The Story behind Bu.
We’re Suzy and Nicola, two neurodivergent
entrepreneurs who got frustrated watching
brilliant people burn out under systems that
were never designed for them.
founders who needed something different: a practical, supportive,
coaching-based approach that worked with their brains, not against them.
Our Mission
Support for sustainable self-employment, built for neurodivergent founders.
Self-employment offers freedom, flexibility, and creativity – but it can also bring isolation, overwhelm, and burnout.
Traditional business advice rarely recognises what it’s like to live and work with ADHD or other neurodivergent traits.
We created Business Unmasked to close that gap.
Our mission is to help people build businesses that are sustainable, successful, and genuinely suited to the way their brains work.
We care less about growth targets and turnover, and more about helping you create work that lasts, without losing your spark, your health, or your sense of self.
Why We Built It
Because the old ways weren’t working.
The advice available to entrepreneurs assumed consistency, motivation, and follow-through – and when people couldn’t meet those expectations, the blame landed on them.
As we all discovered our neurodivergence, and learned more about the barriers in our way, Access to Work funding helped many understand their need for support, but in practice it often added more admin and stress.
Too many founders were left spinning, stuck, or exhausted, and despite so many attempts to help them, the erosion of funding and the lack of appetite to become a ‘manager of people’ left this group of people unsupported, downhearted, and frustrated.
It’s not fair.
So, we built something different.
Business Unmasked combines executive function coaching, business strategy, and accountability in a safe, supportive space that flexes with you.
We meet you where you are – not where the system thinks you should be.
Meet the Founders
We’ve both lived the ups and downs of self-employment.
Suzy’s background is in business advice and programme design, having worked with hundreds of founders, helping them start, stabilise, and grow their businesses.
An ADHD diagnosis reframed everything, and Suzy’s many side hustles subsided to create The Technicolour Project, supporting people to understand and work with their brains.
They bring the mix of structure, empathy, and creative problem-solving that turns scattered effort into meaningful progress.
Nicola
Nicola left teaching to carve out her own path, building a series of ventures focused on self-employed community and inclusion. She went on to found Celebrate Difference and The Hub, Consett – both social enterprises supporting people who don’t fit traditional career models.
Her experience of living and working with ADHD means she knows how much structure and connection matter, and how powerful it can be when you – finally – find both.
Together, we’ve created a space where neurodivergent founders can ‘professionally unmask’, show up, and build sustainable businesses with confidence and support.
The Team
It takes a village to build something that works.
Every person involved in Business Unmasked believes in the same thing: that neurodivergent founders deserve to succeed on their own terms.
Our Approach
Coaching, connection, and accountability: the kind that actually sticks.
Our approach includes:
- Practical business advice that meets you where you are
- Coaching that supports emotional regulation, planning, and prioritisation
- Peer accountability through co-working sessions
- Workshops and troubleshooting spaces designed for real, messy brains
Every part of the programme is designed to reduce overwhelm and increase confidence — so you can stop spinning and start doing.
What We Believe
It’s not about fixing your brain, it’s about building around it.
We believe in:
- Honesty and transparency over jargon or hype
- Respect for difference and flexibility in how support looks
- Sustainability over speed
- Community and collaboration instead of isolation
These values shape everything we do, from coaching sessions to co-working calls.
Join In!
Work with your brain, not against it.
It’s time to stop trying to fit into systems that were never made for you, and start building something that fits.
