Good morning, friends!

I was recently thinking about something random but interesting. In our society, we tend to value rational thought and logical decision-making. But have you ever made a decision that made sense for you and no one else?

And when people asked you to explain your reasoning, you simply responded with: “Because it makes me happy.”

I would love to hear from you on this topic.

Was there a time in your life when you made a decision that made sense to you but didn’t quite make sense to anyone else? If so, let me know what it was and whether you’re happy you made it or you regret it now.

Reply to this email, and note that I might synthesize your collective responses (anonymously) in a future newsletter edition. This will be a fun one.

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THE PROFILE DOSSIER: On Wednesday, premium members received The Profile Dossier, a comprehensive deep-dive on a prominent individual. It featured Ms. Rachel, the YouTube star that toddlers love. Read it below.

The Profile Dossier: Ms. Rachel, the YouTube star that toddlers love Polina Pompliano · Aug 2 Read full story

PROFILES.

— The last-place runner who loves the struggle [**HIGHLY RECOMMEND**]
— The VC navigating crypto’s year of hell
— The man who re-made New York City
— The immortal comedian
— The chefs who feed Beyoncé on tour
—The billionaire who convinced Messi to choose MLS

PEOPLE TO KNOW.

The last-place runner who loves the struggle: Erin Azar, a 39-year-old mom of three, has netted a deal with a world-renowned sports megabrand but she’s not an elite athlete. Azar began chronicling her adventures on social media (she has more than 1 million followers on TikTok), deploying goofy antics and self-deprecating humor to reveal hard truths about the sport: that it isn’t always pretty, that you don’t have to do it perfectly for it to matter, and that it can, as she says, really hurt. She’s found success by challenging the notion that the only reason to run is to run faster and better. (Runner’s World)

“What defines me as a runner is having a purpose for why I run.”

The VC navigating crypto’s year of hell: The DOJ prosecutor-turned-VC Katie Haun launched her crypto firm in early 2022 with $1.5 billion. Then the industry blew up. Haun Ventures has proceeded more cautiously and now plans to take around three years to spend its cash. Here’s what happens next. (FORTUNE; reply to this email if you can’t access the article)

“I do give her credit for playing the game smarter and not harder.”

The man who re-made New York City: Under Mayor Bloomberg, Dan Doctoroff remade New York City at top speed in his role as deputy mayor for economic development and rebuilding. Now, as the city is again mired in crisis, he faces his own. (New York Magazine; reply to this email if you can’t access the article)

“He was a hard-charging guy who thought nothing of calling your cell phone at 2 a.m.”

The immortal comedian: Mel Brooks has acted in, directed, produced, and written some of the most memorable films in human history—among them The Producers, Blazing Saddles, History of the World, Part I, and Spaceballs. Brooks is turning 97 this summer. In this wide-ranging interview with Judd Apatow, Brooks talks about fighting in World War II, his life in comedy, and the secret to happiness. (The Atlantic)

“You can’t live a real life if you’re just a bunch of firecrackers going off. You got to play ball with the universe.”

The chefs who feed Beyoncé on tour: Grant Bird is an English pastry chef and one of 14 culinary professionals on Beyoncé’s current Renaissance World Tour, which has also employed a vegan chef and three personal chefs just for Beyoncé and her inner circle. It’s not an easy gig. Regardless of the cuisine, the production demands are significant. The industry standard for a sizable tour requires four meals on setup and show days: breakfast, lunch, dinner and an after-concert meal, often eaten on a bus. Meet the chefs to the stars. (The New York Times)

“An army marches on its stomach, so you’ve got to feed the troops.”

The billionaire who convinced Messi to choose MLS: Billionaire Jorge Mas persuaded the world’s biggest soccer star to join a bottom-of-the-barrel team that’s languishing in last place in its league. Now he needs to make it pay off. The linchpin of his strategy was signing Messi to a contract that jettisoned a traditional cash-for-services agreement in favor of revenue sharing accords and an equity stake in the team — a dealmaking strategy closer to Wall Street’s playbook. (Bloomberg)

“There is no other player in this country that can have the impact globally that Leo Messi can have.”

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