Good morning, friends!

We flew to New York, and it was Sofia's very first flight. Right as we arrived to the airport and were congratulating ourselves on a job well done for being on time with minimal hiccups, we realized that something was missing.

We had forgotten Sofia’s diaper bag at home.

In the end, though, moments like the ones above are what we’ll remember ... not how we had to frantically search for diapers at the airport. Well, unless you guys remind me, of course 🤣

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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 Matt Mullenweg, the CEO shaping the future of the internet. I’ve unlocked this dossier, so you can read it below.

The Profile

The Profile Dossier: Matt Mullenweg, the CEO shaping the future of the internet

If you’ve ever had a blog, you’ve likely used WordPress. That’s because the free and open-source publishing platform powers approximately 43% of all websites on the internet today. WordPress is the brainchild of co-founders Matt Mullenweg and Mike Little who released it in 2003. At the time, Mullenweg was only 20 years old…

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4 days ago · 4 likes · Polina Pompliano

PROFILES.

— The internet’s philanthropic storyteller [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The editor of Russia’s Nobel-winning newspaper
— The Bitcoin widow whose life turned into a nightmare
— The iconic director making a $100-million bet
— The scientist at the center of the COVID lab leak controversy
— The most dominant duo in tennis

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The internet’s philanthropic storyteller: Brandon Stanton is part street photographer, part storyteller. He's spent the last 10 years of his life capturing the fascinating stories of ordinary people. He catches his subjects in various moments of time — from their most vulnerable to their most philosophical. In this profile, we learn that he is turning HONY into a more philanthropic endeavor. He has raised nearly $8 million over the past 18 months for, among others, a retired burlesque dancer ($2.7 million), the immigrant owners of an organic bakery with a chronically ill child ($1.2 million), and a man blinded by a screwdriver in a subway attack ($677,000). (If you want more, read my Q&A with Brandon from 2020.)

“I’m focusing my lens on people who are modeling energy and behavior that is moving the world in the right direction.”

The editor of Russia’s Nobel-winning newspaper: Last year, Dmitry Muratov, the editor-in-chief of the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, was the co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. For three decades, under Muratov’s leadership, the paper has defied extraordinary threats as it covers government and business corruption, Kremlin politics, and armed conflict from Chechnya to eastern Ukraine. In this Q&A, he shares how his staff is covering Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. (For a more in-depth profile of Muratov, read here.)

“We received an order to ban the use of the words ‘war,’ ‘occupation,’ ‘invasion.’ However, we continue to call war war.”

The Bitcoin widow whose life turned into a nightmare: Jennifer Robertson married Gerald Cotten, who was smart, successful, and kind. Over the next four years, as his company, QuadrigaCX, expanded exponentially, Cotten and Robertson, became wealthy beyond their wildest imaginings. But things took a dark turn when Cotten died unexpectedly, and Robertson became the executor and sole beneficiary. (The Walrus)

The iconic director making a $100-million bet: Fifty years after he gave us The Godfather, the iconic director Francis Ford Coppola is chasing his grandest project yet. At 82 years old, he’s putting up over $100 million of his own money to prove his best work is still ahead of him. (GQ)

“I always felt that I didn't leave the movie business. The movie business left me.”

The scientist at the center of the COVID lab leak controversy: Shi Zhengli has spent years at the Wuhan Institute of Virology researching coronaviruses that live in bats. Her work has come under fire as the world tries to understand where COVID-19 came from. (MIT Tech Review; reply to this email if you can’t read the article)

“If that’s what they think, then there is nothing we can do to convince them otherwise.”

The most dominant duo in tennis: Venus and Serena Williams have led a rare two-decade streak of physical authority for any athlete. This rise to power would be atypical for anyone, but for two Black girls from Compton, California, it’s legendary. It is the stuff of movies, and, indeed, this past year Venus and Serena executive-produced King Richard, a film that tells the story of their early years through the lens of the fierce love of their father, played by Will Smith. Here’s why they’re now telling the story on their own terms. (Harper’s Bazaar)

“From such a young age, all we’ve done is work. For Serena and I to explore that freedom is surreal.”

✨ 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.

Morgan Housel on the psychology of money: In this wide-ranging conversation, Morgan Housel explains how we think about money, and the effect our mindset has on our lives. My favorite tidbit is when Housel talks about “the man in the car paradox.” It’s a framework that shows us how humans often buy things to impress people, but it’s an approach that never actually works. If you listen to one thing today, let it be this. (Link available to premium members.)

Holly Thaggard’s endless persistence: In 2005, Holly Thaggard was a harpist when one of her friends was diagnosed with skin cancer. She realized that cumulative exposure to the sun — day after day — can be harmful, so she had an idea for a sunscreen that would be applied daily. Not only did she manage to change the minds of some of the beauty industry's biggest retailers, but she also built Supergoop into a profitable, multi-million dollar brand. What a story. (Link available to premium members.)

VIDEOS TO WATCH.

Rick Ross on building a business empire: In this interview, hip hop artist Rick Ross says that being rich isn’t the goal — being wealthy is. He talks about how he acquired his 109-room-mansion for $5 million, which was $2 million below the asking price. (Link available to premium members.)

Manoush Zomodori’s boredom prescription: The average person shifts their attention every 45 seconds, checks email 74 times a day, and switches tasks on their computer 566 times a day. To cure our anxiety and burnout, journalist and podcaster Manoush Zomodori has a prescription: boredom. “Take a break, stare out the window and know that by doing nothing you are actually being your most productive and creative self,” she says. (Link available to premium members.)