Show Notes
Having ADD or ADHD is a gift, not a curse. Hear from people all around the globe, from every walk of life, in every profession, from Rock Stars to CEOs, from Teachers to Politicians, who have learned how to unlock the gifts of their ADD and ADHD diagnosis, and use it to their personal and professional advantage, to build businesses, become millionaires, or simply better their lives. I have been wanting to have our guests today on the podcast since we first started so I am thrilled to share my first interview with the Holderness Family with you! Penn and Kim Holderness have been married for 18 years and for the past decade, they have been online content creators. Known for their award-winning videos of sketch comedy and music, they have garnered over 2 billion views and over 8 million followers across their social media platforms. Penn and Kim are best-selling authors, award-winning podcast hosts, and were winners on Season 33 of The Amazing Race. Before making their own content in the digital space, they honed their storytelling skills with twenty-five combined years in the TV news business. When they aren't making their audience laugh, they help international companies make videos of their own along with their team at Holderness Family Productions. Penn and Kim live in Raleigh, NC with their children, Lola and Penn Charles, and their dog, Sunny. We're talking routines, anxiety, medication, understanding partnerships, and of course how everything relates to our ADHD brains. Enjoy! [You are now safely here] 00:40 - Thank you again so much for listening and for subscribing!! 01:13 - Introducing and Welcome Penn and Kim Holderness! Ref: Scott Monty interview 01:52 - Their great new book ADHD Is Awesome 02:44 - How did ADHD become a passion for your books and what was like like pre-diagnosis? 04:06 - On social acuity and ADHD 05:20 - For a lot of people ADHD isn't awesome; they haven't found their groove yet. How do we balance the good with the bad or challenging, while also breaking stereotypes through comedy, and raising awareness for further education and study? 08:00 - The meaning of Awesome is great but it's also scary 09:00 - The book is in three parts; the first one is how a diagnosis stinks initially. 10:30 - On different types of jobs and how the ADHD brain can benefit us in work 12:20 - About Peter's schedule and how medication is utilized depending on the environment/daily demands 13:30 - What is your daily schedule like and what rituals do you two use? 16:00 - Talk to us about your physical fitness routines 17:30 - On Peter's ticket for running in Central Park 18:00 - When inspiration hits, how do you save it? 19:40 - On staying in deep work- what do you do to make sure you can keep your flow? 21:50 - On relationships and ADHD 23:30 - How can people find you? https://theholdernessfamily.com @theholdernessfamily on Facebook, INSTA, TikTok, and YouTube 24:00 - Thanks so much for listening to Faster Than Normal. Please join us again very soon! Know anyone doing wonderful things with #ADHD? We would love to have them on and listen to how they are using their #neurodivergence to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked! My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
More from The Faster Than Normal Podcast: ADD | ADHD | Health
Dr. Isaiah Crum M.D. is a board-certified psychiatrist in New York City specializing in the mental health of young professionals. He grew up in a community that treated a fast, curious mind as a problem to be corrected. He became a psychiatrist anyway, making his life's work out of what others once called his flaw. His practice is built on a simple premise: psychiatric conditions, including ADHD, look different depending on who you are and where you come from, and too many people have been misread, under-treated, or told nothing was wrong because no one was trained to see them clearly. He is currently building an independent practice designed to change that. In this episode of Faster Than Normal, Peter Shankman interviews Dr. Crumb, a psychiatrist specializing in neurodiversity and mental health within Black communities. Together, they explore the nuances of ADHD diagnosis, the impact of racial bias in psychiatry, and the importance of representation and understanding in mental health. 0:02 - Introduction and guest background 1:09 - Growing up with neurodiversity in Omaha, Nebraska 2:02 - The stigma and late diagnosis of ADHD 3:41 - The role of health insurance and diagnosis in women of color 4:08 - Gender differences in ADHD presentation and masking 5:08 - ADHD in incarcerated populations and underserved groups 5:47 - Coping strategies before diagnosis, including caffeine and gamification 7:15 - The importance of hacks and adaptive strategies from lived experiences 8:08 - The concept of masking and its costs, especially in Black communities 9:03 - Overlap of ADHD symptoms with anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation 10:19 - Communication challenges and the cycle of not being heard 12:34 - Representation in psychiatry and the current demographic disparities 16:14 - Pushback from community when pursuing psychiatry 20:29 - The significance of diagnosis and stigma in Black communities 22:24 - Racial biases in diagnosis and the problematic use of ODD 25:56 - The racialized perceptions of authority and defiance 27:00 - Closing thoughts and future projects Dr. Isaiah Crumb on Threads Thank you for being here and for subscribing- give us a shout anytime! https://linktr.ee/petershankman Substack: petershankmanofficial.substack.com Email: [email protected] Podcast: Faster Than Normal Do you happen to know anyone who is doing wonderful things with #ADHD or their neurodivergent brain? We would love to have them on to learn how they are using their #neurodiversity to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked! My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
