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From Burnout to Breakthrough: Building a Business Your ADHD Brain Actually Loves
Ever felt like a Scalextric car being held down on the track—wheels spinning, motor screaming, and smelling like burning rubber, but you’re not actually moving?
Katherine, founder of Lightbulb ADHD Coaching, lived that cycle through a dozen "failed" careers before realising she wasn't broken; she was just using a neurotypical operating manual.
Katherine now holds exceptional credentials that place her among an elite minority of ADHD coaches: She has both ICF PCC certification (top 4% of all ICF-certified coaches globally) and PAAC 'PCAC' certification (one of only 6 in the UK).
According to the 2025 US National Survey on ADHD Coaching published in JAMA Network Open, most ADHD coaches have not completed PAAC credentialing or professional coach certification, making Katherine's dual credentials particularly rare in the field.
She's also the author of an industry white paper on ADHD coaching standards that's helping to shape best practices and is part of an ethics and standards review with UKAAN.
Katherine specialises in working with late-diagnosed adults, especially creative, late diagnosed professionals and executives .
In This Episode
The "Scalextric" Effect: Why forcing yourself to "just do it" is actually making you more stuck.
The Diagnosis Trap: Navigating the "hit or miss" world of ADHD advice and why TikTok might not be the best doctor.
Permission to Pause: Why Katherine took a five-month break from her own podcast and why you should too.
The "Bible" Method: How to use AI as a thinking partner without losing your authentic creative voice.
Executive Function "Positive" Assessments: Rewriting the rules so your brain feels capable instead of criticized.
The 20-Minute Truth: A simple time-tracking hack for the tasks you hate (looking at you, emails).
Creative Career Pivots: From iconography and Victorian costume making to ADHD coaching.
ADHD is a Body Thing, Not Just a Brain Thing: When you're stuck in "freeze" mode, stop researching and start moving; dictating a report while walking is often more effective than staring at a blank screen.
Stop "Jamming" the Schedule: You cannot keep adding tasks to an overwhelmed brain and expect it not to burn out; space and permission are the two most important tools in your business.
Outsource the "Menial" to Save the "Creative": Even three hours a week of support can prevent the day-to-day routine from tanking your professional reputation.
Internalised Ableism is the Real Growth Block: The "needle-moving" work isn't a new hack or app; it's changing how you think about your productivity and letting go of "how things are meant to be."
This isn't about "fixing" your ADHD so you can work like a robot. This is a conversation for the creative entrepreneur who is tired of the "just use a planner" advice. Katherine reminds us that our creativity is a perk, but managing the emotional "heavy lifting" of ADHD is what actually allows us to thrive. If you're currently in a cycle of procrastination or feeling like an imposter in your own business, this episode is your permission slip to stop revving and start playing.
Take the Action Quiz: Want to understand your personal ADHD action style? Visit https://lightbulbadhd.com/go/quiz-guest to take Katherine's Action Quiz and discover where you're more likely to get stuck when facing important tasks.
Join the Waitlist for Lightbulb Studio: Katherine's group coaching program for people ready to translate ADHD knowledge into sustainable action.
Find Katherine:
Social Media Links :
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lightbulbadhd/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhd_coach_katherine/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@adhd_coach_katherine
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-sanders-pcc-accg-803634212/
Join the ADHD Creative Club: Join the ADHD Creative Club community at https://theadhdcreative.club for more tips, tricks, and real talk on thriving as a neurodivergent creative entrepreneur.
View all episodes
By The ADHD Creative ClubEver felt like a Scalextric car being held down on the track—wheels spinning, motor screaming, and smelling like burning rubber, but you’re not actually moving?
Katherine, founder of Lightbulb ADHD Coaching, lived that cycle through a dozen "failed" careers before realising she wasn't broken; she was just using a neurotypical operating manual.
Katherine now holds exceptional credentials that place her among an elite minority of ADHD coaches: She has both ICF PCC certification (top 4% of all ICF-certified coaches globally) and PAAC 'PCAC' certification (one of only 6 in the UK).
According to the 2025 US National Survey on ADHD Coaching published in JAMA Network Open, most ADHD coaches have not completed PAAC credentialing or professional coach certification, making Katherine's dual credentials particularly rare in the field.
She's also the author of an industry white paper on ADHD coaching standards that's helping to shape best practices and is part of an ethics and standards review with UKAAN.
Katherine specialises in working with late-diagnosed adults, especially creative, late diagnosed professionals and executives .
In This Episode
The "Scalextric" Effect: Why forcing yourself to "just do it" is actually making you more stuck.
The Diagnosis Trap: Navigating the "hit or miss" world of ADHD advice and why TikTok might not be the best doctor.
Permission to Pause: Why Katherine took a five-month break from her own podcast and why you should too.
The "Bible" Method: How to use AI as a thinking partner without losing your authentic creative voice.
Executive Function "Positive" Assessments: Rewriting the rules so your brain feels capable instead of criticized.
The 20-Minute Truth: A simple time-tracking hack for the tasks you hate (looking at you, emails).
Creative Career Pivots: From iconography and Victorian costume making to ADHD coaching.
ADHD is a Body Thing, Not Just a Brain Thing: When you're stuck in "freeze" mode, stop researching and start moving; dictating a report while walking is often more effective than staring at a blank screen.
Stop "Jamming" the Schedule: You cannot keep adding tasks to an overwhelmed brain and expect it not to burn out; space and permission are the two most important tools in your business.
Outsource the "Menial" to Save the "Creative": Even three hours a week of support can prevent the day-to-day routine from tanking your professional reputation.
Internalised Ableism is the Real Growth Block: The "needle-moving" work isn't a new hack or app; it's changing how you think about your productivity and letting go of "how things are meant to be."
This isn't about "fixing" your ADHD so you can work like a robot. This is a conversation for the creative entrepreneur who is tired of the "just use a planner" advice. Katherine reminds us that our creativity is a perk, but managing the emotional "heavy lifting" of ADHD is what actually allows us to thrive. If you're currently in a cycle of procrastination or feeling like an imposter in your own business, this episode is your permission slip to stop revving and start playing.
Take the Action Quiz: Want to understand your personal ADHD action style? Visit https://lightbulbadhd.com/go/quiz-guest to take Katherine's Action Quiz and discover where you're more likely to get stuck when facing important tasks.
Join the Waitlist for Lightbulb Studio: Katherine's group coaching program for people ready to translate ADHD knowledge into sustainable action.
Find Katherine:
Social Media Links :
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lightbulbadhd/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhd_coach_katherine/
- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@adhd_coach_katherine
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katherine-sanders-pcc-accg-803634212/
Join the ADHD Creative Club: Join the ADHD Creative Club community at https://theadhdcreative.club for more tips, tricks, and real talk on thriving as a neurodivergent creative entrepreneur.