The ADHD Skills Lab
Produced by Unconventional Organisation
If you want to hear practical researched-backed strategies and real-life experiences to help you navigate life with ADHD, you’ve come to the right place.
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Episodes
168
How Casey Neistat Nails Productivity Advice For ADHDers
In this standalone episode, they break down the hidden problem underneath Casey’s system — why ADHD business owners keep ending up trapped in urgent work, why prioritization systems collapse under pressure, and why the issue is usually structural, not motivational.
159
How Negative Environments Impact Your ADHD Brain (with Brandon Smith)
In this conversation, Brandon breaks down how environment affects confidence, self-trust, business growth, and leadership. He also shares lessons from building a construction company, learning to delegate, and realizing that many ADHD business owners stay stuck trying to perfect systems long before they actually need them.
150
How to ACTUALLY Deal With Burnout With ADHD (with Krista Mashore)
We break down what burnout actually looked like behind the scenes. From selling 150+ homes a year to walking away overnight. Krista explains her “stop, snap, switch” framework, how she manages constant mental noise, and why ADHD makes fast decision-making a real advantage.
147
The Funding You Weren't Told About And ADHD Strategies to Get It (with Kat Weaver)
You ’re funding everything yourself, and it’s quietly slowing your business down. Not because you’re doing anything wrong, but because you’re relying on the most limited resource you have: your own cash and capacity.
128
Why Perfectionism Keeps Your Business Stuck (Even Though You're An Overachiever)
You can be successful on paper and still feel stuck.
In this episode, Skye talks with entrepreneur and investor Kassidy Warren about leaving the corporate “safe path,” taking real risks, and the identity shift required to stop playing small. They unpack rejection, procrastination, reinvesting before results, and what it actually means to turn pro — especially with an ADHD brain.
125
Selling With ADHD: Confidence Without the Sleaze or Burnout
If sales feels heavy, awkward, or mentally exhausting, it’s probably not because you’re bad at it.
It’s more likely because you’ve been trying to sell using advice that relies on pressure, performance, or rigid systems - the exact things that make ADHD brains freeze, overthink, or avoid the conversation altogether.
In this episode, Skye sits down with Wes Schaeffer (The Sales Whisperer) to talk about how to sell in a way that actually feels calm, grounded, and sustainable — without hype, manipulation, or forcing yourself into a persona that doesn’t fit.
122
You Weren’t ‘Too Much’. You Were an ADHD Kid in School
Kids with ADHD are not just more likely to struggle academically. They are more visible, more misunderstood, and often less liked by peers and teachers.
In this Research Recap, Skye and Will unpack a study on ADHD, social status, and bullying, and talk honestly about what it felt like to stand out in school for reasons you did not choose.
119
ADHD and Advertising: Making Sense of the Noise
Ads are overwhelming for a lot of ADHD business owners, not because they are bad at marketing, but because the information is scattered, noisy, and contradictory.
In this episode, Skye talks with ads expert Jeremy Pogue, founder of Summit Acquisition, about how ads actually work at a high level, what they are and are not responsible for, and how to think about them without spiraling into complexity.
This is a grounding conversation designed to help you understand the landscape before you decide anything.
116
ADHD Strengths and Success: The Evidence Behind the Myth
People love to say ADHD comes with superpowers. The research is more nuanced.
In this Research Recap with William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD, Skye and Will examine two papers that look at ADHD strengths in careers. They discuss the themes that appear across 79 studies, the stories from qualitative interviews, and the complicated truth about strengths that can help and hurt depending on context.
113
ADHD, Momentum, and Other Mythical Creatures (with Russ Jones)
This one’s real, hilarious, and way too relatable. Skye sits down with Russ Jones, ADHD coach, creator of the Ready, Set, Go framework, and host of the ADHD Big Brother podcast, to talk about what it really takes to build momentum when you’re working with an ADHD brain.
They share stories, laugh a lot, and unpack the small mindset shifts that make consistency feel possible, even on the days when motivation disappears. Russ also shares what has changed for him since joining Skye’s coaching program, and the systems that are helping him keep that momentum going.
110
Delay Aversion and ADHD: Why Waiting Feels Like Torture
Ever feel restless in a meeting or line and want to bolt? That’s not impatience, it’s delay aversion.
In this Research Recap with William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD, Skye explores new research showing how delay aversion connects boredom, frustration, and inattention in ADHD. Together they dig into how the brain’s reward system makes waiting harder and what you can do to make it easier.
