Angry Kid to Blossoming and Thriving - ADHD

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Veronica Hunter, Founder of ADHD - What Now, located in Park Ridge, NJ, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I'm the founder of ADHD - What Now, and on a mission to see that kids with ADHD are understood and get the support they need to flourish in school and experience more harmony at home.

I run events that are attended globally and promote a deeper understanding of all that is involved in neurodiversity for parents, educators, and professionals.

I believe that parents of young kids are the key to transforming a child's experience in the world and are undersupported. As such, my number one offering is a membership to a community of parents dedicated to pursuing understanding the needs of their unique kiddos, building family harmony, and celebrating each next tiny step toward progress, not perfection.

Tell us about yourself

My mission, like many entrepreneurs, is driven by overcoming challenges in personal experience. Navigating the world of figuring out what mattered most for my kids to experience success and for my family to live in harmony, I saw significant gaps in the current service model. Because of the gaps, many kids suffer from low self-esteem, and relationships are strained because they do not see the root of the difficulty.

Here's a recent example: A high school student's teachers complain about the teen's resistance to school work. Mom is trying to coordinate with school and at home is following typical ADHD advice of trying to help the child break down the task into smaller chunks and prioritize assignments. But, the key to Mom's statements is that the teen does the math and fills in the blanks. Looking at trends, it comes down to assignments that require writing. Knowing this, the teen's responses make complete sense because organizing ideas for writing is a common challenge for ADHD brains. And he is not receiving the help to build the skills that will lower his resistance, improve his relationships, and open possibilities as he grows the skills.

The thought that drives me is the kid out there that could be helped but isn't getting the help they need because adults don't yet see what the need is. This is my WHY. When I lose my WHY, I lose momentum. But, when I imagine the kids & families and enter into their struggles, I am motivated to continue... for the children's sake.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Running online summits that have reached an international audience, which is important because there are many misconceptions about ADHD, and cultures and countries can be at different places in understanding ADHD. Not only has it been a profitable form of lead generation, but the boost of energy is also great. I have even received letters from researchers from other countries that have said they needed more of these messages was the first time I realized the potential impact of the online world.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Balance. I can wake up on weekends, be at lunch with the family, and go to bed every night thinking about the business and imagining the next steps. As a result of letting business leak into every area of my life, my health got out of balance, my kids got grouchy from missing my attention, and I was conflicted because it wasn't in line with my family values. My goals had to be reduced in learning to bring balance and create boundary lines. Still, with the inner conflict gone, I could maintain stamina for the marathon as a business owner and not burn out after the initial sprint.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Start with WHY: Know your 'why' and communicate your 'why' to your audience. For example, 'why' could be out of a need to create revenue for the business and your family, yet if you picked the specific topic behind your business, why did you end up with that topic? Your mind will give you an answer. Then ask yourself, "Why that?" and "Why that?" again until you get to the point that resonates deep inside. Finally, you remind yourself of that and communicate to your audience to resonate with your ideal customers.
It's not about you. As an online entrepreneur, it is easy to get cold feet about pressing 'go live' or resist doing that thing that feels hard and vulnerable. However, humility is doing those things anyway because it's not about your vulnerabilities but about acting in service to the good of your customer. It becomes easier when you can orient your business choices and communicate with your customers for their good.
Learn the tech & strategy - this is important in two ways (1) The more you are aware of your technical capabilities, the more you'll be able to creatively, efficiently, and adaptively solve problems that arise. For example, I couldn't build the product I wanted, even though I hired tech experts, because I could not make decisions without knowing about the capabilities of the tech it was built on. (2) To grow and scale is about setting up business strategies and systems that work with the tech algorithms. For example, many great podcasts exist and have a small audience, but a launch plan combining strategy and algorithms can make a mediocre podcast more seen than the great one.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.whatnowadhd.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ADHDWhatNow
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhdwhatnow/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.