Our guest in this episode is Marnie Stockman, co-creator of the Lead It like Lasso philosophy. Following her passion for helping people become their best selves, Marnie has embarked on a new adventure to empower job seekers in the age of AI. Her mission, sparked by conversations with her own children, is to help people find truly meaningful work through authentic self-discovery.
Marnie shares how we can all become the "CEO of You, Incorporated," using AI as a tool for deep introspection, not just for sterile automation. Key points discussed include:
* Character is your advantage: In an automated world, your unique human character is your ultimate competitive edge.
* Be the CEO of You: Run your life and career like a business to intentionally guide your own growth.
* Use AI for authenticity: Leverage AI to understand your real story and NOT to game the system.
Listen to the podcast to find out more.
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Show Notes from this episode with Marnie Stockman, Lead It Like Lasso
It was an absolute delight to welcome Marnie Stockman of Lead It like Lasso back to the Innovabuzz podcast. Long-time listeners might remember Marnie from episode 653, where she and her business partner Nick taught us how to lead with heart, inspired by the one and only Ted Lasso. So much of that conversation was about core values and curiosity, and now she’s returned with a fascinating new adventure that feels like the perfect next chapter: empowering job seekers in the age of AI.
This new direction isn’t a pivot away from her Lasso-inspired philosophy; it’s a powerful evolution of it. Marnie is diving headfirst into the world of artificial intelligence, not as a cold, robotic replacement for human ingenuity, but as a tool to help us become, as she so eloquently puts it, "the best version of ourselves." It’s a mission to bring more character, not less, into our professional lives, especially when technology is changing everything.
The Spark of Inspiration: The Character Revolution in a Digital World
Marnie’s new focus was sparked by a simple but profound observation she calls the "character revolution." In a world increasingly filled with automation and digital transformation, the single greatest way to stand out is by being authentically, unapologetically human. It’s our character, our values, and our unique stories that will become our most valuable assets. The ones who thrive will be the ones who show up as real people.
This idea wasn't just a theory; it was validated in the most personal way possible. Marnie shared a wonderful story about a single week where her 23-year-old daughter, her 25-year-old son, and her daughter’s 23-year-old boyfriend all decided they needed more impactful work. From a mechanic wanting to help people more directly to a marketer discovering a passion for teaching, their journeys proved that understanding one's core drivers is the first step toward a fulfilling career.
Welcome to You, Incorporated: Becoming the CEO of Your Own Life
This is where Marnie’s new venture gets truly brilliant. She and Nick are developing an app and writing a new business fable, The Business of You, based on a powerful central metaphor: you are the CEO of "You, Incorporated." I just love this concept. It reframes personal development from a passive activity into an act of empowered, strategic leadership over your own life and career.
When you think of yourself as a CEO, you realize you're in charge of all your own departments: your finances, your marketing (how you present yourself to the world), and your HR (your personal growth and well-being). The app they're building is designed to be your trusted advisor in this enterprise, using AI to help you have the critical conversations needed to run your personal corporation with intention and clarity.
AI as Your Personal Mirror: Uncovering Your Authentic Story
This is where the magic really happens. We chatted about how AI’s greatest strength isn't just generating content, but acting as a conversational partner to help you uncover your own ideas. Marnie’s work is a perfect example of this. Her app uses AI to help you dig deep into your core values and the stories that define you, much like a patient coach. It helps you connect the dots of your own life.
Marnie shared the powerful story of an introverted young man she mentored who was told he came across as "chaotic" in interviews. By working through his core values and the stories that demonstrated them, from soccer as a kid to his work as a lifeguard, he was able to build a coherent narrative. The very next day, he walked into an interview, confidently told his story, and landed the job. He didn’t change who he was; he just finally understood how to articulate it.
The Human Checkpoint: Navigating AI with Wisdom and Authenticity
Of course, with any powerful new tool, there are risks. Marnie rightly points out that AI can be "glitchy" and has a hilarious tendency to produce "cringey" and repetitive content if you’re not carefully guiding it. I see it all the time. The human in the loop is not just recommended; it’s essential for ensuring the output has personality and soul.
