{"id":24792,"date":"2025-03-31T13:00:08","date_gmt":"2025-03-31T12:00:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/?p=24792"},"modified":"2025-03-31T09:59:24","modified_gmt":"2025-03-31T08:59:24","slug":"turning-dyslexia-into-your-superpower","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/turning-dyslexia-into-your-superpower\/","title":{"rendered":"Turning dyslexia into your superpower"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 3<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Have you ever had a conversation that made you stop and think, that sounds like me?<\/em><\/p>\n

For James Vincent, UK Performance Director at ActionCOACH, the moment came during an episode of The ActionCOACH Business Growth Podcast. As entrepreneur and best-selling author Jamie Waller shared his experience with dyslexia, James realised he shared many of the same challenges \u2013 and suddenly everything clicked!<\/p>\n

The pieces fell into place and something he\u2019d perceived to be a weakness was transformed into a newfound source of pride \u2013 and even a superpower.<\/p>\n

A moment of realisation<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cIt was like an out-of-body experience,\u201d said James Vincent. \u201cWhile Jamie was speaking, I was relating with more and more of what he was saying \u2013 it was surreal! He mentioned struggling at school, which was something I\u2019d also experienced \u2013 one teacher had called me \u2018thick\u2019, and it was something that\u2019d really stayed with me.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the interview, I told Jamie I suspected I had dyslexia too, and he hooked me up with some tests – low and behold, I had it! In that moment of realisation, you feel like you always knew you had it. I\u2019d felt like I\u2019d probably masked over it throughout my career, pushing those feelings of doubt aside and focusing on the strengths I knew I had.\u201d<\/p>\n

So, what is dyslexia?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Dyslexia is a specific learning difficulty that primarily affects skills involved in reading and spelling. It impacts around 1 in 10 people in the UK, which equates to approximately 3.3 million adults in the workplace1. Importantly, dyslexia isn\u2019t linked to intelligence or poor education, as is often perceived to be the case, but it occurs across all genders, ages, abilities, ethnicities and walks of life.<\/p>\n

For adults, the challenges associated with reading and spelling may not always be visible, as many develop effective coping strategies over time. However, recognising and embracing dyslexia can unlock unique strengths – a message entrepreneur and best-selling author Jamie Waller is keen to get across\u2026<\/p>\n

\u201cMy struggles started at school,\u201d explained Jamie. \u201cI was often labelled \u2018thick\u2019 or \u2018disruptive\u2019 by teachers who didn\u2019t understand what I was going through. Those labels stuck with me for years, but my mum was my rock. She taught me to embrace my differences rather than hide behind them.\u201d<\/p>\n

For Jamie, having someone to look up to was a key motivation to overcome the challenges he\u2019d faced at school. \u201cFor me, it was a local businessman with a convertible car! I know it seems small, but seeing someone be successful from the same place I was from made me realise that I could achieve something too, even if it meant not following a traditional path.\u201d<\/p>\n

Despite not being diagnosed with dyslexia until the age of 36, Jamie went on to build several multi-million-pound businesses. \u201cMy email sign-off says it all: \u2018Expect small typos but big ideas. Dyslexic thinker.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s been really important to acknowledge it \u2013 my dyslexia gives me a different way of thinking, and that\u2019s a real strength for me to lean on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now a passionate advocate for early dyslexia diagnosis, Jamie is calling for greater inclusion in education and the workplace. \u201cTeachers need to be equipped to recognise and support dyslexic minds \u2013 it can completely change a child\u2019s life. And employers? They should stop seeing dyslexia as a weakness. It\u2019s no coincidence that 40% of self-made entrepreneurs in the US and the UK are dyslexic2. We think differently, and that\u2019s exactly what businesses need.\u201d<\/p>\n

A journey of pride and purpose
\nFor James Vincent, finding out he had dyslexia wasn\u2019t just a moment of personal revelation \u2013 it was a turning point for how he viewed himself and his future. \u201cAfter the initial surprise, I felt really proud,\u201d said James. \u201cIt gave me a whole new perspective. I don\u2019t see dyslexia as a challenge anymore \u2013 I see it as a tool. It\u2019s something I can use, not only to grow myself but to help other people in my coaching too. I instantly found myself relating more deeply to others with dyslexia.\u201d<\/p>\n

This newfound understanding has also more of a personal meaning for James. \u201cMy daughter is dyslexic too. Knowing I can help her by sharing my own experience, I can be the kind of support for her that Jamie spoke about \u2013 someone who helps her see her differences as a strength.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since his conversation with Jamie, James has noticed a ripple effect in his life. \u201cHonestly, everything has worked out for the better since the interview. So many people have reached out to me to share their own stories – it\u2019s been amazing to connect with them.<\/p>\n

\u201cI implore people to go and check the interview out, it really shows that anything is possible when you put your mind to it. Dyslexia isn\u2019t something to hide or feel ashamed of \u2013 it\u2019s a superpower waiting to be embraced.\u201d<\/p>\n

To hear how James came to realise his dyslexia diagnosis and more inspiring stories like Jamie\u2019s, while gaining a whole host of valuable insights into business growth, tune into The ActionCOACH Business Growth Podcast.<\/em><\/p>\n

Learn more about the ActionCOACH opportunity by clicking the button below<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Have you ever had a conversation that made you stop and think, that sounds like me? For James Vincent, UK Performance Director at ActionCOACH, the moment came during an episode of The ActionCOACH Business Growth Podcast. As entrepreneur and best-selling author Jamie Waller shared his experience with dyslexia, James realised he shared many of the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":24793,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[228,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-24792","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-actioncoach","category-business-franchises"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/AC-PR-Image-Mar252-copy.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24792","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24792"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24792\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24793"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24792"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24792"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.franchiselocal.co.uk\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24792"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}