The Cauldron

Em Shindel
  • 5.0 (5)
  • BUSINESS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

A podcast for neurodivergent business owners who are tired of trying to force their brains into systems that weren't built for them.Hosted by Em Shindel, a business systems consultant and late-diagnosed AuDHDer, The Cauldron is where we stir up honest conversations about building sustainable businesses with AuDHD-friendly systems, anti-hustle approaches, and a whole lot of permission to do things differently.Expect real talk about the messy intersection of neurodivergence and entrepreneurship, no shame. Joined by co-host Elliott, Em explores what it actually takes to work with your brain instead of against it.New episodes every week. Grab your favorite beverage and settle in.

  1. 5D AGO

    Rejection sensitivity

    thecauldronpod.com @thecauldronpod Interested in a collab? Email us! Media kit

    41 min

  2. MAY 7

    The overstimulation diaries, part 2

    Part 2: What to do when you can't escape overstimulation. Harm reduction strategies. "I love you AND I need a break" not "I love you BUT." Why it's a privilege to be able to leave. Accessibility barriers. Don't ask "what happened?" in the moment - they can't articulate it. Also: sensory craving. Em needs the beach the way a lizard needs a hot rock. The parking lot, the beach man, the Music Pier bathrooms, the pizza guy who remembers her, the post-beach everything shower with aloe gel. Been going since age 2. Familiarity is energizing. "This is hell. I live in hell." (It was rainy.) Plus: jug handles, shore vs beach, and why you gotta take a right turn before you take a right turn. "I'm just a glorified lizard." thecauldronpod.com @thecauldronpod Interested in a collab? Email us! Media kit

    37 min
  3. The overstimulation diaries

    APR 30

    The overstimulation diaries

    Em and Elliott break down what overstimulation actually means (it's not just "too loud"), what it feels like, what causes it, and what stimming is. Also: why Elliott can't handle temperatures above 72 degrees, why Em wants to peel her skin off sometimes, and the echolalia that got Elliott in trouble for years. Part 1 of 2. thecauldronpod.com @thecauldronpod Interested in a collab? Email us! Media kit

    35 min
  4. Neurodivergent superlatives award ceremony

    APR 23

    Neurodivergent superlatives award ceremony

    ADHD superlatives: giving each other awards! Most forgotten passwords. Most browser tabs open simultaneously (at least 12 per window across multiple windows with groups). Best customer service mask performance. Most likely to cry at the dinner table. Also: the time Elliott threw his physics test in the trash and convinced the teacher they lost it, the time Em played Skyrim for "30 minutes," and why she once accidentally ended up in Wyoming. Plus: executive dysfunction recovery stories, the eldest daughter emergency override, and why Em's RBF is now a trusted vibe check. Drop your most chaotic ADHD moment. Which superlatives would you win? thecauldronpod.com @thecauldronpod Interested in a collab? Email us! Media kit

    31 min
  5. Parenting neurodivergent kids while being neurodivergent

    APR 9

    Parenting neurodivergent kids while being neurodivergent

    Episode 10: Parenting Neurodivergent Kids (Part 3 of 3) Em and Elliott talk about recognizing the signs, fighting for accommodations, homeschooling disasters, and teaching their kids things they're still learning themselves. Also: why grades don't matter, why patience isn't a bottomless well, and why their 8-year-old is already worried about his future wife. Part 3 of the ADHD lifespan series. In this episode: Early signsSchool system strugglesThe homeschool year504 accommodationsTeaching them what you're still learning"As it turns out, children are people"The grades conversationLosing patienceWhat they want them to knowZ already planning his marriageWhat they hope is differentThe ongoing reality thecauldronpod.com @thecauldronpod Interested in a collab? Email us! Media kit

