Cognitive neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff discusses her journey from Google to founding Ness Labs, emphasizing the importance of personal fulfillment and self-reflection. Topics include building a successful newsletter, prioritizing self-care in community management, and the role of curiosity in creativity.
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question_answer ANECDOTE
Early Interests
As a teenager, Anne-Laure Le Cunff was a bookworm who loved reading and writing, dreaming of becoming a novelist.
She also enjoyed coding and built online communities, foreshadowing her future career.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Google Internship Origin
Anne-Laure Le Cunff's Google internships resulted from a chance encounter on a plane.
A conversation with a fellow passenger led to mentorship and ultimately, a job opportunity.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Ask for What You Want
Always ask for what you want, even if it seems like a long shot.
People can say no, but you might be surprised by the opportunities that arise from simply asking.
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Anne-Laure has always been been fascinated by human consciousness and the biology of the mind. A cognitive neuroscientist in training, she has a weekly newsletter on creativity, learning, and mindful productivity that reaches over 100,000 readers. She’s also the founder of Ness Labs, a learning community that helps people achieve more without sacrificing their mental health.
In this episode, Anne-Laure shares her journey from a bookworm teenager to community manager, Google employee, the creator of several failed start ups, and finally, the founder of Ness Labs. She always comes back to the importance of following your own path, and not getting caught up in external definitions of success.
We also dive into:
Experimenting and learning without the pressure of a set destination
The importance of understanding what truly fulfills you
Lessons learned from launching and growing Ness Labs
Building a successful newsletter through consistency and value
Embracing curiosity to better understand yourself and serve your audience
Episode Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background 03:00 Early Interests and Community Building 04:18 Internships at Google and Decision to Leave 09:01 Transition to Starting Own Ventures 15:24 The Importance of Freedom and Self-Reflection 26:49 Creating a Learning Community for Growth and Mental Health 28:06 Creating a Community Rooted in Connection and Learning 30:29 Finding Meaning and Financial Independence through Nest Labs 34:48 Balancing Community Management and Self-Care 38:39 Handling Negative Feedback with Grace and Action 43:54 Growing a Newsletter through Consistency and Value 52:34 The Power of Curiosity for Creators
This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.
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