Why subscribe to The Profile?

To be the best, you have to study the best. The Profile is the go-to source for longform stories on the world's most successful people and companies.

Polina Pompliano, a former FORTUNE magazine tech reporter, scours the internet for the most intriguing profiles across finance, business, technology, sports, entertainment, and more.

The Profile's readers include actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, famed restaurateur Danny Meyer, and legendary NFL player J.J. Watt. 

Who writes The Profile?

My name is Polina, and I read 1.8 million words last year, which is the equivalent to 25 books. I did that in the name of finding the most interesting and well-reported profiles of the world’s most successful people.

I’ve read an insane amount of longform articles and worked on The Profile at baseball games, on vacation, and in Italian coffee shops with no Wi-Fi.

Why? Simply because this is how I learn and I want to share my learnings with you.

I started writing this newsletter in 2017, and it features a range of profiles, or long-form articles that delve into the detailed story of an individual. My newsletter has been read by tens of thousands of people—including actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, famed restaurateur Danny Meyer, and my wonderful mom.

I always ask myself one question, “Will the reader learn something from this?” If the answer is no, I don’t include it.

That’s because The Profile is the physical manifestation of how I learn. So even if I wasn’t writing a newsletter, I’d still be reading profiles and learning from the life paths of those who have built something meaningful and developed a useful way of thinking.

My philosophy centers around something I like to call “people-focused learning,” the notion that people and their stories are at the center of any learning pursuit. Stories trigger emotion, and emotion triggers memory.

So I invite you to join me on this learning journey by subscribing below:

What are readers saying?

Wait, did you also write a book?

Yes! I wrote my first book, HIDDEN GENIUS, and it came out in 2023.

After years of profiling hundreds of fascinating people, I asked myself: What distinguishes the great from the truly exceptional?

I realized that the highest performers don't use "tricks" or "hacks" to achieve greatness. They use mental frameworks that fundamentally change the way they see the world.

This book will help you do the same. Inside, you’ll find practical techniques around augmenting your creativity, mastering mental toughness, telling better stories, cultivating healthy relationships, clarifying your thinking, and unlocking your own hidden genius.

Order Your Copy Here

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The Profile features the best long-form stories on people and companies in business, tech, sports, entertainment, and more.

People

I'm the author of The Profile, a weekly newsletter featuring profiles of the world's most successful. My first book, HIDDEN GENIUS, is out now. I was previously a reporter at FORTUNE magazine for 5 years.
Staff Writer @ The Profile | Product Manager + Painter