Summary:

In this deeply honest and eye-opening conversation, I sit down with business and ADHD coach Justine Clay to talk about creative leadership, neurodiversity, and the hidden mental load so many high-performing women carry behind the scenes.

Justine shares her journey from talent management in New York City to coaching creatives and leaders to become their own advocates, especially around money, visibility, and sustainable success. What began as supporting creatives with the business side of their work evolved into a deeper understanding of how different brains operate—especially after her son’s ADHD diagnosis led her to recognize similar patterns in many of her clients.

Together, we explore the overlap between ADHD, overwhelm, burnout, and the hormonal shifts that can surface in perimenopause and menopause. We talk about why so many women have spent years masking, overcompensating, and making it “easy” for everyone else, often at the expense of themselves.

This episode is a powerful conversation about compassion, boundaries, leadership, and what it means to create environments—at work and at home—that support how people actually function.

If you’ve ever wondered whether what you’re experiencing is stress, ADHD, hormonal brain fog, or simply the weight of doing too much for too long, this conversation will meet you exactly where you are.

🔑 Key Takeaways:

Creative leadership requires self-advocacy

Justine shares how she began coaching creatives to “be their own agent,” helping them navigate visibility, money, and the business side of their gifts.

Audience follow-up → Where in your work are you waiting for permission instead of advocating for yourself?

Women often play small around money

We unpack the money stories so many women carry—undercharging, overdelivering, and feeling uncomfortable asking for what they truly want.

Audience follow-up → What belief about money or worth might be keeping you smaller than you need to be?

ADHD can look like overwhelm, burnout, or brain fog

One of the most powerful parts of this conversation is the nuance around ADHD symptoms and how they can overlap with stress, midlife changes, and hormonal shifts.

Audience follow-up → Is what you’re calling “not coping” actually a sign that your brain needs different support?

Stop making it easy for everyone else

We talk about boundaries at home and at work, and how many women unconsciously make life easier for everyone around them while carrying the invisible load themselves.

Audience follow-up → Where are you over-functioning for others?

Body and brain health come first

Justine reminds us that sustainable leadership starts with the basics: sleep, nourishment, movement, hormones, and understanding how your brain works.

Audience follow-up → What’s one way you can support your body and brain this week before adding more to your plate?

Equity matters in leadership

We explore what it really means to lead neurodiverse teams well—from accommodations and allyship to designing systems that support different working styles.

Audience follow-up → How can you create more flexibility and equity in the way you lead?

🔎 Mentioned in the Episode:

• Justine’s transition from NYC talent management into business coaching
• Supporting creatives with money mindset and self-advocacy
• ADHD coaching certification and neurodiverse leadership
• The overlap between ADHD, perimenopause, and menopause brain fog
• Boundaries, masking, and the hidden load women carry
• Equity-based workplace accommodations and leadership facilitation
• Tools and strategies that actually work for neurodiverse brains

✨ Reflection Prompts:

What part of your current overwhelm is actually a systems issue—not a personal failure?

Where have you been masking or overcompensating to appear “together”?

What support would help you lead and live more sustainably?

How can you stop making yourself smaller to make everyone else more comfortable?

🧠 Who This Episode Is For:

• High-achieving women navigating overwhelm or burnout
• Creative leaders and entrepreneurs
• Women questioning ADHD, brain fog, or midlife shifts
• Managers leading neurodiverse teams
• Anyone ready to lead with more compassion and less masking

📩 Want to Go Deeper?

Follow Lori onLinkedIn to continue the conversation

• Book a Leadership Strategy Call with Lori:loripine.com

🎧 Subscribe to The Joy CEO Podcast

Check Justine Clay at her website: justineclay.com

⭐️ Leave a review to help other heart-centered leaders find the show

📲 Share this episode with someone who’s navigating pressure and wants to do it with more grace