ADHD Executive Coaching for Entrepreneurs, Founders & Leaders
Specialized ADHD coaching for entrepreneurs, founders, and senior leaders such as YPO & EO members. I help high-performers build focus, follow-through, and emotional regulation to turn ADHD traits into competitive leadership advantages.
Many entrepreneurs with ADHD don’t struggle because they lack discipline or intelligence. They struggle because their minds move faster than their systems—and what used to work no longer scales.
I work with leaders, who are high-performing externally, while privately managing overwhelm, decision fatigue, emotional reactivity or a persistent sense that things should feel easier by now.
Trusted by YPO & EO Leaders
“Robert has a unique way of listening, framing the situation, stretching the mind, respecting the experience, challenging my conclusions.His supportive, nonjudgmental touch allows me to be more comfortable, creating a space for breakdowns leading to my breakthroughs.
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“Robert has a unique gift in his ability to easily relate to people and create the type of environment of trust where true openness and learning occurs. He brings a sense of humor, a true sensitivity rooted in personal experience and a caring approach that make him a great coach.”
Led by Robert Pal—former CEO, EO President, 25+ years executive leadership + ADHD coaching expertise
My Approach: Tactical Clarity + Mindful Intelligence
My coaching brings together two elements that are often developed separately, but rarely integrated:
Tactical Execution
Clear systems, personalized structures, habit design, and follow-through
Mindful Intelligence
The ability to notice, regulate, and lead your internal world rather than being driven by it
For leaders with ADHD, performance doesn’t break down because of a lack of insight. It breaks down because stress, emotion, and cognitive overload quietly hijack attention and judgment.
The goal isn’t to “fix ADHD”. It’s to lead yourself more effectively, so your business, relationships, and health stop paying the price.
Strategic Leadership & Scaling
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Traditional executive coaching often assumes consistent follow-through and linear execution.
Many entrepreneurs with ADHD don’t operate that way — not because of a lack of discipline, but because of how executive function works under pressure.
In addition, outcome-first coaching models can increase anxiety when internal regulation hasn’t been stabilized.
The result is often good ideas without a realistic, neurodiversity-aligned way to integrate them sustainably.
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ADHD can lead to "cognitive fog" or impulsive pivots when the stakes are high. Coaching introduces self-leadership tools that help you maintain emotional calm and clarity, ensuring your decisions are driven by strategy rather than the anxiety of the moment.
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Hyperfocus can be a powerful strategic asset — but only when it’s supported by structure. Left unchecked, it often leads to exhaustion rather than progress.
Coaching focuses on building clear activation windows, intentional transitions, and outcome checkpoints. This allows you to leverage deep focus when it matters, while protecting energy, judgment, and long-term momentum.
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In the early stages, ADHD traits like hyperfocus, rapid problem-solving, and comfort with chaos can be powerful assets. As organizations grow, however, leadership increasingly requires delegation, consistency, and long-term systems.
Coaching supports the transition from being the visionary who does everything to becoming the architect who leads through structure without losing creativity or momentum.
YPO, EO & Peer Dynamics
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Forum and moderation roles demand sustained attention, emotional presence, and real-time synthesis — all of which can be draining for the ADHD nervous system.
We focus on practical, discreet strategies that support focus and regulation in high-stakes group settings, so you can lead effectively without suppressing your natural engagement or charisma.
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Many leaders experience what I call the comparison of ease — watching peers achieve results that appear effortless, while privately managing significant internal friction.
Coaching helps address the emotional layers beneath this experience, including impostor feelings, frustration with delegation, and the gap between external success and internal strain. The goal isn’t to compete differently — it’s to lead with greater self-trust and steadiness in high-functioning peer environments.
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ADHD is disproportionately common among entrepreneurs and founders. At senior levels, however, the pressure to appear composed and reliable often leads leaders to mask challenges rather than discuss them openly.
A private coaching environment allows these conversations to happen safely, supporting more authentic leadership and healthier team dynamics.
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Forum and moderation roles demand sustained attention, emotional presence, and real-time synthesis — all of which can be draining for the ADHD nervous system.
We focus on practical, discreet strategies that support focus and regulation in high-stakes group settings, so you can lead effectively without suppressing your natural engagement or charisma.
“The media business has gone through many changes and challenges over the past decade. Robert has coached me through decision making and has helped bring out my internal instincts. Robert has a wealth of knowledge in the business world and gives me tools to make practical decisions. My time with him transforms and shifts my paradigm. With his unique perspective I’m able to view situations with greater awareness and come up with alternative responses.””