107
ADHD, AI, and the Future of Focus
AI is redefining work, but for ADHD founders, the question isn’t whether to use it, it’s how.
In this episode, Skye sits down with Ryan Brazzell, entrepreneur, founder of Assistant Launch, and system/AI strategist who helps founders “bend time” using systems and executive support. Ryan has built and scaled multiple 7- and 8-figure companies by applying AI, systems thinking, and radical delegation.
104
Research Recap with William Curb - Why ADHD Is Still Missed in Women: The Swedish Study That Proves It
Welcome to the next episode in our Research Recaps series, co-hosted with William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD.
In this episode, Skye and Will unpack one of the largest ADHD studies ever conducted, looking at more than 85,000 people in Sweden. The results show women are still being diagnosed almost four years later than men, with serious consequences for mental health and access to support.
101
Research Recap with William Curb: ADHD and the Default Mode Network
Welcome to the first episode in our new Research Recaps series, co-hosted with William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD.In this series, we’re teaming up to break down recent ADHD studies and translate what the research actually means for your life, your work, and your brain. No jargon. No hype. Just real insight you can use.
This week, we’re diving into a fascinating study on the default mode network, the part of your brain that’s active when you’re “resting.” For ADHD brains, it doesn’t always switch off when it should. We’re talking genetics, CBT, and what all of it has to do with zoning out at 2pm.
98
The ADHD Entrepreneur’s Guide to Profit (Without the Spreadsheet Spiral)
DHD entrepreneurs are smart, capable - and often pricing themselves into burnout.
In this episode, Skye interviews Marcel Petitpas, CEO of Parakeeto and the guy behind the numbers for hundreds of agencies. They dig into why most service businesses struggle with profit (it’s not what you think), and how to finally price for sustainability.
95
Your ADHD Toolkit Is Missing Something: Meet the Vagus Nerve
You’ve got systems in place, but your brain still feels constantly “on.” You might be overlooking your nervous system.
In this episode, we explore emerging ADHD research on polyvagal theory and nervous system regulation, including the science, the controversy, and why it could be the next frontier in ADHD support.
94
Here’s the ADHD-Friendly Way to Get Seen (and Stay Sane). Let's Talk Personal Brand!
Here’s the ADHD-friendly way to get seen (and stay sane). Skye and Amy Landino break down what personal branding really means for ADHD professionals—and how to stop letting perfectionism and fear of being cringe hold you back.
91
Why You Snap at 3pm: The ADHD Sensory Overload You Didn’t See Coming
It’s not just stress — your nervous system might be the culprit behind feeling overwhelmed by the afternoon.
In this episode, we explore two studies showing how ADHD adults process sensory input differently, and why your brain might not recognize overload until it’s too late.
85
Is Executive Functioning Real? 20 years of ADHD research says... maybe?
Think you’ve got ADHD executive functioning all figured out? Spoiler: you don't! Join Sarah and Skye as they explore key research and break down what executive functioning is - and whether we've been measuring it all wrong. See you inside!
79
Vagus Nerve Magic: How ADHD brains can find calm
What does fight or flight have to do with ADHD? Come explore the Autonomic Nervous System with Abbie and learn how these responses affect your ADHD. Plus, don’t miss the grounding strategy we practice together—it's one I’ve personally used many times since recording. See you inside!
76
Conquering Clutter with ADHD: Megs Crawford Shares Organising Tips that Work
Is it possible to declutter without losing what you value? ADHD organizing coach Megs Crawford is going to show us the way! Listen now as she shares her strategies to conquer clutter and maintain a space that works for your ADHD brain—not against it.
167
How ADHD Perfectionism Disguises Itself as Productivity (Dani Donovan)
In this conversation, Dani explains how a single ADHD comic from 2018 nearly never got posted, how a business coach’s field guide exercise became the product she actually needed, and what happened when she had to tell 28,000 pre-order customers their books were running late.
164
ADHD, Parenting, and the Pressure of Entrepreneurship (With Jessica Shaw)
Skye and Jessica get into what the detective process actually looks like. Why parents are often dismissed first and believed later. How the school system's default response to a kid who cannot conform is to remove them rather than support them. What guilt sounds like when you feel like you should have seen it coming sooner. And why the window between noticing something and getting real support is longer, more expensive, and more isolating than it should be.
