Is anyone familiar with a business mentor organization for adults with ADD? I would ultimately like to find someone very successful in business, but has had their ups and downs in their career and has succeeded.

Regards,

Agent

Don't know off the top of my head. What type of business are you considering and is it something you really love to do and have a knowledge of? Those are two important things for people with ADD.

Not looking to start something from scratch again, but I have had a major setback recently in business and I feel like I have lost my way. I've lost motivation, I feel like i've lost my focus and direction, etc. I'm looking to find someone that has been where I am before and they have come out on top. It would make sense for this person to also have ADD or at least understand the mentality and strengths of someone with ADD.

I was diagnosed when I was 7 years old. Now 31, I have been through all of the stereotypical scenarios of a person with ADD (job changes, job losses, difficulty holding tongue, etc.), but now I'm trying to take a strong hold of my life and I feel I need some outside advice regarding business.

I work with CEO's and business owners everyday. I can't ask these people to be a mentor for me since they are my clients. I need to find someone I do not already do business with. My business is commercial insurance.

AgentSpeed

I don't know of any Business mentoring programs for adults with ADHD. There many ADHD Coaches who specialize in business though. ADHD Coaching can be written off as a business expense too.

Agent

I know exactly where you are coming from. The problem you are having is you are bored, the challenge is not there. I am somewhat there myself.

I started a business in 94. Quit a good paying job to start a venture, my wife worked where I did and when I quit they closed the office. Anyway, we started in our garage and in 6 months moved into a rented building, 6 months later we incorporated. The second year we did over a million in sales. We merged with our competition in 2000 and I manage the southern facility.

I am starting a new project which should make me excited, the problem is, its the same thing, different company different parts, but still the same thing. My pdoc suggested that I try to learn more about the business and look at a part I don't know in hopes that will get me motivated. I can pretty much do anything I put my mind to, problem is like many with ADD once I accomplish that there is a let down, the challenge is over, and I am bored.

My suggestion would be try and fins a Chadd chapter down your way. Maybe there is another area of commercial insurance that you may find more interesting.

I know this is not much help, but I know where you are coming from. I have some friends in the Atlanta area, let me see if they can find out anything.

And if you sell them insurance I want my commission :)

Thanks for the kind words. Your description is similar.

I am in a niche of insurance and it has always been interestesting and exciting, but when I started my own firm mid-07 I was burned by my partners and a proprietary product stolen from me and then had my reputation dragged through the mud....all while I sat on the sidelines unemployed grasping at anything. I've spent the last 7 months rebuilding my reputation and trying to stabilize my career all while trying to maintain some sanity at home with a wife and 2 yr old.

I know I can be successful. I have hit a wall in business I didn't see coming. I have had a major setback and now I'm not only sidetracked, but discouraged. I don't have confidence in myself and I find it difficult to focus on the big picture.

Chris

I started my business in 04 from stratch everything was going alright but I wasn't growing to my potential, I was diagosed with ADD 6-07 and its been a struggle with family life and medication to keep moving forward. Possibly merging with a local company and run a division of it, need that structure and less stress so I can work on myself.

I have done a lot of research and can only find coaches. Seems like everyone wants to be a paid coach for people with ADD, but that is not what I'm looking for. I'm not looking for someone to teach me organizational skills or time management. I need someone that has a successful track record in business that can provide someone young and determined with advice. Does this even exist?

Thanks in advance,

Agent

Chris

What you are looking for does exist. I had talked to some people years ago and am racking my brain on what I did and where I went. In many cases the people are retired business men who wanted something to do and help younger people, as you said a mentor. In many case they would even help with business plans and financing.

I am not close to you. I would be happy to try and help you in anyway I can. In spite of having ADHD and a somewhat sloppy person, I was able to keep impecable records and books as well as filing all the monthly forms and paying the bills on time.

I will continue to remember what I did, it was about 15 years ago.

Scott

Thanks, Scott. I too keep an organized mess of an office-"don't touch that, it will get out of place". I think if I could find someone to work with me on my business traits and getting myself back on track I could be unstoppable.

Agent

Chris

I did a quick search for some things and came up with some ideas and came up with this Out of all the organizations I have heard many good things about Score
http://www.scoreatlanta.org/

Checking it out now, thanks!

In general I've heard great things about Score but have never talked to anybody with ADHD who had experience with them.

Getting back to ADHD Business Coaches they do a lot more than just help people with organization and time mangement. However if you don't want to pay for services than a coach probably isn't who you are looking for.

Checking it out now, thanks!

What did you find out? Anything?

Coaches teach you time management and organization. You could also try a site called linkedin. It's a career networking site, one of my clients sent me an invite and I signed up on a lark.

I have my own business and am not looking for a job or anything, but I have a ton of clients that have joined and my mission is to help them all get jobs or hook them up with other cool opportunities if that's what they're looking for.

Anyhow, there's a Q&A section on the site. People post all sorts of stuff and a lot of people write very helpful responses. My suggestion, post about what you did here and you're bound to find someone that can help you.

Good Luck! Also, a cool fact I read: most successful entrepreneurs had at least one failed business before they became successful. You're only 31, there's still plenty of time to learn more and to succeed. Keep at it and you'll be fine.

Coaches teach you time management and organization. You could also try a site called linkedin. It's a career networking site, one of my clients sent me an invite and I signed up on a lark.

No, busniess coaches do not teach time management and organization. There are ADHD Coaches who specialize in business and coach people on business related issues.

Gosh this looks like it could be a very good resource for those of us in business for our selves - many thanks for sharing it!

Score Atlanta (http://www.scoreatlanta.org/)

SCORE Atlanta is a non-profit resource partner of the Small Business Administration. We've been helping people fulfill their dreams for over 44 years as part of an organization of over 11,500 volunteers and 389 chapters nationwide


SCORE Atlanta volunteers are retired (and working) business owners and corporate executives who are giving back by providing advice on topics such as various aspects of marketing, selling, management, franchising, business

planning, operations, strategic planning, human resources, and more (see complete list). Counseling is available in person, by phone, via email, and soon on the Web
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