Turning Chaos into Clarity
Jamie Lee is the co-founder of Lunch Actually, Southeast Asia’s largest dating group with a presence in six cities. Known as the “business mechanic” of the company, he has expanded its offerings to include dating websites, apps, and coaching while ensuring quality through robust systems and processes.
A devoted husband and father, Jamie also has a passion for board games, serves as a board member of Unlocking ADHD, and project managed the RESTART: ADHD Starter Kit, one of the IPC charity’s key tools to support the ADHD community.
Quotes
“ADHD gives me the courage to take risks others hesitate on. The trick is making calculated risks with good odds of success.”
“Understanding my ADHD lets me craft my life in a way that maximises its strengths and minimises its downsides.”
My Diagnosis Journey
My ADHD diagnosis a few years ago gave me access to medication, and more importantly, it gave me a clear explanation for patterns I’d been living with my whole life.
In primary and secondary school, I was infamous for being a poor student. I didn’t hand in 90% of my homework. Not because I didn’t care, but because I didn’t have the executive function skills to pay attention in class, take notes, remember the homework, and hand it in the next day. To my teachers, it was a bad attitude. To me, it was a daily struggle I couldn’t quite explain.
Growing up, I often felt handicapped by some of my characteristics. I’d wonder why I seemed to behave and think so differently from everyone else, and why I couldn’t just “try harder” like people told me.
Life After Diagnosis
Getting diagnosed changed everything. Understanding my ADHD let me craft my life in a way that maximises its strengths and minimises its downsides.
I started designing my environment to support me. I created systems to stop me from losing things, used reminders for important decisions, and became more deliberate about where my attention went.
The people around me adjusted too. My family and close colleagues had always known I worked differently, but now they understood why. It made it easier for them to accommodate my quirks, and for me to ask for what I needed.
Medication became a tool I could use strategically. I don’t take it every day, just three or four days a week when I need to be highly productive. Those days are when I focus best and get the most done.
ADHD in Business and Advocacy
As co-founder of Lunch Actually, I’ve learned how to turn my ADHD traits into assets. One of my greatest strengths is the ability to untangle complex, fast-moving problems and see the next steps clearly, even when there are countless factors in play. My ADHD mind can find order and sense in chaos. It’s an intuition I can’t fully explain — but it works, especially in critical moments.
I’m also impatient for results — and I use that energy to push projects forward quickly. Why wait until next quarter if we can make progress this week? That drive has helped us expand from Singapore into six cities, build dating apps and coaching programs, and refine our matching systems for better results.
ADHD gives me the courage to take risks others hesitate on. The trick is making calculated risks with good odds of success. That’s been key in trying new products and entering new markets. I’ve learned to pair bold moves with strategies to minimise the downside.
Managing My ADHD
ADHD hasn’t gone away, but I’ve learned to manage it. On unmedicated days, I’m more mindful about my impulses. I pause before acting, especially when stakes are high. Sometimes that means literally taking a deep breath and letting the moment pass. I also anticipate situations where I’m likely to trip up, like when I’m tired or juggling too many priorities. That’s when I slow my pace, narrow my focus, and rely on checklists and reminders.
Outside of work, I make time for family, which helps ground me. I’m a devoted husband and father, and I love playing board games with friends and family. It’s both a mental challenge and a way to connect without the constant pull of work.
Advice to My Younger Self
If I could talk to my younger self, I’d say: You have ADHD. It will frustrate you and cause you pain, but it will also make you stronger. Seek a diagnosis earlier. Learn to work with it instead of against it. One day, it will all make sense, and you’ll see that you’re not broken.
Support the ADHD Community
If you’d like to read more stories like these, consider donating $150 or more to receive a copy of our book, Differently Wired Minds as a thank-you. Limited quantities available.
Your donation helps Unlocking ADHD provide counselling, psychoeducation, and other vital support services to those affected by ADHD.
Special thanks to our sponsors whose generous support made this book possible:
MINDSET, Singapore Pools, Chua Foundation, Hyphens Pharma
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