This episode was hard to record - but also deeply needed.

I'm in the thick of it right now. 

My dad passed away suddenly, and I've been trying to navigate the heartbreak, PMDD, business, burnout, and the wild mess that is life with ADHD.

And today, I'm sharing what it's really like to grieve with a neurodivergent brain. I talk about the guilt, the impulsive spending urges, the dark thoughts, the small victories (like showering!), and the strange comfort of laughing in the middle of it all.

If you're in the "messy middle" too, whether it's grief, depression, burnout, or just being human, I hope this episode reminds you that you're not alone, and that showing up messily is still showing up.

I also open up about the financial impact of losing my Access to Work support, why this will be the last podcast episode for a little while (spoiler: we’ll be back for episode 100 in the new year), and how I’m coping one tiny step at a time.

Whether you’re neurodivergent or not, if you’ve ever felt like life is a bit too much, I hope this makes you see you're not alone, and this is what you need right now. Not in a fluffy way. In a "holy shit, how am I still standing?" kind of way.

Come for the raw truth, stay for the stories about my ADHD dad, impulsive motorbike buys, and why I might be turning into a runner (???).

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Have you ever felt THREATENED by people in your niche?

Have you avoided looking at what others are doing... or feared you'll be seen as a copy cat?

In this solo episode of Mad About Business, I open up about how I used to feel paralysed seeing someone in my industry “doing better” than me... and why that feeling comes from scarcity, not strategy. 

We dive into why avoiding your competitors doesn’t protect you, it actually keeps you small.

From working with fellow ADHD advocates to inviting other visibility strategists into my world, I’m sharing the messy truth about what happens when you stop seeing everyone as competition and start finding ways to grow together. You’ll also hear about real moments from my own business journey, like being called out as a "Sickfluencer" and how I turned that narrative around.

Whether you're in coaching, consulting, or content creation, this episode is your reminder: there’s more than enough to go around – and you don’t have to do it alone.

YT

“There’s no such thing as original”

“I used to be terrified of competitors”

“They’ll steal my clients!”

“It’s not copying – it’s business”

“She still endorsed my book”

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In this in-person episode of Mad About, I sat down with one of the most influential people in my personal transformation – Naomi Holbrook, The Unconventional Weight Loss Coach who’s completely changed how I see food, my body, and my ADHD.

We talk food noise, emotional eating, PMDD, and how my impulsivity used to show up in the Lidl middle aisle (yep, I’ve brought home a sofa). 

If you’ve ever been stuck in shame spirals around food, tried every diet under the sun (Slimming World, I’m looking at you), or found yourself stress-spending and binge-eating to cope...  Naomi is here to get rid of the rigid meal plans and instead, teaches women to heal their relationship with food, their bodies, and themselves!

Plus, we chat about:

• The unexpected connection between ADHD, food, and money
• What really helps when you're stuck in dopamine-dependence loops
• My own story of ditching alcohol, navigating emetophobia, and choosing health without injections
• How food planning is now saving me money (and sanity)
• Why reprogramming your brain is more powerful than willpower

Naomi also shares the story behind her book and what it really means to lose the literal and emotional weight, from shame to old beliefs to gray-area drinking.

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Today, I take you behind the scenes of what it’s really like to run a business while navigating ADHD, PMDD, and burnout.

When I recorded this, I was in a dark place. 

Deep in the PMDD spiral where suicidal thoughts felt consuming. 

The next day, after my period came early, I feel like a different person. That’s the brutal truth of PMDD: it hijacks your brain, wrecks your energy, and distorts your reality.

I share exactly what I was going through, how ADHD makes it 100x worse, and why we need to talk more openly about this monthly mental health rollercoaster - especially as business owners.

You'll hear how I’m learning to plan my workload around my PMDD cycle, the self-care strategies that have actually helped, and why communication (even when it’s messy) is everything.

If you’ve ever felt like you were falling apart during “that time of the month” or questioned whether you can keep running your business, this episode will make you feel seen.

This one’s real. It’s uncomfortable. But it’s so needed.

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This week I’m joined by the incredible Beth Thomas from Unbound Mind Coaching for a raw, relatable conversation about perfectionism, money stories, and what it really takes to love yourself as you are.

We talk about growing up with mixed money messages, the shame that comes from feeling “not good enough,” and the messy middle seasons of business nobody sees on Instagram. 

Beth shares powerful insights on internalised ableism, from feeling “not disabled enough” to the quiet ways scarcity mindset seeps into our self-worth, and how acceptance is the first step to changing it.

You’ll hear us cover everything from neurodivergent entrepreneurship, RSD, and people-pleasing, to mobility struggles, personal boundaries, and the pressure to “look” a certain way before putting yourself out there. If you’ve ever felt like you had to be perfect before you could start, this conversation will set you free.

