Calling ADHD Entrepreneurs: Use these financial strategies to level up your business

Implement these ADHD-friendly financial strategies to clean up your cash flow, optimize your taxes, and plan for the long run 

As an entrepreneur with ADHD, you bring incredible strengths to your business. Your creativity, ability to hyperfocus, and outside-the-box thinking are what make you great at what you do!

But when it comes to financial management? That's where things can get complicated. Traditional financial advice often doesn't work for your unique brain wiring, which is why I started Infocus.

Let's transform financial management from a pain point into a strength with strategies specifically designed for the ADHD entrepreneurial brain.

Essential financial systems for the ADHD entrepreneur 

The financial aspects of business ownership often require sustained attention to detail and consistent follow-through—precisely the areas where ADHD can create friction. 

If you’ve followed any accounts on social media that talk about ADHD, you’ve probably heard about the concept of working with your ADHD instead of against it. 

I’m going to take it a step further here and propose ways for you to build systems that work with your brain when it comes to managing money, as opposed to forcing yourself into traditional budgeting models. 

1. Automate everything possible

Seriously. Reduce cognitive load and ADHD overwhelm by automating recurring financial tasks:

• Set up automatic transfers to a separate bank account strictly for tax withholdings (25-30% of all income)
• Create recurring invoice templates and automated payment reminders
• Use an accounting software that has automatic expense categorization
• Schedule regular automatic transfers to your business emergency fund

Pro tip: Consider a business account structure with separate accounts for operations, taxes, owner's pay, and profit. Similar to the “Profit First” methodology, but simplified for ADHD management.

I use Relay Financial and Sequence to structure how business earnings are received and distributed across accounts to keep everything tidy. 

What I love about these tools is their flexibility and adaptability. 

I can quickly adjust my strategy, add temporary bank accounts to “hide” money from myself, and the experience is novel, which keeps me interested.

2. Outsource financial tasks strategically

Your time is better spent on revenue-generating activities that utilize your strengths. Some examples of outsourcing opportunities:

• Hire a bookkeeper for regular financial maintenance
• Work with an ADHD-informed accountant who understands your needs
• Consider a fractional CFO for high-level financial strategy if your business has complex needs

As I frequently tell my clients: "Trying to force yourself to do tasks that don't align with your brain wiring isn't just painful—it's expensive when you consider the opportunity cost."

Suppose you avoid outsourcing due to the cost or fear of exposing your mess to anyone. 

Yet you still procrastinate tasks to the point of unnecessary stress and worry. In that case, you have to ask the hard questions:

Have you considered what you could accomplish if you delegated this task? Freeing up your time and mental energy could open doors to new opportunities that you've been putting off. 

How might you be limiting your potential by not taking advantage of these possibilities?

3. Use visual tracking systems

Transform abstract numbers into visually engaging formats that your ADHD brain can process more easily:

• Use financial dashboards with graphs showing key metrics
• Implement color-coding for different revenue streams or expense categories
• Create visual milestones for business financial goals

One of my clients saw a significant improvement in profitability after implementing a simple visual cash flow system that made financial patterns immediately apparent.

4. Practice good cash flow habits

Cash flow management often becomes a significant pain point for ADHD entrepreneurs. Here's how to maintain control:

• Implement a 10-day cash flow forecasting routine with visual indicators for any upcoming shortfalls
• Create buffer zones in your financial planning to accommodate ADHD time blindness
• Establish clear criteria for financial decisions to reduce impulsive spending
• Use dedicated business credit cards with spending alerts to maintain awareness of expenses

5. Implement tax planning strategies that work with ADHD

Now let’s talk about effective tax planning. Planning for taxes requires consistency and foresight: areas where ADHD can create challenges. 

Here are some ways to stay ahead: 

• Schedule quarterly "tax prep days" with specific rewards for completion
• Create a visual tax calendar with alerts and reminders
• Implement a simple system for capturing and categorizing tax deductions
• Consider entity structures that simplify taxation (S-Corps or LLCs with S-election can be advantageous for many ADHD business owners)

Remember: Tax planning isn't just about compliance with the law: it's about proactively identifying strategies that can significantly increase your after-tax income.

6. Build wealth beyond daily operations

Looking beyond daily operations is where many ADHD entrepreneurs struggle: yet it's essential for long-term security.

Here are some high-level options for wealth building that I like to review with my clients:

• Establish automatic contributions to retirement accounts specific to business owners (SEP IRAs, Solo 401(k)s, or Defined Benefit Plans)
• Write down your dream exit strategy with concrete milestones, even if it's years away
• Have investments outside your business? Review them periodically (or set up time with your financial advisor) to reduce the risk of over-indexing on one asset class

Practical next steps 

If you’re sitting there thinking “Ok… that was too much”, I totally get that.

Building financial systems that work for you doesn't happen overnight. 

I recommend starting with these manageable actions. Set a timer on your phone or watch for 10 minutes. You can totally do this…

1. Identify one financial task or transfer to automate this week. Write down the steps you need to do. Do the first step.
2. Schedule a financial review with your accountant, business partner, advisor, or fractional CFO to talk about your cash flow strategy
3. Create quarterly reminders on your calendar (or your favorite app) to make sure you're staying on top of tax payments

Now you have some building blocks to include financial confidence in your entrepreneurial journey.

You’ve got this!

Interested in working with us to help implement what was covered in this post?

Click here to fill out our new client discovery form.

Infocus Wealth Strategies specializes in helping high-earning ADHD entrepreneurs build financial systems that actually work for their unique brains.