Good morning, friends!

Charisma is this mushy, nebulous thing that’s so hard to pin down. So, naturally, I went on a quest to pin it down.

In the last month, I’ve been looking at the world through the lens of likability and charisma. Why do some people seem like they have an effortless confidence while others seem uncomfortable in their own skin? Why are we drawn to some and so repelled by others?

I documented what I found in my article titled, “How to Become More Likable Using 9 Techniques From the World’s Most Charismatic People.”

Needless to say, the world’s most charismatic people don’t actively think about how to be more charismatic. They just … are. But the techniques I put together will allow you to begin to see it and identify it more — and it could possibly even help you break some off-putting habits (like one-upping people in conversation).

This was a fun one. I hope you enjoy:

How to Become More Likable Using 9 Techniques From the World’s Most Charismatic People Polina Pompliano · May 29 Read full story

—

NEW PODCAST EP: I recently had a conversation about my book on DJ Hillier’s podcast, The Mindset Advantage. We had a great conversation about if you want to check it out. Listen here.

NEW STARTUP PITCH EP: Anthony and I went on a startup-version of Shark Tank where we gave founders live feedback. It was a ton of fun. Check out Part 1 and Part 2.

PROFILES.

— The most hated man in chess [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The ultimate bad boy
— The celebrity founder revolutionizing the beauty business
— The mastermind behind Hollywood’s biggest Ponzi scheme
— The woman who designed Taylor Swift’s Super Bowl jacket
— The buzzy underwear startup that lost its way

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The most hated man in chess: Hans Niemann has been a pariah since the fall of 2022, when Magnus Carlsen, the world’s No. 1 player, accused him of cheating. Now, if Niemann plays poorly, his rivals take it as proof he’s a fraud; if he plays brilliantly, it only fuels their suspicions that he is somehow relying on AI. He is effectively blacklisted from most of the best tournaments. “I don’t think that anyone can debate that my life, by objective metrics, has been destroyed,” he says. A year after the scandal, Niemann has been kinda-sorta vindicated. So how is he more disliked than ever? (New York Magazine; if you can’t access the article, try this link)

“I certainly have much grander plans for vindication than one tournament.”

The ultimate bad boy: For decades, Sean “Diddy” Combs was hip-hop’s boisterous showman. Now, dozens of former friends, employees, and Bad Boy artists allege an abusive, violent figure behind the facade. (Rolling Stone; if you can’t access the article, try this link)

“He’s always on the edge of snapping and being scary. People did whatever he said to stay in his good graces.”

The celebrity founder revolutionizing the beauty business: Selena Gomez has been on TV since she was 10 years old, found success as an actor and pop star, and is now the founder of a business reportedly worth $2 billion. Gomez, 31, founded Rare Beauty, a rising player she bills as a beauty brand that, instead of selling an unattainable image, aims to help people feel good about themselves. Rare Beauty, not yet four years old, is a top seller at Sephora and available in 36 countries. After launching in 2020, annual sales grew 100% from 2021 to 2022, and 200% the following year; they hit $400 million for the 12 months ending in May. (TIME)

“I will admit it overwhelms me sometimes. I have this weird thing in my head where if I focus on the numbers, I’ll lose whatever it is that made Rare Beauty Rare Beauty.”

The mastermind behind Hollywood’s biggest Ponzi scheme: Aspiring actor Zach Horwitz moved to Hollywood to pursue stardom. But one thing led to another, and he began operating a massive Ponzi scheme, bilking investors—beginning with his closest friends—out of hundreds of millions of dollars. What a story. (The New Yorker; if you can’t access this article, try this link)

“In L.A. more than anywhere else, nobody really ever knows where the money is coming from.”

The woman who designed Taylor Swift’s Super Bowl jacket: This year’s Super Bowl was many things to Kristin Juszczyk. It was a crushing loss for her husband’s team, the San Francisco 49ers. (Her husband is Kyle Juszczyk, a 49ers fullback.) But it was also the culmination of weeks of frenzied interest in the clothes she made by hand and wore to NFL games. From early January to mid-February, her Instagram following grew by 1 million people. Taylor Swift and Simone Biles wore puffer jackets designed by Juszczyk while supporting their football-playing partners. She signed a licensing deal with the NFL, which allowed her to use the league’s logos on her clothing. Now, she’s dressing the winner of the Indy 500. Here’s how she built a DIY empire. (The New York Times; if you can’t access the article, try this link)

“As a designer, if you’re not wearing your own designs, then who’s wearing them?”

COMPANIES TO WATCH.

The buzzy underwear startup that lost its way: Remember Thinx? I had just moved to New York City and every single subway car I walked into, there was an ad about Thinx, “the underwear for women with periods.” Thinx grew into a business worth nearly $100 million in revenue within eight years. So … what happened to it? It’s a fall from grace for a storied brand that holds lessons for leaders of other cult-favorite startups who hope to avoid the dreaded accusation of “selling out.” (FORTUNE; if you can’t access the article, try this link)

“To this day, you can go on Instagram and see people slamming Thinx.”

✨ The rest of this newsletter is only available for premium members of The Profile, whose support makes this work possible. If you’re not already a premium member, consider upgrading your subscription below for access to an additional section of weekly audio + video recommendations. ✨...