ur guest today, Vicki Christensen in her own words: I am passionate about advocating for families of special needs children through the IEP process always with a child-centered approach. Equally important is educating parents/guardians on the rights of a person with a disability and on communication strategies to allow for a positive and open relationship with the IEP team, school & district. My background is a unique combination of 15 years of special education advocacy both as a parent and a professional with a Certificate of Special Education Advocacy from USD, a small business owner giving back to the special needs community and over 10 years as a professional in the healthcare field allowing me to utilize my degree and experience in Communication Studies. I am a mother of a 21 year old (who wears Blue Glasses) with global developmental delays and am experienced in early intervention, the IEP and 504 processes as well as working with the Regional Center. I am widely networked with both parents of special needs children and professionals in the San Diego area and look forward to continuing to provide advocacy services to many more families. I am currently on the Special Education Advisory Committee in the Carlsbad Unified District working to increase awareness and inclusion for our special education students. In this episode, Vicki Christensen shares her journey parenting a neurodiverse son, Luke, with a rare chromosome disorder, offering insights, practical strategies, and emotional support for parents navigating similar challenges. Enjoy! 01:09 - Intro and welcome Vicki Christensen 01:11 - Vicki's journey from her son's diagnosis to adulthood 02:15 - Initial reactions and how we process a diagnosis 04:09 - Overwhelm of early medical and therapy appointments 05:19 - Living life amidst caregiving responsibilities Ref: what is IEP? 06:24 - Why Vicki wrote her book and its purpose 07:45 - Practical advice for parents 09:44 - On the importance of protecting your marriage 11:49 - Balancing caregiving and personal boundaries 13:05 - On building your support village 14:44 - How can people find you? • Website: https://www.blueglassesadvocacy.com/ Socials: @BlueGlassesAdvocacy on INSTA Uniquely, Fully, Enough: The Neurodivergent Parenting Journey - A Memoir and Handbook on Amazon Thank you for being here- give us a shout anytime! https://linktr.ee/petershankman Substack: petershankmanofficial.substack.com Email: [email protected] Podcast: Faster Than Normal Thank you for staying tuned-in; more episodes coming up soon! Do you happen to know anyone who is doing wonderful things with #ADHD or their neurodivergent brain? We would love to have them on to learn how they are using their #neurodiversity to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked! My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
Our guest today, Chris Douglas is the founder of Big Red Dog Marketing with degrees in Applied Psychology from UNC-Charlotte and an MBA from East Carolina University. With over 15 years of experience in Marketing Technology, Local SEO, and Email Marketing, he's passionate about helping startups and small businesses scale and reach their potential. A Raleigh native, Chris has helped local businesses thrive as the city grows into a business hub. He founded and runs the Triangle Marketing Club, a non-profit networking group for local marketers. In his spare time, he's an avid pilot with Single and Multi-Engine Licenses and Instrument Rating, holds a blackbelt in Aikido from Innovative Martial Arts Academy, and enjoys time with his Red Golden Retriever, three daughters, and wife. Today we're talking.. you guessed it, ADHD. Also in this episode, we explore how ADHD influences creativity, time management, and client relationships through an engaging conversation with Chris Douglas, founder of Big Red Dog Marketing. Discover practical strategies for agency owners and entrepreneurs to harness ADHD strengths and improve productivity. Enjoy! 01:09 - Intro and welcome Chris Douglas!! 02:51 - Navigating ADHD in Business 05:37 - Agency-Client Relationships and Communication 08:20 - Time Management Strategies for ADHD 10:18 - Handling Emergencies and Daily Tasks 14:27 - Advice for Agency Owners 16:10 - Conclusion and Resources 17:00 - How can people find you? • Website: https://bigreddog.marketing/ Socials: LinkedIN Thank you for being here- give us a shout anytime! https://linktr.ee/petershankman Substack: petershankmanofficial.substack.com Email: [email protected] Podcast: Faster Than Normal 18:41 - Thank you for staying tuned-in; more episodes coming up soon! Do you happen to know anyone who is doing wonderful things with #ADHD or their neurodivergent brain? We would love to have them on to learn how they are using their #neurodiversity to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked! My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
