{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Under-Supported, Under-Stimulated, or Overextended? with Alyece Smith","description":"In this episode, Eric sits down with Alyece Smith, business coach, TEDx speaker, autism advocate, and founder of Socially Ausome, for a candid conversation about ADHD, masking, burnout, boundaries, and what it really takes to build systems that fit your brain. Alyece shares how her son\u2019s autism diagnosis changed the way she understood neurodivergence, her own ADHD, and the cost of trying to operate like everyone else. After leaving corporate to prioritize her son\u2019s care, she built a successful business quickly, but found herself overdelivering, people-pleasing, working late into the night, and burning out despite outward success. Together, Eric and Alyece explore why \u201cinconsistency\u201d is often misunderstood, especially for ADHDers. They talk about under-stimulation, energy management, spark times, decision fatigue, boundaries, and why sustainable follow-through usually requires better support, not more shame. Alyece also introduces her F.L.O.W. First Thinking framework: Find your spark times, Link boring tasks with stimulation, Organize your overflow, and Work your week around your peaks. This conversation is practical, validating, and useful for anyone who has ever felt scattered, overextended, or exhausted from trying to work against their own brain. Summary In this episode, Eric sits down with Alyece Smith \u2014 business coach, TEDx speaker, autism mom, and founder of Socially Ausome \u2014 for a candid conversation about what it really looks like to build a business with an ADHD brain. Alyece shares how her son's autism diagnosis cracked open her own understanding of neurodivergency, eventually leading her to leave corporate, launch a six-figure business, burn out spectacularly, and rebuild everything on her own terms. She introduces her F.L.O.W. First Thinking framework, breaks down why consistency advice fails ADHDers, and explains why energy management \u2014 not time management \u2014 is the real key to sustainable success. This one is raw, practical, and deeply validating for any entrepreneur who has ever felt scattered, burnt out, or like they're just not built for the traditional business model. Key Takeaways You're not scattered \u2014 you're bored. ADHD brains are chronically under-stimulated. What looks like inconsistency is really a dopamine regulation issue. Energy management beats time management. Work during your brain's natural peak times (your chronotype) \u2014 not just whenever the calendar says to. Boundaries are a business strategy. Burnout wasn't from working hard \u2014 it was from having no limits with clients or herself. "That's not in our contract, but I'm happy to invoice you" was a turning point. Masking is exhausting and expensive. Pretending to be neurotypical burns energy that could fuel your actual work. Coming out publicly as ADHD was terrifying \u2014 and completely freeing. The 48-hour rule for pivots. Before burning something down, sit with it 48 hours. Still fired up? Probably a real signal. Not? Likely boredom or fear. Systems aren't one-size-fits-all. The right system is one built around how your specific brain works \u2014 not how productivity gurus say it should. Brain dump daily. A five-minute voice memo clears mental clutter and can be run through AI tools to generate action lists. Passion is your compass. Hyperfocus kicks in hardest around genuine passion. Can't stop thinking about it? That's your signal. Women with ADHD are chronically misdiagnosed. Internalizing symptoms leads to anxiety and depression, and many women aren't diagnosed until perimenopause amplifies everything. Timestamps 0:00 \u2014 Introduction & Alyece's background 0:47 \u2014 Her son's autism diagnosis and the research rabbit hole that changed everything 3:17 \u2014 Leaving corporate in 2022 to prioritize her son's healthcare 3:56 \u2014 Going straight into entrepreneurship \u2014 and immediately masking all over again 4:16 \u2014 Hitting six figures in six months, then hitting a wall 4:35 \u2014 Working until 2\u20133am and the unrealistic client expectations that drove it 5:15 \u2014 People-pleasing, poor boundaries, and faking having an assistant 7:14 \u2014 What it means to deliver excellence when you're miserable doing it 8:27 \u2014 The breaking point: her husband calls her out 9:20 \u2014 Becoming a "brick wall of boundaries" and what that sounds like in practice 26:27 \u2014 Coming out publicly as ADHD on Facebook \u2014 and the flood of "me too" responses 27:47 \u2014 Why she now loves being an ADHD keynote speaker 28:20 \u2014 Reframing ADHD inconsistency: dopamine, boredom, and under-stimulation 29:37 \u2014 The fMRI study: boredom registers as pain in the ADHD brain 30:25 \u2014 Why ADHDers start strong and struggle to finish 31:56 \u2014 Decision fatigue and the power of a personal uniform 33:04 \u2014 Introducing the F.L.O.W. First Thinking framework 36:31 \u2014 Applying Flow First in a corporate setting \u2014 $300K saved in one quarter 36:54 \u2014 The book and what's inside beyond the TEDx talk 37:15 \u2014 Where people get the F (Find Your Spark Times) wrong 38:00 \u2014 Why changing your schedule feels uncomfortable \u2014 and how to push through 39:00 \u2014 Harmful advice in the ADHD space: "just be more consistent" 40:29 \u2014 How women internalize ADHD symptoms differently \u2014 and the misdiagnosis epidemic 41:17 \u2014 One small, actionable shift for overwhelmed entrepreneurs 43:14 \u2014 The Voice Pen app recommendation 46:21 \u2014 Where to find Alyece and get the book   The F.L.O.W. Framework: F \u2014 Find your spark times (when your brain is most alert and focused) L \u2014 Link boring tasks with stimulating ones (temptation bundling) O \u2014 Organize your overflow (a "parking lot" system for ideas and distractions) W \u2014 Work your week around your peaks (theme your days, not your hours)   Resources Mentioned Book: Flow First Thinking by Alyece Smith - Get it on Amazon Website: sociallyausome.com Nonprofit: Caden's Corner \/ The Awesome Family's Foundation App: Voice Pen \u2014 voice memo to AI-generated action list Tool: ManyCam \u2014 virtual camera with timer overlay for Zoom calls Connect with Alyece Website: sociallyausome.com Facebook & Instagram: @sociallyausome (Skip the TikTok DMs \u2014 she's not in there)   ADHD reWired Services Coaching Groups Adult Study Hall 1:1 Therapy & Coaching Additional Resource Mentioned: Neurodivergent + LGBTQ+ Pride Month Panel  ","author_name":"ADHD reWired","author_url":"http:\/\/www.ADHDreWired.com","html":"