Whether you’re here for the mindset shifts, the money talk, or just to feel less alone in your journey, you’ll walk away knowing you’re already enough – exactly as you are.

“I’m Not Disabled Enough”

“F*** Perfection – I’m Just Me”

“Money, Ableism, and Feeling Good Enough”

“If You Don’t Like Me, Leave”

“Your Worth Isn’t Up for Debate”

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I’m diving deep into the content boundaries I live by.  What I share, what I won’t share, and why visibility doesn’t have to come at the cost of your privacy.

So many of us feel pressure to overshare online to be “authentic.” But the word “should” can go straight in the f*ck it bucket!

You don’t owe your audience your trauma. You don’t need to crack yourself open just to stay visible. You get to choose what you share and how you show up.

From my own rules around sharing family and personal stories, to how I support communities I’m not part of, this episode is a must-listen if you’ve ever felt torn about what feels right to post.

Inside this episode:

• Why I never talk about my kids’ feelings online
• How to support others without co-opting their stories
• The 4 content pillars I stick to
• My “scar, not wound” policy for vulnerability
• How to balance authenticity with self-protection

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In this episode of Mad About Podcast, Maddy Alexander-Grout talks to Logan Blackburn-Issitt, a trans dad of six and creator of Dad’s Business. 

Logan shares his powerful story of leaving a 70-hour job, embracing home education, and building a life that prioritises presence over paychecks.

They discuss:

• Why Logan quit a high-paying job for more family time
• The pressure dads face to “provide and stay silent”
• The reality of home educating neurodivergent kids
• Growing up trans and knowing at age six
• The toxicity of social media for young people
• His new book The Brilliant Dads Encyclopedia of Fun, packed with low-prep ideas for connecting with your kids
• The gender traps kids absorb from school and how to unlearn them

 Follow Logan on TikTok: Dad’s Business

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For the past four months, I’ve been deep in what I call the ADHD funk hole. No motivation, zero focus, overwhelmed by impostor syndrome and a big fat case of “everyone hates me.”

On this episode of Mad About, I’m getting brutally honest about what it’s like when visibility feels like a lie, grief and PMDD are wrecking your nervous system, and business starts slipping because you’re just not okay.

I’m talking about the real stuff: losing my grandma, navigating a nightmare house move, my membership dipping, and how I finally started crawling out of the hole.  I’m sharing the exact things that helped me start to feel human again.

If you’re neurodivergent and in business, and you’ve been in that weird limbo funk too, this episode is your reminder that you’re not alone.

I also spill the tea on what’s coming with Amplify Your Influence, why I’m ditching people-pleasing, and how I’m stepping into Maddy 2.0 with a vengeance.

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This week, I sat down with the incredible Rhiannon Gogh, SEND advocate, chartered financial advisor, and mum to a profoundly autistic son - and it's one of the most eye-opening conversations I’ve ever had on this podcast.

We got real about the brutal financial reality of raising neurodivergent children, the emotional toll of being a carer, and the gaping holes in the system that leave families like ours vulnerable.

We talked about:

• The triple cost of raising a child with SEND
• Why so many carers can’t work, and what that means for their futures
• How financial planning mistakes (you didn’t even know were mistakes) can cost your child their benefits or care
• The heartbreaking stories Rhiannon hears every single week – and what she’s doing about it

We also got deeply personal about masking, people-pleasing, debt, perimenopause, and why neurodivergent business owners need different kinds of support.

This isn’t just a money episode. It’s a reality check, a call-out, and a roadmap for anyone parenting neurodivergent kids, or navigating life with hidden disabilities.

📖 Get Rhiannon’s book Planning With Love
💬 Follow @carersacademy on Instagram
🌍 Learn more: planitfuture.co.uk

SEO: It’s 3x more expensive to raise a neurodivergent child, I got back into £55k of debt #madaboutpodcast #maddyalexandergrout #neurodivergentparenting #hiddendisabilities #SENDsupport #caregivingtruths #financialinequality #neurodivergentmoney #invisibleillness #SENDadvocate

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In this  episode of Mad About Business, I’m answering a hot question from one of my Invisible to Influential members: “How do I actually get more clients?”

Whether you’re posting every day and hearing crickets or hiding in the background of your memberships hoping someone notices you... this episode will help you cut through the noise and get seen for what you’re great at.

I’m diving into how I’ve built a presence that has people saying, “You’re literally everywhere,” and the exact ways you can start building visibility and trust in your own business, even if you’re neurodivergent, multi-passionate, or hate the hard sell.

In this episode:

• Why visibility isn’t just “showing up on Instagram”
• How to show your value without giving it all away for free
• The power of video, podcasting, and real human connection
• What trust really looks like (and how to build it without being salesy)
• Simple ways to become the go-to expert in your niche

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