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
Affluence, Insolvency, and Alcohol with Kirkland Hamill - Ep 78 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:19
Kirkland Hamill’s grandfather was very rich. His mother and father raised him and his brothers in grand fashion until Grandpa's death exposed major cracks in the family fortune. When his dad left his mom, she took Kirkla…
Happiness is Making a Living with Your Hands with Ken Rusk - Ep 77 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:03
Ken Rusk has made a very good living by working with his hands. A true-life, self-described “ditch-digger,” Ken is an entrepreneur who has over 200 people working on his team. In his new book, Blue Collar Cash: Love Your…
More Choice Makes Us More Miserable with Barry Schwartz - Ep 76 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:12
Barry Schwartz is the author of several books, including Why We Work and The Paradox of Choice. I spoke to Barry about his findings in these two important books. Why is it that the harder we work and the more affluent we…
In memory of Paul’s dad William Ollinger - ENCORE EPISODE [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:10
My dad died peacefully at his home last Friday. He left this world with a clear conscience while napping in his favorite recliner and surrounded by loved ones. He was 93 years old. If you’re looking for guidance on how t…
The Economics of Comedy with Kyle Kinane - Ep 74 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:49
Making a living in the arts is brutal. One of the things artists have to learn to do is manage their money and to structure their lives so that they’re doing the kind of work they WANT to do instead of doing work they HA…
Are our markets really free? with Denise Hearn - Ep 73 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 54:29
Are you an airline that dominates all the flights at a particular airport (e.g. Delta in Atlanta)? Are you a global beer conglomerate that controls half the beer brands on the planet? Or, are you a gloomy corporate type…
The Wisdom of Frugality with Emrys Westacott- Ep 72 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:52
A fun (and sometimes funny) conversation about frugality? Heck yes, friends, because this is Crazy Money!Emrys Westacott is the author of The Wisdom of Frugality and professor of Philosophy at Alfred University. In addit…
Happiness for Realists with Oliver Burkeman - Ep 71 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:59
Oliver Burkeman is the author of The Antidote: Happiness for People Who Can’t Stand Positive Thinking. He also writes a column for The Guardian called This Column Will Change Your Life in which he explores psychology and…
Freedom, Aliveness, and Financial well-being with Tripp Lanier - Ep 70 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:51
What if you get everything you’ve ever wanted and it’s still unfulfilling? What then? Men’s coach Tripp Lanier is the author of the newly released, This Book Will Make you Dangerous: The Irreverent Guide for Men who Refu…