Latrice Prater: Hello, beautiful people. I’m super excited to be here, to be part of the Neurodiverse Entrepreneur Summit. I am Latrice Prater. I will tell you one thing about me is I love all things tech and systems. Love it, live it, breathe it.
That’s why today we’ll be taking a little bit of a deep dive into how to fail-proof your business for your ADHD brain using tech. Let’s hop in. A little bit about me. I am originally from Washington, D.C. I currently live in Texas. This is now home.
I am a wife and a mom of three, two teenage girls, 17 and 15, and a young son who is 6. He is probably the one who drives me crazy the most. I am a Navy veteran. I was actually diagnosed with ADHD at the age of 32. I am considered neurodivergent because of other diagnoses. I think when I was diagnosed with ADHD, that one made a world of difference for me.
I’m the CEO of the Digital Solutions Team. We provide tech and op support to other female business owners. Currently, I’m leading a team of 11 contractors, and they are amazing. I will say I did start my business in 2020. Within the first month, I was able to get six clients.
Within the first three months, I hired my first two subcontractors. Within that year, we actually made six figures that year. Since then, we’ve been growing in scale, and it has been great. I always tell everybody that I believe that ADHD is, in fact, my superpower.
The first thing I want to talk about is ADHD and entrepreneurship, because of course we know with ADHD, there are a lot of challenges. However, ADHD can also be a source of some pretty amazing unique strengths, including creativity, resilience, and out-of-the-box thinking.
It’s also said that individuals with ADHD often exhibit an entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to hyper-focus, think innovatively, and also see opportunities where others may not. Today, we’ll get to explore how leveraging technology can help entrepreneurs like us with ADHD succeed in business while also creating a more supportive business and leveraging technology.
Of course, again, individuals with ADHD, we possess many traits that align well with entrepreneurship, hyper-focus being one of them. The only thing about hyper-focus is I wish I could turn it on and off, but I can’t. You already know when you thoroughly enjoy something, we have the ability to really hone in on it. We have those birds of productivity and creativity.
Risk-taking, we are often comfortable taking risks and exploring new opportunities, which makes us natural entrepreneurs. Adaptability, we have an ability to think on our feet. It’s so crazy because when everything is calm for some reason internally, we have chaos, but when everything is chaotic around us, we are at our best. I think that is part of why we make such great entrepreneurs too.
Despite all the challenges posed by ADHD, many of us find success when we leverage our unique strengths. We have so many people that have created businesses and become extremely successful. We’re in good company. Tory Burch, fashion designer. David Nealman, the founder of several successful airlines, JetBlue Airways, VM1.
Damon John, if you’ve ever watched Shark Tank, exactly who he is, entrepreneur and investor. It goes to show that our ADHD is not something that can stop us but definitely can help us reach success if we know how to leverage the strengths that we have.
When we get to talking about technology and ADHD, one thing I will say, I tend to have a problem with short-term memory. I think most of us do. It’s nearly impossible to rely on my memory for anything. That’s why I think I love systems so much because, through technology, there are a variety of tools and solutions that can help us overcome challenges and leverage our strengths in business.
By harnessing the power of technology, we can enhance our productivity, improve time management, and streamline our workflow, ultimately leading to greater success and satisfaction in our business. Let’s look at some systems.
When it comes to systems, there’s always a set of core systems you absolutely positively have to have, right? If you’re a team of one, of course, having a professional email, right? Having something to send out your proposals, your invoices, your contracts, a project management tool.
Honestly, even if you are a solopreneur, I would suggest having some sort of task management tool in place, especially if you have ADHD because you’re not going to remember. You’re going to be like me, who also still has like a ton of Post-it notes everywhere. Yes, don’t do it. That’s something I would have.
Email marketing system is important because even though you may not be big on email, to be honest, as leads come in, at some point you’re going to want to make sure you’re able to touch base with them, follow up with them, let them know what’s going on, what’s changing, what’s new. Those are things that I always say those are the core things you should have in your business.
When we’re looking at systems, we’re going to look at some that we as neurodivergent entrepreneurs should consider. We’re going to start with time management tools. We have digital calendars, scheduling apps, reminder systems.