    39 min
  6. ADHD in adulthood: relief, grief, identity

    APR 2

    ADHD in adulthood: relief, grief, identity

    This episode was supposed to be about what ADHD looks like in adulthood. It ended up being about grief, identity, bad brain weeks, and why April Fool's Day is the worst day of the year. Em and Elliott tried. They really did. But Em is in a valley week after a peak week, it's April 1st (a day she hates), and the conversation kept drifting into harder territory than they expected. What they meant to talk about: How ADHD shows up differently as adults vs. kidsMasking in adulthoodThe ongoing unmasking processHow adult responsibilities interact with ADHD What they actually talked about: The "peaked in high school" feelingThe ADHD roller coasterApril Fool's Day rageThe grief no one talks aboutMasking and identityThe fantasy of outsourcing executive function They acknowledge this one got away from them: "We have not been on any rails. This is a rail-less episode.""We really biffed it on this one.""This is as real as it gets. We will try again next week." thecauldronpod.com @thecauldronpod Interested in a collab? Email us! Media kit

    21 min
  7. The crybaby, the glass child, and the cost of not knowing

    MAR 26

    The crybaby, the glass child, and the cost of not knowing

    Em and Elliott talk about what ADHD looked like before they knew it was ADHD. The masking, the shame messaging, the cost of not knowing. And why Em finally stopped blaming her parents for things that might not have been parenting at all. This is part 1 of a 3-part series on ADHD through the lifespan: childhood, adulthood, and parenting neurodivergent kids. In this episode: The "crybaby" realizationHigh-achieving maskersThe glass childWhat masking looked likeThe cost of not knowingWhat they wish adults had understoodThe ongoing unlearning Key insight: You can't out-parent neurodivergence. Even with all the knowledge and 504 plans, struggles still exist. Next episode: Part 2 - What ADHD looks like now as adults thecauldronpod.com @thecauldronpod Interested in a collab? Email us! Media kit

    30 min
  8. Rating ADHD coping mechanisms

    MAR 19

    Rating ADHD coping mechanisms

    Elliott and Em rate ADHD coping mechanisms from S-tier (life-changing) to F-tier (actively made things worse). Some ratings surprised them. Some mechanisms got very personal. And Em delivered her hottest take yet about a digital bird. In this episode: The S-Tier (Life-changing): Notion (for Em)Body doubling (for Em)Medication (both)Therapy/coaching (Em) The F-Tier (Do not recommend): Physical planners (Em: "F tier immediately")Time blocking (Em's PDA + time blindness combo)Habit stacking (need habits to stack them)Things in weird places strategyBuying duplicates on purpose (vs. accidentally having 6 ketchup bottles) Unexpected moments: They both rated Pomodoro technique C-tier at the same timeThe clothing/sensory vulnerability conversation (trigger warning: weight talk)Em's relationship with ADHD gamification apps: "I don't give a f**k about that bird"Elliott wants to try visual timersVoice memos work great for Em, not at all for ElliottThe doom box gets a D but they both still use it Key insight: What works is wildly personal. Post-it notes are A-tier for Elliott, B-tier for Em. Time blocking is necessary for Elliott's work, F-tier rage-inducing for Em. Quotable moments: "I don't give a f**k about that bird""My bean is destitute, living in squalor""How dare past Emilee tell current me what to do?" Also discussed: The financial advisor meeting with Kari where they rated financial priorities at the same time, why laying out clothes the night before backfires with sensory issues, and why accountability partners can trigger rejection feelings. thecauldronpod.com @thecauldronpod Interested in a collab? Email us! Media kit

    36 min
See All (14)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
5 Ratings

About

A podcast for neurodivergent business owners who are tired of trying to force their brains into systems that weren't built for them.Hosted by Em Shindel, a business systems consultant and late-diagnosed AuDHDer, The Cauldron is where we stir up honest conversations about building sustainable businesses with AuDHD-friendly systems, anti-hustle approaches, and a whole lot of permission to do things differently.Expect real talk about the messy intersection of neurodivergence and entrepreneurship, no shame. Joined by co-host Elliott, Em explores what it actually takes to work with your brain instead of against it.New episodes every week. Grab your favorite beverage and settle in.

Information

  • Creator
    Em Shindel
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Emilee Shindel LLC All Rights Reserved.
  • Show Website
    The Cauldron

You Might Also Like