155
Why ADHD Brains Overbuild Before Starting
ADHD makes it easy to over-scope, get pulled into the wrong details, and delay real feedback. So instead of finding out what works, you stay stuck refining something in isolation. This episode breaks down why that happens and how minimum viable thinking helps you start smaller, move faster, and avoid getting trapped in the build phase.
134
Taki Moore on ADHD: The Brain Behind a Billion-Dollar Lifestyle Coaching Business
In this episode of the ADHD Skills Lab, Taki joins Skye Waterson to share the story of discovering his ADHD in his late 40s - and the moment medication made his mind go “library quiet” for the first time in his life.
130
Why You're Bad At Scaling As An ADHD Entrepreneur
In this Research Recap, Skye and her husband break down a 2025 meta-analysis on ADHD and entrepreneurship - exploring why hyperactive types tend to start, why inattentive types may struggle more with scaling, and where the “ADHD is a superpower” narrative falls short.
124
ADHD Isn’t Just in Your Head - Apparently It’s in Your Gut Too
A lot of people with ADHD deal with physical symptoms they’ve never talked about - or never thought were connected.
This episode looks at what the research actually shows about ADHD and gut issues, and where the line is between association, speculation, and overreach.
121
I Thought My Memory Was Failing - Then I Realized I Had ADHD
In this episode, Skye talks with Tiana Sutton, a fitness instructor, community builder, and mother of five, about realizing she had ADHD later in life - not through childhood struggles, but through business, memory issues, and the feeling that she couldn’t keep up with herself anymore.
They talk honestly about working memory falling apart, starting things with energy and losing momentum, learning how to sell without pressure, and what it looks like to keep showing up even when progress feels invisible.
118
Why ADHD Brains Struggle With Video Content
Video is everywhere, but very little of it is designed with ADHD in mind. In this Research Recap, Skye and William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD unpack a qualitative study exploring how people with ADHD actually experience video content. From captions to pacing to visual overload, they look at what helps, what hurts, and why one size never fits all.
They also talk about why many ADHD viewers adapt by speeding up videos, multitasking, or using video as background stimulation, and how those habits make a lot more sense once you understand the research.
115
The ADHD Shift: When Everything Suddenly Adds Up
In this conversation, Skye talks with Laura Key, host of the ADHD Aha! podcast, and VP of content at Understood.org. After interviewing more than 120 people about their ADHD stories, Laura shares her own. From finding her childhood journals to understanding how ADHD shaped her leadership, parenting, and emotional load, this is the moment everything starts to make sense.
They talk about late diagnosis, invisible overwhelm, the pressure women carry, and what Laura has learned from listening to so many ADHD journeys. It is warm, thoughtful, and full of the moments that make ADHD adults think, “I have lived this my whole life, I just never had the language for it.”
112
The Science of ADHD Creativity: Why Your Ideas Work Differently
Are ADHD brains more creative, or is that just a myth?
In this Research Recap with William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD, Skye breaks down a foundational study on ADHD and creativity, exploring how ADHD brains innovate, imagine, and sometimes overreach.
109
High-Performance Habits for ADHD Brains: Clarity, Motivation, & Champion Wins
World-champion habits aren't just for athletes - they're the secret weapon for ADHD executives juggling chaos and big ambitions.
In this episode, Skye chats with James Laughlin, 7-time world champion musician, bestselling author of Habits of High Performers, and host of the top-ranked Lead on Purpose podcast. James shares how he suspected ADHD tendencies and worked with Skye to build systems for focus, while unpacking the 7 core habits from his book that help high achievers cut through distractions and deliver elite results.
106
Executive Dysfunction and Early ADHD in Preschoolers
Why does time blindness show up so early in life? Welcome to another episode in our Research Recap series, co-hosted with William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD.
In this episode, Skye and Will unpack a study of preschoolers in Hong Kong, showing how time perception, working memory, and delay aversion already affect early academic skills.
103
Research Recap with William Curb: ADHD & Hot and Cold Executive Function
In this episode, Skye and Will explore the science behind hot and cold executive functions, and what they mean for how ADHD brains make decisions, remember tasks, and stay calm under pressure.
We also break down a fascinating (but early-stage) study using brain stimulation to improve executive function in ADHD, and why your brain might work very differently depending on your emotional state.
100
The ADHD Guide to Delegating - Why You Can’t Let Go (and How to Fix It)
Think you're just bad at delegating? You’re not. ADHD makes it harder to translate thoughts into steps, hand things off, and feel safe letting go.
If you’ve got a team (or want one), this is your ADHD-friendly shortcut to working less and scaling more.
