Don’t Be Boring: Neurodivergence, Branding, & Helping Businesses Be Amazing with Richard Liverman

mgraziano45
26 minutes ago
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What if you could take your business from boring to amazing with better branding? In this episode of Adventures in Business, Amani and Mandi hear from Richard Liverman, founder of Richer Solutions, brand coach, strategy consultant, and mentor to neurodivergent business owners. Joining the show from the UK, Richard brings humor, honesty, and a refreshing perspective on branding, creativity, and what it really means to help businesses be more amazing.

How Richer Solutions Helps Business Owners

The heart of Richard’s work is this: don’t be boring. Through coaching, mentoring, and brand consultancy, Richard helps individuals and businesses better understand who they are, why they exist, and how to communicate that in a way that actually resonates. His work often includes supporting neurodivergent entrepreneurs with ADHD or autism by creating spaces where people feel understood, safe, and empowered.

ADHD and Me

If you haven’t checked out Richard’s article, "ADHD and Me", you need to. After learning that he himself was ADHD and navigating his son’s autism diagnosis, Richard wrestled with whether sharing such a personal story might affect how the business world saw him.

He almost didn’t publish it. But it’s a good thing he did, because the response was overwhelmingly positive. Messages poured in from friends, colleagues, and complete strangers saying, “This is me. Thank you.”

That single article opened doors Richard never expected: speaking opportunities, advisory roles, and deeper connections with others who finally felt seen.

The Branding Mistake Most Businesses Make

Most businesses, Richard says, spend way too much time explaining what they do and not nearly enough time explaining why it matters to the customer.

Customers don’t care about your features. They care about how your business fits into their life, solves their problems, or creates an experience worth remembering. Shifting from self-focused messaging to customer-centered storytelling is where great branding can thrive.

Branding in 2026

So what does great branding look like today? According to Richard, it’s not just a slick logo or a beautifully written “why.” It’s style and substance working together. He points out that plenty of brands look amazing online but fall flat once the product arrives.

The brands that last are the ones that mean something to people. Whether it’s global icons like Nike, Levi’s, or Jack Daniel’s, or a small, independent shop using local artists, connection is everything.

How “Don’t Be Boring” Was Born

Like many great ideas, “Don’t be boring” didn’t come from a boardroom. During lockdown, Richard found himself spending time on Clubhouse, sitting in marketing rooms where people were confidently saying… well, a whole lot of nothing. The green bean (that little moderator badge) seemed to give people permission to talk endlessly without saying anything meaningful.

And Richard finally said what everyone else was thinking: “Come on – don’t be boring.” He said it again. And again. Eventually, friends started pointing it out: “Don’t be boring” was part of his brand DNA.

What started as a reaction turned into a philosophy. Don’t be boring is about pushing thinking forward. It’s about reclaiming creativity (the same creativity we tend to lose as we get older and more risk-averse). And as Richard evolved the message, he added the call to action: Be amazing.

Because as Mandi reminds us, boring doesn’t just hurt engagement – it crushes your bottom line. You can’t afford to be boring.

The Story Behind the Pink Shoes

In every picture on Richard’s website, he’s wearing his signature pink shoes. So where did they come from?

What started as a Nike favor from a friend turned into a personal symbol… and eventually, a brand signature. Worn everywhere from weddings to Downing Street, the pink shoes are about comfort, authenticity, and a minor rebellion against expectations. And they’re a great reminder to never be boring.