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.