Neurodiversity is the natural variation in human brains, where people may think, learn, and behave differently from what is considered typical. It can include autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, for example. Some people fall into more than one category, such as both autism and ADHD.
It isn’t a disorder, deficit or medical condition and neurodivergent (ND) people have strengths that neurotypical people may not. But it’s important to note that everyone is different and will have different strengths, challenges and preferences, too.
More people have been diagnosed in recent years, but there are many others who feel they may be neurodivergent but who haven’t had a diagnosis yet, have chosen not to get a diagnosis at all or are self-diagnosed. All of these are valid.
Self employment, freelancing and starting a business can be attractive for some neurodivergent people because it allows more freedom and flexibility in how they earn an income, set up their working lives, the environment they work in and perhaps to be part of or serve a community or clients who also think differently.
Here are some of the advantages that neurodivergence may give you as a small business owner:
Creativity and innovative thinking
Let’s take dyslexia, for example. People tend to think of this in terms with having difficulty with reading and writing which is often true, but dyslexics are often very creative and innovative, too. Alexander Graham-Bell and Thomas Edison were thought to be dyslexic, for example (there are more famous dyslexics here ). Creative thinking can mean you come up with products or solutions to problems that other people wouldn’t think of. That’s definitely an advantage in business.
Deep focus
One of the features of autism can be the ability to focus on a single subject with greater intensity and for longer periods of time than would be usual for neurotypical people. With all the distractions that come with a small business, this ability to focus on one particular subject means you could be a leading expert in your subject area, making you the go-to person for anyone who needs to tap into that knowledge.
Some neurodivergent people have a logical and strategic approach, precision, or are great at analysis, which is useful in business too.
Energy and enthusiasm
Some neurodivergent people have an infectious enthusiasm and this can mean they can be great influencing and energising people. That could be a huge benefit in getting finance, motivating your team, pushing a project through to completion and in marketing in general.
Superpowers or differences?
Many ND people say that these strengths shouldn’t be considered ‘superpowers’. They have often been developed through years of trying to survive in environments that are designed for neurotypical people. Here’s what autistic comedian Fern Brady has to say about superpowers.
On the other hand, I know ND people who feel the word ‘differences’ isn’t right either, because many aspects of life are much more challenging for them than for neurotypical people. ‘Differences’ feels like it doesn’t acknowledge how hard some situations are for them.
My view is that it’s entirely up to you how you describe yourself and your experiences, and I’ll respect what you choose.
So what might those challenges be for a neurodivergent self-employed person or business owner? These vary a lot from one person to the next, but here are some examples:
Communication differences
Neurodivergence can lead to differences in communication style compared to neurotypical people. These differences can include how neurodivergent people use language (written, listening and spoken) and interpret social cues. As an ND business owner you may prefer clear and explicit language, complex information broken into smaller ‘chunks’, information presented visually or to use tech such as screen reader software.
Getting the people around you to understand these communication differences and to support you with them can be a challenge, too.
Sensory
You may find you are more sensitive to your environment than neurotypical people, for example you find too much noise, sound or visual stimulation overwhelming. Running your own business can give you more control over the type of work you do, when and where, but there may be times when you can’t avoid a busy conference or event.
Being able to plan your schedule around sensory preferences can lead to a less anxious, more productive life.
Prioritising, planning and time-keeping
ND people can have challenges with executive function such as being unusually focused on one thing, difficulty switching tasks, getting distracted part of the way through a task, difficulty explaining your thought processes to other people or difficulty visualising the final goal of a project. These can all make the level of planning and organisation needed to run your own business challenging.
Once again, it’s important to note that executive function in neurodivergent people can vary widely. The support, adjustments, tech tools and environment needed will be different for everyone and some people may not need any of these at all.
Managing energy
Many neurodivergent people say they find life exhausting. The effort involved in managing the challenges mentioned above can be huge. Not to mention navigating the assumptions and misunderstandings of other people on top of your day-to-day work, relationships and life admin.
Late (or no) diagnosis
Understanding of neurodiversity has changed dramatically in the last 20 years, and many adults who have never had the opportunity to get a diagnosis before are now considering they may be neurodivergent. Those people who had been the quirky kids, daydreamers, ‘too sensitive’ or ones who were seen as naughty or couldn’t sit still are now finding that neurodivergence may be the reason.
I’m sure there many neurodivergent people who have run small and solo businesses for years, both diagnosed and undiagnosed. Some may be doing well, others may find this comes at quite a cost, for example in terms of the energy needed or the anxiety they experience.
Success strategies for neurodivergent small business owners
There are many strategies and tools you can use to help you succeed and thrive as a neurodivergent solo or indie business owner. I’ll be sharing some of these here on my blog, so keep reading! Or if you’d like some 1-to-1 support from me please get in touch.