Skye takes you inside a real coaching breakdown of her 5-step delegation system—the same one she teaches founders who are too busy, too burned out, or too overwhelmed to explain what needs to be done.
97
Why You Always Underestimate Time (Even When You Swear You Won’t)
Think something will take 15 minutes? Bet it takes 45.
You’re not lazy - you’ve got ADHD. And you’re probably struggling with time blindness.
In this episode, Skye and Sarah dive deep into three new studies on ADHD and time perception, breaking down the science, the symptoms, and the sneaky ways time blindness sabotages even high performers.
The 2-Minute Fix for ADHD Overwhelm (That Might Save You $10K)
You’re not behind because you’re bad at time management. You’re behind because you’re managing the wrong things.
Skye here! In this mini solo episode, I walk you through my 2-minute focus formula, the same one I've used to help ADHD founders reclaim hours of their week and thousands in lost revenue.
93
Is Your Job Burning You Out or Just Built Wrong for ADHD?
Burnout isn’t a personal flaw—it’s often a mismatch between your brain and your work. Skye and researcher Taylor share three surprising studies on why ADHD brains struggle in typical workplaces—and how they can actually thrive, especially in entrepreneurship.
81
Basketballs to Balance Beams: Movement that actually supports your ADHD Executive Functioning
Can we really support our executive functions using movement? Well actually, turns out you can! Listen along as Skye and Sarah explain how focused movements and intentional play are a simple yet effective way to manage your ADHD. See you inside!
78
Delegation? In this economy?! How to Gamify with the ADHD Big Brother
What’s the deal with gamification for ADHD? Can it really help you get stuff done, or is it just another shiny strategy? Russ Jones, The ADHD Big Brother, talks about turning everyday tasks into games and how community can help. See you inside!
163
Can Pregnancy Inflammation Influence ADHD in Children? (New Study Breakdown)
We discuss a prospective study examining whether maternal inflammation during the second trimester is associated with ADHD symptoms in children later in life. Researchers measured cytokine levels in 62 pregnant women and followed up on ADHD symptoms in 68 children using teacher and parent reports.
154
Why ADHD Makes You Start Too Many Projects (with Katy Weber)
Katy explains why ADHD pulls you toward new ideas, how pivoting too early kills momentum, and what changed when she stopped rebuilding from scratch. The conversation also covers how she used her podcast as the foundation for everything else.
129
Is Atomoxetine Right for Your ADHD? Here's What It Does to Your Brain
Why does focus feel like forcing a rusty machine to start… instead of flipping a switch?
In this Research Recap, Skye and Will unpack a randomized placebo-controlled study examining how brain networks behave differently in adults with ADHD.
123
If Accounting Makes Your ADHD Brain Shut Down, Listen to This
If the word accounting makes your attention disappear, this episode is for you.
Skye sits down with Joe Dunaway - founder of Vici Financial, accountant, business owner, and ADHDer - to talk about why so many ADHD entrepreneurs avoid their numbers, and how to understand them without overcomplicating things or forcing yourself into systems you won’t maintain.
120
Why ADHD Brains Rely on Hyperfocus (and Why It Backfires)
If you have ADHD, you probably know this pattern. You’re foggy, scattered, or stuck… until a deadline hits. Then suddenly, you’re laser-focused, productive, unstoppable. And afterwards, you’re wrecked.
In this episode, Skye and William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD unpack why hyperfocus feels like the only way to get things done, and why it quietly creates more stress, burnout, and long-term chaos than most people realize.
117
Focus, Flight, and Figuring It Out: An ADHD Founder’s Journey
Skye sits down with Carly Braker, founder of Avialan Blue, to talk about building a high tech areospace engineering consultancy while navigating ADHD. Carly shares how she masked symptoms growing up, why the “real world” hit harder, and the adjustments she had to make when deep focus, sensory overwhelm, and impostor feelings collided with entrepreneurship.
114
ADHD, TikTok, and the Misinformation Trap
Can TikTok actually teach you about ADHD - or is it just feeding you misinformation?
In this Research Recap with William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD, Skye dives into a 2022 study analyzing the quality of ADHD content on TikTok. They explore how much of it is accurate, how much is personal storytelling, and why the most relatable content often isn’t the most reliable.
111
Understanding ADHD Medication: A Balanced Look at the Science
ADHD medication can be a controversial topic online. Is it safe? Does it change who you are? What does the science actually say?
