How can neurodivergent business owners grow sustainably without selling their soul to social media?  

Calling all introverts and folks who are fed up of faking it! If you’re exhausted by social media “shoulds”, sick of bro-marketing BS, and craving a more authentic, capacity-conscious way to market your business, this episode will feel like the most delicious permission slip to stop ‘hiding’ on socials (where you’re not getting the actual results you want!) and do marketing differently. Phew!

In this episode, I am joined by Polly Pollock – marketing coach for ADHD and neurodivergent business owners, host of the Neurorepreneur Rising podcast, author, and creator of the Neuro Friendly Sales Accelerator. Polly specialises in social media–optional marketing, where leading with your strengths and ethics helps you build real human relationships, rather than feeling like you’re at the mercy of ever-changing trends and tactics. She also wins the prize for Best Podcast Guest Pitch Ever - listen to the ep to find out why. 

We dive into:

🧭 Challenging Conventional Marketing - Why 2026 marketing feels rigid and performative, and how Polly helps her clients build strategies around their actual strengths and energy.

📵 Social Media–Optional Business - How we got stuck in a world where “all we’ve ever known is social media” – and why Polly now teaches social media–optional marketing as standard (I freakin LOVE this concept!)

🤝 Trust, Ethics & Human Connection- Seeing your DMs as “doing business by the coffee machine”, how to use platforms as social networks again, and why many neurodivergent folks get the ick about using attention-hacking tactics. As she says herself, so wisely: “Business is about relationships. Business is about trust. That’s what creates sales for you.”

📨 Capacity-Conscious Marketing & Email - Replacing the daily posting grind with sustainable visibility, email as your creative home, and making marketing fit your life, not the other way round.

🎙️ Off-Social Visibility Strategies - Using opportunities such as Podcast guesting and guest teaching in communities as deeper, higher-trust “ponds” where your full expertise has the airtime it deserves.

💪 Confidence, Evidence & Being ‘Hot Shit’ - Why evidence builds confidence more than affirmations, using “smile files”, and how off-social visibility actually can make you better at what you do.

If you’ve ever thought, “Maybe I’m just bad at marketing,” this conversation will show you that the problem isn’t you – it’s the box you’ve been told to squeeze yourself into. You’ll walk away with concrete ideas for more ethical, sustainable, and neuro-friendly ways to get clients… without ‘hiding’ on social media. Polly wants you to know: “You will blow your own fucking mind at your own capabilities once you get out of this stupid small pond of social media.”

Further resources & links

• Polly’s Anti-Social Marketing Kit – a starter toolkit and Notion dashboard to help you design your first off-social visibility strategy and track opportunities - Grab yours for free with code "UNCONVENTIONAL": https://www.neuropreneurrising.com/antisocial
• Connect with Polly on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/pollypollockofficial/ for more on social media–optional marketing and neuro-friendly sales.
• Listen to Polly’s podcast - Neuropreneur Rising - https://www.neuropreneurrising.com/

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Step into Siobhan's Unconventional World

• Connect with Siobhan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhanrfox/
• Learn more about ADHD business coaching and Ick-Free Marketing & Sales Course: https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/
• Get in touch: [email protected]

How can you build a disability-led, neurodivergent-friendly business that actually works for your brain and body instead of forcing yourself into corporate-shaped boxes?

If you’re a business owner craving something more real, raw and relatable (and less “6am cold plunge hustle bro” nonsense), this episode shows you what that can really look like in practice. 

In this episode, I am joined by brand designer Bethany Jewkes, who creates bold, personality-packed brands for disability-led, chronically ill, and neurodivergent business owners. We unpack toxic work culture, unmasking, and building a business around comfort, capacity, and actual joy—and find out all about Bethany’s signature pyjama approach to business! As an AuDHDer with chronic illnesses myself, I found this conversation so refreshing and affirming. As Bethany says, so rightly:

“If it costs your happiness and your health, it’s not worth it.”

We dive into:

🧬 What makes Bethany unconventional? From bright hair to introvert energy, Bethany has made a lifelong habit of questioning rules rather than accepting them at face value.

🔥 From toxic workplace to self-employment: How a hostile manager, blocked promotions, and worsening mental health pushed Bethany to “accidentally” start a business.

🎯 Niching into disabled & neurodivergent clients: why she now intentionally designs brands and processes around access needs, energy, and communication differences.

🛌 The pyjama approach to business: binning off performative professionalism and designing work around real bodies, brains and capacity.

💪 Disability, work, and the strengths-based lens: Challenging deficit narratives: “Technically, I’m less able to do some things, but that doesn’t mean my entire worth diminishes.”

