67: Doom Boxes and Dopamine

Here's a challenge: keep momentum through the holiday blur and actually ship those January updates. Marie, Sharon, and Jesse tackle the brutal reality of the "holiday fog," explain what ADHD January is, and how founders navigate the gap between their grand Black Friday/Cyber Monday plans and how to keep from slowing down. They also break down Sharon's "pay what you want" pricing data, the counterintuitive psychology of why people overpay for community, and why structure feels like a personal attack—all while trying to stay sane through the chaos friends and family and working through the holidays.--Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/adhd_foundersFollow us on social media:• This podcast: @adhd_founders• Jesse – @adhdjesse• Marie – @llamalife.co• Sharon – @shelpfulCheck out Wavepal: wavepal.appCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jesse shares his most mortifying white elephant story, then Sharon counters with tales of "Secret Santa Stalker" workplace pranks that escalated to Michael Scott-level disasters. The conversation shifts to practical ADHD gift recommendations, with the hosts sharing their favorite fidget tools, tech gear, and everyday items that actually help with focus and regulation. From the Widgy pry bar to specialized water bottles and stress balls, they offer gift ideas for the ADHD people in your life. --Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/adhd_foundersFollow us on social media:• This podcast: @adhd_founders• Jesse – @adhdjesse• Marie – @llamalife.co• Sharon – @shelpfulCheck out Wavepal: wavepal.appCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com--Water bottles:Brumate Water bottle: https://amzn.to/4icv38BCamelBak Chute Water bottle: https://amzn.to/3LJwkYHMarie’s water bottle: https://nadasawaya.com/collections/piu-fortyFidgets/utility: Fidget Newton: https://fidgetnewton.com/?ref=kfrudiouFlippy Fidget: https://www.amazon.com/Toms-Fidgets-Flippy-Perfect-Anxiety/dp/B01MAYBTA0Widgy Pry Bar: https://countycomm.com/products/widgy-pry-bars?variant=29212773894Squishy net ball: https://amzn.to/4a6IepnTech gear:Ray-ban Meta: https://amzn.to/48a9IIareMarkable Paper Pro: https://amzn.to/48dHXyFHosts may earn a small commission if you buy products via our links ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

What happens when three ADHD founders try to optimize their way out of their own dopamine-seeking behavior? In this episode, Marie, Sharon, and Jesse start with iPhone automations designed to help them focus—then inevitably spiral into discussions about minimal phones, grayscale screens, monetization strategies, and why we keep building systems we immediately override. From the promise of productivity hacks to the reality of toggling them off minutes later, this conversation explores the beautiful contradiction of ADHD entrepreneurship: we're excellent at creating solutions, just not always at using them. Plus: why referral programs are harder than they should be, and the eternal question of whether to build or buy.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/adhd_foundersFollow us on social media:• This podcast: @adhd_founders• Jesse – @adhdjesse• Marie – @llamalife.co• Sharon – @shelpfulCheck out Wavepal: wavepal.appCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

When you're bootstrapping a startup and watching your savings dwindle, creativity becomes currency. Jesse, Marie, and Sharon tackle the uncomfortable reality of funding an early-stage company without investor backing, sharing everything from Airbnb's famous cereal box hustle to Marie's viral lifetime deal that accidentally landed her in an accelerator. The conversation explores unconventional revenue streams, the psychology of "default dead" versus "default alive," and why your unfair advantages might be hiding in plain sight.Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/adhd_foundersFollow us on social media:• This podcast: @adhd_founders• Jesse – @adhdjesse• Marie – @llamalife.co• Sharon – @shelpfulCheck out Wavepal: wavepal.appCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In today's episode, Jesse and Sharon discuss exciting update for Wave Pal and Shelpful, then we present their discussion from Shimmer's ADHD Growth Summit. There so much to learn from this episode!Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/adhd_foundersFollow us on social media: • This podcast: @adhd_founders • Jesse – @adhdjesse • Marie – @llamalife.co • Sharon – @shelpfulCheck out Wavepal: wavepal.appCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Three ADHD entrepreneurs dive into the emotional rollercoaster of building startups, from the euphoria of landing your first unknown customer to the challenge of celebrating wins when you're wired to immediately focus on the next mountain to climb. Jesse shares his breakthrough moment with WavePal, while Sharon prepares for Shelpful's app store launch and Marie gets reinvigorated at a Stripe founder event. The conversation explores why people with ADHD struggle with goal-setting and celebrating milestones, plus practical strategies for time awareness, physical reminders, and creating sustainable habits when your brain works differently. Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/adhd_foundersFollow us on social media: • This podcast: @adhd_founders • Jesse – @adhdjesse • Marie – @llamalife.co • Sharon – @shelpfulCheck out Wavepal: wavepal.appCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jesse, Marie, and Sharon check in on their accountability goals while navigating the realities of building apps with ADHD. The conversation covers everything from App Store submission challenges and user onboarding insights to the mental weight of incomplete tasks. They also explore practical ADHD strategies, discuss when it's okay to accept help from partners, and share what they're learning from early user feedback. . Follow us on social media: • This podcast: @adhd_founders • Jesse – @adhdjesse • Marie – @llamalife.co • Sharon – @shelpfulCheck out Wavepal: wavepal.appCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jesse, Marie, and Sharon share what it really feels like to juggle ADHD, early-stage startups, and the pressure to stay visible online. They talk through the messy middle — app bugs, audience feedback, life interruptions — and the small wins that keep them moving forward. Follow us on social media: • this podcast: @adhd_founders • Jesse – @adhdjesse • Marie – @llamalife.co • Sharon – @shelpfulCheck out Wavepal: wavepal.appCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jesse and Sharon sit down with Lydia Swift, Sharon’s co-founder at Shelpful, to talk about starting a company with a decades-long friend, the whirlwind of launching during COVID, and how the ADHD community shaped their product’s direction. Lydia opens up about living in the “squishy middle” of ADHD (relating to nearly every trait without a formal diagnosis) and the hurdles of self-advocacy in the medical system. Together they swap stories about friendship, entrepreneurship, pivots, and building tools that make life a little easier for brains that work differently. Follow us on social media: • this podcast: @adhd_founders • Jesse – @adhdjesse • Marie – @llamalife.co • Sharon – @shelpfulSubscribe for free to Jesse’s Extra Focus newsletter: extrafocus.comCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode of ADHD Founders, Jesse, Marie, and Sharon dive into the complex relationship between ADHD, sleep, and streak-based motivation. From the highs and crashes of productivity apps to the shame spiral of missed days, they unpack how self-tracking tools like the Oura Ring can both help and harm. They also explore revenge bedtime procrastination, night owl tendencies, and how ADHD often intersects with insomnia and time blindness.Plus, a real-life look behind the scenes of each host’s business, from community building and monetizing digital products to the emotional highs and lows of founder life. This one’s full of insight, laughter, and the kind of real talk that makes you feel less alone on the entrepreneurial rollercoaster.Follow us on social media: • this podcast: @adhd_founders • Jesse – @adhdjesse • Marie – @llamalife.co • Sharon – @shelpfulSubscribe for free to Jesse’s Extra Focus newsletter: extrafocus.comCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★