In this episode, Skye talks with Dr. Ryan Sultan, psychiatrist, researcher, and founder of Integrative Psychiatry in NYC, about what medication does in the brain and what decades of studies reveal about its effects. This is not medical advice - it’s a clear, evidence-based conversation to help you understand your options.
108
ADHD, Anxiety, and Exercise: What the Research Says
Can exercise really compete with medication or therapy for managing ADHD symptoms?
In this Research Recap with William Curb from Hacking Your ADHD, Skye and Will break down new findings on how exercise supports emotional regulation and anxiety reduction in ADHD, with results that may surprise you.
105
ADHD Alchemy: Turning Distraction Into Award-Winning Success
Dr. Jacquelyne Read, a chemistry professor and ADHD trailblazer, joins Skye to reveal how she transformed her postdoc struggles into a tenure-track triumph and a top publication award. Discover the actionable systems like breaking down overwhelming tasks and mastering prioritization that helped her thrive in academia's high-pressure world. Perfect for ADHD executives and founders looking to turn their big ideas into real results.
102
Precision Systems for ADHD Founders: Chaos, Metrics, and Million-Dollar Growth
In this episode, Skye is joined by Matt Verlaque, SaaS founder, entrepreneur, and author, to unpack how to scale a business when your brain is wired for big ideas and fast starts, but struggles with structure.
From leading startups to building founder-focused systems, Matt shares the powerful rhythms, habits, and metrics that have helped hundreds of founders go from feeling overwhelmed to fully in control of their businesses.
99
ADHD and the CEO Mindset: Systems, Self-Care, and Letting Go
Most ADHD entrepreneurs build their success on hustle—until the cracks show. In this episode, Skye talks with Dr. John Torrens, professor, founder, and author of Lightning in a Bottle, about how he built (and sold) multiple companies by learning to delegate, prioritize self-care, and manage his ADHD brain.
96
I Walked Away From $48K and a PhD: My ADHD Origin Story
Before Unconventional Organisation, the coaching, or the 82K followers, there was burnout, academic pivots, and a year in a bakery just to recover.
This is the story Skye’s never told.
In this episode, dating coach and friend Kavita interviews Skye about the real path to Unconventional Organisation — from side gigs to burnout, business models to breakthroughs.
Adrenaline Isn’t a Business Strategy: The ADHD Growth System That Lasts
You can scale a business on sheer force... for a while. But eventually, ADHD founders burn out, blow up, or walk away.
This episode is your map out of the cycle. Skye shares the behind-the-scenes process she used to stop relying on urgency, reduce decision fatigue, and build a company that doesn’t fall apart the moment she takes a break.
92
From Burnout to Boss: ADHD Strategies to Stop Imploding Your Career Every 2 Years
Marketing strategist Devlin Croal shares how he stopped self-sabotaging his career every two years while managing ADHD. We cover burnout, executive function, AI tools, and the simple system that finally worked. See you inside!
86
Finding Confidence Beyond the Comfort Zone: Interview with Brooke Schnittman
What does it really mean to thrive with ADHD? Be confident enough to put out a HEAVILY edited episode because it had a terrible recording, that's what! Brooke Schnittman sits down in The ADHD Skills Lab to explore the journey to fostering confidence. See you inside...
71
The Scientific Community has the floor... Adapting Treatment Methods for Adult ADHD [Research Recap]
Wondering about treatment for adult ADHD? You should listen to this one! We highlight some observational recommendations from the scientific community while reviewing studies on the impact of different treatment methods. See you inside...
Host
Skye Waterson
Skye was diagnosed with ADHD as a doctoral student. After a few years of research and work with Auckland University, she left her academic career to launch Unconventional Organisation.
Now a worldwide ADHD support service, Unconventional Organisation has seven coaches and has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs, academics and professionals work with ADHD to achieve their goals through research-backed strategies
When she’s not supporting others with ADHD, Skye likes to explore her hometown of Auckland, New Zealand, with her husband and 1-year-old son.
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Podcast Producer
Sarah Russell
Sarah was diagnosed with ADHD aged 30 when she began to seek new treatment options for her depression and anxiety.
She is the podcast producer at Unconventional Organisation, where she has been working for the past two years. She has a passion for understanding how people work together in groups, which led her to pursue a Bachelor's degree in Sociology. This background has provided her the opportunity to work in various roles within the public school system and the mental health field.
During her free time, Sarah cycles through hobbies like gardening, gaming, and baking while also juggling life as a mother of two children.