Good morning, friends!

It’s been a really cool week.

On Tuesday, my husband Anthony published his first book, How to Live an Extraordinary Life. In it, he shares 65 letters that he wrote to our children, and it’s full of lessons he’s learned in his life so far.

An excerpt from the book description:

“Anthony Pompliano has lived in a war zone, met and interviewed the world's wealthiest people, built and sold companies, invested in more than 200 businesses, formed friendships around the globe, started a loving family, and found happiness. Along the way, he has kept a personal list of the lessons he has learned.”

I’d really appreciate if you guys picked up a copy, and shared with anyone who may enjoy it. There are many practical lessons you will be able to implement in your life immediately.

(Not to mention that I very much approve of the dedication! 🤣)

On Tuesday evening, we had the pleasure of meeting chess legend and political activist Gary Kasparov at a dinner hosted by The Human Rights Foundation.

Kasparov is widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players of all time. He also dominated the world of chess for two decades, holding the title of World Chess Champion until 2000.

He was also a pioneer in using computers to analyze chess, famously playing against IBM’s Deep Blue in two matches in the mid-1990s. He won the first match in 1996 but lost the rematch in 1997, marking a historic moment in the rise of artificial intelligence.

In recent years, Kasparov has become a vocal critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has been involved in pro-democracy movements in Russia. He says, “Democracy is not a spectator sport. The only way to ensure its survival is to get involved and to defend it against those who would destroy it."

In my 2020 article, Democracy Requires Action, I wrote about why my own dad took part in Bulgaria’s pro-democracy protests in the early 1990s. I came to a similar conclusion as Kasparov: A democracy relies on its citizens having — and using — their voices as catalysts for change.

On Friday, I moderated a panel at the United Nations about the power of storytelling in a global context. I’ll share more from this panel in the future, but feel free to email me if you need an interviewer for an upcoming event!

Have a wonderful week ahead!

— Polina

PROFILES.

— The founder who wants to make superbabies [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The inmate-turned-chef
— The ex-Barstool CEO taking on a new challenge
— The author who captivated a generation
— The president of Xbox transforming its future

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The founder who wants to make superbabies: Although Noor Siddiqui and her husband have no fertility problems, she has undergone IVF so that she can freeze her embryos. Then, using the technology of her own startup company, Orchid, she is pre-screening each embryo for any potential health problems. We are not talking about simply screening for major birth defects or conditions such as Down’s syndrome — we are talking a full-scale analysis of each embryo’s predisposition towards all the 1,200-plus diseases and conditions about which we currently have genetic information, including a wide range of cancers, diabetes, coronary artery disease and even Alzheimer’s. Some praise it as revolutionary, others call it social engineering. (The Times)

“Why wouldn’t I spend a couple of thousand dollars to make sure my child doesn’t suffer?”

The inmate-turned-chef: An inmate in the California prison system for nearly 30 years of his life, Michael Thomas was used to cooking with hamburger meat and white rice as part of the chow hall crew. But 17 years into his sentence, he realized his newfound passion for baking and made it his goal to pursue that aspiration upon his release. A month into his new job, Thomas is humbled at the opportunity to work four days a week at San Francisco’s esteemed restaurant, Flour + Water. (SFGate)

“I’ve always been cooking, but I fell in love with baking maybe 10 years before my release, and now I want to do both.”

The ex-Barstool CEO taking on a new challenge: Erika Badan (formerly Nardini) understands the skepticism. As CEO of Barstool Sports for nearly one decade, Badan oversaw an editorial empire that transformed armchair quarterbacking, raucous podcasting, and “smokeshow” franchises into a $550 million sale in 2023. So, when she was named CEO of Food52 in April, the appointment felt odd. While Barstool serves an audience of young men seeking sports takes and blue humor, the chic food media firm caters to an affluent, primarily female readership with a penchant for boutique flatware and seasonal cooking. What is she doing there? (AdWeek)

“There is never going to be another Barstool, but I liked the idea of an organic content experience that can be monetized in multiple ways and serve a commerce business.”

The author who captivated a generation: Sally Rooney is one of those rare authors who have been able to garner mass readership as well as serious critical attention. The popular success is, on some level, easy to understand. Two of her novels, “Normal People” and “Conversations With Friends,” were adapted into buzzy TV series. Any writer who is held up, as Rooney is, as the voice of a generation is sure to be scrutinized. But the amount and intensity of both the praise and the criticism of her output can feel a little outsize. Here, she responds in her own words. (The New York Times; alternate link)

“I don’t care about my career. I think about, How do I make this book the perfect version of what it can be?”

The president of Xbox transforming its future: A relative outsider, Sarah Bond is leading a high-stakes transformation of Xbox, a company that’s lagging behind Sony and Nintendo. In her role leading Xbox’s hardware development and relationships with publishers, Bond splits herself between shoring up its traditional gaming business and reaching into untapped areas. She’s hinted at new Xbox hardware—Spencer has repeatedly professed his interest in a potential handheld device—while the company has also begun to release Xbox’s exclusive games on competing consoles and promoting Netflix-esque subscriptions that don’t need a console at all. Here’s how she plans to transform the company. (Bloomberg; alternate link)

“Xbox has always been a bridesmaid and never a bride.”

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