Dyslexic CEO Neil Peterson, Serial Entrepreneur FlexCar

"A self-confessed “serial entrepreneur,” Neil has founded four other businesses—an international transportation consulting firm, a company providing interim executive management, a travel and tour company, and a private fishing club.In addition, Neil has served as CEO, COO, or CFO of six companies, including a publicly traded membership campground company, a television and TV advertising research and ratings company, a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), an international people-mover company in the transportation industry, a contracted heavy equipment maintenance service business, and a travel publication. Neil’s first job in the private sector was as a consultant for Booz Allen Hamilton."

From a great article in Additude, the Petersons share how ADHD and Life coaches helped them with time management and organization.

"Neil Peterson: For a long time, I wondered where my kids got their ADHD. Finally, it dawned on me that they got it from me. Though I’ve never been formally diagnosed, I show a lot of the telltale symptoms. I’ve always had trouble reading, and I had to work hard to do well in school. I get bored easily, and I constantly need new challenges.

Though my work life was successful, I was never careful about details that didn’t interest me. I used to tell my second wife that I would take care of the bills, but I would never sit down and write the checks. That’s one of the things that led to our divorce.

I sold my last business a year and a half ago. For the first time in my life, no one was making demands or imposing schedules on me. I knew what I wanted to do, but I couldn’t get off the dime. Then I thought about how coaching had helped Guy and Kelsey. It occurred to me that maybe I needed a coach, too.

Kelsey Peterson: I knew I had dyslexia ever since grade school. A few years ago, we found out that my brother has ADHD, and my father asked me to get tested, too. Sure enough, I had it. I didn’t think I needed coaching, but my father said to give it a chance — and it’s been very helpful.

Jodi Sleeper-Triplett (an ADHD coach in Herndon, Virginia): When I started coaching Kelsey, last spring, our initial focus was to help her get ready for college. Here was this 19-year-old going off to New York City to one of the best design schools in the nation. She worried that she wouldn’t be able to take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities there and keep up with her classes, too.

I had her plan out her school days and send me her plan via e-mail. She would also create a plan for each weekend, taking into account social events, personal time, and school assignments. Planning is something many students with ADHD have trouble doing on their own.

Kelsey: Jodi helps me figure out how to do things. For example, I’ve learned to do my drawing homework right after class, when the subject is still fresh in my mind, and to do my reading in the library, where there are few distractions. And now that I break assignments into small chunks, big assignments don’t seem so daunting. Every morning, I go for a half-hour run before class. That helps me wake up and leaves me ready to focus in class. I call Jodi once a week. She asks what projects I’m working on, and what timelines I have set up. In addition to the phone calls, we keep in touch by e-mail every other day or so.

Neil: Unlike Kelsey and Guy, I don’t take medication for ADHD. I’m not a big fan of pills — I don’t even take vitamins. But I’ve found ways to cope with my ADHD. Exercise helps a lot. Most days, I spend two hours biking, swimming, stretching, and lifting weights. And Nancy’s been a godsend.

Nancy Ratey (an ADHD coach in Boston): When Neil and I first started working together, he told me he had two goals. He wanted to write his memoirs, and to start a foundation to help kids with ADHD and learning disabilities. It was clear to me that he had more than enough energy to achieve those goals. What he needed was a partner — someone to help him structure his days and cheer him on when he felt down, someone who could see things that he couldn’t see.

Neil: Nancy didn’t have to convince me to get organized. That’s never a problem when I’m engaged in a project. But she has helped me become more confident about my writing ability. Given all the trouble I had with compositions in school, I didn’t think I could produce something as long and as complicated as a book.

Nancy: I make sure Neil keeps to a consistent work schedule. Now he begins each day by writing for a couple of hours, and he’s made great progress on the book. In less than six months, he’s written 150 pages.

Nancy Ratey is the gifted life coach and author of The Disorganized Mind. She also has dyslexia.