The Forums › Forums › The Workplace › Self-Employment › Self Employment. › Re: Self Employment.
Rick (or Thom) has nailed it. As has Dustin.
But I think ADD/ADHD or not, entrepreneurs need to be careful always to work ON their businesses and not succumb to the temptation of spending too much time working IN them. It seems to be universally true that it’s (much) harder to grow a business than start one. You have to shift gears. And it requires developing a different skill set.
That said, I think more ADD people should consider some sort of entrepreneuring, including microentrepreneuring, as a career. As businesses continue to focus on increased productivity, companies are hiring fewer people in middle management; and those “lucky” few frequently need constantly to be on task , deadline oriented, and willing to work on tedious projects for long hours—not a recipe for ADD success. Several people on this site have said they feel “unemployable.” I don’t doubt that’s true, particularly in this economic climate.
What ADDers CAN contribute is strategic vision and creative solutions to difficult problems. While there are a few job descriptions that list those bullet points as priorities, vision and creativity are both intangibles. It’s hard to convince a hiring manager you’re more “visionary” than some uninspired moron waiting in the next room—unless you’re Steve Jobs or Mark Zuckerberg, in which case you don’t need a job.
Let’s face it: if you’re ADD and looking for a job, it can be dispiriting reading the job listings. You see “keen attention to detail” or “able to produce weekly reports,” then gulp, and hit delete.
Entrepreneuring is not easy. And there’s always the problem of capital. But … if you know you’re smart and think you have a great idea, there are people out there who can help you with the details and offer helpful advice. You don’t have to be able to do everything–at least not for long. As long as you know your shortcomings, are willing to take ownership of them, and can find a way somehow to mitigate them, you’ve got a shot. Just remember to ask your spouse before you hang out a shingle!
BTW: I suspect there are a number of ADD entrepreneurs on this site who would be more than happy to offer specific advice.
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