🧠 Unmasking and redesigning your services: Noticing “I have to do it this way because that’s how it’s done” and gently dismantling it—like dropping services you don’t actually like doing.

🎓 School, conformity, and the roots of people-pleasing: How uniforms, appearance rules, and bullying prime us to become “sheep” in adulthood and business.

👪 Work, parenting, and the question of ‘having it all’: Celebrating our choice to design work around family, health, and presence rather than chase conventional success metrics.

🌱 Community, co-regulation, and not building alone: Bethany’s Community (now The BizAbled Cult) and why co-working and daily support make all the difference for disabled and ND business owners.

If you’re tired of rinse-and-repeat business advice and find yourself wondering, “Is it actually me… or is the system the problem?”, this conversation will give you language, validation, and practical ideas to build a business that actually fits you—not the other way round.

Further resources & links

• Connect with Bethany on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bethany-s-jewkes/
• Follow BeBeau Creative on Instagram & TikTok: https://www.instagram.com/bebeaucreative
• Check out the BizAbled Cult community: https://www.bebeaucreative.co.uk/the-biz-abled-cult

Step into Siobhan's Unconventional World

• Connect with Siobhan on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhanrfox/
• Learn more about ADHD business coaching: https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/
• Get in touch: [email protected]

You’re Not Failing at Life – You’re Just Carrying Too Much

Feeling like you’re dropping all the balls and failing at “adulting”?

In this mini episode of The Unconventional Business Podcast, I'm sharing a big, fat permission slip! If you’ve been telling yourself you’re failing because you can’t keep on top of everything, this episode is your reminder: You’re not failing. You’re just carrying too much.

Drawing on my work coaching ADHD and neurodivergent business owners, and my burnout mapping workshop “All the Hats, Just One Head”, I explain why so many of us end up overwhelmed – and, as always, what you can actually do about it!

I walk you through the concept of the four “you’s” (CEO you, employee you, carer/parent you, and human you), and show you how to map your demands and resources, so you can lighten the load, avoid burnout, and treat yourself with more compassion.

If this episode made you think, “Oh my God, it’s not just me,” you’re not alone – and you’re not failing!

• Grab the on-demand burnout mapping workshop for £15: https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/resources-/adhd-burnout-workshop
• Share this episode with someone you know who’s also carrying too much
• Follow/subscribe to The Unconventional Business Podcast so you don’t miss future episodes
• Leave a rating or review – it really helps the show reach the people who need these big permission slips
• Email me if something landed for you and blew your mind – I'd love to hear from you! [email protected]

What does it really take for “spicy-brained” (neurodivergent and/or disabled) people to build sustainable businesses that honour our needs and capacity - and how do we stop measuring ourselves against neurotypical standards?

In this episode of the Unconventional Business Podcast, I’m joined by Stephanie Ward, founder of Spicy Brain Collective, to explore what it actually takes for “spicy-brained” (neurodivergent and/or disabled) folks to run sustainable businesses without forcing themselves into neurotypical templates.

As someone who faced more than her share of adversity, finding herself physically disabled with 2 neurodivergent diagnoses, Stephanie knows what it’s like to try ten times harder just to “match the normies”, and uses her experience to empower and inspire others.

We talk about why “done with, not done for” support protects autonomy, Stephanie’s brilliant neurodivergent task commencement continuum (which I have since told EVERYONE about!), building her team around their hyperfocus and strengths - and the honest, often messy reality of being a neurodivergent parent to a neurodivergent child, while running a business.

In this ep, we dive into:

1. What Makes Stephanie Unconventional - How she realised “normal” doesn’t exist and why she’s always done business her own way.
2. Building Spicy-Brain-Friendly Businesses - Why standard VA support can conflict with our need for autonomy, and Stephanie’s “done with, not done for” model for her neurodivergent clients.
3. The Absolutely Brilliant Neurodivergent Task Commencement Continuum - Stephanie’s 0–100% task model, the “first and last 10%” problem, and how the right humans/systems unlock the 80% we can do. This one is an absolute game-changer!
4. Hyperfocus, Strengths, and Team Design - Matching roles to special interests, and why letting team members specialise is like “herding cats—but very organised ones.”
5. Work, Parenting, and Transitional Energy - The challenge of Mondays, school runs, guilt, and the reality of being a neurodivergent parent to a neurodivergent child while running a business.
6. Radicalising Kids with Kindness & Entrepreneurship- Encouraging children to see entrepreneurship as a valid path and modelling “you don’t have to follow society’s template.”
7. Undoing 20,000 Negative Messages- The impact of constant correction on ADHD/ND kids, and the lifelong journey to rebuild self-belief.
8. From Control to Connection in Parenting - Replacing coercion, compliance, and control with collaboration, conversation, and connection—for all kids, not just ND ones.

