I'm a Neurodiversity Coach, Professional Speaker and Business Consultant.  That might sound like three completely different roles, but they all fit together through my varied background, training and experience.

I'd like to share my story with you, the journey I've been on that has culminated in an exciting new rebrand as Think Exceptionally.

Consulting with Kerr

I set up Consulting with Kerr in 2020, specialising in the systems, processes and information that create and maintain value for owners considering exits in a 3 to 5-year horizon.

Why did I choose this niche?

Because I'm a Chartered Accountant with a Corporate Finance and HR background.  For more than 20 years I held senior financial and operational roles from global professional services firms to regional SMEs, so I wanted to use all of my knowledge and experience in business to help others.

Find out more about my Business Consulting services here.

Neurodivergence

I was diagnosed Autistic and ADHD in my 40s, around the time that I set up Consulting with Kerr. Both of these significant life changes happened in early 2020, around the time that Boris Johnson announced our first Covid-19 lockdown, so I had quite a few things to process there.

So I didn't share my diagnosis publicly until a few years later when I wrote a blog about it on World Mental Health Day 2022. You can read the blog here: 931 days

ADHDbrain.Coach

Understanding how my brain works, where my strengths and struggles lie, led me to a new purpose – to give others the support I didn't even realise I needed but so wish I'd had.

I spent all of 2023 running Consulting with Kerr while training as a Certified ADHD Life Coach, followed by Certification with the International Coaching Federation and additional training in Understanding Autism and Neurodiversity-Inclusive Coaching.

In July 2023, I launched ADHDbrain.Coach.

Find out more about my Coaching services here.

I chose to keep the two businesses separate and run two brands as I viewed one as a B2B consulting offer and the other as a B2C coaching offer. I didn't want to confuse either audience by talking about my different service offerings on one site.

Hacking Neurodiversity

In early 2023, I received an invitation to take part in a video project called Hacking Neurodiversity. The brainchild of the wonderful Graeme Lawrie MBE of ACS International Schools, in partnership with inrehearsal. Hacking Neurodiversity is a boxset of videos put together with the help of students, teachers, parents and specialists, who all gave their time freely to attend, sharing insights on what it's like to live with, and love, neurodiversity. You can find all of the videos here.

I was pretty terrified being in a film studio for the first time – so many lights and cameras! But I realised I felt confident talking about my neurodivergence. For once, the imposter syndrome didn't get a look in because who could suggest my experiences as a late-diagnosed neurodivergent adult were incorrect?

The fab team at inrehearsal were convinced too and invited me to deliver a community webinar about neurodiversity for the corporate members on their learning platform. Over 300 L&D Leaders joined the webinar and my Professional Speaking offering escalated from there (thank you so much for believing in me Ben!).

Find out more about my Professional Speaking here and Neurodiversity Services for Business here.

Suddenly it all makes sense

In marketing, we're told to define our niche and be clear on our offering. So I've been worrying that I can't be all of the things and must choose an area to focus on.

Then I learnt the term 'multipotentialite' – a person with multiple interests, passions, and talents across different fields, rather than a single, specialised focus. The term was popularised by Emilie Wapnick in her TED Talk "Why Some of Us Don’t Have One True Calling."

So what are the key traits of a Multipotentialite (according to ChatGPT at least)?

• Curiosity-Driven – They enjoy learning and exploring diverse subjects.
• Fast Learners – They often pick up new skills quickly.
• Adaptable – They can transition between industries, roles, and disciplines with ease.
• Creative Synthesizers – They combine knowledge from different areas to create innovative solutions.
• Resistant to Routine – Specialising in just one field for life may feel limiting or boring.
• Big Picture Thinkers – They often see connections between seemingly unrelated topics.

This is me!

After running a business for five years, I've finally managed to bring everything together.

My brain is wired differently. Neurodivergence makes me an exception to the rule. I don't fit in because I think exceptionally.

I bring my unique neurodivergent thinking to create innovative solutions in my business consulting work.

My broad business skills and lived experience of neurodivergence mean I can relate to almost any scenario my coaching clients are experiencing. Autistic empathy makes me a great listener.

And as a professional speaker, I'm supporting businesses to empower neurodivergence in the workplace, combining my corporate and HR background with my Coach training and neurodivergence.  

So, for the first time in my life, I'm proud that I don't fit in. I don't want to fit in. I think exceptionally.

Welcome to Think Exceptionally!