Why ADHD entrepreneurs keep abandoning their vision for someone else’s strategy — and what to do instead
I need to tell you something I’ve been avoiding for weeks.
I’m doing it again.
That thing where I completely abandon my own vision and start building someone else’s business instead.
And the worst part? I didn’t even realize it was happening until I sat down and recorded a voice note to myself two weeks ago.
Let me back up.
The Pattern I Kept Missing
For the last three years, I’ve followed the same cycle:
2021-2022: I found a coach. Implemented everything they taught. Got 60 paid customers into my program. Then quit because my audience wasn’t ready to take action.
2022-2023: Different coach. New strategy. Got success, but I didn’t feel aligned to it. Abandoned it.
2023-2024: Australian coach. Everything she taught resonated. I made $10K per month with high-ticket clients. Then I got completely burnt out.
2024-2025: Started following someone new in June/July. Got hyperfocused on their content. Implemented their strategies. And suddenly… I’m offering 1-on-1 coaching again. I’m building funnels I don’t want. I’m creating a business that looks nothing like what I originally envisioned.
Sound familiar?
If you’re an ADHD entrepreneurs, I’m guessing it does.
What I Actually Wanted to Build
When I started Hemapriya.com in March 2025, I had a clear vision:
An e-commerce-style digital products business.
Products that help ADHD entrepreneurs earn consistent income through automated systems and frameworks — even when they’re hyperfocused somewhere else.
Not coaching.
Not 1-on-1 client work.
Not another version of someone else’s business model.
I wanted to create products. Like I’ve been doing successfully for 15 years across my other businesses.
But somewhere between March and now, I drifted.
I started following someone’s content. Got excited about their success. And slowly, without even noticing, I adopted their entire business model.
Coaching. Calls. Client work. The whole thing.
And I felt… off. Uneasy. Like I was wearing someone else’s clothes.
The ADHD Pattern Behind This
Here’s what I finally understood about why this keeps happening:
The Dopamine Pull
When I discover a new expert or coach, there’s a massive dopamine hit.
Their success becomes my hyperfocus. I consume everything they create. Every post, every email, every strategy.
And my ADHD brain goes: “THIS is the answer! THIS is what we’ve been missing!”
The External Structure Trap
ADHD brains often seek external accountability and structure. We struggle with self-direction when things feel unclear.
Coaches provide that structure. They tell us exactly what to do. When. How.
It feels so good to have that clarity.
But here’s the problem: I became so dependent on their structure that I completely abandoned my own knowing.
The “They Must Know Better” Belief
When I’m struggling, it’s easy to think someone else has THE answer.
They’ve done it. They’re successful. They must know better than me.
So I override my gut instinct and follow their path exactly.
Even when it doesn’t align with how my brain actually works.
The Misalignment Crash
Eventually, forcing myself into someone else’s business model becomes exhausting.
That’s not laziness.
That’s not lack of discipline.
That’s not ADHD sabotaging me.
That’s my brain telling me something is fundamentally wrong.
And when I finally crash and burn out, I blame myself.
“Why can’t I just stick to something?”
“Why do I keep quitting when things are working?”
“What’s wrong with me?”
What My 57 Businesses Actually Taught Me
I’ve built 57 businesses over 10 years.
44 of them failed or were abandoned.
But 13 succeeded. Eight are still running profitably. Five I sold.
And when I looked at the businesses that actually worked, I noticed something:
My Little Moppet — $2M+ revenue. E-commerce. Product-based. Systematized.
Ancient Madurai — Profitable vintage decor e-commerce. Products, not me.
Soundaryah — Traditional wellness brand. Products. Still operational.
Digital Asset Empire — Passive income websites. Automated. No 1-on-1 required.
Notice what’s missing?
None of these require me to show up 1-on-1 with clients constantly.
My brain thrives on:
- Product creation
- Systems building
- E-commerce models
- Passive/automated income
- Multiple ventures running simultaneously
My brain struggles with:
- Consistent 1-on-1 coaching
- Being the product
- Following someone else’s rigid coaching model
- Single-focus coaching programs
The evidence has been there for 15 years.
