The Profile
By Polina Marinova Pompliano
The ProfileFeb 18, 2021
The Relationship Therapist Helping Heal Your ‘Origin Wound’
Vienna Pharaon is a popular relationship therapist and the author of the book The Origins of You. In this conversation, we discuss the power of conflict, repair, and connection. -- Stay up to date by subscribing to The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://www.readtheprofile.com/
Meet the Behavioral Scientist Who's Interviewed Serial Killers, Terrorists, Spies, and ... Startup Founders
In this conversation, behavioral scientist Jason Halbert explores the complexities of the human mind, the commonalities between serial killers and startup founders, and the fine line between ambition and delusion.
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Stay up to date by signing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://readtheprofile.com/ -- TIME STAMPS: 00:00 - 'Darkness retreat' experience 05:35 - Jason's career trajectory 08:34 - What it takes to build a psychological profile on someone 10:34 - Optimal interview environment 12:56 - Speaking in absolutes 13:58 - Conducting an interview with a serial killer 15:46 - How serial killers differ from other criminals 19:09 - Is there a killer gene? 20:32 - How to use empathy in an interrogation 24:18 - Has Jason's definition of good and evil changed? 26:13 - Why it's hard to be a whistleblower 27:33 - The line between ambition and delusion 30:22 - Elon Musk: Ambitious AND delusional? 33:23 - Jason's work with founders and VCs 37:01 - Identifying and mitigating blind spots 39:11 - How to become more persuasive 42:26 - How to profile a potential candidate 46:21 - The role of chemistry 51:16 - The formula for identity 55:29 - The difference between your real self and your ideal self 58:20 - How to deeply understand the people in our lives 1:02:46 - The value of over-explaining 1:03:43 - How Jason defines success
New Balance CEO Joe Preston on How the ‘Dad Shoe’ Became a Fashion Statement
How did a brand notoriously known for its uncool “dad shoe” become a fashion craze largely popular with young women?
In this conversation, New Balance CEO Joe Preston discusses his journey to CEO, how he has helped evolve the “dad shoe,” and why the $10 billion revenue goal is so significant.
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Rob Henderson on Why We Hold ‘Luxury Beliefs’ and Develop ‘Status Anxiety’
In his new book, author Rob Henderson recounts growing up in foster care, attending elite universities, and pioneering the concept of “luxury beliefs.” In this conversation, Henderson discusses the events of his early life, the prevalence of victimhood in today’s society, and whether it’s possible to opt out of the status game. -- Stay up to date by signing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://readtheprofile.com/
Meet The Private Equity Investor at the Intersection of Finance and Self-Help
Graham Weaver is the founder and managing partner of Alpine Investors. He started Alpine out of his dorm room at Stanford and started buying companies with his credit card. Over the last 22 years, he built a private equity firm with $16 billion in assets under management.
In this conversation, Weaver unpacks his unique investment strategy, what daily habits have transformed his life, and why he believes we should all strive to live an asymmetric life.
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Meet Laura Dekker, the youngest person to sail solo around the world
Laura Dekker holds the world record for being the youngest person to sail solo around the world. She began her journey in August 2010 when she was 14 years old and finished in January 2012 when she was 16.
In this conversation, we talk about what prompted her to take on a voyage this challenging, how she navigated (and eventually won) her fight with the Dutch government, and how she plans to use the lessons she learned as a young sailor to parent her own kids.
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Who is JJ Watt Off the Field? An Inside Look At His Investments, Family Life, and What He Plans to Do Next
JJ Watt is one of the one of the NFL's most well-respected defensive stars.
In this conversation, he reveals if he owns Bitcoin, his most interesting startup investments, and of course, what he thinks about the Taylor Swift-Travis Kelce romance.
Panera Bread Founder & Cava Investor Ron Shaich on Building Iconic Billion-Dollar Brands
Ron Shaich is the founder of iconic brands like Au Bon Pain and Panera Bread, investor in food brands such as Cava and Tatte, and now author of the book ‘Know What Matters.’
In this conversation, Shaich and I discuss how to build iconic brands, why ubiquity can breed contempt, and what founder should consider before taking their company public. It was a conversation filled with practical takeaways you can apply to your life today. I hope you enjoy.
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Four-Time NBA Champion John Salley on Playing With Michael Jordan, Improving the NBA, and Living a Full Life
In this interview, John Salley shares his experience playing with the basketball greats and learning important lessons about a life of endless learning.
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25-Year-Old Entrepreneur Savannah Jordan on How She Built a Multi-Million-Dollar Marketing Agency in Three Years
Alpha CEO Savannah Jordan shares how she developed a tough mental framework, adapted to marketing’s constant evolution, and grew a personal and professional brand worth millions.
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Former Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson: ‘Know the Difference Between Advice and Command-Decision’
In this wide-ranging conversation, Heather Wilson discusses developing mental resilience, making decisions in times of crisis, and some of the biggest lessons she’s learned after decades in leadership.
