Julie Legg chats with Angela Raspass, a Sydney-based business coach, mentor, author, and fellow late-diagnosed ADHDer. Angela shares her inspiring journey from corporate career to self-employment, discussing the unique strengths and challenges of being an ADHD business owner.
Angela shares how her diagnosis reshaped her understanding of past experiences and influenced her coaching approach. Together, they explore how embracing an ADHD lens can lead to greater self-compassion, awareness, and empowerment.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Journey to Self-Employment and Business Coaching: Angela transitioned from corporate work to self-employment after realizing the inflexibility of corporate environments conflicted with her needs. Initially starting with a marketing consultancy, her career evolved into business coaching, driven by a passion for direct client interaction and creative problem-solving.
- ADHD Diagnosis and Its Impact: Diagnosed at 53, Angela reflected on her life with newfound clarity, seeing how ADHD traits like impulsivity and the need for stimulation had shaped her experiences.
- Challenges as an ADHD Business Owner: Traits such as impulsivity, overthinking, and time blindness presented consistent challenges in running her business. She emphasized the difficulty of aligning her energy patterns with conventional expectations and the struggle with self-doubt and perfectionism.
- Strengths of ADHD: Angela highlighted her ADHD-related strengths, such as divergent thinking, big-picture vision, and resilience. Her creativity, adaptability, and ability to connect with others on a deep level were described as key assets in her personal and professional life.
- The Role of Self-Belief: Fostering self-worth is essential for business owners, particularly those with ADHD. Self-doubt often holds individuals back despite having the tools and strategies to succeed. She advocates for combining business strategy with self-leadership to create sustainable and fulfilling businesses.
- Coaching Approach: Angela works with established business owners, helping them recalibrate their businesses to align with their strengths and values. She emphasizes the importance of ongoing support to maintain momentum and overcome setbacks, or as she calls it, the “ka-donk” factor.
- Insights into ADHD in Women: Angela's experiences echo broader themes in ADHD among women, such as masking, self-doubt, and the late realization of ADHD traits. Her advocacy highlights the power of storytelling in reducing stigma and fostering understanding.
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