Our editor sits down with Alex Partridge, the visionary founder of LADbible and UNILAD and the host of the award-winning podcast, ADHD Chatter.
In a thought-provoking conversation, Alex shares the highs and lows of his career journey and tells us more about his advocacy for ADHD awareness and his vision for the future of media and creativity.
For years, Alex has been at the forefront of digital media innovation, shaping how brands connect with younger audiences across social platforms.
With a deep understanding of the ever-evolving online content landscape, he has successfully turned LADbible into a cultural phenomenon, amassing millions of followers and redefining storytelling for the digital age.
His podcast, ADHD Chatter, meanwhile, has garnered critical acclaim and a devoted following, shedding light on the experiences of those with ADHD, regardless of age, gender or status, and fostering an important dialogue around neurodiversity in and out of the workplace.
In October, he participated in this year’s Sunderland Business Festival—an event dedicated to showcasing the North East’s entrepreneurial spirit and fostering connections among local businesses – to talk about his life and career, as well as discussing the challenges and triumphs of living with ADHD and how business-owners, like him, can utilise it as their superpower to succeed.
What motivated you to get involved with Sunderland Business Festival and what do you hope people got out of your panel event?
Ultimately, I hope people were given a more balanced view of what living with ADHD is actually like. The motivation behind a lot of the work I’m doing right now – including partaking in great events like Sunderland Business Festival – is challenging and hopefully changing the narrative around it. As someone with ADHD who has built a business, I really want to present a more authentic view and to show people that, actually, having ADHD can be a very useful tool, rather than just a hindrance. It’s a particularly important message for the younger generation, too. If they Google ADHD, all they see and read is struggle, struggle, struggle. Those things are definitely there, but with the right support and awareness, ADHD can also give people gifts, from creativity and pattern-recognition to problem-solving and intuitiveness.
LADbible and UNILAD have had huge cultural impact since their founding, while your award-winning podcast, ADHD Chatter, continues to go from strength to strength. Looking back, what key decisions or turning points helped shape their success?
I think things started to change for the better when I really prioritised maintaining my self-awareness. When I committed to that, that’s when I saw real growth when it came to business. I started lots of businesses prior to LADbible, all of which I started on impulse. They didn’t make it because they weren’t connected to my intrinsic passions and motivations and, when things got tough, I abandoned them. However, through my self-awareness work and by being honest with myself and asking myself questions such as ‘what did I enjoy this week?’ ‘What made me anxious?’ ‘What made me happy?’ I began to build this arsenal of self-awareness that gave me a clear view of my intrinsic passions. With that, you can get a better idea for a business that works for you. I’ve learned to really step back, reflect and ask myself ‘does this business really align with what makes me tick’?
Entrepreneurship can be a rollercoaster – but especially when a person is trying to navigate their way through with neurodiversity and mental health struggles. What have been some of the toughest challenges you’ve faced and how did you overcome them?
Anxiety was always my achilleas heel and, as I went into business, it scaled and grew. Eventually, I learned that it came from taking on too much stuff and saying yes too often – over-committing to things – and so my challenge has been to put boundaries in place to stop that. I’ve had to realise that, as someone with ADHD, my energy and attention is finite and so ring fencing where it all goes is so important. It isn’t groundbreaking, but one of the strategies I’ve found really found beneficial is when someone asks me to do something, whether that’s replying to an email right then and there or looking at their project in greater depth, I ask them if I can I give them an answer next week instead. It feels massive because my default was always to say straight away, only to procrastinate and sometimes even ghost the person afterwards in avoidance, leading to feelings of guilt and shame. Now, my attention and my energy goes towards things that are connected to my true motivations. I’ve learned that most of the stuff that lands on us isn’t actually important. That said, I will say, it’s an on-going process – I’m 36 now and I’ve only just learned that no is a complete sentence. It can still feel really hard and awkward being firm with my boundaries. I’m a people-pleaser and I have a fear of confrontation, so the idea of asserting myself and saying no to someone can feel deeply uncomfortable. It’s worth remembering in those moments, though, that while saying yes in the moment provides short-term dopamine, ultimately, it leads to over-committing, burning out and letting people down.
In today’s changing and fast-paced online landscape, what advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs who are looking to create a successful digital media platform or a content-driven business like yours?
I would become really obsessed with testing – including AB testing. All of the platforms in today’s digital landscape, by their very nature, are ever-changing, and I think that’s why being in this space has maintained my interest over the years. It’s never stagnated – it’s always had this fun novelty factor to it. With that change, comes a constant adjustment of what works and what doesn’t work. Whether it’s pictures, text-based content or long-form or short-form video, having that culture of testing, especially in the early stages, is really important. I couldn’t grow LADbible in the way that I did 15 years ago now – I’d need a completely different strategy. Things change so quickly now. YouTube shorts, for example, changed from a minute to a minute and a half just two days ago, signalling a massive change in the industry. Keeping up with the changes – which occur almost daily on a micro basis and weekly on a macro basis – is key.
For anyone reading who is battling ADHD while trying to keep their head above water in both the world of work and the arena of everyday life, what would your three top tips be?
Firstly, advocate for yourself, whether that’s personally, in the office, or in the workforce. Unfortunately, the reality is that a lot of today’s workforces don’t have that awareness piece, so it’s up to you to trust your intuition to figure out if you’re in a safe environment or not. Asking for and experimenting with small adjustments and accommodations in the workplace can make a big difference. Things like asking if you can start earlier or later than the normal time, which can make the world of difference to someone who struggles with the overstimulation that commuting in rush hour can bring. Asking for minutes after a meeting is huge for me – I won’t remember anything anyone has said otherwise. Having agendas ahead of meetings or discussions also really helps, alleviating the anxiety I feel around not knowing what I’m going into. It also helps to keep my mind from wandering when I’m talking. Many people with ADHD can battle with imposter syndrome at work – whether they’re an employee or the employer. I’ve found that intentionally celebrating the small wins to be really useful. Do whatever feels good to you – whether that’s journalling or making notes in your phone. Putting words of success and affirmation into your subconscious and reminding yourself of the evidence of your success is a great tool. Lastly, I’d encourage you to find your tribe. Find the people who aren’t going to judge you for the behaviours you were always told were weird or difficult. Stay authentic and true, in the knowledge that you’re not broken – you’re just a bit different to what society has told you is normal. You’ve always been enough.
For updates, follow Andrew on Instagram at @alex_partridge_100
ADHD Chatter is available wherever you get your podcasts.