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Netflix’s “Full Swing” Producer Chad Mumm on LIV Golf, Tiger Woods, and Finding Your Creative Moat
Chad Mumm had a front row seat to one of pro golf’s most controversial years to date. As the executive producer behind Netflix’s hit series “Full Swing,” Mumm discusses the inception of the docu-series, the LIV Golf controversy, and his creative process for creating hit TV shows. --- Stay up to date by signing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://theprofile.substack.com/
‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ Director Martin Webb on His Creative Process, Interview Techniques, and the Importance of Compelling Storytelling
Martin Webb is behind some of the most captivating docu-series, but you’ve probably never heard his name. He has directed Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Break Point, and Life and Death Row: Execution.
In his first in-depth interview, Webb breaks down the art of building intimacy with his subjects, taking on difficult projects, and telling captivating human stories through film.
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UFC Champion Francis Ngannou on What It Really Means to Bet on Yourself
Francis Ngannou is the heavyweight champion of the world. In mixed martial arts circles, he’s known as “the baddest man on the planet,” and that’s for good reason. Ngannou has a long history of developing strength — both physical and emotional. In this interview, you will hear the mind-blowing story of how Ngannou signed with the UFC, moved to the United States, and became the world heavyweight champion in a sport he didn’t even know existed just several years prior.
Photojournalist Lynsey Addario on Reporting From the Front Line
War photographer Lynsey Addario has covered every major conflict and humanitarian crisis on the planet. As she sees the destruction and the pain through the lens of her camera, her images translate that intense emotion to people across the globe.
In this interview, Addario explains how she assesses risk in a war zone, how she’s dealing with the mental scars that result from her work, and why she doesn’t believe you have to be an activist to enact change.
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Bridgewater Co-CEO Mark Bertolini on the Value of ‘Radical Transparency’ and Taking Over From Ray Dalio
Earlier this year, Mark Bertolini was named co-CEO of Bridgewater Associates, the largest hedge fund in the world. With $150 billion under management, Bridgewater is known for its unusual culture around “radical transparency.” In this conversation, we talk about the two life-altering wake-up calls that forced him to change his leadership style, why he’s inspired by Eastern philosophy, and what he hopes to achieve at Bridgewater in the coming years.
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Meet Robert Hoge, the ‘Ugly’ Human Living a Beautiful Life
Robert Hoge was born with a tumor in the middle of his face and two severely mangled legs. In the 50 years since his birth, Hoge has re-claimed and re-framed the word he had been called his entire life: "ugly."
In this conversation, Hoge reflects on overcoming the challenges of growing up different, rejecting the labels of society, and building a remarkably beautiful life.
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Danny Meyer on Leading In Crisis, Developing an Appetite for Risk, and Building a Hospitality Empire
Union Square Cafe. Gramercy Tavern. Shake Shack.
Danny Meyer doesn't open restaurants. He opens institutions.
In this conversation, the legendary restaurateur shares what he's learned about leading in crisis, how he developed his 'hospitality quotient' philosophy, and why he believes in cultivating a culture of experimentation and risk-taking.
Dossier: Bernard Arnault, the World's Richest Man
Known as the "lord of luxury" and "the Pope of fashion," LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault is the world's richest man with a recent net worth of $199 billion. In this deep dive, Polina analyzes his life and career and breaks down what we can learn from Arnault's massively successful creative empire.
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Ex-GE CEO Jeff Immelt on Leading Through Crisis, Taking Personal Responsibility, and Becoming a Master of Chaos
Jeff Immelt succeeded Jack Welch as the CEO of General Electric, a great American company. When Immelt took over in 2001, he didn't know that he would have a long, turbulent road ahead.
The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks would be the first of many crises that Immelt had to grapple with in his time as CEO. He was at the helm of the company through the bursting of the dot com bubble, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the fall of Enron, and the 2008-09 financial crisis.
Shareholders blamed Immelt for his inability to turn the company around and for allowing GE to lose $150 billion of market value under his watch. In this conversation, Immelt shares what he's learned about leading in crisis, how he's taken responsibility for the consequences of his decisions, and why he believes the next generation of founders and CEOs need to be masters of chaos.
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Four-Time Obstacle Race Champion Amelia Boone on Mastering the Art of Suffering
Dubbed “The Queen of Pain,” Amelia Boone is a corporate attorney at Apple by day and an obstacle endurance racer by night. She signed up for her first Tough Mudder race at age 28 when she realized she couldn’t do a single pull-up. Since that day, she became obsessed with getting stronger and went on to become a 4-time world champion and one of the most decorated obstacle racers in history — all while working full-time at Apple.
Here's how Boone learned to conquer the mental aspect of racing, how she confronted a years-long challenge with an eating disorder, and why she believes that your profession doesn't have to be your passion.
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Exclusive: Former Acting Secretary of Defense Chris C. Miller On Invading Afghanistan, His Time in the White House, and His Next Act
Chris C. Miller, a company commander with the 5th Special Forces Group, helped direct the first, covert invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. A number of Green Berets from the 5th Group were sent to invade Afghanistan and defeat the Taliban — some of them on horseback — in a secret and dangerous mission, which was portrayed in the film '12 Strong.'
In this conversation, Miller explains what training for the Afghanistan mission entailed, how he used his experiences in the field to transition from a tactical position into a strategic one, the challenges of his role as the acting secretary of defense, and the leadership lessons he's learned along the way.
