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. 🚀

Get full access to Reasonably Happy at words.paulollinger.com/subscribe

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
Addiction, work, and living “mask-free" with Mike Brody-Waite - Ep 69 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:53
At 23 years-old, Michael Brody-Waite drank a fifth of vodka and a 12-pack of beer everyday. He smoked tons of weed and cigarettes, and would “do any drug he could get his hands on.” When he wasn’t throwing up blood, he w…
Cancer, Careers, and Family with Julie Saxon- Ep 68 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:53
In 2013, Julie Saxon’s career was rocking along. The mother of two young girls had just gotten a big promotion, and was managing the work-life balance quite nicely. Later that year, everything changed when her husband, J…
Does money make you happy? with Carol Graham - Ep 67 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 57:15
Why are some millionaires miserable while many in poverty are happy? Does a rapidly-improving economy always lead to more well-being?How does optimism affect our economic futures?These are some of the big questions Carol…
Rich v. Wealthy with Paul Sullivan - Ep 66 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:25
Paul Sullivan writes the Wealth Matters column for The New York Times and is the author of The Thin Green Line: The Money Secrets of The Super Wealthy. In his book, he discusses the important difference between being ric…
Money and College Admissions with Paul Tough - Ep 65 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:36
Wealthy families have huge advantages when it comes to playing the college admissions game, and it’s not just more AP classes and $400/hour SAT/ACT tutors. That’s the conclusion of Paul Tough in his most recent book, The…
God Wants You to be Rich with Rabbi Daniel Lapin - Ep 64 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:36
Rabbi Daniel Lapin believes that money is the reward we get when we serve another one of God’s children. Therefore, doing business is doing God’s work. In his videos, courses, and books, Thou Shall Prosper and Business S…
Finding joy in the everyday with Laura Delizonna - Ep 63 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:54
Laura Delizonna, PhD is a Stanford University instructor, international speaker, author, and expert on the science of happiness. Her mission is to help others thrive in life and work. She delivers practical, interactive,…
James Lowry, Minority business pioneer- Ep 62 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:27
James H. Lowry grew up in Jim Crow era Chicago. After graduating from Grinnell College and spending time in the Peace Corps, Jim became McKinsey & Company's first African-American consultant in 1968 and, years later, the…
The bondage of student debt (with Michael Arceneaux) - Ep 61 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:26
Michael Arceneaux is the New York Times best-selling author of I Can’t Date Jesus and his new collection of essays, I Don’t Want to Die Poor, in which he chronicles the debilitating nature of his student debt. A graduate…
Lori Gottlieb, author, Maybe You Should Speak with Someone -Ep 60 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:00
Lori Gottlieb is a psychotherapist and author of the best-selling (and excellent) book, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone, which is being developed into a series for ABC by Eva Longoria. Lori pens the weekly "Dear Therapi…