Welcome to episode #112! We’re thrilled to be joined by Lou Zoanetti today. Lou Zoanetti is the CEO and Founder of Brightworks , an early careers consultancy helping organizations attract, develop, and retain emerging talent. With over 15 years in HR and graduate recruitment, Lou bridges the gap between Gen Z professionals and the world of work. In this episode, she opens up about her late ADHD diagnosis, parenting, productivity, and the systems that keep her grounded. JN: What led you to explore ADHD for yourself? – Her son’s autism diagnosis made her re-evaluate her own patterns. – Learned about inattentive ADHD and verbal hyperactivity. – Realized many long-standing habits matched ADHD traits. JN: How did it feel receiving the diagnosis? – A mix of validation and sadness for her younger self. – Recognized how much effort it took to “hack” her way through school and uni. – Relief at finally understanding her lifelong struggles. JN: What coping systems did you use in school and work? – Constant scaffolding: last-minute sprints, deadlines as motivation. – Found focus in structured work environments with performance goals. – Realized later that she was masking exhaustion under discipline. JN: What has changed since the diagnosis? – Started ADHD coaching and therapy to manage energy and boundaries. – Reframed “productivity” to include rest and flexibility. – Learning to delegate and let go of rigid work hours. JN: What strengths does ADHD give you? – High energy, creativity, inclusivity, and innovation. – Excellent memory for people, faces, and details—helps with business growth. – Hyperfocus drives rapid learning and strong client relationships. JN: Tell us about Brightworks and your work. – Early careers consultancy supporting corporate grad and intern programs. – Focus on Gen Z readiness, inclusivity, and bridging education-to-employment gaps. – Works mainly with large organizations, designing onboarding and development strategies. JN: How is AI changing early career hiring? – Sees AI reshaping roles and candidate evaluation. – Cover letters are making a comeback as “proof of humanity.” – Encourages grads to use AI wisely, not replace their voice with it. JN: What’s your personal downtime like? – Walks, cooking, podcasts, and spending time with her kids. – Finds it difficult to “sit still” but values active relaxation. – Enjoys Finska with the family when the weather allows. JN: What productivity strategies help you most? – Batching meetings, calendar management, and “deep work” days. – Uses CaveDay for focus and Forest App to block phone use. – Three-folder email system: To-Do , Waiting On , Read . – Uses ClickUp for project tracking and deletes tasks that no longer matter. JN: How do you balance neurodivergence with leadership? – Open communication and trust within her team. – Mutual accountability without guilt or over-accommodation. – Partner relationship built on practical division of strengths. JN: Any common productivity advice that doesn’t work for you? – “Eat the frog” doesn’t resonate—prefers breaking large tasks into milestones. – Big blank tasks trigger procrastination; structure brings calm. – Uses 10-minute Forest timers to kickstart focus sessions. JN: What’s your morning and sleep routine like? – Early riser; loves the quiet 7:30–9 a.m. work block. – Prioritizes 9 hours of sleep; starts winding down by 8:30 p.m. – Recognizes cognitive fatigue and the need for deliberate rest. JN: Final reflections? – Grateful for awareness and community. – Encourages others to stop masking, take stock, and live authentically. Connect with Lou: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/louzoanetti/ Website: https://brightworks.net.au/ Connect with Jeremy: LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nageljeremy Email:
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