Evidence-Based Performance Protocol

Stop running on
adrenaline.
Harness your
ADHD advantage.

An evidence-based 8-week coaching program for entrepreneurs with ADHD traits who want to manage the downside of their ADHD so the upside can shine. Built by a 5× Inc. 5000 founder and University professor.

8 wks1:1 Coaching
12 moCommunity Access
30+Years Experience
1Evidence-Based Approach
Apply for the Program See the protocol
Sound familiar?
Bold ideas, scattered execution. Three steps ahead but the current step isn't done.
Urgency makes you productive — and reactive. Speed costs money in rework and regret.
Shiny objects hijack strategy. Every week looks different and growth feels unpredictable.
8 weeks later
"Bold, visionary bets — with guardrails. Speed with precision. A business that doesn't need you to be chaotic to grow."
Your new operating system
The Core Dilemma

Your ADHD traits are assets running on broken infrastructure.

Your brain is built for entrepreneurship. But sometimes it works against you. The same traits that make you a great founder — hyperfocus, risk tolerance, divergent thinking, sense of urgency, propensity for risk — are the ones that also scatter your priorities, derail your execution, and make it nearly impossible to finish what you start. Better strategy or more hacks won't fix this. You don't need another framework. You need to understand your own operating system first.

Right Now — Without the Protocol
Taking big swings that feel exciting but leave you anxious because the downside isn't clear.
Always three steps ahead — but the current step doesn't get finished and everything feels half done.
Urgency makes you productive but also reactive, impatient, and constantly creating noise and rework.
You say yes fast — buy the thing, take the client, pivot the offer — and pay for it later in stress.
Shiny objects hijack your week. Strategy keeps changing. Growth feels unpredictable.
After the Program — With Your Playbook
Make bold, visionary bets with guardrails and kill criteria — move fast without gambling the business.
Channel proactivity into completion with a simple framework so momentum turns into real progress.
Keep urgency as fuel while slowing down only high-consequence decisions — speed stops costing money.
A simple protocol makes your fast decisions high-quality decisions, consistently.
Capture new ideas without derailing execution. Novelty becomes opportunity instead of distraction.
How It Works

A 3-phase protocol built to stick.

Developed over 25 years of business experience by a five-time Inc. 5000 entrepreneur and TEDx speaker, this protocol targets the core levers that reliably change your operating system — not with willpower, but with evidence. Each phase builds on the last, so by Phase II, your biology is no longer the bottleneck.
I
Foundation

Mind, Body
& Spirit

Weeks 1 – 4

Before we touch your business, we optimize your operating system. Your brain and body performance determines everything else.

  • HRV coherence & HeartMath practice
  • Sleep optimization protocols
  • Nutrition & movement strategy
  • ADHD performance mapping
II
Execution

Business
Performance

Weeks 5 – 8

With your foundation set, we build an execution system designed specifically for how your ADHD brain actually works, with new habits that support high performance.

  • Priority clarity systems
  • Decision quality frameworks
  • Weekly execution rhythm
  • Follow-through architecture
III
Integration

Community &
Accountability

12 Months

The program doesn't end at week 8. You get ongoing support to make sure the changes actually stick.

  • Monthly group integration calls
  • Circle community access
  • Accountability partner pairing
  • Direct access to Dr. Torrens
Week-by-Week

Eight weeks. One deliverable each. Nothing wasted.

What You Leave With
8 × 60-min 1:1 video sessions with Dr. Torrens
HeartMath HRV Monitor (yours to keep) for resilience training
Personalized Performance Playbook — triggers, tools, guardrails, rhythm
Daily tracking spreadsheet + weekly reflection journal
12-month Circle community access + monthly group calls
Optional accountability partner pairing
Week 01
Baseline & Goals — Map your ADHD pattern. Set your 8-week target.
Phase I
Week 02
Sleep & Recovery — Stabilize the engine. Reduce reactivity and improve focus.
Phase I
Week 03
Fuel & Energy — Eliminate energy crashes that derail your execution.
Phase I
Week 04
Movement & Regulation — Focus without force. Attention and emotional control.
Phase I
Week 05
Clarity & Priorities — Stop doing everything. Define the one 90-day goal.
Phase II
Week 06
Decision Quality — Keep your speed. Install the Pause Protocol and decision filter.
Phase II
Week 07
Follow-Through — Build the weekly execution rhythm. Finish what you start.
Phase II
Week 08
Integration — Finalize your Playbook. Build your 90-day plan. Make it stick.
Phase II
The Toolkit

Everything you need. Nothing you don't.

