About this episode
In this powerful episode of Scale HER Up – The Female Entrepreneurs Show, I’m joined by Marion McLaughlin, founder of Aurora – an autistic-led business that supports organisations to better understand and work with autistic and neurodivergent people. After years in the third sector delivering “womb to tomb” services for autistic people, Marion hit burnout trying to juggle passion with an unsustainable workload. Starting a business was never on their to-do list – yet Aurora has become the most aligned, impactful way for them to use their lived and professional experience. Marion is autistic, non-binary and disabled, and brings a deeply intersectional lens to the conversation. We talk honestly about what it really feels like to be autistic in noisy workplaces, in healthcare systems that often don’t listen, and in a political climate that is challenging for trans and non-binary people. They share how concepts like monotropism(interest-based attention and “flow tunnels”) can be a superpower at work – if leaders understand how to support it. This episode is full of practical advice for managers and business owners: how to respond when someone discloses they’re autistic, why “can you just pop into my office later?” can trigger panic, and how to manage change in ways that respect people’s sensory needs, energy levels and humanity. Marion also talks about creating Autistic Pride Aberdeen, developing courses like “My Child Is Autistic – What Now?”, and why good allies and “accomplices” are essential if we want a genuinely inclusive world. If you want your business to be safer and more supportive for autistic, neurodivergent and gender-diverse people – this conversation is a must-listen.In this episode, we cover:Marion’s journey from teacher and third-sector CEO to founder of autistic-led consultancy AuroraMarion McLaughlinWhy disclosing autism at work is an act of bravery – and how managers should respondPractical examples of reasonable adjustments: lighting, noise, sensory needs, flexible dress codes and moreHow not to respond when someone says the environment is difficult for them (“nobody else has a problem with it…” vs “thank you for telling me”) The impact of big life transitions (moving house, pregnancy, menopause, marriage) on autistic support needs and performance at workThe brilliant Star Trek analogy: why you can’t expect staff to operate at “Warp 9.9” all the timeThe quote we all need: “If the most I have to give today is 40%, and I give 40%, I’ve still given 100% of what I’ve got.” Monotropism explained – attention tunnels, deep focus and why constant task-switching is so costlyHow everyone (not just autistic people) can use monotropism principles to get into flow and do bett
