Long before she had a title or a methodology, Jessica Li was the person her classmates called at midnight — the one who helped people find clarity when everything felt impossibly tangled. “You should do this for a living,” they told her. She laughed it off. Then she saw Tony Robbins, and something clicked into place.
Still, she didn’t abandon ambition for purpose — she held both. An NYU Stern graduate in Behavioral Finance, Psychology, and Business Economics, she built a serious career in alternative investments while quietly coaching on the side through referrals alone. No marketing. Just results.
Then 2020 cracked everything open. Her investor conversations kept revealing the same wound: high achievers who had ticked every box but had lost themselves along the way. That was her moment. She founded Align Experience® and stopped hiding the part of her that always knew — real success isn’t something you push toward, it’s something you align into.
Today Jessica coaches founders, executives, and investors across industries — known for the combination her clients call “East Coast hustle meets West Coast soul.” We sat down with her to talk about the myths she’s dismantled about success, and why your next level will never come from pushing harder.
Was there a defining moment or turning point that led you to this work?
Growing up, I was the person people (classmates, parents, teachers) came to for academics, relationships or growth mindset. I’d take late-night calls from friends to help them find clarity and solutions. In high school, people would tell me, “You should do this for a living,” and I remember thinking, “what is this.. a hotline”? I then came across a video of Tony Robbins and it felt like lightning struck me. I knew this was what I’m meant to do.
Yet, I was deeply drawn to business, shaped by entrepreneurial parents who instilled resilience and excellence in me. I studied Behavioral Finance, Business Economics and Psychology at NYU Stern and built a career in finance. But coaching followed me everywhere.
I disclosed my coaching work to HR at my first job but in their PC way, they told me I couldn’t continue. That was the first time I chose not to follow authority and trust myself instead. I continued coaching behind the scenes through referrals and no marketing as I progressed in my financial career. Over time, my clients evolved alongside me, naturally leading to work with executives, investors and founders.
The key turning point came in 2020. My fundraising conversations started to sound exactly like my coaching sessions. People weren’t just talking about investments but “I’m in the wrong job. I’m in the wrong relationship. I put my head down for 10 years and forgot who I was.” I witnessed a theme emerge – high achievers were successful on paper but deeply misaligned and unfulfilled.
Again, it felt like lightning struck me. I knew I couldn’t keep the coaching side of me hidden anymore. This collective awakening meant more people would crave guidance to come fully alive. That’s when I founded Align Experience© and fully embraced my calling to elevate people into alignment.
You blend logic with intuition—how did you learn to trust both equally?
There were times when the person, opportunity or role looked fantastic on paper but it felt off. It felt like betrayal of my values and the highest version of me. Every time I ignored that gut feeling, I paid for it.
So I stopped overriding that initial signal. Our intuition registers truth before we can logically explain it. It’s not irrational, just faster. What I’ve found is that logic and intuition are meant to work together. Logic helps you build, structure and execute. Intuition tells you what, where and who to invest in.
We’re all born with that instinct but we’re conditioned to doubt it and to wait for “proof,” data or validation before we trust what we already feel. Even the greatest scientists understood this. Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein both spoke about the role of intuition in their work. The insight comes first then proof is sought after.
The most successful people I’ve worked with don’t choose between logic or intuition. They get clear and aligned enough to hear their intuition then strategize to make it come to life.
What’s a belief you once held about success that you’ve completely outgrown?
I used to believe in success at all costs.
When you combine a naturally Type A personality with Chinese values and that Mulan mindset of “I can do anything a man can,” you create a woman who just pushes through anything. I put my career above everything — my health, family and friends, even the possibility of love — because I thought that was the price of success.
My first wake-up call came at 23, when I got shingles. I remember sitting in the doctor’s office, confused, and she said, “Jess, this is something we usually see in people in their 50s — high stress, low immunity. You need to look at your stress levels.” I didn’t even realize I was stressed. That pace was my normal.
That moment forced me to slow down and reevaluate everything, including the difference between busy work and transformative work. I made a promise to myself that day: my health comes first because I can’t have anything without it.
Through both my own journey and my work with clients, I’ve seen that the people who are truly successful aren’t the ones sacrificing everything. They’re the ones who are deeply aligned: thriving in their work, grounded in their health (mental, physical and emotional) and fulfilled in their relationships. Real success doesn’t require you to abandon your life but to be fully in it.
Falling in love for the first time also altered my perspective about romantic relationships. When I was younger, I avoided romantic emotions like the plague because I deemed it a distraction from my purpose and success. But I’ve learned love is actually my biggest fuel.
You work with high-performers—what have they taught you about the human side of ambition?