I just kept ignoring it because someone else’s coaching model looked more “legitimate” or “profitable” or “successful.”
The Real Problem With Following Coaches
Let me be clear: coaches aren’t the problem.
I’ve learned valuable things from every single coach I’ve followed.
The problem is adopting their entire business model instead of using their tactics to build MY business.
Here’s what kept happening:
I’d see their success with coaching. Think “I should do that too.” Implement their funnel, their offers, their pricing, their delivery model.
And I’d forget that:
- They might love 1-on-1 work. I don’t.
- They might thrive on calls. I get drained.
- They might want to be the product. I want to create products.
- Their brain might work differently than mine.
Their model worked for them. That doesn’t mean it works for me.
What Actually Works (Based on Data, Not Feelings)
A few weeks ago, I looked at the actual data from Hemapriya.com.
Here’s what I found:
Top performing pages:
- Finish What You Start Toolkit (product page)
- AI Clarity Coach (product page)
- What I’m Doing Now page
Traffic sources that convert:
- Email (90% of my sales come from email!)
- Google Organic
What sells:
- ADHD entrepreneurs-focused digital products ($9-19 range)
- Tools and frameworks, not access to me
- Things with discounts or positioned as experiments
My open rate: 30% (excellent)
My click-through rate: 0.5% (needs work, but email clearly works for me)
What didn’t work:
- Bundles (wrong audience – freebie seekers, not buyers)
- Domain Detox (wrong positioning for this audience)
- Coaching programs (I got burnt out every single time)
The data was screaming at me:
YOU’RE GOOD AT CREATING PRODUCTS AND SELLING THEM VIA EMAIL.
Not coaching.
Not 1-on-1 work.
Not someone else’s funnel model.
Products. Email. Systems.
That’s what I’ve been successful at for 15 years across multiple businesses.
The Questions That Changed Everything
I recorded a voice note to myself asking these questions:
“What am I actually good at?”
Creating products. I’m great at getting ideas and turning them into awesome products.
Email marketing. I’ve been doing it for 10 years. 90% of my sales come from email.
“What was my original vision for Hemapriya.com?”
An e-commerce-style digital products business. Helping ADHD entrepreneurs earn consistent income through automated systems.
“What does this look like if I build it MY way?”
Products. Not coaching programs.
Email marketing. Not social media funnels.
ADHD-friendly systems. Not rigid structures.
Facebook focus (where my audience actually is). Not Instagram virality.
“Why do I keep drifting to coaching?”
Because it looks like what successful people do.
Because external structure feels safe.
Because I forget to trust what I already know works.
Breaking the Pattern: What I’m Doing Instead
Here’s what I decided:
I’m returning to my original vision.
Hemapriya.com is an e-commerce business for ADHD entrepreneurs.
Not a coaching business.
Not someone else’s model.
Not the latest guru’s strategy.
Here’s what that actually looks like:
1. Products, Not Programs
I create digital toolkits, frameworks, and systems that ADHD entrepreneurs can buy and use.
- Finish What You Start Toolkit
- AI Clarity Coach
- Idea Hoarder Breakthrough System
- Dopamine Dollar Framework resources
They buy the product. They get access to the tool. They implement it.
They don’t need ongoing access to me.
2. Email as Primary Channel
90% of my sales come from email. I have 10 years of email marketing experience.
So why was I trying to build an Instagram funnel or Facebook ads strategy?
New approach:
Weekly “Dopamine to Dollar” newsletter sharing what I’m actually doing, experiments, results, and one helpful insight.
Not just sales emails. Relationship building.
Then when I launch or promote a product, people actually want to hear from me.
3. Facebook Focus (Not Instagram)
ADHD entrepreneurs are on Facebook. I’ve seen the data.
Instagram requires virality and constant content. That’s not my strength.
New approach:
2-3 Facebook posts per week. Behind-the-scenes. ADHD validation. Product demonstrations.
