The Profile: The founders who built a $22B fintech startup & the woman solving the ‘lonely mom’ epidemic

This edition of The Profile features Anna Wintour, Eric Glyman, Lizzo, and others.

Good morning, friends,

It’s been a heavy week in the world, and there is nothing left to say that hasn’t already been said. In moments like these, I find myself coming back to the handful of areas I can actually influence.

I’ve tried to focus on what I can control: showing up as a kind person for my family & friends, being fully present for my kids, and noticing the tiny sparks of joy that might otherwise pass by unnoticed.

It’s easy to feel powerless when the world feels overwhelming, but these everyday choices are how we keep moving forward.

I hope you’re able to find your own small moments of peace this week.

— Polina

PROFILES.

— The founders who built a $22B fintech startup [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The Vogue legend stepping back
— The embattled artist trying to reinvent
— The researcher who started the debate about kids and screens
— The woman solving the ‘lonely mom’ epidemic

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The founders who built a $22B fintech startup: In just several years, fintech startup Ramp is pulling in over $1 billion in revenue and getting valued at $22.5 billion. Founded by Eric Glyman and Karim Atiyeh, Ramp is using AI to transform corporate spending. With bold moves like a Saquon Barkley Super Bowl ad and ambitions to dethrone American Express, Ramp has become one of fintech’s fastest risers. (Pairs well with my Saquon Barkley profile.)

“Banks are selling money. At our core, we’re selling time.”

The Vogue legend stepping back: After 37 years at the helm of Vogue, Anna Wintour has handed the editor-in-chief title to her protégé, Chloe Malle, all while keeping her global leadership roles at Condé Nast. Known for her clarity, imagination, and unmatched influence, Wintour insists she’s not stepping back but stepping forward, guiding the next generation of editors. Malle now inherits a Vogue that’s an omnipresent cultural force across social media, events, and fashion’s global stage. (The New Yorker)

“Nobody at Vogue moves at a glacial pace, least of all my assistants.”

The embattled artist trying to reinvent: After lawsuits and stalled singles, Lizzo is hitting the reset button. She is pausing the polished album, dropping gritty mixtapes, selling out intimate shows, and leaning back into rap to reclaim her voice. The court battles aren’t over, but the message is: less brand, more Lizzo. (New York Magazine; alternate link)

“I think, musically, I have been on a path to losing myself for a long time.”

The researcher who started the debate about kids and screens: Jean Twenge has long warned that too much screen time harms teens, and she enforces strict rules at home. Her daughters got flip phones or kid phones, no social media before 16, and absolutely no screens in bedrooms overnight. In her new book, Twenge argues that it’s possible to put the genie back in the bottle, writing that kids without constant social media are often happier, not lonelier. (The New York Times; alternate link)

“In many studies, teens who don’t use social media at all are the least likely to be depressed.”

The woman solving the ‘lonely mom’ epidemic: Michelle Kennedy turned the isolation of early motherhood into purpose, founding Peanut, a social app that helps women find their “village.” Once a lawyer-turned-tech exec who helped launch Bumble, Kennedy built Peanut to fight the loneliness and loss of identity that so many mothers quietly endure. Today, with more than five million users worldwide, Peanut connects women across motherhood, fertility, and menopause, in hopes of making motherhood a bit less lonely. (The Times)

“No one checks in on you. No one invites you to anything. Everyone thinks you’re in this bubble.”

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