Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD
Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

10 Must-Haves Every Small Business Owner with ADHD Needs to Succeed

July 24, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

Dave Breenwood, a three-decade entrepreneur with ADHD, opens this episode with a blunt observation: running a business with a wired-differently brain should not be about trying harder. It should be about building a business that works with your brain instead of fighting against it. Drawing on his own experience running a PR firm and a restaurant, he offers ten practical, low-cost tools, habits, and mindsets that reduce friction and let ADHD business owners focus on what they do best.

The One Trusted Capture System

Ideas don't stay in an ADHD brain long. Breenwood echoes Dr. Russell Barkley's famous advice: "Externalize everything." The key is a single, reliable place—a notebook, a voice-note app, a digital task manager—where every thought, task, and brilliant insight goes immediately. "If it's not externalized, if it's not captured, it does not exist," he says. The specific system matters far less than having one place you actually use. He admits that for him, a simple pad of paper next to his keyboard has been a game-changer, but he also endorses emailing yourself as a last resort. The rule is simple: whatever works for you.

The Weekly CEO Meeting and Clear Priorities

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (01:12) **Episode Introduction & Host Credentials** - Dave Breenwood introduces the topic for business owners with ADHD, sharing his background running a PR firm for over 20 years and working in the restaurant business.
  • 2 (05:22) **The 10 Must-Haves: Overview** - Dave introduces his list of 10 practical, no-cost tools and mindsets for business owners with ADHD.
  • 3 (06:38) **#1: One Trusted Capture System** - A single place to externalize all ideas and tasks, because memory is unreliable for the ADHD brain.
  • 4 (10:34) **#2: Weekly CEO Meeting** - A scheduled 30-minute weekly meeting with yourself to operate with intention instead of constant reaction.
  • 5 (12:58) **#3: Clear Priorities** - Defining both the big-picture vision and daily MITs (Most Important Tasks) to avoid going off the rails.
  • 6 (14:09) **#4: Strong Boundaries Around Your Time** - Protecting your time from interruptions, which have a higher cost for those with ADHD.
  • 7 (17:34) **#5: Financial Routine** - A simple, non-negotiable system for managing money to reduce anxiety and avoid avoidance.

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Guests on this episode

Dave Breenwood

Show Notes

The most successful entrepreneurs with ADHD don't rely on willpower, they build systems that support the way their brains naturally work.

Running a small business with ADHD comes with unique strengths and equally unique challenges. Creativity, innovation, and big-picture thinking can fuel incredible success, but staying organized, prioritizing the right work, and following through consistently often require intentional systems.

In this episode, Dave shares the 10 must-haves that have helped countless entrepreneurs and business owners with ADHD reduce overwhelm, improve focus, and spend more time growing their businesses instead of constantly putting out fires.

Whether you're just starting out or have been in business for years, these practical strategies can help you work with your ADHD instead of against it.

**Do you want to work with Dave one-on-one? Go to www.overcomingdistractions.com and book an introductory Zoom chat. Or go directly to Dave's calendar; https://calendly.com/davidgreenwood1/15min

 

In this episode Dave talks about:

  • Why every business owner needs one trusted system to capture ideas and tasks.
  • How a weekly "CEO Meeting" with yourself creates clarity and direction.
  • The importance of identifying your daily revenue-generating priorities.
  • Simple ways to protect your time with healthier boundaries.
  • Why financial visibility reduces stress and improves decision-making.
  • How automation can eliminate repetitive mental load.
  • The value of accountability through coaching, mentors, or peer groups.
  • When and why delegation accelerates business growth.
  • Why scheduling recovery time is essential for long-term success.
  • How replacing self-criticism with self-compassion leads to better systems and better outcomes.
Overcoming Distractions-Thriving with ADHD, ADD

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