Webinar Replay: Money Management for Neurodivergent Business Owners 

Expert Financial Guidance on Money Management for Neurodivergent Business Owners

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The webinar explored the unique challenges faced by neurodivergent business owners when managing money and showed how to build systems that work with your brain, not against it. At Nordens, we believe tailored financial support can make a real difference, so we teamed up with Allica Bank and Mindset to do exactly that.

Overall, the session was created to help business owners who think differently feel more confident about managing money. Whether you joined the live event or missed it, this summary and the video will walk you through everything we covered.

Before you continue to read this article or watch the recap of the webinar, we would like to add that not everyone finds money easy to manage. This is particularly true if you are neurodivergent. Things like budgeting, paying bills or understanding tax forms can feel overwhelming. That is OK.

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What Makes Money Management Harder for Some of Us

Before we start talking about neurodivergence and money management, let us first explore the question:

Why is it so hard to manage money sometimes?

In general, there are many everyday reasons why people struggle with money. Some of the most common include:

• Lack of financial education: Many of us were never taught how to budget, save or understand things like credit scores or tax
• Emotional spending: Shopping can become a coping mechanism for stress, anxiety or low self-esteem
• Irregular income: Freelancers or small business owners often deal with unpredictable cash flow, which makes it harder to plan ahead
• Fear or shame around money: Past mistakes or growing up in financial hardship can create a mindset of avoidance
• Information overload: Complex jargon, forms and processes can feel confusing or overwhelming, especially without support

For some people, especially those who are neurodivergent, these challenges can feel even more intense. Let us take a closer look.

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Neurodivergent Challenges in Money Management

Neurodivergence is a term that describes people whose brains process, learn or focus in ways that differ from what is considered 'typical'. This includes conditions like ADHD, autism or dyslexia.

If you are neurodivergent, you might find money tasks more confusing or draining than others. That is not your fault. It is how your brain works.

Some common struggles include:

• Forgetting when bills are due or struggling to get started
• Finding it hard to save money consistently
• Feeling overwhelmed by confusing tax forms
• Getting stuck on admin tasks like organising receipts or invoices
• Undervaluing your services or avoiding pricing decisions because of imposter syndrome
• Avoiding finances altogether due to stress, fear or past mistakes

These things are more common than you think. You are not alone. Support exists that is made for brains like yours.

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Real Life Examples

At Nordens, we often support clients through stressful admin situations, especially when tax mistakes happen despite best efforts.

Our guest speaker, Ellice (a business psychologist and neurodivergent entrepreneur), shared how she once accidentally paid her corporation tax to the wrong HMRC account because the reference codes were confusing. She received stressful debt letters even though she had paid — just to the wrong place.

Stories like this are common, even for people who have been in business for years. That is why Zac from Nordens created simple tools to help clients understand deadlines and reference codes more clearly. Having a professional team who understands makes a huge difference.

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What is the 'Neurodiversity Tax'?

Neurodiversity tax is not an official tax. It is a term used to describe the extra time, energy or money that neurodivergent people often spend on basic business tasks — simply because of how their brain works.

For example, you could experience:

• Being fined more often because of missed payments
• Spending money on tools that help but forgetting to cancel subscriptions
• Taking longer to finish financial tasks, which costs time and energy
• Burning out from admin overload or phone calls with HMRC
• Paying more for convenience like meal deliveries, PAs or digital tools

It is like running your business with extra weights on. That is why having the right systems and people in place really matters.

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Tools That Can Help You Feel Less Overwhelmed

You do not have to do everything manually or remember every deadline. These tools and habits can save time, stress and money:

• Banks like Allica Bank let you split income into pots (like tax, savings, expenses) automatically
• Bookkeeping tools like FreeAgent and Dext make money tasks much simpler than bigger systems like Xero
• Use automation where possible: take photos of receipts as you go, set up calendar reminders and save key links in one place
• Let your accountant receive HMRC letters — that way, they handle the scary envelopes and help explain what is happening

It is about creating systems that work for your brain, not against it. Nordens and Allica work closely with clients to simplify these financial tools so they actually help, not confuse.

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The Power of Relationships

One of the best ways to make money feel less confusing is to build relationships with the right people:

• A friendly accountant who speaks your language
• A bank that offers real support (not just bots or forms)
• A business coach or psychologist if mindset or confidence is getting in the way

Ellice and Sylvia explained that when you trust your support system and they understand how you think, you are much more likely to feel safe asking for help without fear of judgement.

At Nordens and Allica, our goal is to make that support accessible and judgement free.

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Planning Feels Hard Even If the Future Matters

Many people with ADHD or autism struggle with future thinking or setting long term goals. Forecasting (figuring out your future finances) can feel pointless or stressful. That is normal.

Instead of asking “Where do you want your business to be in five years?”, a better question might be:

What kind of life do you want and how can your business help you get there?

From there, you can break goals down into smaller, clearer steps: one year, six months, one month, one week. This makes planning feel less scary and more achievable.

If you need help with this, Zac and the Nordens team can walk through your forecast in simple terms.

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Your Strengths as a Neurodivergent Business Owner

We wanted this webinar to empower, not just inform. At Nordens, we recognise that thinking differently can be a superpower in business.

One study found that a whopping 72% of surveyed business owners reported a diagnosis of a mental health condition or neurodivergence (Freeman et al., 2018). This shows just how common it is for people who think differently to take bold steps into entrepreneurship.

This is why we should celebrate neurodivergent people, as they often make incredible business owners.

Why? Because many have:

• Deep focus and intense passion (hyperfocus = specialist knowledge)
• Unique ways of thinking that lead to amazing ideas
• The courage to take risks and do things differently
• The flexibility of self-employment, which suits their brains better

Being different is not a weakness. It is often your greatest strength.

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Want More Support?

If anything in this webinar felt helpful or you would like someone to walk you through your next step, please reach out. You do not have to manage money alone.

Book a free call with Zac Cannon – Client Success Manager at Nordens Accountants. He can support you in building a system that works for your brain and your business.

If you found this article and webinar replay helpful, feel free to share it with someone who might benefit.