SUMMARY

Anne-Laure Le Cunff, founder of Ness Labs and author of Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World, joins Lisa to reveal her unconventional career journey from Google engineer to startup founder to neuroscience student to successful entrepreneur with Ness Labs. Growing up outside Paris with parents who prioritized financial security, she landed a dream job at Google with the status and paycheck that signaled success. But she soon realized that the ladder she was climbing was leaning against the wrong wall.

This conversation explores cognitive scripts that keep us stuck, the importance of experimentation over rigid goal-setting, navigating uncertainty, and designing a life aligned with internal rather than just external metrics of success. Anne-Laure shares insights on managing different types of burnout, the psychology of major transitions, and how she uses tools like journaling and AI to support her work and decision-making.

Behind her brilliance: Curiosity

Say hi to Anne-Laure on X/Twitter: @neuranne

TOPICS COVERED
Breaking free from cognitive scripts
The problem with traditional goal-setting
Building an experimental mindset
Why “feeling lost” is the price we pay for having freedom
Career transitions and identity beyond job titles
Navigating impostor syndrome
Burnout (including when you love your work!)
Redefining success using internal vs. external criteria
Managing time and energy without a corporate structure
Redefining the relationship between time, money, and personal values
Building a business organically and leveraging momentum
Using AI as a creative thinking partner
Growing up with multicultural influences
Examining default coping mechanisms like alcohol (and Anne-Laure’s journey to sobriety)
Letting curiosity lead personal and professional decisions
And much more!