More importantly, she offered a critical warning against using AI to simply "hack the system." It's tempting to use these tools to generate a resume or cover letter that perfectly matches a job description, but if it's inauthentic, you risk finding yourself "unhappily employed." It’s a fast track to that feeling of misalignment where you dread going to work, a situation I know all too well from my own past and one that Marnie experienced herself.
The Ted Lasso Test: How Would Ted Navigate the World of AI?
I couldn't resist asking the big question: what would Ted Lasso do in the age of AI? Marnie’s answer was, unsurprisingly, spot-on. He would focus on understanding yourself first. He’d encourage his team to use any tool at their disposal not to find shortcuts, but to cultivate empathy and become more human.
This led to one of my favorite parts of our chat: Marnie’s "shelf help" idea. She took a picture of her bookshelf, fed it to an AI, and asked for a personality assessment, blind spots, and book recommendations. It’s a wonderfully creative and fun way to use technology for genuine self-discovery, and it feels like something Ted would absolutely get behind.
Conclusion
Marnie’s work is a vital reminder that in our rush to adopt new technologies, we can’t afford to lose sight of what makes us human. The goal isn’t to let AI do the work for us, but to use it as a mirror to better understand ourselves, our stories, and our values. It’s about leveraging technology to deepen our human connection, not replace it.
Marnie provides a masterclass in how to approach AI with wisdom, curiosity, and a deeply human-centered focus. Her message is clear: use these powerful new tools not to chase trends, but to uncover your authentic story and core values. In a world of automation, your humanity isn't a liability; it's your ultimate competitive advantage.
The Buzz - Our Innovation Round
Here are Marnie’s answers to the questions of our innovation round. Listen to the conversation to get the full scoop.
* Most innovative use of AI to enhance human relationships – Use AI with a creative prompt to analyze your bookshelf, providing unique data to help you understand your own blind spots.
* Best thing to integrate AI and human connection – Create consistent content in different styles, which allows you to connect authentically with multiple, diverse audiences.
* Differentiate by leveraging AI – Focus on using AI first and foremost as a personal tool to deeply understand yourself and your own story.
Action
Take a picture of your bookshelf, find the prompt Marnie mentioned in the show notes, and use it to analyze your reading habits. Share what you discover online using the hashtag #ShelfHelpChallenge so Marnie can see it.
Reach Out
You can reach out and thank Marnie by visiting her website at leaditlikelasso.com, which links to all of her projects. You can also connect with her directly on LinkedIn or enjoy her satirical take on career advice at workinprogress.ai.
Links:
* Website - Lead it Like Lasso
* LinkedIn - Marnie Stockman
* YouTube - Lead It Like Lasso
* Twitter - @leaditlikelasso
* Instagram - @leaditlikelasso
* LinkedIn - Lead it Like Lasso
* TikTok - @leaditlikelasso
Books
* Lead It Like Lasso, Marnie Stockman and Nick Coniglio
Cool Things About Marnie Stockman
* Pop Culture Alchemist: Marnie doesn’t just reference Ted Lasso - she’s built an entire leadership philosophy and business around the show’s heart, humor, and humanity. Who else can say their business playbook is inspired by a fictional football coach with a mustache and a biscuit obsession?
* From Math Teacher to AI Innovator: It's not every day you meet someone who's journeyed from the world of high school math to the cutting edge of AI-powered job seeking. That's a plot twist worthy of its own Ted Lasso episode!
* Champion of the Underdog: Marnie's focus on helping job seekers stand out in an automated world speaks volumes about her passion for empowering the underdog. She's not just teaching leadership; she's leveling the playing field.
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Here’s the prompt Marnie gave us for AI to analyze your bookshop:
I’m participating in the #ShelfHelpChallenge. Based on this photo of my bookshelf (or list), please give me: 1. A short personality summary 2. My current intellectual obsession 3. A blind spot I might be missing 4. A book I didn’t know I needed 5. A fake book title I would write one day Sign it: “Your Bookshelf (With Love)” 🧠 Make it clever, slightly cheeky, and insightful.
Video
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