Manageable for my ADHD brain. Reaches my actual audience.
4. BrainGram: Content From My Actual Work
I’m building BrainGram – a real-time visual feed documenting my daily decision-making across multiple businesses.
Not manufactured content. Just capturing what I’m already doing.
This feeds:
- Website content (people already spend 1+ minute on “What I’m Doing Now”)
- Email newsletter material
- Facebook posts
- Product demonstrations
All from my actual work. Not extra content creation burden.
5. Strategic Product Launches
Not random sales blasts that make people unsubscribe.
New pattern:
- Week 1-2: Share experiment/process via email and Facebook
- Week 3: Launch product with discount
- Week 4: Share results and testimonials
- Ongoing: Evergreen mentions in weekly emails
People see the value before I ask them to buy.
What I’m Learning to Ask Before Following Anyone’s Advice
Next time I feel pulled to implement someone’s complete strategy, I’m pausing to ask:
1. Does this align with my product-based vision?
If it’s pulling me toward coaching/programs/constant availability, it’s probably not right for me.
2. Will this require constant 1-on-1 availability?
If yes, I need to reconsider. My successful businesses don’t require this.
3. Can I systematize this or does it depend on my personal presence?
Products can be systematized. Coaching requires me. I prefer the former.
4. Am I adopting this because it’s truly aligned, or because I’m seeking external structure?
Be honest. ADHD brains crave external structure. That doesn’t mean every structure is right for me.
5. Have I successfully built businesses this way before, or is this someone else’s model?
Trust my 15 years of actual experience over someone else’s 2-year coaching success.
The Permission I’m Giving Myself (And You)
You don’t need another coach’s permission or strategy.
You need to trust what you already know works for YOUR brain.
If you’re an ADHD entrepreneur reading this and thinking “oh my god, I do this too” — here’s what I want you to know:
Your inability to stick to someone else’s business model isn’t a character flaw.
It’s not lack of discipline.
It’s not ADHD sabotaging you.
It’s not proof you’ll never succeed.
It’s your brain telling you the model doesn’t fit.
Maybe you’re like me:
- You thrive creating products, not delivering coaching
- You love email marketing but hate social media funnels
- You build great systems but struggle with ongoing client relationships
- You have multiple successful businesses but feel guilty they’re not all “one thing”
That’s not broken. That’s just different.
The business world loves to tell us there’s ONE right way:
- Pick one niche
- Build one business
- Follow this exact funnel
- Do what [successful person] does
But what if your scattered approach, your multiple interests, your product-creation brain is actually your competitive advantage?
What if you just need to build a business model that works WITH your wiring instead of against it?
What This Means for Hemapriya.com Going Forward
I’m committing to building the e-commerce-style digital products business I originally envisioned.
What you’ll see from me:
Weekly emails sharing real experiments, ADHD entrepreneurship insights, and helpful frameworks (not just sales pitches)
Facebook presence showing behind-the-scenes of running multiple businesses with ADHD (2-3 posts/week, not daily content stress)
Product launches that feel natural and valuable, not desperate or pushy
BrainGram updates documenting my real decision-making process across ventures
ADHD-friendly tools and frameworks you can buy and implement without needing ongoing access to me
What you won’t see:
❌ Another coaching program
❌ High-ticket 1-on-1 packages
❌ Complex funnels copied from someone else
❌ Me abandoning my vision for the latest guru’s strategy
❌ Apologies for being multi-passionate
The Question I’m Sitting With
Here’s what I keep coming back to:
What would my business look like if I built it exactly how I wanted, using the business models that have actually worked for me over 15 years?
Not what the latest coach says.
Not what’s trending.
Not what looks most “legitimate.”
Just what my ADHD brain, my experience, and my successful business history tell me works.
That’s the business worth building.
And maybe — just maybe — that’s true for you too.
If This Resonates With You
I’m documenting this whole journey.
Every week, I’m sharing what I’m actually doing to build this e-commerce-style business for ADHD entrepreneurs.
The experiments. The results. The crashes. The wins.