Mark Gaisford: From Trying to Fit In to Thriving Without a Box: A Story of Neurodivergence, Brave Business Moves, and Radical Self-Trust

Development Nerds with Candice Mitchell

If you’ve ever felt like you’re not built for the corporate mold—or like the traditional career path just isn’t it, this conversation is your permission slip to do it your way.

In this vibrant, raw, and wickedly insightful episode, I sit down with Mark Gaisford, a video strategist who went from delivering pizzas and motorbike couriering around London to leading a recruitment firm, getting diagnosed with ADHD at 52, and eventually building a business that fits him (not the other way around).

We talk about:

• What it’s like to realize late in life that you’ve been neurodivergent all along
• Why managing people isn’t for everyone—and how self-awareness is the ultimate career hack
• The real (unsexy) truth about being a business owner in 2025
• How to market yourself without selling out your soul
• Why video is the most powerful tool in your business arsenal today—and how to actually use it

This one’s full of laughs, truth bombs, and genuinely liberating reflections for anyone in the L&D, coaching, consulting, or entrepreneurial space.

Whether you’re neurodiverse yourself or just tired of fitting into a system that doesn’t feel built for you, Mark’s story is a reminder that your career doesn’t have to follow the rules to be right.

👀 Watch this if you:

• Want to show up authentically online
• Are building a business that feels good, not just profitable
• Are navigating late ADHD diagnosis, reinvention, or burnout
• Believe people matter more than perks

🎧 Let’s cut through the noise, ditch the LinkedIn lies, and talk about what building a career actually looks like.