Our guest today Douglas Katz is a West Point graduate, disabled Army veteran, inventor, and entrepreneur. He is the creator of NULU, an adaptive kitchen knife designed to align cutting tools with human biomechanics, and continues to pursue other innovations focused on improving how people interact with everyday tools. In addition to his work as an inventor, Douglas speaks about the intersection of human capability, design, and performance. Drawing on experiences in the military, corporate leadership, and product development, he explores how physical limitations, aging, and cognitive differences influence the way people solve problems and build better tools. Living with ADHD has been both a catalyst and a challenge throughout that journey. The same nonlinear thinking and curiosity that can create headwinds in structured environments has also fueled his ability to question assumptions and see connections others overlook. Through his talks and writing, Douglas introduces audiences to ideas like the Ability Curve—the concept that human capability isn't binary but shifts across a lifetime—and how designing with that reality in mind leads to better tools, systems, and outcomes for everyone. Enjoy! Peter's bodybuilding competition journey on substack is here! 01:50 - How far is West Point from Manhattan? 02:30 - Intro and welcome Douglas Katz! Ref: his cutlery invention, Nulu 03:30 - On West Point jumpers 04:00 - First of all, tell us your story and when you got diagnosed? Ref: GEN X 05:35 - Tell us about the rigidity of West Point Academy in relation to your ADHD? 06:00 - Ref: BIOS 06:20 - The Military and ADHD/Neurodiversity guardrails 07:30 - Above as compared to the corporate world 08:35 - Beauty in structure 10:00 - On ADHD, fear, operations and structure 11:24 - check out Doug's writings at www.DouglasMKatz.com! 12:00 - You mentioned AI- how are you implementing it and what are your thoughts, thus far? 13:15 - On knowing your AI tools Ref: Tony Stark and J.A.R.V.I.S IDEATION 14:30 - Tell us about the tools you are creating and have created for we neurodiverse? 15:00 - About non-consumptive free time and the impetus for creating his products 17:00 - AI integration and usage with his product pipeline 17:55 - How can people find you? • Website: douglasmkatz.com NuluKnives.com Socials: @DOUGLASMKATZ on Facebook and INSTA TikTok and w.katz on LinkedIN Thank you for being here- give us a shout anytime! https://linktr.ee/petershankman Substack: petershankmanofficial.substack.com Email: [email protected] Podcast: Faster Than Normal 18:41 - Thank you for staying tuned-in; more episodes coming up soon! Do you happen to know anyone who is doing wonderful things with #ADHD or their neurodivergent brain? We would love to have them on to learn how they are using their #neurodiversity to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked! My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman
Today we welcome Conner Kinney! He is a 22-year-old, full time real estate investor who has built a multi-seven-figure real estate business with a core focus on acquiring and scaling long-term rental properties primarily through seller-financed acquisitions. He is the founder of his own real estate company, Kinney Property Group, and currently owns a 37 unit rental portfolio with over 10M+ in completed real estate transactions. In high school, Conner struggled with ADHD and was often told it was a disadvantage. Instead of fighting it, he learned how to channel it into focus, creativity, and decisive action, ultimately turning what others saw as a weakness into one of his greatest advantages in building his business. Enjoy! 00:50 - Welcome back to FTN! We are still here! :-) 01:30 - Intro and welcome Mr. Conner Kinney!! 02:15 - First of all, tell us your story and when you got diagnosed? 02:27 - How did you decide to begin a career in Real Estate? 03:55 - How did you acquire your first property? 05:00 - How the clients become 'the bank' and defer capital gains taxes 06:00 - Where are you based? 06:15 - You didn't fit into the traditional mold as a kid; tell us about your journey? 07:15 - Faster Than Normal and The Boy with the Faster Brain 08:00 - On how Conner is hitting the numbers in his business 08:40 - Say what??! 09:00 - On how things work and the systems involved 09:45 - About moving too fast, but smartly 10:00 - What has been your biggest goof-up to this date? 11:37 - On ADHD systems and parameters 11:55 - Tell us about your team(s) and your ADHD management tool kit? 14:00 - What's the catch Conner- how have you been so "lucky"? 15:44 - How can people find you? • Website: ConnerKinney.com Socials: @ConnerKinney on Facebook LinkedIN and INSTA Thank you for being here- give us a shout anytime! https://linktr.ee/petershankman Substack: petershankmanofficial.substack.com Email: [email protected] Podcast: Faster Than Normal 16:00 - The win/loss proposal of 'free time' 17:35 - Please do not forget to stretch! Cheers, Conner 18:15 - Thank you for staying tuned-in; more episodes coming up soon! Do you happen to know anyone who is doing wonderful things with #ADHD or their neurodivergent brain? We would love to have them on to learn how they are using their #neurodiversity to their advantage. Shoot me an email and we will get them booked! My link tree is here if you're looking for something specific. https://linktr.ee/petershankman