78: Chasing the Idea

Running a business with ADHD means living with a head full of ideas and a calendar full of self-imposed deadlines you'll absolutely move to next Tuesday. This week Sharon, Marie, and Jesse get into what actually works. They share product updates that came out of pure gut instinct, talk about the kind of pressure that genuinely lights the ADHD brain on fire, and unpack why following an idea might be the most underrated founder skill there is. Stick around to the end for a freemium strategy so diabolically clever it should probably be illegal.--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 Flux: fluxapp.blueCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, Jesse, Marie, and Sharon kick off 2026 by setting actual intentions. Each host shares a theme for their year, and the accountability that follows is equal parts insightful and chaotic. The conversation winds through the graveyard of good ideas that never got built, the difference between chasing what excites you versus what you think you should do, and why shipping something imperfect beats polishing something imaginary. Expect a detour into ADHD life hacks that may or may not involve accidental vitamin overdoses, and stick around for picks and plugs that you'll love. --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 Flux: fluxapp.blueCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.com ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Jesse and Marie get deep in the developer weeds this week, walking through the entire journey of shipping a first app to the App Store—from initial launch of Flux (Jesse's new Blue Sky client) to navigating rejection and iteration. They wrestle with the messy realities of responsive design across different phone models, talk about building for older hardware, and why supporting every device gets exponentially harder. The conversation zooms out into broader design philosophy, dev tools they're obsessed with, and why sometimes you just have to draw a line on what you'll support.--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 Flux: fluxapp.blueCheck out Llama Life: llamalife.coCheck out Shelpful: shelpful.comThe Founders Picks:https://www.therooststand.com/https://linear.app/ ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

In this episode, Jesse, Marie, and Sharon are back after a month-long unplanned hiatus—mostly because they kept forgetting what day they were supposed to record. They kick things off by handing out some awards, then they dive into a proper 2025 retrospective, talking through the big wins across our businesses. They wrap up with their favorite product picks from the year. Next episode they'll look forward to what's coming in 2026.--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 ★

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 ★