“If we could undo that trauma, we’d have a whole generation of confident, self-aware adults living their best life.”

If you’ve ever felt like traditional business and productivity advice wasn’t built for your brain, this conversation will make you feel seen—and give you practical ways to build a business that works with your brain, not against it.

Find out more about Stephanie:

• Free community & resources: https://www.facebook.com/thespicybraincollective/ https://www.instagram.com/thespicybraincollective/ 
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-ward-sbc/ 

Connect with me & follow the Unconventional Business Podcast

• Podcast website & episodes: https://www.unconventionalbiz.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhanrfox/
• Learn more about ADHD business coaching: https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/ 

Managing Thresholds Instead of Triggers: A New Approach to Resilience?!

In this weekly mini-episode, I go leftfield (as always!) to offer you a slightly different perspective on how to handle your daily challenges.

Using my migraines as an analogy, I talk through the benefits of "going upstream" and focusing on managing your threshold, rather than just your triggers. As a migraine sufferer and AuDHDer, I've found this a really effective way to build my resilience and reduce my stress levels in everyday life and business.

By building resilience through small, consistent habits (like sleep, hydration, movement - MEDS!), you can often dissolve these triggers altogether.
Maybe it’s time to think bigger than avoidance.

What ONE action are you committing to take from this episode to boost your resilience? Drop me an email and let me know! [email protected]

Oh and please follow us, leave us a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts! Thank you.

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Curious to know more?

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhanrfox/
• Learn more about ADHD business coaching: https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/
• Get in touch: [email protected]

Ever hit that "God mode" where you feel unstoppable? But what if I told you that’s exactly when you should pause? 🤯

While ADHD hyperfocus can feel like a superpower, it often leads to a huge energy crash - or worse, burnout. When you're in the zone, it's easy to ignore your body's signals, like hunger or needing a wee. I've learned that the moment you start feeling euphoria is actually a cue to slow down, just like when I swim in cold water.

After years of swimming in the River Itchen, I've realised that the moment I feel invincible is the exact moment I need to check in with myself. I am not, in fact, an actual dolphin!!

Try this: next time you drop into hyperfocus, set a timer, ask a friend to check on you, or find some external scaffolding to help you build that all-important self-awareness.

Can you catch your "God mode" euphoria moment and take a step back? What do you notice when you do take a break?!

I'd love to know: do you recognise this feeling in yourself? How do you manage your hyperfocus? Comment below and let's keep the conversation going!

Oh and if you're enjoying this podcast, please follow us, and leave a rating or review wherever you listen to podcasts! Thank you.

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Curious to know more?

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhanrfox/
• Learn more about ADHD business coaching: https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/
• Get in touch: [email protected]

What is radical self-acceptance? And could it really hold the keys to business success!?

In this episode of Unconventional Business Podcast, I chat with Donna Henley, a business strategist who helps women who constantly second-guess themselves to build solid strategy foundations while practising radical self-acceptance.

Donna shares her journey from burnout, self-doubt, and “doing business the right way” to embracing her messy humanity, honouring her ADHD brain, and building a business that prioritises peace and freedom over hustle and perfection.

Together, we unpack what it really means to build a business you don’t need time off from, how to work with your brain instead of against it, and why authenticity, needs-awareness, and self-compassion are non‑negotiable for sustainable success—especially for neurodivergent entrepreneurs.

In this episode, we cover:

Burnout hits different for ADHD and AuDHD business owners. Can you relate?!

As ADHD business owners, we often feel the weight of big goals, endless new ideas, and the pressure of keeping our clients happy (never mind paying the bills!) But let's be real: if we don’t take a break, we risk running ourselves into the ground.

So how do we balance it all?

It starts by recognising that we wear multiple hats: the passionate human being, the dedicated employee, and the visionary CEO. Each part of us has unique needs - and very often those needs can pull in opposite directions!

For me, the answer lies in acknowledging these different sets of needs, and seeing them holistically. And always, always, putting yourself first - what do you need, as a human?

When these three parts of yourself work together in harmony, burnout becomes a thing of the past.

I'm living proof! I’ve learned that supporting all versions of myself is essential to avoiding burnout.

Now I want to hear your thoughts—how does burnout show up for you? Let's keep the conversation going! Comment below or drop me a message.

