The Making Of: Anne-Laure Le Cunff

06/25/24 • 60 min

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.

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

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.

Next Episode

The Making Of: Justin Moore

Back in 2014, Justin Moore made the leap to become a full-time creator. Since then, Justin has evolved into a leading Sponsorship Coach and founder of Creator Wizard, a community that helps creators negotiate dream brand partnerships, ensuring they don't leave thousands on the table.
With over $4M earned working with brands and having run an influencer marketing agency for over seven years, Justin has not only built a successful career but helps other creators earn millions more.

In this episode, Justin unpacks his transition from medical device product management to entrepreneurship, the difficult decision to close a successful agency while being over $100k in debt, and the origin of his company, Creator Wizard. He delves into how personal branding influences business decisions and why creators must take ownership of their businesses.

We also explore:

The creation of Creator Wizard and the intricacies of brand partnerships and sponsorships
The importance of audience alignment and the shift from being an influencer to an educator
The impact of sponsorship deals and the need for creators to take ownership of their business
Emphasizing the journey over hitting milestones and the importance of serving others

On a deeper level, we uncover the tough decisions Justin has made to reach his current success. Not all paths to entrepreneurship are linear.

Episode Chapters

00:00 The Origin Story: Transition from Medical Device Product Management to Entrepreneurship

20:00 The Impact of Personal Branding: Lessons from Rebranding and Mistakes Made

38:28 The Dynamics of Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships: Navigating Audience Alignment and Strategy

40:23 Navigating Creator Sponsorships: Challenges and Opportunities

45:06 From Influencer to Educator: The Shift in Creator Strategy

55:22 The Impact of Sponsorship Deals: Taking Ownership of Your Business

01:13:15 Serving Others: The Journey Over Milestones
Connect with Justin here: https://www.creatorwizard.com/
This show also features a special guest, Paul Jamison, host of the Green Industry Podcast. You can connect with him here: https://www.thepauljamison.com/

This show is produced and presented by Circle, where creators turn pro.