Author Gary Sernovitz

Author Gary Sernovitz

Author: Paul Ollinger December 5, 2023 Duration: 59:08
Gary Sernovitz is one of the funniest financial writers working today. His hilarious new novel The Counting House tells the story of a university’s Chief Investment Officer who is suffering a mid-life crisis. If you possess either an interest in finance or a robust / dark sense of humor, The Counting House will make you laugh and, at times, cry in empathy with the protagonist. Gary has spent the last 25 years observing how money works from inside Goldman Sachs and the private equity business, bringing a keen writer’s eye to the money business through two previous novels, a non-fiction account of the oil and gas industrial, and a bunch of essays in The New York Times, The New Yorker and The Wall Street Journal. A Milwaukee native and longtime resident of New York, Gary now lives in New Orleans with his wife and daughter. See more about Gary and The Counting House here.

In this conversation, Gary and I discuss:

Investing with the constraints of a modern university stakeholders

Whether your performance is your identity

The state and cost of college 

Writing as a side hustle while working full-time in finance


See Paul live in comedy mode:

Austin, Jan 11 - Buy Tickets Here


San Francisco, Feb 22 -  Buy Tickets Here


Nashville, Feb 28 - Buy Tickets Here 


🔥Learn and laugh by reading Paul’s Substack here. 🔥
🚀 Follow Paul on Instagram here. 🚀

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Paul Ollinger has worn a few different hats-stand-up comedian, tech executive, and now, the curious host of Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger. This isn't a lecture series or a dry self-help guide. Instead, it feels more like pulling up a chair for a series of genuinely engaging talks that wander into the places where our daily lives, careers, and inner worlds collide. The conversations, which feature authors, thinkers, and various creatives, are refreshingly candid. They dig into the practical and philosophical questions about what it actually means to build a life that feels both successful and satisfying. You'll find that each episode of this podcast approaches big themes-money, purpose, and the pursuit of contentment-with a blend of wit and thoughtful depth. The underlying idea isn't about finding a perfect, Instagram-ready version of happiness, but something more grounded and attainable. It's for anyone who's ever wondered if there's a smarter, more meaningful way to navigate the pressures of business and culture without losing sight of what matters. Tuning in, you get the sense that Paul is figuring it out alongside his guests, making the insights feel earned and relatable. The result is a consistently interesting exploration of how we can all aim for a life that feels reasonably, and authentically, well-lived.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 321

Reasonably Happy with Paul Ollinger
Podcast Episodes
The Price of College with Ron Lieber - Ep 95 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:49
If you have kids in or nearing college age, you HAVE to listen to this episode. Ron Lieber’s new book, The Price You Pay for College contains critical, in-depth information about one of the most important financial decis…
Working Ourselves to Death with Daniel Markovits - Ep 94 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:20
Daniel Markovits is the Guido Calabresi Professor of Law at Yale Law School and the author of The Meritocracy Trap in which he outlines the price meritocracy imposes on society. In addition to severely limiting opportuni…
Managing Our Desires with William Irvine - Ep 93 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:24
William “Bill” Irvine is an author, philosophy professor, and an active investor who describes his intended audience as "intellectually-upscale readers who have a minimal background in philosophy but who are interested i…
Getting the Most from Life with Jesse Itzler - Ep 92 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:13
Jesse Itzler only eats fruit 'til noon, loves Run-D.M.C., and enjoys living life "out of the box." The author of the New York Times bestseller, Living with a Seal, cofounded Marquis Jet, the world's largest private jet c…
Happiness Around the Globe with John Helliwell - Ep 90 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:48
John Helliwell is Professor emeritus of Economics at University of British Columbia and editor of The World Happiness Report, a landmark survey of the state of global happiness that ranks 156 countries by how happy their…
Real Life Diff'rent Strokes with Kay Madati - Ep 89 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:08
Kay Madati was born to a single, Tanzanian mother who died when he was 12. Kay and his brother were then adopted by a very affluent caucasian couple who lived on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. His new family situation…
Giving thanks, literally with A.J. Jacobs - ENCORE EPISODE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:43
In this special Thanksgiving encore episode, I talk to A.J. Jacobs about his latest book, Thanks a Thousand: A Gratitude Journey, in which he expresses gratitude to a thousand people who are involved with getting him his…
Life after the PGA Championship with Rich Beem - Ep 88 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:44
Rich Beem won the 2002 PGA Championship, one of professional golf’s four major tournaments. Despite having won twice on tour prior to the PGA, Rich's win at Hazeltine was as unlikely as the groovy dance moves he busted o…