How to Succeed When the Odds are Against You

CareerCast - Life-long Career Development

Polina Marinova PomplianoSome people believe that challenging times will stack the odds against you – and there is not a whole lot you can do about it. Polina Marinova Pompliano, founder of The Profile, author and editor of Term Sheet, Fortune’s industry-leading deal-making newsletter, and author of the book, Hidden Genius, would tell you to think differently and find a solution based on courage, determination, and appreciation. She would add that when you do, you will land in a place better than before the obstacles got in your way. In this CareerCast, Polina shares her insights, the best lessons learned from a top group of global experts, and strategies to help you win – whether the odds are in your favor or not.

Aired October 20, 2023


Polina Marinova Pompliano is the founder of The Profile, a new media company that features longform profiles of successful people and companies each week.

Previously she spent five years at Fortune where she wrote more than 1,300 articles and earned the trust of prominent investors and entrepreneurs. 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 Case, Chamath Palihapitiya, Alexis Ohanian, and more.


October 2023: How to Succeed When the Odds are Against You

Hidden Genius: The secret ways of thinking that power the world's most successful people by Polina Marinova Pompliano (2023)

Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen by Dan Heath (2020)

Edge: Turning Adversity into Advantage by Laura Huang (2020)

The Empowerment Paradox: Seven Vital Virtues to Turn Struggle Into Strength by Ben Woodward (2020)

The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz (2018)

Conquering the Seven Summits of Sales: From Everest to Every Business, Achieving Peak Performance by Susan Ershler and John Waechter (2014)

The Power of Starting Something Stupid by Richie Norton (2013)

The Leader’s Pocket Guide: 101 Indispensable Tools, Tips, and Techniques for Any Situation by John Baldoni (2012)

The 11 Laws of Likability: Relationship Networking . . . Because People Do Business with People They Like by Michelle Tillis Lederman (2011) 

Bounce Back: Overcoming Setbacks to Succeed in Business and in Life by John Calipari (2010)

Comebacks: Powerful Lessons from Leaders Who Endured Setbacks and Recaptured Success on Their Terms by Andrea Redmond and Patricia Crisafulli (2010) 

The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology That Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor (2010)

Mojo: How to Get It, How to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It by Marshall Goldsmith (2010)

Rebound: A Proven Plan for Starting Over After Job Loss by Martha I. Finney (2009)

Firing Back: How Great Leaders Rebound After Career Disasters by Jeffrey Sonnenfeld and Andrew Ward (2007)

Career Comeback: Eight Steps to Getting Back on Your Feet When You’re Fired, Laid Off, or Your Business Venture Has Failed—And Finding More Job Satisfaction Than Ever Before by Bradley Richardson (2004)


Hidden Genius book cover

Read an excerpt from How to Succeed When the Odds are Against You by Polina Marinova Pompliano.


Read the Excerpt