The Profile: The teenager who took on Meta (and won) & the modern athlete-turned-entrepreneur
This edition of The Profile features LeBron James, Alix Earle, and Mick Jagger.
Good morning, friends!
Tomorrow, I’m publishing my Kevin O’Leary profile.
I’ve spent the past several weeks thinking about how to explain why this may be my favorite profile I’ve written. I think it’s because I really feel like I uncovered the real person behind the persona.
Most people know O’Leary as the ruthless capitalist who tells entrepreneurs their ideas are worthless and seems perfectly content to be the villain. That person is real. But he is also a character O’Leary has spent nearly two decades perfecting.
I shadowed him through TV appearances, business pitches, and private moments. I spoke with the people who have invested beside him, worked with him, fought with him, and watched him navigate the biggest crises of his career.
I can’t wait for you to read it, and I look forward to hearing your feedback. (I’ll be publishing clips and behind-the-scenes moments on my Instagram. You can follow me here.)
In your inbox tomorrow morning.
— Polina
THE PROFILES.
— The modern athlete redefining his sport
— The TikTok influencer-turned-entrepreneur
— The rock icon stepping off stage
— The teenager who took on Meta — and won
— The startup that rebuilt itself from the inside out [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
THE PEOPLE.
The modern athlete redefining his sport: LeBron James has spent more than two decades proving his greatness on the court. But his most enduring legacy may be the way he changed what athletes believe they’re allowed to become — turning fame into ownership, influence into leverage, and a playing career into something far bigger than basketball.
The TikTok influencer-turned-entrepreneur: Alix Earle built one of the most influential personal brands on the internet by making millions of followers feel like close friends. But behind the viral “Get Ready With Me” videos is a meticulous entrepreneur who obsesses over product decisions, audience psychology, and long-term career building. Here’s how she turned authenticity into a business empire. (TIME)
The rock icon stepping off stage (gift link): At 82, Mick Jagger speaks with surprising warmth about the strange bargain of a life in the spotlight. The conversation explores the space between performance and identity, and what remains when one of the world’s greatest showmen steps off the stage. (The New York Times)
The teenager who took on Meta — and won (gift link): At 17, Kaley Glenn-Mills became the face of a landmark lawsuit against the biggest social media companies in the world. This is a fascinating profile about how even at even after helping expose how these platforms hook young users, she still can’t stop scrolling. (Bloomberg)
THE COMPANIES.
The startup that rebuilt itself from the inside out: Most companies are bolting AI onto old products. Notion did something much harder. It rebuilt itself from the inside out. This behind-the-scenes look reveals how a decade-old startup transformed its culture, product, and way of working to become one of the few pre-ChatGPT companies thriving in the AI era. (Colossus)