Reminder systems are huge, calendar is huge. Of course, we know we can utilize digital calendars like Google Calendar, Microsoft Office, Apple Calendar. I’m big on Google Calendar. If it’s not in my calendar, to me, it does not exist. I use it often.
Scheduling apps, of course, like Calendly, Acuity, can help streamline the process of scheduling meetings and appointments, which reduces the time spent on back-and-forth communication. Then reminder systems, such as built-in reminders on smartphones or dedicated reminder apps like Todoist or Any.do.
Or actually, even some of the project management tools. Like for instance, ClickUp, you can have a reminder list in there as well. It helps you ensure important tasks and events are not forgotten. Then there’s like the Pomodoro timers and focus management apps.
Implementing Pomodoro technique is when you can use timers, like a tomato timer or a focus booster, which helps to break the work into intervals. Most of the time, it’s 25 minutes of focus work followed by a short break to help improve focus and productivity. To be honest with you, Pomodoro technique, to me, works best when your body deviling.
When you have someone else who is with you as that accountability, it almost helps you focus more and actually get it done. If it’s just me, even with Pomodoro technique, I can tend to not actually stay in line with the process because I’ll start doing other things. Body doubling just makes it perfect because it helps with accountability.
Then there are things like focus management apps, like Forest or Freedom, which help block distracting website and apps during work sessions to help maintain concentration and minimize interruptions. I know for me, one thing that I notice is I get easily interrupted with my phone.
If it vibrates too much, I get agitated when I am in a focused state and my phone keeps vibrating because of course, naturally, I want to know why. I start putting my phone on a work do not disturb between like 8:00 and 2:00 because between 10:00 and 2:00, I focus the most. 8:00 and 2:00, do not disturb because I do not want to be interrupted.
Then of course, we want to customize our workspace with these things. With a digital counter, with our scheduling apps, our reminder timers or systems, and all those things that can help us focus more, be more productive, but we want to suit it to our workflow and preferences so that it makes most sense for us.
By establishing a workplace tailored to our own needs, we can optimize our time management skills and maximize productivity as entrepreneurs with ADHD. Then there are systems like organization and project management. Cloud-based document storage and organization systems.
Of course, you want to utilize something like Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive to store documents and files securely in a cloud accessible from anywhere. These systems offer robust organization features allowing us to be able to categorize, label files, create folders and subfolders, easily search and retrieve documents as needed.
The great thing about things like this is when it comes to client work, if you’ve organized it well, you can definitely have a lot of great things stored in places that would serve you best in your business. If you are building a portfolio or clients ask for testimonials and you have a great way to store those things, it’s easy to get to and utilize when needed.
Then project management tools. Exploring project management tools designed with ADHD-friendly interfaces that prioritize simplicity, visual organization, and intuitive navigation. Enhance your project management workflow by integrating visual project management apps that offer a more intuitive and engaging experience.
Visual project management apps like Monday.com or ClickUp. I’m not going to lie, I live by ClickUp. I am a ClickUp verified consultant. There are so many things that you can do in ClickUp, it’s quite ridiculous if you’re asking me. It allows you to create interactive timelines, the different types of charts or boards that you’d like to see to visualize project progress, track tasks and prioritize work effectively and efficiently.
Then there is communication and collaboration, whether you’re a team of one or if you’d actually have a team.
Nonetheless, you have clients. When you’re working with your clients, you need to have a way to communicate and collaborate with them. Tools that you can use when it comes to communication, there are things like Slack, Microsoft Teams, Discord, which offer organized channels, direct messaging and file sharing capabilities to streamline communication and keep everyone on the same page.
Of course, if you utilize communication tools, it helps prioritize clarity and structure to facilitate effective collaboration within the team. Then there’s communication platforms to manage overwhelm. We all know most people who are neurodivergent, especially with ADHD, easily overwhelmed.
I get tasked overwhelmed all the time. Embrace asynchronous communication platforms that allow team members to communicate and collaborate without the pressure of immediate response. Platforms like Basecamp, Twists, or Notion offer threaded discussions, task assignments, and shared documents, enabling team members to work at their own pace and manage overwhelm more effectively.
