Good morning, friends.
Last year, The Profile conducted a massive, crazy experiment.
We held a worldwide meetup to see if the readers of this newsletter would actually go hang out with fellow Profile-reading strangers in real life. (They did!)
Readers from across the world — from Los Angeles to Bengaluru — met up for an evening of new ideas and great conversation. Here's how one reader who went to a meetup in Nairobi put it: “We met up as readers, and ended up as friends.”
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It was a casual, laid-back event focused on bringing together curious, like-minded folks with great perspectives. I wanted to make it even bigger this year, but unfortunately, 2020 had other plans.
So I have a new idea.
We'll do another Global Profile Meetup, but this time it'll be virtual. We're keeping the geographic element, so you'll be able to meet other like-minded people in your city. (And maybe eventually even meet up in real life after this pandemic is behind us.)
This year, I'll be attending every single one! We'll start with an AMA where you can ask me questions about The Profile, my process, and basically anything else you want. Then, you’ll be able to meet, get to know, and have smart conversations with fellow readers in your area. Each event will last for about an hour, but feel free to pop in and out whenever you want.
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We'll plan to hold these city-specific meetups the week of November 15 through the 22nd.
Here's how it'll work:
Make sure you have availability the week of Nov. 15-22.
If there are more than 10 interested people in your city, we'll hold the meetup.
Over the next few weeks, I’ll look at the answers, match up groups of Profile readers in their respective cities, and send further meetup instructions.
I really hope you choose to participate, and I look forward to meeting you!
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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 Bob Bowman, the coach who produces champions. Become a premium member and read it here.
PODCAST: I recently went on the Joe Ferraro’s “One Percent Better” podcast to talk about creativity, consistency, risk-taking, and most importantly, betting on yourself. I really enjoyed this conversation! Check it out here.
PROFILES.
— The founder making jetpacks a reality [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The rebellious scion
— The NFL star's year of chaos
— The forgotten rap star
— USC's dying quarterbacks
— The COVID antibody queen
— The company that escaped a near-death experience
— The business that wants to own your entire digital identity
PEOPLE TO KNOW.
The founder making jetpacks a reality: Richard Browning is trying to resurrect the jetpack. Since Browning launched his jetpack startup Gravity three years ago, he has taken off thousands of times, performed live demonstrations in more than 30 countries, set a Guinness World Record (twice), and accrued more than 10 million YouTube views for his exploits. This is a fascinating look into the mind of a daring inventor who turned a crazy idea into a real business. (WIRED)
“I’m terrified of risk. I hate the idea of seeing risk hurt me, or someone else, or cause the financial instability – and then hurt – that I saw as a kid.”
The rebellious scion: James Murdoch, who is Rupert Murdoch's youngest son, has been on a collision course with his family for 15 years. Increasingly uncomfortable with News Corp’s politics and profit motives, he suddenly resigned from the board. Here's why he "pulled the rip cord" and left the family business. (The New York Times)
"I decided that I could be much more effective outside.”
The NFL star's year of chaos: A year ago, Raiders defensive lineman Chris Smith pulled over on I-90 after he blew a tire, causing his SUV to spin out and strike a concrete wall along the side of the road before coming to a stop. Neither he nor his girlfriend Petara Cordero sustained a scratch. Cordero had just stepped out of the car, and "then I heard this bang,” Smith says. A passing vehicle had hit the passenger side of the car, killing Cordero on impact. Here's how Smith has dealt with a year full of grief and grace. (Sports Illustrated)
“We made it through a year. I know the days aren’t going to get easier, but we’ve got to keep on keeping on.”
The forgotten rap star: In 1990, there was no star bigger than the man born Robert Van Winkle, also known as Vanilla Ice. His single, “Ice Ice Baby,” became the first rap song to top the Billboard Hot 100 and accelerated the genre’s crossover into the American mainstream. The first white solo rapper to become a pop star had one of the most dizzying ascents and one of the most rapid downfalls in music history. This profile is a ride. (The Ringer)
“I was shocked [to see] a white kid who was, no. 1, rapping, and no. 2, dancing."
USC's dying quarterbacks: In 1989, USC had a depth chart of a dozen linebackers. Five have died, each before the age of 50. To understand what happened, this feature takes us back to 1989. It was a year when tacklers were taught to lead with their heads. Drug tests were easy to beat. Pain was for the weak. Complaints were for the weaker. The physical wounds were meaningless; it's the invisible ones that ultimately turned lethal. (ESPN)
“Be prepared. Scott will be either dead or in prison within a year.”