Why work With me
Clients work with me because I bring lived entrepreneurial experience, rigorous coaching training, and a proven ability to help leaders build clarity, steadier execution, and sustainable performance.
I’ve built and led a successful company, navigated high-stakes decisions, managed financial and operational pressure, and lived the emotional cost of leadership. I know first hand how ADHD can be both a strength and a liability at this level.
Emotional Regulation & Performance
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ADHD-related emotional reactivity can surface under pressure, leaving leaders feeling regretful or isolated after difficult interactions.
Coaching develops practical regulation skills that help you stay grounded and objective in moments of conflict, negotiation, or scrutiny. Over time, this supports clearer thinking, more measured responses, and greater confidence in board-level and high-stakes conversations.
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The "entrepreneurial rollercoaster" of euphoric highs and crushing lows is often amplified by ADHD. We help you deconstruct your patterns to identify what is a byproduct of the role and what is a neurological pattern that can be optimized through coaching.
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Many high-performing leaders with ADHD arrive home mentally depleted, making consistency and presence difficult in close relationships.
Coaching focuses on improving reliability, emotional availability, and recovery, so professional success isn’t quietly subsidized by strain at home.
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Most productivity tools fail at the executive level because they don’t account for the cognitive and emotional load of leadership.
This work goes beyond surface-level systems. It focuses on self-leadership, emotional awareness, and decision-making capacity — building structures that scale with responsibility rather than adding more pressure or complexity.
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Even highly successful leaders often experience guilt when focus and motivation fluctuate. Rather than pushing harder, we work toward clarity, emotional stability, and self-leadership — creating a steadier sense of purpose without relying on pressure or self-criticism.
How do I get started?
Book an initial consultation. This session gives us both a chance to understand your goals and determine if this approach fits your needs. You’ll leave with insight, clarity, and a suggested plan for moving forward.
Understanding the Symbol
You may have noticed the Chinese symbol at the top of this page. It stands for crisis, and it is made of two parts: one representing "danger" and the other "opportunity." This symbol captures exactly what it is like to lead a company with ADHD. There is the very real danger of burnout and overwhelm, but there is also a massive opportunity to use your unique wiring to scale your business. This coaching serves as the bridge that helps you move from the danger of the "overwhelm" to the opportunity of high-level performance.
We’ll work on:
Executive function that actually fits an ADHD brain
Emotional regulation under pressure
Reducing internal noise so decisions become simpler
Sustainable systems that support leadership, not constrain it
“Robert is that rare combination of business coach and healer in one. His way of listening helped my insights and awareness unfold, enabling change and growth in my personal life as well.”
Graduate of the EO/MIT Entrepreneurial Master’s Program
“As CEO of a small business, life can be very lonesome and the day-to-day responsibility of running the business can be very overwhelming. One of the best business decisions I have ever made was to enlist the help of Robert Pal. As an entrepreneur and successful businessman, Rob is the ideal sounding board. He’s astute and his business acumen allows him to cut through the clutter of a problem, and provide sound and actionable solutions. In addition, Rob holds me accountable for my actions which is an invaluable motivator to get things done. He has been a source of inspiration, encouragement and unwavering support. He has helped me to articulate, and ultimately execute on tactics to achieve my goals, navigate through rough terrains, and the confidential nature of our relationships allows me to speak candidly about anything that is on my mind. I highly recommend him time, and time, (and time!) again!”
“During our meetings Rob very quickly started to explore the areas within both my personal and work life that caused me anxiety. He helped me recognize the triggers and develop simple strategies to navigate the trigger points which very quickly resulted in lower levels of anxiety for me! The focus of our weekly meetings quickly evolved in to discussions about opportunities and challenges within my growing business and my personal life. I quickly realized that in addition to the benefit of verbalizing the day to day business issues confronting me, Rob was an incredibly savvy and experienced entrepreneur that had incredible insights which have already had an incredibly positive impact on me and my company.
I consider my weekly meetings with Rob to be the equivalent of a YPO forum but with the advantage of having it all be about me! Rob’s advice is practical and grounded and is based on his own entrepreneurial success story. ”
Who is this for?
This work is especially helpful if you:
Are a founder, CEO, or senior leader with ADHD
Belong to peer organizations such as YPO or EO, and still feel privately overwhelmed
Are successful on paper, but frustrated by inconsistency, overthinking, or burnout
Want structure without rigidity
Are looking for clarity, calm, and sustained performance — not quick fixes