Then collaboration tools. Choose collaboration tools that cater to the diverse communication styles and preferences of your team members. Tools like Miro, Whimsical, provide virtual whiteboards and visual collaboration features, ideal for brainstorming sessions and creative collaborations.
If you’re anything like me, brainstorming sessions are almost all the time. I personally love Whimsical because I can go in there and really map everything out. Then when we look at automation and efficiency, one thing you must do as someone who is neurodivergent, ADHD, automate repetitive tasks to minimize decision fatigue because decision fatigue is real.
You want to utilize automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks and reduce decision fatigue, allowing you to focus your energy on more high-value activities. Examples include Zapier, which I use all the time, Make or Microsoft Power Automate, which enable you to create automated workflows that trigger action based on predefined conditions, such as sending follow-up emails or updating spreadsheets.
Then you have your email management tools and CRM systems. You want to implement email management tools and CRM systems to organize and prioritize your communication with clients and customers. Email management tools like Boomerang, SaneBox, and Spark offer features such as email scheduling, snooze, and priority inbox, helping you to stay on top of your inbox without feeling overwhelmed.
To be honest, I have a good organization setup, I think with Google, where I use the multiple inbox features. In my actual inbox is sectioned off into things that I need to do. It basically says treats, to-dos, follow-up, and I think client-related, something like that.
Those are the things that show up in my immediate inbox, and it’s filed in that manner to make it easier for me to know where to focus first. Then CRM systems like HoneyBook, Dubsado, and Bonsai, those systems enable you to manage customer interactions, track leads, automate follow-up tasks, enhancing efficiency, and improving customer relationships.
Those systems also allow you to send out proposals, invoices, and contracts. The importance of setting up automated workflows, of course, establish automated workflows to streamline your business processes and ensure tasks are completed.
By setting up automated workflows, you can reduce manual errors, save time, and increase productivity across your organization. Identify repetitive tasks and bottlenecks in your workflow, then automate them using workflow automation tools or built-in features of your existing software systems. To be honest, without automation, I don’t know if I can make it through life. It is needed.
Now, other systems to think about that are very important as a neurodivergent CEO is mindfulness and wellbeing, mental health, stress management, very important. Explore a variety of apps designed to support mental health and promote stress management.
That can include Headspace, Calm, Insight Timer, which offer guided meditation sessions, breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices to help alleviate stress and anxiety. You want to incorporate mindfulness practices in your daily routine. Integrate mindfulness practices in your daily routine to cultivate a sense of calm and improve overall well-being.
Start with simple practices such as mindful breathing, body scans, or mindful walking and gradually incorporate them into your daily schedule. Research has shown that taking regular breaks, practicing mindfulness, and managing stress can enhance cognitive function, increase focus, and foster creativity, ultimately leading to greater success in your entrepreneurial ventures.
Even for me, I noticed when I take time to actually walk away, disengage, I come back feeling a lot better, but every now and then I forget to take a break or I forget to eat or I wait so long to eat that I’m in that hangry stage and I don’t know what I want. I understand now that I have to be very intentional about how I structure my day and about how much I take on at once. You always have to consider those things.
What about customizing your tech stack? We talked about all the different types of systems that we should look at or we should use. What about when it’s time for you to actually sit down and decide what you want for your business and for you?
You want to assess both your personal and business needs to determine tools and technologies that will best support your workflow, business and personal. Don’t just focus on business, because to be honest, even with my task management tool, which is ClickUp, my personal tasks go in there as well.
You want to consider factors such as your specific challenges and strengths, the nature of your business, and the goals you want to achieve. You want to select tools that work for your brain, your budget, and your business. If you don’t remember anything else, please remember that. It needs to work for your brain, your budget, and your business.
When it comes to building a personalized tech stack, you want to create a personalized tech stack by combining various tools to create a seamless and efficient workflow. Choose tools that complement each other and address your specific needs, such as time management, which most of us have a problem with, organization, which most of us have a problem with, communication, and collaboration.
Now I did include an amazing resource for you. If you are in a space of trying to figure out or shopping, should I say, for some new systems, I included our questionnaire that you can use. Here’s a quick peek at it. This will help you assess if a system is good for you.
