The Real Biz Life Chronicles
Unedited stories of Business, Branding and Life.
Banish boring as Tracy Fryer and her guests take a ride on the rollercoaster of being a business owner - or of simply being human! Get ready to learn exactly what it takes to grow with distinction and show mediocrity the middle finger. In this podcast Tracy interview’s authentic business owners, who share their story of building a successful business, their strategies behind their success and leading the way.
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The Real Biz Life Chronicles
#148 Sue Pember - Late ADHD Diagnosis: The Business Advantage
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What if the one thing that made you a difficult employee is the same thing that made you a successful business owner?
When I read Sue Pember’s introduction at the start of this episode, she got emotional, and once you hear her story, you’ll understand why. There is a version of Sue who spent decades believing she was a difficult employee. The diagnosis that arrived almost twenty years into her career reframed all of it. The thing Sue had quietly been good at the whole time, reading a room and thinking on her feet, turned out to be the engine behind everything she has built.
Sue is the founder and managing director of AussieOS, the relocation and housing business she started in 2010, which has helped doctors, nurses, engineers and tradespeople from a dozen countries build a life in Australia. She was diagnosed with ADHD in 2017, and that diagnosis became a turning point in how she understands the way she works, leads and runs a business.
In this conversation, we discuss the grief that arrived alongside the clarity the diagnosis brought, and the two job descriptions every owner needs.
What struck me most was how honest Sue was about the cost of always being in motion. She talks about her son pointing at every passing taxi and saying mum, because that was how often he watched her leave. She talks about what an eighty-five year old version of herself would be furious at her for missing. For someone who has achieved as much as she has, there is a lot of reflection here about what all of it is actually for.
If you have ever felt like the way your brain works is something you need to apologise for, this is the episode I would want you to hear first.
Mentioned in This Episode:
04:22 The sprint then catatonic rhythm of working with ADHD, and why pushing through does not work
08:45 The supermarket moment Sue first found out she had ADHD, trolley half full, taking an online quiz
10:36 The grief that arrived with the diagnosis, and the dark hole most people do not expect
22:59 Why Sue says she is a business owner because she has ADHD
30:11 The delusion almost every owner starts with about time
31:46 The two job descriptions every owner needs, and the one they keep hiding from
45:00 The $27,000 question the relocation industry will not ask out loud
1:01:17 What eighty-five year old Sue would be furious at her for not doing
About Sue:
Sue Pember is the founder and managing director of AussieOS, a relocation and destination services business she established in 2010. For more than sixteen years she has helped people moving to Australia find rental housing, choose schools and settle into a new country, working with everyone from trades and skilled workers to senior executives, and with organisations including Ramsay Healthcare and Regis Aged Care. She is also a qualified business coach, mentor and advisor who works with a small group of owners, many of whom also have ADHD. Business News 40under40 Awards winner, WA Today Female Entrepreneur of the Year and EY Entrepreneur finalist, Sue began her career in stage management after graduating from WAAPA and worked at the ABC before industry cuts changed her path. She was diagnosed with ADHD in 2017, almost twenty years into her career. She lives in Perth with her husband Matt and their two children, Charlotte and Leo.
Tools and resources mentioned:
Life Wheel Exercise Example | Life Wheel LinkedIn Post
Connect with Sue: Website | LinkedIn
This episode is proudly sponsored by Cuppa Cartel. To celebrate, our listeners and the Cuppa Familia can enjoy a special rate on all coffee beans using code TRBLC at checkout.
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About Tracy:
Tracy Fryer is a branding powerhouse, speaker, and founder of Design Studio Perth and Trace Designs Bespoke. She’s dedicated to helping business owners and creatives build brands that truly reflect their values, passions, and long-term vision. As the host of The Real Biz Life Chronicles, Tracy brings raw, insightful conversations that push entrepreneurs to embrace bold growth, develop strategic branding, and lead with unapologetic confidence. Her approach is refreshingly real-blending deep expertise with a passion for authenticity, creative excellence, and business success.
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