Polina Marinova Pompliano is the author of “Hiden Genius” and the founder of The Profile, a media organization that studies successful people and companies. Previously, she spent five years at FORTUNE where she covered technology and venture capital. As the author and editor of Term Sheet, FORTUNE’s industry-leading dealmaking newsletter, Polina interviewed the industry’s most influential dealmakers, including Melinda Gates, Steve Schwarzman, Richard Branson, and more.

This week, Barrett talks with Polina about her career as a storyteller, personal growth, and the sacrifices required to pursue one's passion. Polina reflects on immigrating to the US from Bulgaria, her career in journalism, and the influence of marriage and motherhood on her ambitions. Together, they discuss building the resilience required to handle life's challenges, the importance of humanizing stories, and the pursuit of meaningful work. 

In this episode:

• 00:00 - Intro


• 02:48 - What it’s like to publish a very personal book


• 05:43 - How Polina's book impacted her relationships


• 08:44 - Communication emotion in different languages


• 13:58 - How Polina’s early experiences have shaped her


• 23:00 - Polina’s fullest version of herself


• 25:42 - How becoming a parent changes you


• 31:24 - The transition from curator to profiler


• 39:31 - The value in sharing personal stories


• 49:42 - Polina’s and Barrett’s experiences at UGA


• 56:08 - Can ambitious people have successful relationships?


• 01:03:37 - How Polina and her husband remain humble and connected 


• 01:10:26 - Why resilience is so important


• 01:21:08 - On dealing with grief


• 01:26:40 - When success becomes the obstacle


• 01:31:06 - Making the right career decisions


• 01:35:02 - Find something and become the best at it


• 01:39:01 - Polina’s advice to her younger self


• 01:41:19 - The future Polina is trying to create


• 01:43:25 - Who Polina is becoming

Get full show notes and links at https://GoodWorkShow.com.

Watch the episode on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@barrettabrooks.