Wired for Purpose: Turning ADHD Chaos into Social Change
Daniel Yeow is the co-founder of The Social Space, a multi-concept social enterprise that creates employment opportunities for individuals from marginalized communities, including ex-offenders, single mothers, and those recovering from mental health challenges. Previously with a major airline for seven years, Daniel has also worked in yacht sales. Diagnosed with ADHD in 2022, he has chosen to embrace self-awareness and purposeful risk-taking, channelling his energy into building businesses that prioritize impact alongside profit.
Quotes
“I realised pretty early on that money alone wasn’t going to cut it. I needed purpose.”
“Confidence is everything. Push yourself into uncomfortable situations, that’s where growth happens.”
“Getting diagnosed with ADHD wasn’t a death sentence. It was a relief. I finally understood my wiring, and now I can stop myself before I blow up.”
“ADHD isn’t a handicap, it’s just different wiring. With awareness, those quirks can become superpowers: risk-taking, crisis management, fearlessness. Things that can actually get you places.”
Early Signs and Diagnosis
I was officially diagnosed with ADHD in 2022 by Dr. Roger Ho. He ran a brain scan, looked at the results, and basically told me my impulsivity and inattention were off the charts. Apparently, some of the highest scores he’d ever seen. My brain scan results were also abnormal for both my frontal and temporal lobes.
Looking back, it all made sense. In school, I was the kid everyone called “mischievous”- couldn’t sit still, always getting into trouble. I’ve had more than a few near-death scrapes from impulsive accidents. The scar on my face? That’s from running full speed through a glass door at nine years old while playing catching with my cousins. Split my chin wide open, I lost half the blood in my body. Should’ve been terrified, but I wasn’t. After that incident, though, something shifted. I was a bit calmer, a bit more focused in class. Still impulsive, just… upgraded impulsive.
Fast forward: In Junior College, I did so poorly in school I had to pull a stunt no one does – switched streams from science to arts after six months after directly negotiating with the principal. During my A-levels, I managed to study for the wrong exams! At University, I forgot to declare my major and wasted a semester. Basically, I was always winging it to get by. Excelling? Not really my thing back then.
So when the ADHD results came back as “severe,” it was a shock. I thought I’d maybe be “a little ADHD.” Nope. Full-blown.
Emotional Regulation and Coping
The real wake-up call came during COVID. Running a café and retail business during a pandemic was brutal enough, but my explosive temper was the bigger problem. A metal pan dropping in the kitchen could make me see red – My neck and ears would literally flush with anger, and there were moments I nearly lashed out at staff and even customers. That was when I knew this wasn’t just “normal stress.” I also knew I needed to change as I was the leader, and I did not want to continue hurting the very people I was supposed to protect.
When I got the diagnosis, I decided not to go the medication route. Instead, I leaned into awareness and self-regulation. Just knowing that noise and sensory overload were my triggers helped a lot. If I felt it building up, I would walk away before things escalated.
I also picked up running. Like most things I do, I went all-in. Moderation isn’t exactly my strength. But it helped. These days, the outbursts are fewer, and I’m able to catch myself before things spiral. Awareness really has been the game-changer.
Career Journey: From Yachts to Airlines
I knew early on that a normal 9-to-5 wasn’t going to work for me. My first job out of university? Selling yachts! Not exactly conventional, but hey, it was fun.
Then I joined a major airline, where my glamorous role was… handling customer complaints. Yep, dealing with angry passengers. And weirdly, I was good at it. I could calm people down in minutes. I learned how to control my tone, sometimes even squeezing a stress ball under the desk while talking on the phone. The tougher the case, the more I leaned in.
After just over a year with the airline, I applied to go overseas as an Overseas Manager, and got accepted. As part of my training for the role, I had to rotate through different commercial departments, which meant suddenly being thrown into things like revenue management, pricing, and sales analysis. Numbers were never my strong suit, but I knew I wanted that skill. So, I forced myself out of my comfort zone and learned how to crunch and analyse data. It was painful at first, but I realised if I wanted to grow, I couldn’t just stick to what I was good at.
That stretch paid off. In Bali, most people thought the market was dead. I proved them wrong with a travel fair that sold $1.5 million worth of tickets in 3 days. And when Mount Agung erupted leaving thousands of passengers stranded, I managed a team handling 2,000 disrupted passengers a day. Stressful? Not really, I thrived on it.
But corporate hierarchy and me was not a match. I was too outspoken, too blunt with bosses, and eventually, I knew it was time to go.
Building The Social Space
Leaving the aviation world, I took a massive leap into social entrepreneurship. My wife was already running a social enterprise and watching her succeed lit a spark. At 34, I gave up a Bali villa, a pool, a driver – basically the “good life” – to return to Singapore and build something with purpose.
We started The Social Space from scratch. We designed the place ourselves, built the furniture, and learned how to run a café on the fly. For me, it had to be more than just a business. If it wasn’t going to create impact, I wasn’t interested.
Today, over 60% of our team come from marginalised backgrounds – ex-offenders, single mums, people recovering from mental health issues. On paper, it sounds like chaos waiting to happen. In reality? It works beautifully. They’re not charity cases. They’re my teammates. They help the business grow, and they help me grow.
A big part of my role isn’t just running the café but supporting the staff in rebuilding their lives holistically. That can mean going with them to medical appointments, sitting in on sessions with their social workers and therapists, or just being there when life gets messy. It’s not in the job description, but it’s the part of the work I find most meaningful -because it’s not just about giving someone a pay cheque, it’s about giving them a real shot at stability and confidence again.
In 2023, I spontaneously hosted the first unofficial ADHD community gathering at The Social Space. Since then, we’ve continued supporting Unlocking ADHD by supporting their monthly Community Hangouts. It feels good to give people a safe space, not just for coffee, but for connection.
I’m proudest that we’ve kept The Social Space thriving for seven years, navigating through COVID and the current economic uncertainty. Awards like NVPC’s “Champion of Good” are nice, but the real win is sustaining livelihoods and proving that social businesses can stand on their own feet.
Reflections and Advice
If I could tell my younger self one thing, it’d be: be consistent and patient. I don’t regret my mistakes. They shaped me – but I’d remind myself that perseverance pays off, even when it feels like nothing’s working.
To the world, my message is simple: ADHD isn’t a handicap. It’s just different wiring. With awareness, the so-called “problems” can become strengths. But whether it’s ADHD, depression, or being an ex-offender, the real killer is a lack of self-confidence. Build confidence. Do uncomfortable things. Grow every day.
That’s how I’ve lived my life. That’s how I’ve built my business. And that’s how I’ve managed to turn chaos into something meaningful.
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