We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jaklin Levine-Pritzker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jaklin below.
Jaklin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
When I was in law school, I went to a counselor for the first time because I was dealing with really bad anxiety. A series of events led to me finding out that so much of the reason I was struggling was undiagnosed ADHD. I realized I really needed to prioritize my well being and become a certified health coach (because clearly I had time to do that while struggling in law school) and started caring for myself and learning how to support others. After finishing law school and diving into the world of well being, I realized so much of it was not adhd friendly and I became obsessed with how to do so. On a whim, I created my instagram account (@authenticallyadhd) and as it grew I learned just how needed it was to understand adhd and work WITH our brains. I received so many comments and messages sharing how validating and eye opening my content was. I decided to transition into life coaching specializing in folks with ADHD and it has been truly wonderful supporting people in accepting themselves, moving through shame and designing a life that works for them. I just recently wanted to branch out a bit to honor the fullness of who I am and created a Youtube channel called Jak Outside The Box, where I will share the behind the scenes of how *I* design a life that works for me on my own terms. It’s been a really fun passion project. I love that I have flexibility in my business to follow and honor my interest based nervous system!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
A bit about me – I’m Jak (she/her)! I’m a 30 year old full time entrepreneur/life coach/content creator through my brands Authentically ADHD & Jak Outside The Box. I livelong in the mountains in Santa Cruz, CA. I’m neurodivergent (adhd, dyscalculia, possibly cptsd), have bouts of anxiety & depression, and have PMDD. I am queer (have an amazing gf), love nature, climbing and dancing, and am an enneagram 2w3. I’m a weirdo and love being goofy. I’m obsessed with my cat, Zen.
Authentically ADHD is my main business currently, where I support adhd folks in providing education, finding self acceptance and creating a life that works with your brains strengths. I have an active instagram account (@authenticallyadhd), a membership community (www.authenticallyadhd.com/membership), and do 1:1 and group coaching.
Jak Outside The Box is my newer project where I can bring a bit more of my expansive self. Jak Outside The Box is a lifestyle, mental health and well being YouTube vlog channel for folks wanting to design a life that works for you on your own terms. My hope is to bring self acceptance & compassion, empowerment, motivation and inspiration in a real, raw, down to earth way. I want to share both the highs and lows and be the friend you turn to when you’re looking for some support. This is my space to play around more with showing, not telling and really bring out my creative side.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I think I entered the [adult] adhd social media scene at a really ideal time, where it was just starting to gain traction but it was not yet saturated. I created my account on a total impulse (#adhd) just to kind of of experiment. I wasn’t even planning on making it a business at the time, which I actually think contributed to my success. I shared vulnerably, and in depth about what it was like being an adult women with adhd that went undiagnosed most of my life. I spoke to that particular group of people mostly at first, and while I feel less desire to gender experiences at this point, I do think most women and AFAB (assigned female at birth) folks tend to have an experience with ADHD that is not often represented in the media. I really spoke to that experience and all of the complexities that surround it.
My best advice is to create content where people go “OH that’s me. They really get me! Are they reading my mind?” This requires knowing who you’re speaking to. Be you, show your face, make social media social and connect with people.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
I’m sort of here now and it feels invigorating and scary. ADHD content creation and coaching is the backbone of what I have done and it will continue to be so. Andddd I’m feeling a bit boxed in within how I can show up within that space (especially regarding how the algorithm wants me to show up on instagram). This is why I recently launched Jak Outside The Box YouTube channel, to really express my full self creatively and connect with whoever resonates. It is still very much centering an adhd and neurodivergent population, but allows me to not have to share it all through a very particular tailored lens. I don’t know what’s going to come from all of this, but I’m excited to play around!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.authenticallyadhd.com
- Instagram: authenticallyadhd
- Facebook: Authentically ADHD
- Youtube: Jak Outside The Box / https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLgGwTHVBoCcdxe44Pwn6RQ
- Other: Email – authenticallyadhd@gmail.com