Creating a Shared Humanity through Authentic Storytelling with Polina Pompliano

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.