The Profile: The world’s most disruptive company & the best-selling author on the planet
This edition of The Profile features James Patterson, Nina Park, Anthropic, and more.
Good morning, friends!
Last week, my friend Hilary Hoffman invited me to take a workout class at her new Upper East Side studio, SotoMethod.
As Hilary guided us through the movements, she spoke to the room in that calm but focused way that great instructors have. In between cues, she kept returning to three words: intensity, consistency, and authenticity.
A little backstory: Hilary and I first connected over our shared love of words. On a Zoom call three years ago, we talked about language, ideas, and the power of the right phrase at the right time.
Back then, I had one child. Now I have four.
In the years between those two realities — pregnancies, postpartum recoveries, sleepless nights, and the chaos of a growing family — Soto became a small but meaningful constant. I would return to the virtual classes again and again because they made me feel stronger, calmer, and more like myself.
And this is why those three words hit me so strongly when she said them. If you really think about it, “intensity,” “consistency” and “authenticity” apply to almost everything that matters.
Raising children requires intensity — that ferocious love and superhuman strength that shows up at 3 a.m. when you’re exhausted but still rocking a baby back to sleep.
Building something meaningful requires consistency — the unglamorous act of showing up again and again, long after the initial excitement fades. Consistency is what has allowed me to send this newsletter to you for the last 9 years without ever missing a single week.
And living a life that actually feels good requires authenticity — the courage to do things your own way, even when the world is pushing you in a different direction.
This is how I think about it: Intensity is what you need to get started, consistency is what you need to keep going, and authenticity is what makes it all worth it.
You can apply those three words to parenting, relationships, writing, business, fitness — to pretty much any craft that requires devotion over time.
When you combine these three simple ideas, you are unstoppable.
PS: Hilary has an excellent Substack called The Weekly Assist that helps you frame the week ahead. And if you’d like to take a Soto class, check it out here.
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VIRTUAL EVENT THIS MONDAY: I’m speaking at a New York Financial Writers’ Association event tomorrow, Monday March 16 at 8pm EST about how I built The Profile. I would love it if you could join. Register here.
— Polina
PROFILES.
— The best-selling author on the planet
— The libertarian negotiating lower healthcare costs
— The celebrity makeup artist
— The most disruptive company in the world [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
PEOPLE TO KNOW.
The best-selling author on the planet: James Patterson built a literary empire by treating books like a business. He moves fast, follows the audience, and never confuses prestige with sales. But as younger authors and internet-driven fandoms reshape publishing, even the king of mass-market thrillers is feeling the squeeze. His answer is more collaboration, bigger names, and now even a MrBeast novel, as he continues to chase relevance. At 79, he may not care about legacy, but he still cares deeply about winning. (Bloomberg; alternate link) [For more, check out my Profile Dossier of James Patterson here.]
“One thing I love about the publishing business is that it’s this intersection of creativity and commerce, and Jim is the perfect embodiment of that.”
The libertarian negotiating lower healthcare costs: For decades, anesthesiologist Keith Smith has argued that one of health care’s biggest scams is that patients often have no idea what anything costs until the bill arrives. At his Oklahoma surgery center, he’s tried to prove the opposite. He posts the prices upfront, keeps them low, and forces the system to make sense. What began as a libertarian crusade against hidden fees is now influencing employers, governments, and providers looking for cheaper, more transparent care. (Bloomberg; alternate link)
“I wanted to start a price war—wanted these damn hospitals bankrupting people to have to explain themselves.”
The celebrity makeup artist: Celebrity makeup artist Nina Park has become Hollywood’s power behind the “no-makeup makeup” look, a style so natural it’s meant to look like nothing at all. Her philosophy is all about precision. Park’s approach, shaped by her early training as an artist and years of obsessive experimentation, has made her a favorite of stars like Emma Stone, Zoë Kravitz, and Greta Lee. The result is a paradox of modern beauty: the more effortless it looks, the more deliberate the work behind it. (The New York Times; alternate link)
“Success used to mean momentum and opportunity, and now it’s more about clarity.”
COMPANIES TO WATCH.
The most disruptive company in the world: Anthropic has become the company most obsessed with AI safety and the company that’s also racing fastest toward a future it warns could spiral beyond human control. Its Claude models are reshaping coding, office work, and even military operations, putting the company at the center of fights over jobs, war, surveillance, and who gets to set the rules for artificial intelligence. After clashing with the Pentagon over red lines on autonomous weapons and mass surveillance, Anthropic cast itself as the rare tech giant willing to sacrifice business to hold the line — though even it is already softening some of its own safeguards. Will it control the future? (TIME)
“We’re driving down a cliff road. A mistake will kill you. Now we’re driving at 75 instead of 25.”
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