It’s just a questionnaire to run through as you’re looking at different systems to see, does this work for me? What’s the functionality? What’s the experience with this? What’s the scalability? It just gives you the overall view. You can assess and then sit back and see if it’s something that will actually work for you and your business.
Here’s a glimpse into my tailored tech stack. A few things I could not live without in my business. Slack with Zapier integration. First of all, again, I have a team and I have a relatively nice-sized team. I do not remember a lot of things, as I’ve stated. I’ve created several zaps to get specific reminders and they are sent to Slack in order for me to remember.
Here, what you see is, basically, reminders being sent and some of them say, Jean, because Jean is one of my team members, to send like an anniversary card or send a birthday card. Whether it’s a team member’s birthday or a client’s birthday or a team member’s anniversary with the company or a client’s anniversary of doing business with us, I get reminders. I know that it’s time to send them some sort of gift.
Another thing, ClickUp Automations. Here, what you see at the top is just how you set up some of those automations. It’s basically when this happens, then do this. At the bottom, it says form submission. This entire automation is around hiring for my company. I have in ClickUp where the application to work with me is actually a form in ClickUp.
When you submit that form in ClickUp, at the bottom where it says form submission, when you submit the form, if you put anything in here for– This is an example, say you are overseas and at this moment, I am not working with anyone overseas, it will automatically change the status to no-go and it will automatically email you.
That’s what you see here where it says “no-go” and an email was sent letting them know like, “Hey, we got this, unfortunately–” This type of automation makes my life so much easier because now the things that I know I do not want, I can automatically set up an automation to filter them out automatically and respond to the candidate right then and there. These types of automation, have to have.
ClickUp dashboards. I have a team dashboard. On my team dashboard, they’re able to see stuff like business information, business address, business phone number, website. If there’s anything passed through, how many of those, how many tasks are passed through, who’s behind? If there’s several things passed through, I’m also going to be able to see the people who are behind. Who’s attached to those tasks.
Team folders. They have access to their own contractor folders to see like their pay stubs and things of the sort, any announcements. There’s a resource section where they can pull up SOPs and things like that. Then on the other side, there is an example of a client dashboard.
Where they’re able to see like how many hours has been used, in regards to that package, how many hours they get per month when their package renews, the tasks that we’re working on. Then there is a chat widget where they can send messages directly to us.
Things like this have made my business so much easier, so much more efficient, so much more productive. When it comes to implementing tech changes, technology, of course, serves as a powerful ally for ADHD entrepreneurs, offering tools and solutions to enhance productivity, organization, communication, and wellbeing.
When it comes to implementing new systems, we want to remember to implement changes gradually to avoid overwhelm and ensure sustainable progress. Break down larger goals into smaller manageable tasks and introduce changes one step at a time to build momentum and avoid burnout. We have to set realistic goals and expectations when implementing changes to our workflow and adopting new tech tools.
Establish clear objectives and timelines, and also remember your own limitations and constraints. For some reason, we have a bad habit of not realizing how much time something takes. Then of course, be ready to make adjustments based on learning lessons.
You’re going to learn along the way and you’re going to make adjustments based on those things that you learn, but ensure continuous improvement and adaption. The goal is to embrace the tech. Remember, with the right tools and mindset, you can thrive as an entrepreneur with ADHD and grow a successful and scalable business that does not overwhelm you.
You want to find the right systems where you can automate as much as humanly possible within your business to make things that much easier. One of the things that I realized about systems is, I can almost take every task that I have that was manual and automate it somehow.
Even if you don’t consider yourself to be tech savvy, there’s always people who are, i.e. me and my team. That’s what we do. Definitely use the resources provided, use the tech questionnaire to help you find some of the right tools, put the right things in place, but you want to develop the best tech stack so you can be as productive as possible. Things won’t be as overwhelming and things can get done quickly and efficiently.
I hope that was a ton of great information within a short period of time. To be honest, I’m not quite of a talker, but I love to get to the point. If you want to follow up with me, you can find me on Instagram, and you can always shoot me an email, and you can always catch me on my website.
Nonetheless, this has been awesome. I hope that all of the tips and tools have been helpful for you all. If you have any questions, definitely feel free to send them my way.
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