It's really good to hear ADHD discussed in this scientific way - makes a change from the usual narratives that circulate these days. I'm honestly surprised that people would think that actual clinical ADHD (not just high number of traits) would be conducive to being a successful entrepreneur with all the organisation skills and follow-through which is required to create and run one's own business. Organisation and follow-through are areas which are impaired in ADHD. I'm sure there are ADHDers out there who have the personality type, resources, interests and let's face it - luck- that allows them to create a successful business (with support from those around them and medication no doubt! ) but the positive stereotypes that ADHDers are creative, entrepreneurs, great assets to any company and so on, do a great deal of harm to those who can't excel in any of these things.
Unrepresentative samples are a problem with so much research, especially in the field of psychology. Better-designed studies would need to compare random samples of all those with ADHD (or whatever condition is being studied) with similarly-random samples of those without ADHD. As you highlighted there is also the question of the definition of entrepreneurship and if it includes limited forms of self-employment in the same bracket as large businesses with many employees it becomes meaningless.
I have ADHD and autism and I'm self-employed for these reasons. That and the nature of my disorders make me unable to do a vast majority of jobs due to sensory issues. The social deficits caused by these disabilities make even getting past the interview difficult. Freelance work is brilliant for me because I am judged on my actual work rather than my ability to socialise and "fit in." Both disorders have impacted my ability to get and keep jobs in different ways and as a result, I started paid employment much later in life than most. The one permanent job I did manage to hold down for over a decade was not good for my mental health. I stuck it because I was desperate for money and I think that the only reason I was never fired was due to the management being bullies and knowing that most people would not be desperate enough to put up with them. If I didn't have autism and ADHD, I would have the organisation and people skills to be able to easily jump to the next menial job whilst I studied for my current career. I will say that both conditions have made even self-employment MUCH harder and the social disabilities mean that I have to be freelance and go through agencies, as I lack the people skills to self-promote. I am very fortunate to work in a job that I enjoy but my neurodevelopmental conditions have not assisted me in any way in that respect. My success has been despite my autism and ADHD and NOT because of it.