TIME STAMPS:
00:00 - September 11, 2001
05:36 - The military's reaction
13:28 - The invasion of Afghanistan
21:08 - Mental training for times of uncertainty
27:09 - What makes a great team
32:51 - Coming home from the Afghanistan mission
35:01 - Conventional tactics versus unconventional warfare
41:09 - Planning his military career
42:46 - Transition from a tactical position into a strategic one
46:21 - Becoming the Acting Secretary of Defense
54:18 - Miller's response to the storming of the Capitol
58:19 - How to develop independent thought
1:04:15 - Balancing his personal relationships with his professional aspirations
1:08:18 - The mental toll of going to war
01:03:31 - Miller's next act
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Meet Ana Lorena Fabrega, the Educator Focused on Independent Thinking and Mental Models
By the time Ana Lorena Fabrega was 15 years old, she had already attended 10 different schools in seven different countries. After five years as a teacher, Fabrega left the traditional school system in pursuit of alternative methods that sparked students' curiosity and love for learning.
Today, Fabrega is the Chief Evangelist at Synthesis, an online enrichment club where kids learn through games and simulations. Here's how she thinks the role of education is changing and how school can promote independent thought, boost curiosity, and better prepare kids for the future.
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Meet Rickey Gates, the Man Who Ran 3,700 Miles Across America
Rickey Gates is a writer and adventurer who traversed the width of America in 2017 — from South Carolina to San Francisco. He ran a total of 3,700 miles through trails, roads, rivers, and snowy mountains. His journey painted a portrait of America, one that captures the spirit of the country and makes us realize we're not as divided as we think.
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7 Mentally Tough People on the Tactics They Use to Build Resilience
Lauren Johnson is a mental performance coach who most recently worked with the New York Yankees, where she helped develop strategies for athletes and sports professionals to help them cultivate mental resilience. In this conversation, Lauren and I deconstruct the strategies and tactics of 7 mentally tough people and how they learned to perform under pressure.
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Celebrating 4 Years of The Profile
It's been four years of The Profile. That means that since February of 2017, you've received 208 Sunday emails, 50 Profile Dossiers, and thousands of longform profiles. Every Sunday, we come together to study the most curious, innovative, and successful people in the world. Want to join the club? Sign up here: https://readtheprofile.com
'Atomic Habits' Author James Clear: 'I'm Never Far From a Good Idea'
James Clear, the author of New York Times bestseller Atomic Habits, has been writing on his website JamesClear.com since 2012. In this interview, Clear explains his writing and idea-generating process and offers practical strategies to help us form better habits in the new year.
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Square Co-Founder Jim McKelvey on How His Payments Startup Defeated Amazon
Even though Square transformed the world of payments, it was anything but a smooth ride. Co-founder Jim McKelvey woke up one day to discover that Amazon had copied their hardware, undercut them on price by 30%, and was offering live customer support.
The bitter battle between Square and Amazon lasted more than a year. But McKelvey and Dorsey ultimately did the impossible: Through persistence, determination, and constant innovation, they had defeated the most terrifying company on the planet.
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Inside the Mind of Humans of New York Creator Brandon Stanton
Humans of New York has touched millions of readers over the years and turned into one of the best places on the internet.
HONY creator Brandon Stanton sat down for an hour-long interview with The Profile, in which he explains how he develops intimacy with strangers, why his conversations are so transformative, and why it's natural for us to empathize with other people's pain.
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The Real Story Behind Why Foursquare's Dennis Crowley Stepped Down as CEO
One moment of anxiety changed the entire course of Foursquare's trajectory and founder Dennis Crowley's career. Over the next two years, he would find his own successor, step down as CEO, and move to an executive chairman role.
In this conversation, Crowley gives an honest account of what happened when he realized that he was no longer the right person to lead the company he founded.
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Veteran Noah Galloway on Combating Depression, Building Mental Resilience, and Starting Over
Noah Galloway was three months into his second deployment in Iraq when his vehicle ran over a tripwire that detonated a roadside bomb. He lost his left arm, left leg, and entire military career. Here's how Galloway turned his mindset — and life — around.
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Atoms Co-Founder Sidra Qasim's Unlikely Journey to Building a Shoe Empire
Growing up in Pakistan, the first time Sidra Qasim learned about the internet was in 2006 and she couldn't fathom how people could by things over the web. Today, she runs one of the hottest direct-to-consumer startups in Silicon Valley. She and her partner Waqas Ali co-founded Atoms, a sleek shoe company, that has raised more than $8 million in venture funding. I interviewed Sidra about her mind-blowing journey to entrepreneurship. It details how she designed the life she wanted to live, how refused to give up time and time again, and why, after all these years of struggle, it's all been worth it.
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Three-Time Olympian Kara Lynn Joyce On Why Action Is the Antidote to Doubt
Kara Lynn Joyce is a three-time Olympian-turned-entrepreneur. In this conversation, Joyce explains that self-confidence and mental resilience are the keys to succeeding in sports, business, and life. Here's how she was able to pair her Olympic experience with the adrenaline-filled journey of starting a company.
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