Building a Biz Out of Necessity

What happens if you realize—well, fork me, I guess I need to start a business? With up to 85% un- or under-employment, many neurodivergent and queer folks become entrepreneurs out of necessity. In this episode, we discuss how businesses aren’t always the product of passion and inspiration–but a way to survive. 

You might need to be an entrepreneur out of necessity.

Molly isn’t forking around in this episode. She gets right down to the point saying, “People started businesses not because they know anything about business, or how to run a business or any of those things. They started it because they had no other option” (23:35) This after explaining her own journey into entrepreneurship, where she shared how her own neurodivergence and mental health needs meant she was medically retired from the Air Force. And finally, how embracing an entrepreneurial spirit gave her the “real life thing” that she needed to support her own mental health as well as the financial well-being of her family.  

Work-life balance is bullshit.

If this is the first time you have heard Angela’s opinion on work-life balance, we guarantee it will not be the last! Angela explains, “But work and life, they go together? Not apart. They are not separate things” (2:07). And Molly shares how she would have had to call out of work today if she worked for someone else, “My depression is so bad, it hurts” (2:34). As neurodivergent folks, awareness of challenges, strengths, and our own needs allows us to create processes so that we can feel productive—Angela shares why she loves this word that so many others hate (8:49).  

It’s not a hobby. It’s a business.

And then Molly gets fired up! It’s great to love and be passionate about something. And if that hobby allows you to also make money in a time when you need that, LET IT MAKE YOU MONEY! It simply doesn’t make sense to pay the customer for the product that they want to buy! It’s okay to ask for the amount that a product is worth. “you’re selling products, please, for the love of freaking the universe…charge for at least the materials it’s costing you so you can pay for your hobby” (43:02).