And if you're enjoying the podcast, please follow us, share this episode with someone who needs to hear it, and leave us a rating or review. Thank you!

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Curious to know more?

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhanrfox/
• Learn more about ADHD business coaching: https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/
• Get in touch: [email protected]

How do you stay in business long‑term when things keep changing, clients disappear, and life keeps “lifing” – without constantly feeling blindsided?

I recently celebrated 7 years in business and thought: what better time to reflect on everything I've learned?! In this mini episode, I dive into Lesson 1 of my Seven Lessons for Seven Years in Business: Adapt or Die. I share the messy, real‑life truth of what it actually takes to stay ahead in business when you’re neurodivergent, juggling life, and trying to build something sustainable that works for you.

“The moment you get too comfortable is the moment something is probably about to go tits up.”

I talk about:

• Why Comfort is a Red Flag
  How getting cosy with your current clients and routines can quietly put your business at risk

• The CEO / Employee / You Framework
  Seeing yourself as three people:

  • CEO you – strategy, sales, direction
  • Employee you – serving clients and doing the work
  • You‑you – the human who needs sleep, food, joy, and a life

• Simple Monthly Check‑In Questions
  The low‑key, high-impact “walk and ponder” questions to keep your head above the parapet:

  • What’s gone really well this month?
  • What’s actually working + where are my clients really coming from?
  • What did I love and want more of – and what do I want less of?

• Listen to the full episode -  How do you keep going and stay in business? - for the remaining six lessons on pricing, burnout, boundaries, self‑investment, building your village, and being Marmite not jam: https://open.spotify.com/episode/17edxaFusjfW7mB7G6h1an?si=OTlqFTmaR1OpzC8MAuVjcw

• Connect with me on LinkedIn for more unconventional, sweary business truths

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Curious to know more?

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhanrfox/
• Learn more about ADHD business coaching: https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/
• Get in touch: [email protected]

How do you actually stay in business long‑term without burning out, especially as a neurodivergent, values‑led, self‑employed human?

To celebrate seven years in business, I’m sharing seven lessons I've learned the hard way, so you don't have to! The surprising truths, face‑slap moments, and practical mindset shifts that helped me go from crashed‑out corporate employee to building a business that genuinely supports my life (not the other way round).

“Work–life balance isn’t something I’m chasing anymore, it’s something I live.”

Seven Lessons - The Juicy Deets:

1. Adapt or Die
Why getting too comfortable is risky, how to stay ahead when life is “lifing”, plus the magic CEO / Employee / You framework for checking in on your business.

2. The Real Secret to Pricing
Your rates must cover all your time: time on the business, time in the business, time off and time out.

3. You Are the Best Investment
How therapy, coaching, ADHD/autism discovery and self‑development changed everything for me – and why you can’t “strategise” your way out of unhealed emotional stuff.

4. Becoming Your Own Best Boss
Spotting where you’ve internalised your worst bosses and turned them on yourself – and why kindness and beats self‑bullying for productivity hands down.

5. It Takes a Village to Raise a Business
I invite you to think about networking as building your virtual board and finding your people so self‑employment doesn’t feel so lonely.

6. Zero Prizes for Burnout
Boundaries, artificial urgency, capacity‑led planning and the reminder: “You’re saving PDFs, not lives.”

7. Be Marmite, Not Jam
Why the most effective marketing is being your weird, sweary, fully‑you self – so the right people feel deeply seen and the wrong ones self‑select out.

“In a sea of jam, you need to be Marmite.”

If you’re tired of fluffy business advice and want honest, lived‑experience truths about building a sustainable, neurodivergent‑friendly business, this episode will help you redesign how you work so it actually works for your life.

Further resources & links

Real Hourly Rate Calculator + Loom walkthrough (fix your pricing): https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/resources/realhourlyratecalc

Related episodes on:

• fixing your pricing: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1XoawW3tW0q8Y3Fh6MvzG1?si=KXpeUScPTOibikRJurVyuA
• just being your damn self in business: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0oqWVt0pCZmrsZiyIo0ir1?si=IDOsO6ILSqSj0bXp6koipg
• building neurodivergent‑friendly business strategy: https://open.spotify.com/episode/05zZJZylL5CsAJFSAtN0XN?si=oyD0uEX9RsuGgj0HsCsveg

Connect with me on LinkedIn for more “unconventional business” conversations and behind‑the‑scenes shares!

Curious to know more?

• Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siobhanrfox/
• Learn more about ADHD business coaching: https://bigpicturebusinesscoach.com/
• Get in touch: [email protected]