ADHD and the CEO Mindset: Systems, Self-Care, and Letting Go (Dr. John Torrens)

The ADHD Skills Lab

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.

What we cover:

  • Why ADHD founders struggle to let go of control (and how to fix it)
  • The surprising link between hyperactivity and entrepreneurial success
  • How John avoids burnout while running companies and mentoring CEOs
  • Why self-care isn’t “soft”—it’s the foundation of sustainable growth
  • The mindset shifts that turn visionary bottlenecks into scalable systems

About ADHD founders for ADHD founders.

Interesting in working together? You can click here to receive a free bottleneck audio session and learn more about what we do. https://www.unconventionalorganisation.com/unstuckaudiosession

Diagnosed with ADHD at the start of her PhD, Skye Waterson spent years researching what actually works and writing about it for thousands of founders. The pattern she kept finding: ADHD business owners don't have a focus problem, they have an operations problem, because the whole business runs through their own head. Now she and her husband, former programmer Robert Waterson, work as fractional COOs for those founders. They find the bottleneck, hire the fix, and build the system that holds.

Subscribe to our Newsletter - https://unconventionalorganization.substack.com/

Follow us on Instagram - @unconventionalorganisation

Visit our website - https://www.unconventionalorganisation.com/

More description

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.

What we cover:

  • Why ADHD founders struggle to let go of control (and how to fix it)
  • The surprising link between hyperactivity and entrepreneurial success
  • How John avoids burnout while running companies and mentoring CEOs
  • Why self-care isn’t “soft”—it’s the foundation of sustainable growth
  • The mindset shifts that turn visionary bottlenecks into scalable systems

About ADHD founders for ADHD founders.

Interesting in working together? You can click here to receive a free bottleneck audio session and learn more about what we do. https://www.unconventionalorganisation.com/unstuckaudiosession

Diagnosed with ADHD at the start of her PhD, Skye Waterson spent years researching what actually works and writing about it for thousands of founders. The pattern she kept finding: ADHD business owners don't have a focus problem, they have an operations problem, because the whole business runs through their own head. Now she and her husband, former programmer Robert Waterson, work as fractional COOs for those founders. They find the bottleneck, hire the fix, and build the system that holds.

Subscribe to our Newsletter - https://unconventionalorganization.substack.com/

Follow us on Instagram - @unconventionalorganisation

Visit our website - https://www.unconventionalorganisation.com/

2025-07-28 34 min
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