Good morning, friends!

Hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend. I’ve got a few brief things for you today:

BOOK UPDATE: The first week of pre-sales for HIDDEN GENIUS was really strong, so I just want to thank each and every one of you for your early support. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d write a book that people would want to read, so it really means the world to me.

Also, I don't share much publicly on Instagram, but I just created a new account where I'll be sharing updates on the path to the book launch. You can follow me here.

And finally, I was flipping through an old pocket notebook, and I found this. Just a reminder to be careful what you put out into the world, because it might actually become reality.

Polina @polina_marinova

Found this in one of my random notebooks. I wrote it on Sept. 9, 2018. It's the "lol" for me

1:55 AM ∙ Oct 3, 2022

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PRE-ORDER HIDDEN GENIUS HERE

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BOOK RECOMMENDATION: I’ve been reading this fascinating memoir called Life Undercover: Coming of Age in the CIA by Amaryllis Fox. I’m almost done with it, but it’s really captivating so far. It details Fox’s 10 years in the most elite clandestine ops unit of the CIA, where she hunted the world's most dangerous terrorists in 16 countries. It also paints a picture of just how difficult it is to have personal relationships while being a spy. I’ll be doing a Dossier on Amaryllis after I finish the book, but I’ll leave you with one quote: “The only real way to disarm your enemy is to listen to them."

THE PROFILE DOSSIER: On Wednesday, premium members received The Profile Dossier, a comprehensive deep-dive on a prominent individual. It featured Dave Ramsey, the no-nonsense personal finance guru. Become a premium member, and read it below.

The Profile

The Profile Dossier: Dave Ramsey, the No-Nonsense Personal Finance Guru

Dave Ramsey wants you to get out of debt, and he’s not afraid to tell you exactly what you’re doing wrong. “Debt is so ingrained into our culture that most Americans cannot even envision a car without a payment, a house without a mortgage, a student without a loan, and credit without a card,” he…

Read more

4 days ago · 5 likes · 2 comments · Polina Pompliano

PROFILES.

— The woman who wanted to sail around the world alone [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The founder who built a $26-billion business
— The activist storyteller
— The best-selling female country artist of all time
— The women’s soccer moneymaker

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The woman who wanted to sail around the world alone: Susie Goodall wanted to circumnavigate the globe in her sailboat without stopping. The 29-year-old British woman had spent three years readying for this voyage. It demanded more from her than she could have imagined. She loved the planning of it, rigging her boat for a journey that might mean not stepping on land for nearly a year. But she was unprepared for the attention it drew—for the fact that everyone wanted a piece of her story. After two days of brutal storm, she knew the world was watching to see whether she would survive. What a story. (Atavist Magazine)

“Some stories are ours to consume. But some, perhaps, are best left to the seeker and the thin place where they touched grace.”

The founder who built a $26-billion business: Ten years ago, Melanie Perkins co-founded a humble business with her husband Cliff Obrecht. Today, their company has grown into the design behemoth that is Canva, which is valued at approximately $26 billion. Meet the female founder at the helm. This is a must-read. (Fortune; reply to this email if you can’t access this article)

“This isn’t just war against Adobe. This is war against Google and Microsoft.”

The activist storyteller: At 25, the youngest Nobel laureate in history is at a new juncture in her life. Malala Yousafzai heads her own film and TV production company, Extracurricular. “When I fill out forms that ask for a profession, I always struggle, because I’m trying to figure out what my role is,” she says. “I feel like I’m an activist and a storyteller. I’ve been doing activism for more than a decade now, and I’ve realized that we shouldn’t limit activism to the work of NGOs only: There’s also the element of changing people’s minds and perspectives — and that requires a bit more work.” Here’s why Yousafzai wants to take on Hollywood. (Variety)

“What I hope to bring to the table are the voices of women of color.”

The best-selling female country artist of all time: Shania Twain was the defining voice at the height of her career in 1997. But after a series of personal and professional setbacks, though — including illness that left her wondering whether she’d ever sing again — she nearly lost her voice for good. But she’s a fighter, and she never stopped pursuing her dream. Now, at 57, Twain is getting ready to release her first album in five years. Here’s what this moment means to her. (Bustle)

“I was never a pushover, ever in my life.”

COMPANIES TO WATCH.

The women’s soccer moneymaker: Angel City FC is a National Women's Soccer League expansion team that began in 2022. It has a star-studded list of founders and investors, including actress Natalie Portman, Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, actresses Jennifer Garner, Eva Longoria, Jessica Chastain and Gabrielle Union, and athletes Mia Hamm, Candace Parker, and Lindsey Vonn. Things … seem to be working. Angel City shot for $3.25 million in corporate partnerships, which it believed was the highest in the NWSL in 2019. It sold $11 million this season. Here’s how it became a women’s soccer moneymaker. (WSJ; reply to this email if you can’t access this article)

“Turns out a social mission is a good business.”

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