The COVID antibody queen: This spring, Cristina and Chris Cuomo became some of the most prominent public figures to test positive for COVID-19 during its harrowing early days. Before she got the virus, Cristina had been working on her wellness publication, Hamptons Purist. In April, when Cristina noted in one of her online COVID diaries that she’d taken a diluted bleach bath, she went from harmless wellness fanatic to full-fledged quack in the eyes of the internet. Here's how she tried to find a remedy for her public image. (ELLE)
“I think that people might judge me and say, 'Oh, she’s so privileged. There’s a lot of hate out there.'
COMPANIES TO WATCH.
The company that escaped a near-death experience: When COVID-19 hit, home-sharing platform Airbnb was planning a flashy IPO. But the pandemic was a sobering event, and it forced Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky to cut marketing, put many noncore projects on hold, and lay off a quarter of the staff. “I did not know that I would make 10 years’ worth of decisions in 10 weeks,” Chesky says. This is a masterclass of leadership in crisis. (WSJ; if you can't access this story, respond to this email.)
“This is going to be bigger than 9/11 and 2008 combined. This is your defining moment as a leader."
The business that wants to own your digital identity: Clear is an identity verification company that serves airline passengers. When the COVID-19 shutdowns hit, Clear needed to pivot — and fast. Here's how the company used the pandemic to expand its business model beyond getting fliers to the front of the security line. Clear's vision for its fingerprint, iris-scanning, and facial recognition business goes beyond kiosks in airports — it wants to be a holistic identity verification platform. And the consequences for our privacy are terrifying. (OneZero)
“We believe any place that you are whipping out your wallet and taking out a card to prove that you are you is a place where Clear has big opportunities.”
This installment of The Profile is free for everyone. If you would like to get full access to all of the recommendations, including today’s audio and video sections, sign up below.
AUDIO TO HEAR.
Nick Kokonas on learning to pause: Nick Kokonas is the co-founder of Alinea, which is considered to be one of the most innovative and cutting-edge restaurants in America. (Read the Dossier on his partner Grant Achatz here.) Kokonas **explains that the key to creativity lies in the pauses. It hides in the moments of solitude and quiet. "I’m not saying 'Pause' like 'Stop.' I’m saying 'think.'" he says. "Intellectual curiosity is everything." This is an excellent episode. (Link available to premium members.)
Naval Ravikant on taking control of his anxiety: Naval Ravikant has become infamous for his pithy tweets. Here's one such tweet: "Imagine how effective you would be if you weren’t anxious all the time.” In this podcast, he busts the myth that you have to be in a constant state of anxiety in order to remain ambitious and motivated. "If you can be calm and still go about your business, it's a superpower," he says. (Link available to premium members.)
Shonda Rhimes on scaling creativity: How do you create stories that people crave? “That’s the lightning in a bottle thing,” says television super-producer Shonda Rhimes. “It’s making the pitch, getting in the room, doing the work, and hoping it pans out.” In this conversation, Rhimes breaks down how she caters to her audience, when she knows a show is a hit, and what data is useful in the creative process. (Link available to premium members.)
VIDEOS TO SEE.
Hank Paulson on bailing out Wall Street: In 2008, then-U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry "Hank" Paulson was tasked with the impossible: prevent the collapse of the U.S. economy. In order to avoid a total meltdown, he felt he had to act by signing off on $1 trillion in bailouts for Wall Street. He did it even though he himself found the bailouts morally wrong. It was a move that made Paulson a controversial figure because it set a dangerous precedent for economic crises to come. This is a fascinating documentary. (Link available to premium members.)
Debbie Millman on designing your own life: When she turned 30, design legend Debbie Millman founder herself "homeless, jobless, and relationship-less." It's then that she asked herself how it is that people find purpose and meaning in their life. "If you're not satisfied at your job," she says, "self-generate your own work. Make whatever you need to be happy even if other people think it's crap." (Link available to premium members.)
Hamdi Ulukaya on developing a healthy relationship with money: What is your attitude toward money? Your relationship with money is the most critical aspect of your journey as an entrepreneur. Chobani CEO Hamdi Ulukaya says, “If you put value to money with planes, apartments, and yachts, and all that kind of stuff, you’ll have a very hard time moving forward. If you recognize that money is just a tool, then it will be easy.” This is a must-listen for any aspiring entrepreneur. (Link available to premium members.)
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