Good morning, friends!

Exciting update on the book front: We’re setting up a tiny soundproof corner that we’ve dubbed, “the book nook” where I’ll record the audiobook. Yes, that means I’ll be narrating the book, so hopefully, you don’t find my voice annoying. 😅 But if you do, you can pre-order a voiceless version here!

Here’s a little behind-the-scenes look at what went into setting up the book nook.

Polina M. Pompliano @polina_marinova

⚡️ HIDDEN GENIUS audiobook coming soon! ⚡️ Special thanks to @Jordy__Long & @tlambers8 for making this a reality!

9:51 PM ∙ Jan 12, 2023

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THE PROFILE DOSSIER: On Wednesday, premium members received The Profile Dossier, a comprehensive deep-dive on a prominent individual. It featured Yusra and Sara Mardini the sisters who swam to freedom. Become a premium member, and read it below.

The Profile

The Profile Dossier: Yusra and Sara Mardini, the Sisters Who Swam to Freedom

Swimming saved the Mardini sisters’ lives — literally and figuratively. As they fled war-torn Syria, Yusra and Sara Mardini found themselves in a small, rubber dinghy in hopes of crossing the Aegean Sea to safety. Fifteen minutes into their journey, the motor suddenly stalled…

Read more

4 days ago · 5 likes · 1 comment · Polina Pompliano

CALLING ALL FEMALE INNOVATORS: Pattie Sellers and Nina Easton, my former Fortune colleagues who led the global buildout of FORTUNE’s Most Powerful Women, now lead JOURNEY, a nonprofit that connects amazing female innovators tackling big societal challenges with leaders already at the top. Are you a potential JOURNEY Fellow? Apply or nominate (before the Monday deadline!) an emerging superstar at 

https://www.journeytolead.org/

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PROFILES.

— The founder who (allegedly) duped J.P. Morgan [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The fitness guru who built a subscription-based empire
— The godfather of close-up magic
— The actress on a journey of self-discovery
— The navigation app mapping the globe

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The founder who (allegedly) duped J.P. Morgan: J.P. Morgan Chase is suing the 30-year-old founder of Frank, a buzzy fintech startup it acquired for $175 million, for allegedly lying about its scale and success by creating an enormous list of fake users to entice the financial giant to buy it. Founder Charlie Javice allegedly created an enormous roster of “fake customers – a list of names, addresses, dates of birth, and other personal information for 4.265 million ‘students’ who did not actually exist.” What a wild story. (Forbes; reply to this email if you can’t access the article)

“Javice first pushed back on JPMC’s request, arguing that she could not share her customer list due to privacy concerns.”

The fitness guru who built a subscription-based empire: Melissa Wood-Tepperberg is behind Melissa Wood Health, a fitness brand that includes workout videos, nutrition tips, a podcast, and merchandise. Wood-Tepperberg has attracted more than 100,000 paying subscribers with low-impact routines that her followers describe as transformative. Here’s how she built a brand on bite-size exercise modules designed for the Instagram generation. (WSJ; reply to this email if you can’t access the article)

“She seems to be the influencer who influences all the influencers.”

The godfather of close-up magic: Juan Tamariz, 80, has been a professional magician for 52 years, and in that time, he has managed the singular feat of becoming both a household name in his home country of Spain and a living legend in magic everywhere. He is referred to by magicians all over the world as Maestro. David Blaine has called him “the greatest and most influential card magician alive.” Here’s how Tamariz created a whole culture in Spain of “people who take magic seriously.” (The New York Times)

“I think Juan’s genius really is live, in front of you.”

The actress on a journey of self-discovery: Jennifer Lopez recently asked herself the question: “Why am I never happy?” Through a slew of unsuccessful romantic partnerships, Lopez learned that she often put other people’s needs and feelings ahead of her own. In this profile, she reveals that she’s done meditation, psychotherapy, psychiatry, and life coaching to work through some of her unhealthy attachments. (Vogue)

“Self-love is really about boundaries.”

COMPANIES TO WATCH.

The navigation app mapping the globe: Google Maps is the fourth most popular mobile app in the U.S. by unique visitors age 18 and up, making it more popular than the mobile apps of Instagram and Tiktok as well as its closest direct competitor, Apple Maps. The Google Geo group, which runs the Maps app, now also oversees the company’s Waze mapping service. Here’s what Christopher Phillips, the head of Google Geo, said about the future of navigation. (WSJ)

“We’re in that next evolution of information, detailed information that can really help you decide where to go.”

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