We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Marnie Stockman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Marnie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
You know, it’s funny because Nick Coniglio (my business partner) and I often say our purpose found us long before we realized it. I have always been driven by a deep desire to help people become the best version of themselves. That started in the classroom for me, trying to convince 16-year-olds that pre-calculus was actually worth their time. For Nick, it was about helping people understand who they are, where they want to go, and how to get there.
The real lightbulb moment came when Nick told me to watch Ted Lasso. Once I did, everything clicked. The show’s philosophy of leading with character, empathy, and optimism reflected exactly how we had been building our lives and careers. We realized that leadership is not just for the boardroom. It is how you show up in the classroom, the locker room, and even your living room.
That connection became the foundation for Lead It Like Lasso. From there, The Business of You grew out of the same belief that everyone is a leader and that the most important project you will ever work on is yourself. Our purpose did not change; it simply expanded beyond the classroom so we could help more people find their own version of “best.”
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
Nick and I like to say that we help people run their lives like a business, but with heart. Our first book, Lead It Like Lasso, was inspired by the leadership lessons from Ted Lasso. It helps people see that leadership is not just something you do at work. It is how you show up everywhere. From there, we wrote The Business of You, which helps people think about their life as a company. You are the CEO, and every choice you make is a business decision about your future.
Now, we are building something that takes all of that and makes it come alive in a really fun way. It is called Blue, and the easiest way to describe it is “Duolingo for career coaching.” It gamifies personal development so that people can learn to lead themselves the same way they would learn a language: a little bit every day, with quick wins and encouragement to keep going. Inside Blue, you build your own departments like HR, Marketing, and Product Development, each one helping you grow in different parts of your life.
What makes it exciting is that it is not another productivity or career app that makes you feel behind. It meets you where you are, helps you make progress, and makes it feel rewarding along the way. Whether someone finds us through Lead It Like Lasso, The Business of You, or Blue, our goal is the same. We want to make leadership and personal growth feel doable, human, and even a little bit fun.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Nick and I talk about this a lot because so much of what shaped our journey wasn’t about technical skills. It was about how we approached people, problems, and growth. If we had to narrow it down to three, we would say curiosity, character, and consistency.
Curiosity is the one that started it all. Ted Lasso said be curious not judgmental. And asking questions is a life hack most people don’t get. But that curiosity helped us see possibilities that others missed. It is what led us to connect Ted Lasso with leadership lessons and eventually to create Lead It Like Lasso and The Business of You. Our advice to anyone early in their journey is simple: stay curious. Read widely, ask questions that make people pause, and never assume you already know the answer.
Character is what kept us grounded. We have built entire businesses around the idea that who you are matters more than what you do. When you make decisions that align with your values, things just work better. For someone starting out, that means defining your core values early and checking in with them often. They are your compass, especially when things get messy. And they are the basis for your story which everyone needs to learn to tell. Because it is your character that will help differentiate you in this very automated world.
Consistency is the one that does not get enough credit. It is not flashy, but it is everything. We have learned that success comes from showing up again and again, even on the days when it is not fun. The key is to find a rhythm you can actually keep. Start small, build the habit, and give yourself credit for sticking with it.
Those three qualities shaped how we lead, how we write, and how we are building Blue. If curiosity is the spark, character is the foundation, and consistency is the engine that keeps it all moving forward.
Alright so to wrap up, who deserves credit for helping you overcome challenges or build some of the essential skills you’ve needed?
Nick and I both believe no one builds anything great alone. If curiosity, character, and consistency are what get you started, your people are what help you keep going. We like to say that every successful person has their own version of a “personal board of advisors.” That is something we talk about a lot in The Business of You.
For us, that board is a mix of mentors, peers, and truth-tellers. Some have been with us since our teaching and EdTech days, others we met along the way as we built and sold companies, and some are just the friends who remind us to step back and breathe. Each one plays a different role. Some challenge our thinking. Some help us see blind spots. And some simply remind us why we started.
Our advice for anyone early in their journey is to start building your own board now. It does not have to be formal. Think of it like assembling your dream team of people who will call you out, cheer you on, and keep you aligned with your values. Find those who have been where you want to go, and do not just ask for advice. Ask for accountability.
That combination of community and clarity is what helped us grow from teachers to authors to founders. It is also what we are trying to build into Blue—a way for people to not only work on themselves but to find the people who make them better along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thebusinessofyou.ai
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bluethebusinessofyou
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BlueTheBusinessofYou/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/blue-the-business-of-you/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@BlueTheBusinessofYou
Image Credits
We have taken all of these ourselves.
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