No hype. No gimmicks. Every tool in this program is evidence-informed and selected because it targets a specific performance lever. Minimum effective dose — by design.

8 × 1:1 Coaching Sessions

60-minute weekly video sessions with Dr. Torrens, tailored to your specific ADHD profile and business context.

HeartMath HRV Monitor

A highly sensitive Heart Rate Variability monitor for resilience training and coherence practice — included and yours to keep.

Performance Playbook

Your personal document: triggers, tools, routines, guardrails, decision rules, and weekly rhythm. A system you can repeat.

Daily Tracking System

Simple spreadsheet tracking plus weekly reflection prompts. Designed for signals, not grades — 5–15 minutes daily.

12-Month Community

Circle community access for a full year: resources, prompts, wins, Q&A, peer feedback, and monthly group integration calls.

Accountability Partner

Optional peer pairing with simple weekly check-ins — recommended for founders who want an external execution loop.

Who This Is For

This program selects for commitment, not credentials.

This is for you if —
✓
You're an entrepreneur or founder who identifies with ADHD traits — diagnosed or self-identified — and want to perform more consistently.
✓
You feel stuck in cycles of distraction, last-minute urgency, inconsistency, impulsive pivots, or overwhelm.
✓
You're coachable, open to experimenting, and willing to practice small habits between sessions.
✓
You value evidence-informed tools and practical strategies without hype or gimmicks.
✓
You're actively building a business (or preparing to launch) and can commit to 1 weekly session plus 5–15 minutes of daily practice.
This is not for you if —
✕
You're seeking medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment for ADHD. This program is educational coaching, not clinical care.
✕
You're in acute crisis or need immediate mental health support.
✕
You're looking for a guarantee of specific revenue outcomes.
✕
You're unwilling to practice, track, and implement between sessions. The work happens between calls.
✕
You cannot commit to Phase I. The business outcomes in Phase II require this foundation — no exceptions.
John M. Torrens, Ph.D. — ADHD founder performance coach, TEDx speaker, Syracuse University professor
The Guide

John M. Torrens,
Ph.D.

John M. Torrens, Ph.D. is a five-time Inc. 5000 entrepreneur, TEDx speaker, and award-winning Professor of Entrepreneurial Practice at Syracuse University's Martin J. Whitman School of Management. He is the author of Lightning in a Bottle: How Entrepreneurs Can Harness Their ADHD to Win and has spent 25 years leading high-growth companies across healthcare and education — with deep experience in building high-performing teams, raising capital, and both buy and sell-side M&A.

Dr. Torrens is an early-stage investor in companies spanning cannabis to health tech AI, a frequent guest speaker and executive education instructor in entrepreneurship, strategy, and corporate innovation, and an active member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO), where he served on the International Board of Directors from 2013 to 2015.

He built The Total Entrepreneur Protocol because he is an ADHD founder himself — and because the highest-performing founders are consistently the most underserved by generic productivity frameworks. This program is the system he wished had existed.

Five-time Inc. 5000 entrepreneur
TEDx speaker — ADHD as an Entrepreneur's Superpower
Author — Lightning in a Bottle: How Entrepreneurs Can Harness Their ADHD to Win
Professor of Entrepreneurial Practice, Syracuse University Whitman School
25+ years leading high-growth companies in healthcare and education
Early-stage investor across cannabis, health tech, and AI
YPO member — former International Board of Directors (2013–2015)
Step Out of the Chaos

Build the predictable
foundation your business
needs to scale.

Harness the highly functional upside of your ADHD traits. Build a business that grows without burning out the founder.

This program has limited enrollment. Applications are reviewed to ensure fit before a discovery call is scheduled.

Start Your Application
2-step application — takes about 5 minutes
8 × 1:1 Coaching Sessions
HeartMath HRV Monitor
Personalized Performance Playbook
12-Month Community Access
Monthly Group Integration Calls