The Profile: The podcast host who manages $1.6 trillion & the woman who will decide which babies are born

This edition of The Profile features Justin Ishbia, Nicolai Tangen, Dua Lipa, Julia Stiles, and more.

Good morning, friends!

On Wednesday, I published one of my favorite articles I’ve written for The Profile. It’s about interviewing techniques. Based on the overwhelmingly positive response, I think it resonated with many of you as well.

A reader referred to it as a “learning guide,” and I like that terminology. I’d like to do more of these (highly practical techniques from the people who excel in their fields), so if you have ideas on what you want to learn in this type of format, hit reply and let me know!

In the meantime, you can check out the article titled, “10 Interview Techniques From the World’s Best Interviewers” here:

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THE HIDDEN GENIUS EVENT: I want to thank all of you who came to the ‘HIDDEN GENIUS’ book event at The Strand last week. I loved meeting all of you! (Also, the Strand’s Rare Book room is one of the most magnificent places I’ve ever seen). I’ll be uploading a video of the talk on my YouTube channel. Make sure you’re subscribed here.

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PROFILES.

— The billionaire who bought a thousand small businesses [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The podcast host who manages $1.6 trillion
— The woman who will decide which babies are born
— The ‘90s star making her directorial debut
— The pop star who ‘manifested’ her career
— The companies that keep the internet afloat

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The billionaire who bought a thousand small businesses: Justin Ishbia may not be as well known (or as rich) as his younger brother Mat. But with a $7 billion portfolio of veterinary clinics, autism treatment centers and bakeries, he’s made a fortune for himself and his investors. With 801 deals from 2020 to 2023, here’s how he made Shore Capital one of the world’s busiest buyout shops. (Forbes; If you can’t access the article, try this link.)

“It’s a group of people that’s like the special forces. They come in, and they do exactly what needs to be done.”

The podcast host who manages $1.6 trillion: Why do top CEOs talk to Norway’s sovereign-wealth fund manager? In part, because he is a podcast host who also manages a $1.6 trillion investment fund. The show, called “In Good Company,” is the brainchild of Nicolai Tangen, a 57-year-old native Norwegian and former London hedge-fund manager who in 2020 was named CEO of Norges Bank Investment Management. Here’s how he’s landed guests like Elon Musk, Exxon Mobile CEO Darren Woods, ex-Morgan Stanley CEO James Gorman, and Spotify co-founder Daniel Ek. (WSJ; if you can’t access the article, try this link.)

“We aim to be the most transparent fund in the world. It struck me that the real transparency here would be to show the Norwegian people what they own.”

The woman who will decide which babies are born: Noor Siddiqui founded fertility startup Orchid so people could “have healthy babies.” Now she’s using the company’s gene technology on herself—and talking about it for the first time. “You can mitigate risks for thousands of diseases that previously you weren’t able to detect,” she says. “It’s kind of like a vaccine for everything that we know, genetic-wise, at once.” (WIRED)

“Whenever I bring up Orchid in polite company, people squirm.”

The ‘90s star making her directorial debut: Ready to feel old? The film ‘10 Things I Feel About You’ just turned 25 years old. It was the role of Kat Stratford that turned Julia Stiles into a star. In her late teens and into her 20s, Stiles was on the receiving end of what could feel like an overwhelming amount of attention, but she’s led a pretty normal life. “I went to college so that I could focus on other things,” she says. “I would take time off from work … to not give it as much power.” Here’s how she stayed true to the ideals of her most famous character. (The New York Times)

“I took it to heart and I put on my big girl pants and leaned into being a director as opposed to a people-pleasing actress.”

The pop star who ‘manifested’ her career: Pop star Dua Lipa believes in the power of manifestation. She says, “I stand very firmly in the belief of putting things into the world. Subconsciously, you just work towards them. Nothing’s ever too big.” Here’s how she ‘manifested’ the May 3 release of Radical Optimism, her much-hyped third studio album. (TIME)

"Since I was very little, I've jotted down things I dreamt for myself.”

COMPANIES TO WATCH.

The companies that keep the internet afloat: While the internet may appear wireless, it is powered by a vast network of undersea cables. These wires are constantly breaking — a preccarious system on which everything from banks to governments to TikTok depends. And when those physical cables break, a small group of ships is responsible for keeping 99% of the world's data online. (The Verge)

“The amount of ships is relatively limited, and there are a number of places where it could get critical.”

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