Martin Webb is behind some of the most captivating docu-series, but you’ve probably never heard his name. He has directed Formula 1: Drive to Survive, Break Point, and Life and Death Row: Execution. In his first in-depth interview, Webb breaks down the art of building intimacy with his subjects, taking on difficult projects, and telling captivating human stories through film. -- Stay up to date by signing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://theprofile.substack.com/

Francis Ngannou is the heavyweight champion of the world. In mixed martial arts circles, he’s known as “the baddest man on the planet,” and that’s for good reason. Ngannou has a long history of developing strength — both physical and emotional. In this interview, you will hear the mind-blowing story of how Ngannou signed with the UFC, moved to the United States, and became the world heavyweight champion in a sport he didn’t even know existed just several years prior.

War photographer Lynsey Addario has covered every major conflict and humanitarian crisis on the planet. As she sees the destruction and the pain through the lens of her camera, her images translate that intense emotion to people across the globe.  In this interview, Addario explains how she assesses risk in a war zone, how she’s dealing with the mental scars that result from her work, and why she doesn’t believe you have to be an activist to enact change. -- Stay up to date by signing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://theprofile.substack.com/

Earlier this year, Mark Bertolini was named co-CEO of Bridgewater Associates, the largest hedge fund in the world. With $150 billion under management, Bridgewater is known for its unusual culture around “radical transparency.” In this conversation, we talk about the two life-altering wake-up calls that forced him to change his leadership style, why he’s inspired by Eastern philosophy, and what he hopes to achieve at Bridgewater in the coming years. -- Stay up to date by signing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://theprofile.substack.com/

Robert Hoge was born with a tumor in the middle of his face and two severely mangled legs. In the 50 years since his birth, Hoge has re-claimed and re-framed the word he had been called his entire life: "ugly."    In this conversation, Hoge reflects on overcoming the challenges of growing up different, rejecting the labels of society, and building a remarkably beautiful life. --- Stay up to date by signing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://theprofile.substack.com/

Union Square Cafe. Gramercy Tavern. Shake Shack. Danny Meyer doesn't open restaurants. He opens institutions. In this conversation, the legendary restaurateur shares what he's learned about leading in crisis, how he developed his 'hospitality quotient' philosophy, and why he believes in cultivating a culture of experimentation and risk-taking.

Known as the "lord of luxury" and "the Pope of fashion," LVMH CEO Bernard Arnault is the world's richest man with a recent net worth of $199 billion. In this deep dive, Polina analyzes his life and career and breaks down what we can learn from Arnault's massively successful creative empire. --- Stay up to date by signing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://readtheprofile.com

Jeff Immelt succeeded Jack Welch as the CEO of General Electric, a great American company. When Immelt took over in 2001, he didn't know that he would have a long, turbulent road ahead. The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks would be the first of many crises that Immelt had to grapple with in his time as CEO. He was at the helm of the company through the bursting of the dot com bubble, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, the fall of Enron, and the 2008-09 financial crisis. Shareholders blamed Immelt for his inability to turn the company around and for allowing GE to lose $150 billion of market value under his watch. In this conversation, Immelt shares what he's learned about leading in crisis, how he's taken responsibility for the consequences of his decisions, and why he believes the next generation of founders and CEOs need to be masters of chaos. --- Stay up to date by singing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://readtheprofile.com

Dubbed “The Queen of Pain,” Amelia Boone is a corporate attorney at Apple by day and an obstacle endurance racer by night. She signed up for her first Tough Mudder race at age 28 when she realized she couldn’t do a single pull-up.  Since that day, she became obsessed with getting stronger and went on to become a 4-time world champion and one of the most decorated obstacle racers in history — all while working full-time at Apple. Here's how Boone learned to conquer the mental aspect of racing, how she confronted a years-long challenge with an eating disorder, and why she believes that your profession doesn't have to be your passion.  --- Stay up to date by singing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://readtheprofile.com

Chris C. Miller, a company commander with the 5th Special Forces Group, helped direct the first, covert invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. A number of Green Berets from the 5th Group were sent to invade Afghanistan and defeat the Taliban — some of them on horseback — in a secret and dangerous mission, which was portrayed in the film '12 Strong.' In this conversation, Miller explains what training for the Afghanistan mission entailed, how he used his experiences in the field to transition from a tactical position into a strategic one, the challenges of his role as the acting secretary of defense, and the leadership lessons he's learned along the way. TIME STAMPS: 00:00 - September 11, 2001 05:36 - The military's reaction 13:28 - The invasion of Afghanistan 21:08 - Mental training for times of uncertainty 27:09 - What makes a great team 32:51 - Coming home from the Afghanistan mission 35:01 - Conventional tactics versus unconventional warfare 41:09 - Planning his military career 42:46 - Transition from a tactical position into a strategic one 46:21 - Becoming the Acting Secretary of Defense 54:18 - Miller's response to the storming of the Capitol 58:19 - How to develop independent thought 1:04:15 - Balancing his personal relationships with his professional aspirations 1:08:18 - The mental toll of going to war 01:03:31 - Miller's next act -- Stay up to date by singing up for The Profile, our weekly newsletter that brings you the best profiles of successful people and companies. Sign up here: https://readtheprofile.com