepreneurs identifying with these traits compared to the general population. However, he also stressed the flip side – how those same strengths can become liabilities if not managed.

Growing up, getting the boring stuff done was a real challenge for him, and he admitted to being an average student who prioritised fun and experiences over top grades.

We then got chatting about his book, "Lightning in a Bottle, How entrepreneurs can harness their ADHD to win". It came about from his research into the link between ADHD and entrepreneurship and the overwhelming response he received after giving a TEDx talk on the subject. Writing the book was a challenge from a discipline perspective, and recording the audiobook proved even more difficult, leading him to delegate that task to a professional. He doesn't have immediate plans for a follow-up book but hasn't ruled out the possibility of his podcast transcripts forming the basis of one in the future.

John's now running a new podcast called "The Total Entrepreneur Mind, Body Spirit", focusing on the holistic well-being of entrepreneurs. He's also thinking about transitioning his company to employee ownership and eventually spending more time surfing in Costa Rica. He seems to be in a really content phase of life, appreciating the present rather than constantly striving for more.

What keeps him grounded is a focus on healthspan over lifespan – wanting to live a healthy and vital life for as long as possible. He also identifies as spiritual, believing in being part of something bigger.

His one piece of advice for neurodivergent listeners is to focus on their strengths and find a path that allows them to tap into those, while also recognising and managing the potential downsides of those same strengths.

It was a cracking conversation, and if you're keen to learn more, you can find John on LinkedIn, his website johntorrens.com, and his book "Lightning in a Bottle" on Amazon. Do have a listen to his podcast too – I reckon it's going to be full of valuable insights. John, cheers for your time – it was a real pleasure.

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S5 EP14: Living with ADHD an Entrepreneur's Journey with John Torrens