We have been so indoctrinated by what “success” should look like that we rarely question, “is this my definition of success?” Whether it’s driven by the desire for our parents’ approval, societal validation or proving past naysayers wrong, we keep pushing. But we don’t always pause to reflect: “Do I even enjoy or value this journey? Do I want the ultimate goal? Why do I want it – is it fulfilling my true purpose or someone else’s?”
Our repeated habits and identity tend to keep us stuck in roles, careers, and relationships that we’ve outgrown. That’s why it’s essential to check in and see if this treadmill is still meant for you or if there’s another journey waiting for your courage to leap. That journey can be a career pivot, a new relationship or an upgrade in your mindset and how you perceive life.
High achievers need to remember: not all hard work moves you forward. There’s a difference between being challenged to build a life that’s aligned with you and taking on challenges that have nothing to do with your path or purpose. You have one life — in this body, in this lifetime — your time and effort deserve discernment.
Also, what is the point of all this “success” if it just looks good on paper but you’re not even enjoying it? If the people who work for you are living more rewarding lives, is all your stress and obligation worth it?
One of the most powerful tools I use for myself and my clients is what I call the “deathbed test.” When you’re unsure, zoom all the way out. Imagine yourself at the end of your life, having lived it fully. What does it look like? Who’s there? What’s no longer part of it? Then, every day, work toward closing the gap between that dream life and the one you’re living now.
Your vision is the pull, not a tease. It’s your North Star — follow it like your personal compass.
What part of your personality or life experience gives you your “edge” as a coach?
My edge comes from living in the same high-pressure environments my clients are in and delivering results within them.
I built my career in business development for alternative investments, where performance, precision and resilience aren’t optional. I understand what it means to operate under pressure, make high-stakes decisions and consistently perform at a high level — not just intellectually, but because I’ve lived it.
At the same time, I’ve spent over 15 years coaching ambitious individuals, which allows me to bridge both worlds. I combine analytical rigor with deep human insight. I know when to challenge, when to listen and how to differentiate true signals from constant noise.
My clients often credit this combination for clarity and real results. They’ve described me as “East Coast hustle meets West Coast soul” — someone who knows when to hold space with empathy and when to step in like an athletic coach and push them forward.
That balance of real-world experience in demanding environments and the ability to guide people through them is what allows me to create precise, meaningful outcomes.
Align Experience® is described as “executive coaching reimagined”—what makes your approach fundamentally different from traditional coaching? How did your background in behavioral finance and psychology shape the methodology you use today?
Align Experience® is “executive coaching reimagined” because it closes the gap between insight and real results. Traditional coaching often leans too far in one direction — either it’s inspiring but lacks structure and accountability, or it’s purely performance-driven at the expense of the person. I don’t believe in either.
My approach is both highly analytical and deeply human. Coming from a finance background, I’m very grounded in reality. I think in terms of strategy, precision and outcomes. But I also understand the psychology behind what actually holds people back — the patterns, blind spots and internal narratives that don’t show up on a spreadsheet.
So it’s not just about feeling good with no plan. And it’s not about chasing success at all costs. It’s about aligning who you are with how you operate — and then executing with clarity and intention.
There’s both depth and discipline. Intuition and logic. Empathy and accountability. That’s what allows my clients to not only achieve results, but actually feel aligned and fulfilled while doing it.
You emphasize that “your next level isn’t about pushing harder”—why do you think so many high achievers struggle to embrace that idea?
Most high achievers struggle because pushing harder is the only model they’ve ever known. It’s what got them here. So naturally, they assume it’s what will get them to the next level. But the truth is: you only know what you know. And your next level doesn’t come from more effort within the same operating system. It requires a new one.
Most people have to go through the “struggle” phase to realize it’s not sustainable. At a certain point, more hours, more pressure and more force stops producing exponential results. The game changes.
It’s similar to high performers getting promoted into leadership roles. They were excellent individual contributors but suddenly they’re managing people and no one has taught them how. The skills that got them there are no longer the skills that move them forward. The game becomes psychological — influence, emotional intelligence and the ability to inspire people to want to perform at their best.
That shift requires a different way of thinking, processing and operating. And just like you’d hire an expert in law or medicine for legal or health situations, you need guidance from someone who understands human behavior, decision-making and performance at that level.
We’re also in a generational shift. Earlier models of success were driven purely by security, money and status. Now, people are also motivated by purpose, fulfillment and how they actually experience their lives. Leadership has to evolve to meet that.
Millennials, in particular, are very aware of the cost of the “success at all costs” model. There’s a real desire to stop passing down burnout, stress and misalignment as the default. The intention is to create a better way — one that still achieves results with standards, resilience and growth but without sacrificing your life in the process.
The next level isn’t about pushing harder but evolving operating systems that allow more clarity, intention and alignment.
Want to learn more? Visit at align.vision and follow our journey on Instagram — connect with us at @jessicaxadrianaand @alignexperience for daily inspiration and updates.
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